McComb High School students are getting a taste of what day-to-day life for law enforcement officers is like during a two-day junior police academy taking place Thursday and today at Southwest Mississippi Community College.
A dozen students are working with the Mississippi Highway Patrol, McComb and Summit police departments and the Pike County Sheriff’s Department at the college’s Regional Workforce Training Center.
McComb School District Partners in Education Coordinator Cornelia Gayden said Sheriff Kenny Cotton mentioned the idea.
“Law enforcement is one of our pieces to our partners in education. We liked the idea and decided that it would be our first project,” Gayden said.
On Thursday morning, students from McComb High School began the day with physical training led by McComb Sgt. Wally Jones. And many didn’t like it. After PT and a shower, the students learned about traffic stops from Mississippi Highway Patrol Troop M Cpl. Brandon Fortenberry and courtroom etiquette from Pike County Prosecutor David Brewer.
Students also learned about crime scene investigations during a presentation from McComb investigators, and Fortenberry took students on a driving course similar to the one officers in the police academy go through.
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Students also heard from dispatch supervisor Bridgette Dixon, who passed on some important tips for anyone who needs to call 911.
“If we get it wrong, the officer can’t get it right,” Dixon said.
She said of all the questions dispatchers ask, “where” is the most important.
“If we can get your location, then we can tell our officers where to go,” Dixon said.
She said during calls, most people panic and can’t tell where they are.
“If you’re in a car wreck, you don’t know if you’re north or southbound, east or west. It takes a split second to get information out of you and if I can’t get the information, then I can’t get you help,” she said. “There could be someone at the scene and could possibly die. ... I’ve had grown people not be able to tell me where they are.”
She said while taking the call, they may have an officer come across the radio and need a 10-28.
She said that officers are human and dispatchers have to keep them calm along with the callers.
“They feel and react,” she said. “The stress is real.”
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Summit Police Chief James Isaac told students they were catching a break.
“The PT you all did is nothing,” Isaac told the group. “Deputy Chief Rodney Nordstrom and I were talking and next time we may have you all dress in full gear and do a chase.”
Isaac said it’s advisable for suspects not to run from the law.
“If I can’t catch you, then I’ve got your car,” he said. “It may not be your car, it may be Grandma’s car. But Grandma’s going to give you up or she’s going to catch that charge.”
Isaac said an a chase can lead to an adrenaline rush for officers, which can work out not so well for those who ran.
“Now I’m frustrated ... because you ran from the police, so when I catch you, I need another officer to calm me down,” he said. “You may look at things on YouTube and television and go, ‘He didn’t have to do that.’ He probably didn’t but you have to remember his adrenaline is pumping.”
McKenzie told students he got married before graduating South Pike High School, worked at a dairy farm and as a mechanic before becoming an officer.
“I made more money fixing on cars than I did as an officer, but I had a goal and I worked toward that goal,” he said.
McKenzie worked his way up the ranks to being a detective before becoming chief.
“I loved crime scene,” he said. “If I could’ve moved up the ranks and made a little more money doing it, I’d still be in crime scene.”
Cyiana Winn and Anjelica Gatlin both said they liked the program and learned a lot.
Both said after going through the course that criminal justice was an area they wanted to learn more about.
“It’s a good life discipline program for children. I think a lot more children should join in,” Gatlin said. “At first, when I got off the bus and we did PT, I said, ‘This ain’t for me’ but after I passed the PT, I said, ‘Yes, this is for me. I just have to work out more.’ ”
They said they also have a better respect for law enforcement.
