IUPD Academy looks to recruit new cadets

As a fight breaks out at the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, cadet Jill Spencer runs to the scene to break it up and call for reinforcements.\nSpencer is one of 25 cadets in this year’s IU Police Department academy. The cadets are not only officers-in-training with a work schedule between 12 to 20 hours a week, but they are also full-time students.\n“We’re the working student. Most of our shifts are at night,” Spencer said. “We have a lot of weekend overnight shifts. If you have to work, you have to pick that over your friends. Our work can become a profession after college.” \nSpencer started her training in August, first learning CPR and then how to use an automated external defibrillator and how to dispatch officers. She said she later learned how to answer emergency calls and was given defensive training.\n“A lot of it is adjusting to wearing a uniform in public,” Spencer said. “You see a friend, but you must act professional in the situation. A lot of cadets are underage and you have to think if there will be an illegal situation (when you go out).”\nThis week, IUPD will begin interviewing possible candidates for next year’s cadet program. All candidates must be full-time students with a GPA of 2.0 or higher.\n“They don’t have police powers, but when they’re taking a 911 call, they have to be able to respond,” said IUPD Lt. Greg Butler. “It’s definitely a responsible type of position. They get paid for their services, but not a lot. But when they graduate, they not only have their degree, they are very marketable.”\nThe cadets work security at athletic events, the library, recreational events and the dorms. Many of the cadets live in residence halls and can provide security for dorm residents.\nThere are 38,000 students on campus and only 44 full-time police officers, Butler said. IU hosts major Big Ten events that 35 part-time officers and 25 cadets help with. If IUPD didn’t have this program, the University would have to bring in outside help. Having IU students as cadets allows IUPD to understand the type of students on campus, Butler said. \nThe cadet program, which began in 1972, is the only one of its kind in the nation that trains full-time students to become officers, Butler said.\n“I actually thought it would be a lot more physical training,” Spencer said of her training so far. “It’s not as intense as it will be in academy.”\nEvery eight weeks, cadets must take a fitness test where they are expected to improve in all areas. To be accepted into the summer training academy, cadets must be able to do 45 sit-ups in a minute and 40 push-ups in a minute. They are also given a set time to run a mile in. Cadets are expected to work out on their own so they can improve at each fitness test.\n“I asked an officer what we should do to prepare for academy and he said be in the best shape of our lives so we won’t get our butts kicked,” Spencer said. “Its going to get more intense on our own. We want to be in perfect shape for academy.”\nThe academy is a 14-week-long intense training program during the summer. Cadets must also pass 15 written exams. Guests include representatives of the FBI who come to teach skills used against terrorism, and the cadets learn an array of other skills including defensive tactics and are also taught how to handle domestic violence. Once cadets successfully complete the academy, they are considered part-time officers with all the rights and responsibilities of being a fully-trained police officer.\n“It’s a critical part of our law enforcing staff,” said IUPD Capt. Jerry Minger. “Without the cadets we wouldn’t be able to supply near the amount of services we are asked to do.”