UIW grad: City seeks police officers

By David Peters

LOGOS STAFF WRITER

The University of the Incarnate Word has a Department of Criminal Justice, but any graduating Cardinals wanting to get firsthand experience might consider the San Antonio Police Department.

According to SAPD’s public information officer, Ricardo Guzman, the city has received a federal grant allowing the hiring of more police officers.

Guzman, who graduated with a theatre arts degree from UIW in 2019, said the city plans to add 100 police officers this year alone. And with the city council approving an additional 300 officers over the next three years, the SAPD is taking an aggressive approach to hiring the best recruits possible. This will allow over five classes per year and SAPD has not had that happen since the ‘90's.

“With new substations opening across our growing city, we need to fill those spots with quality cadets,” Guzman said.

The San Antonio Police Academy is considered one of the best and hardest police academies in the nation, Guzman said. However, the eight-month-long program probably will mean cadets will miss weddings, birthdays, holidays, and quality time with a spouse, significant other and loved ones.

“My advice for anyone who is thinking about joining law enforcement after college is (to) figure out why you want to join that career because there has to be some type of passion for it,” Guzman said.

“The city of San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the nation, and we have to fill these spots for the citizens,” Guzman said. “It doesn’t matter what degree you graduate with because you are going to thank yourself after seeing how much money a month you will make for obtaining that degree.”

Putting one of your sneakers on the police academy grounds is going to be a grueling process on its own. You must first go to the SAPD website and fill out an application. The application process is long and time-consuming. Once your application is approved, you will move onto the physical fitness test.

“Run,” Guzman said. “If you think you are running, run some more because this is not about how big you are or how much weights you can lift.”

After passing the physical part, cadets will move to the written test, and the oral board over video. Upon completing these steps, you will now go through an extensive background check, lie-detector test, medical exam, and psychiatric evaluation. If you manage to pass this process, the police chief will sign off on your acceptance to the academy and you will assigned a class with your start date. The total process could take anywhere from three months to a year to process an applicant.

“Before the academy, there is a day called ‘gear pickup,’ ” Guzman said. “And I hope you are used to being yelled at,” Guzman said.

Day one at the academy will consist of four hours of physical fitness so they can weed out the ones who thought they were ready to be one of SAPD’s cadets. SAPD goes well above the standards the state requires to become a police officer. The state requires 620 training hours. SAPD requires more than 1,000 training hours. Physical fitness will take place three times a week for two hours a day. The rest is dedicated to academics and other things. There is one day all cadets are made aware of from the beginning. This is called Hell Day! The verbiage is intentional because of the grueling day the cadets go through. They will first have physical training for half the day, get pepper-sprayed and then thrown into the gas chamber.

“Being a police officer is not just about catching bad guys,” Guzman said. “It’s about community policy as well.”

After SAPD cadets pass the academy, they will move onto the state exam to get licensed as a peace officer.

“There is a sense of accomplishment once you graduate and pass the exam,” Guzman said. “No one gives you this badge and gun. You earn it.”