Palm Spring Police Department’s newest recruits prepare for academy training

The newest members of the Palm Springs Police Department practiced “defensive tactics” during a training session in Palm Springs.

Coachella Valley native Chad Brown has already worked for the department for two and-a-half years as a radio dispatcher.

“Once I started working as a radio dispatcher, i immediately knew i wanted to be a police officer,” said Brown.

Recruit Emmi Kramer is a graduate of Palm Springs High School.

“I’ve always wanted to be a police officer, to help everybody around me,” sad Kramer.

The other hires, Luis Garcia has worked as a Palm Springs Community Services Officer for the past eight months, and, valley native Christian Granados previously worked in banking.

Before they were hired, they had to pass written and physical tests and put through “extensive background checks”.

Sergeant Mike Casavan, who oversees the “pre-academy” training in Palm Springs, says only about six to ten percent who initially apply actually end up getting hired.

“We delve into their personal life pretty deep, and that can be tough for some people,” said Casavan.

Casavan says Palm Springs, like many police agencies, is finding it tougher to find those who want to work in law enforcement.

For some departments, prospective hires shy away, while citing things like tough working conditions, “anti-police” sentiment, and relatively low pay.

For Palm Springs, the starting salary for rookies is $69,000 a year, plus benefits.

“It can be a pretty thankless job. There is a lot of sacrifice that goes along with it,” said Casavan.

After finishing this stage of their training in Palm Springs at the end of this month, the recruits will then complete six months of training at the Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside.

After that, they’ll be sworn-in, then complete 4 and-a-half months of “field training”, before hitting the streets.

“Being able to be there to help the public is always something that i wanted to do,” said Brown.

Many who serve in law enforcement say “it’s a calling”.

The four recruits say they’re ready to answer.

“I think I’ll be a good officer because, I’ve got that passion, that drive, I’m not going to give up,” said Kramer.