Only On 3: Desert Man On Fast Track To Becoming CHP Officer
WEST SACRAMENTO– Law enforcement isn’t usually the first choice for many at the California Highway Patrol training academy. Cadet Miguel Diaz is no different. He used to work at a printing company in Palm Desert. Now, he’s about a month away from graduating.
“I wanted job security and something that I can go home every night and tell me kids and they’ll be like, ‘That’s a cool job my dad’s got,'” says Diaz.
Diaz’s wife already sees a change in him. Besides losing more than 40 pounds, he’s also more confident.
“She noticed it right away. We would go out and I can carry a conversation with someone I just met 5 minutes ago. No problem without eye contact,” says Diaz.
Diaz is getting ready to take his emergency driving exam. Driving is a make or break section for the academy.
“As they proceed in their training they, can’t handle the stresses of the academy of being away from home from friends and family, children and some just realize as they progress through their training that they are not manned or cut out for law enforcement,” says CHP instructor Jeff Kivi.
For some it’s the physical training. others can’t complete the training scenarios. But, it’s driving that makes some cadets hit the skids.
“We’re in the a real vehicle moving at well, in excess of 100 miles then hour and at that speed your travelling at 150 feet per second so you make a mistake at those kinds of speeds and you can imagine once you go off the track and go into the dirt there’s things to hit,” says Phil Jones, an emergency driving instructor at the academy.
Diaz and the other cadets must navigate through a series of turns at very high speeds. If you fail, you’re out of the academy. But, they can come back and test again. Cadets must also have almost a hundred hours of crash investigation courses. It takes more than 1,200 hours and 6 months of training to graduate.
Everyone who graduates is guaranteed a job and a plaque for their company in the academy’s commons room. Cadets submit a wish list of what CHP station they want to work. Some get to go where they want, others get assigned. Officers can move to different stations throughout their career.
“People like the mobility of you can work in San Francisco or you can go to San Diego. You can work literally anywhere in the state without having to switch agencies and start over,” says Kivi.
Diaz wants to return to Coachella Valley for work. He’s hoping to get placed at the Indio station. But he’s not taking anything for granted until he graduates.
“Nothings over till it’s over. Until I’m walking down that stage hopefully. Then I’ll know I made it,” says Diaz.
