Personal Narrative: Sheriff's Explorer Program

Just one, Sheriff’s Explorer Program. It may seem odd at first, since I had absolutely zero interest in law enforcement. Maybe for a split second, I thought about becoming a homicide detective. As it was my mother’s dream, unfortunately with no papers and mouths to feed, it was far from reality. Nevertheless, I joined the program. Just to be clear, this was no boy scouts club. LASD does not play around, and they expect nothing but absolute perfection from you. Which is why they put you through an agonizing 18-week course. Every week, your Saturday was wasted to attend the course, at 5 AM sharp. Business attire was to be worn. Let me tell you, it had to be flawless. Any imperfection, and instructors were on you all day. Yet, many like myself went through it.
Every Saturday I was reluctant to wake up. Why should I bother going? You wait outside, freezing with no jacket. To be briefed minutes later by an aggressively opened door, and drill instructors in your face. Yelling at you, how bad your uniform looks, how you should quit, pushing you physically beyond your limits. I mean I knew I was out of shape, but it was slightly embarrassing throwing up 3 times during this course. In front of everyone. The instructors didn’t care; they’ll mock you for that to. But don’t you dare laugh or smirk, it was like breaking a commandment. It wasn’t until after I graduated, that I learned this was part of their system. They break you down until you feel like nothing, then build you back up better than ever. How was I supposed to know? It was hard to think when spit from instructors was flying in your face. To this day I don’t know how, but I persisted. I woke up every Saturday, for 18 weeks straight and graduated. It was the very first time I felt proud of myself, and although she won’t admit it, for my mother as well. My class started with hundreds, only about 30 graduated. I was one of those, I finally realized what I was capable