At the Nampa Police Department's Public Safety Academy, 6 On Your Side’s Michael Sevren joined other volunteers to get a glimpse of what it takes to wear the badge.
From spotting the signs of a drunk driver, to knowing the signs of domestic violence, Michael learned first-hand from the experts who deal with criminals on a daily basis.
He did not just put pen to paper. He also learned a police dog's bite is just as bad as its bark
"At the end of the day, he's a tool, and I'm going to use him to find drugs, find people that we're looking for, suspects," said Officer Brad Boster of the Nampa Police Department.
Each tool the officers use requires hours if not days of training. That includes both the lethal weapons they use only as a last resort and non-lethal ones, like tasers.
Even getting to and from calls requires a week of training at Nampa PD. Michael got behind the wheel of a patrol car and ran through a course -- what police describe as a defensive driving class on steroids.
The classroom went beyond the Nampa Police Department to their partners, including the Canyon County Prosecutor's Office and the Canyon County Jail.
The Nampa Police Department offers the Public Safety Academy twice a year, and some participants end up becoming volunteers for the police department.
