Citizen Academy

Sometimes I sign up for classes in the evening if I feel I have the time or if I feel curious.  This time I signed up for a six week class offered by the Anoka County Sheriff Citizen Academy.  All day yesterday I wondered if I could stay awake and alert from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.  Turns out I can stay awake and alert that late and even later.  It was me who said, "Yes, lets!" when the officer asked at 9:40 p.m., "Shall I bring my dog in and show you some obedience tricks?"  I was there until 10 o'clock.  I drove straight home and went straight to bed but laid there with my round eyes wide open trying to process all I had learned in those three and half hours.  I got a tour of the sheriff's office including the sheriff's office, the ammo room, the detention rooms, the sally port, the SWAT dressing room, the roll call room, various cubicles and, most interesting of all, the garage.  In the garage were the sheriff's ATV's, boats, and SWAT vehicles.  The sheriff has about a dozen boats including zodiacs, big boats with 100 HP motors, shallow craft, and an air boat like I have seen in the Everglades.  I had to ask how often that airboat was used.  I know Anoka County has a lot of swamps but I was curious.  I didn't mean to imply, by asking, that I thought the airboat was unnecessary.  I was just curious.  Turns out the air boat is used about 12 times a year.  I'm glad they have it.  I got to see the SWAT bearcat (seen in photo) and the other SWAT van.  This bearcat is armored and the glass is also armored.  On the driver's side there you can see a ram.  This has a hydraulic ram that can be used on a second story window or to lift up a roof to see where a suspect is inside a house.  When the SWAT team is used, there is no knocking and "Is anyone home?"  The SWAT team opens the door with a ram because the situation calls for the element of surprise.  The bearcat and the other SWAT van have platforms on the outside of the vehicle for SWAT members to stand on so they are ready to leap off and get busy upon arrival.  Only a few SWAT team members have the skills to drive this heavy, 10 cylinder Bearcat with solid rubber tires.  I picked up a SWAT vest just to get a feel of how heavy it was.  I groaned.  It was heavy enough to make me groan. After that the bomb sniffing dog and his handler gave us a demonstration where the dog found some gun powder in one of the five suitcases it sniffed.  This dog sniffs the buses of the Minnesota Vikings and the opposing team before they are allowed in the stadium.  Payment for this beautiful dog is time spent with a green tennis ball and some belly rubs. I work for money but is that so different than belly rubs?  The drug sniffing dog found some heroin and some marijuana under a truck gas cap and inside a locker.  Payment for this very intense, well trained German Shepard is tugging on a length of fire hose.  I really had no idea this class would be so informative and interesting.  Do I feel weird about having to wear black pants and black shoes?  No.  But the white polo with a giant yellow star on the shoulder?  makesmefeellikeathirdgrader  I'll take it though.  I look forward to the next five Wednesday nights.