STATE TROOPER My interviews with three State Troopers gave me a lot of information About what it takes to be a trooper and various reasons for becoming one. I interviewed Trooper King,Trooper Dregan and Trooper Laufer. I found out there is no one reason that a person becomes a State Trooper. Officer Dregan went to college to become a teacher. When he went to a graduation party, a friend s uncle started talking to him about the state police. Officer Dregan became interested, took the test and twenty six years later is still with the state police. Trooper King started out in the National Guards and became a helicopter pilot in the Guards. A fellow helicopter pilot told him that the state police would be a good avenue to pursue aviation as a career. He applied and became part of the police in 1989. Officer Laufer was always interested in the police force. Before joining the state police he had an experience that led to his decision to join them. He was at the Springfield Mall one day and suddenly he heard shots. He saw awoman in Army clothes aiming a rifle at shoppers and firing. He was able to take the rifle from her. He continued school, took the test for the state police and joined. The new requirements to become eligble to join the state police have been changed. You must now have sixty college credits. This can be changed. They will waive thirty credits if you have had two years of active -2- military duty or two years as an active police officer. The training to become a trooper is very intense. You go to the Academy for twenty weeks. Most of the training deals with defending your- self, not inflicting anything. The training involves physical education like climbing ropes, boxing, judo, running, swimming and working out with

weights. The cadets also have a lot of class time. You are taught all about criminal law, vehicular law,evidence law and how to testify in court. You are also taught block print. There is huge amount of paperwork and you must be able to read your notes and reports later for court. The schedule for the days started at 5:30 in the morning and you could have lectures until as late as 10:00 at night. The equipment and clothing of the troopers have also changed some. In addition to the uniforms, less than a year ago, they received jackets that are very functional. They have a zipper on the side that accomodates their tools. A zip in gortex lining is for warmth. The bottom can be folded up to allow the gun to be accessable. There is a lot of reflective tape so the trooper can be seen at night. The trooper usually carries a Berretta, 44 caliber, semi-automatic. In addition there are 12 guage shot guns available. -3- Once you atr in the State Police, you can still train or qualify for, through promotions for special jobs. You can become a community liason officer. Trooper Dregan does this now as part of his job. He goes to schools to teach about crime and how to help. He likes this because he had gone to school for teaching. He also has always done horseback riding, so he is part of the unit that searches areas by horseback because the area can t be reached by cars. Officer King applied for the helicopter training because this is what he did in the guards. There is also 5the tactical unit called S.E.R.T. that is hard to get into. This is a very specialized team, in it you have hostage negotiators, snipers and the tactical entry team that wears a military uniform. more or less. The troopers all admitted that it is hard work to become a member of the State police and remain one because of the continual training. The job is often dangerous because they never know who they ll encounter. But they all believe this is the best career to have.