After graduating from the Grand Rapids Community College Police Academy, two former cadets suited up to join forces with the Grand Rapids Police Department.
Officer Stacey Streeter, 23, a West Michigan native, joined GRPD for the countless opportunities they offer.
“Being from Grandville, there are so many doors that can open up here,” said Streeter. “I want to challenge myself and go from one thing to another.”
Officer Don Allen, 27, from Grand Rapids joined GRPD for its community policing and family ties to the city.
Allen’s father, mother, and sister were employed in the public sector which instilled a passion within him for public service.
“GRPD has a really good reputation within the community,” said Allen. “That’s a big focus here, which I think is very important.”
Before joining GRPD’s team, Officers Streeter and Allen had to complete 10 months of schooling in areas such as physical training, firearms, and report writing. As for Allen, his military service gave him a head start.
“It definitely helped me, PT, doing physical training every morning that wasn’t anything new to me,”said Allen. “It was definitely good to be prepared for that and then firearms handling.”
With a job that consists of long hours and endless challenges, it’s nearly impossible to fully prepare for what one will see on the roads.
“I think police academies are built to get you to that entry level and then we’re lucky enough to go through an eight week inhouse training here at GRPD,” said Streeter, “That was like an extension of the academy. But the academy does do a great job of kind of preparing you for what you’re going to have to go through in a department; Grand Rapids kind of takes it to that next level and gives you that extra training. So we’re very fortunate for that.”
The former GRCC alumni suggest that cadets enrolled in the academy take their training seriously. Your instructor today may very well be your supervisor tomorrow.
With Officers Streeter and Allen gainfully employed within the community, their training is never really over. Each day presents new and exciting opportunities as well as dangers.
