GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. — Students in the Public Safety Program at Marshall Technical School got a first-hand look at what it takes to become a police officer on Friday.
The Boaz Police Department conducted their agility training session on the Technical School campus. It gives students interested in a career in public safety a good idea of what to expect when they go through the process.
"The Alabama Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission has a standardized physical agility test and must be run by all applicants," explained Lt. Martin Killion, public safety instructor at MTS. "We've partnered with Boaz P.D. to run their applicants through it."
The partnership is also extended to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office, Albertville, Arab and Guntersville Police Departments.
Candidates pushed themselves through a grueling obstacle course which also involved pushing a police vehicle from behind, a wall climb, a walk across a balance beam, and dragging of a "victim" (a specially-weighted mannequin) from one spot to another.
MTS students observing the gauntlet get a real-life sense of the physical exertion demanded for any role in emergency management and first response.
"It gives my students a chance to be involved, shows them what they're looking forward to," said Killion, who added that two former students were among the candidates in the running..
Michael Hempel, Assistant Chief of Boaz Police, says his department is actively hiring new cadets, and this training exercise is a crucial part of the process. "We're looking to send three people to the police academy in January."