They give these people guns?

Ah, it's time for the new rookie officers to be cut loose on their own, just in time for the new class to hit the streets for field training. This means it's time for "situationals", which are officers posing as citizens in various situations to give the trainees some experience before they hit the street.

Rookie officers are always good for a laugh. Of course most of them are in their 20's and lack, shall we say, life experience? However, we sometimes get one that has come from a smaller agency and should, I repeat, should have some clue.

I have worked situationals numerous times but I think the funniest thing I heard was "10-8, unable to locate". Excuse me? You couldn't locate the officer pretending to be the drunken citizen causing a disturbance at a business? He is purposefully there to be found and dealt with! That is the point of a situational!

Unfortunately, after 4 months of in field training, some are no better. One came to dispatch to "run the packet" meaning pick up paperwork from teletype to that division. He obviously had never been there before. I asked him "are you lost?" and proceeded to tell him, "go 6 paces forward and ask the lady on your right, she'll help you".

Silly me! I assumed that these were very clear directions.

He turned 90 degrees to his right and proceeded to head off to ask the female - to his left, not right - if there was anything to take back to the division when I yelled no! Back here, where you were, go forward thataway, her... yeah that one!

I just shake my head and ask, and they give these people guns?