TWO STUDENTS RECEIVE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

Two Southeast Missouri State University students who want to be lawmen have been getting their heads out of the books and their hands on some experience this summer.

Jim Olsen, a senior at the university majoring in criminal justice, was given the opportunity to experience the daily chores of a Cape Girardeau police officer for six weeks earlier this summer.

"You learn everything that you could never learn in a classroom," said Olsen, 23, whose ambition is to get a job as a police officer after he graduates in December. "It's really unbelievable how different things on the street are from what they tell you in class."

Olsen spent two weeks with the traffic division, two weeks with the patrol division and two weeks tagging around with the department's detectives during his internship. He said the internship came at a good time.

"I had always wanted to be a cop from the time I was a little kid," he explained. "But lately, I had been thinking about the low pay and long hours and had been looking into a corrections or probation and parole career.

"But the six weeks I spent with the Cape Girardeau police made me forget everything else," he said. "I know that's what I want to do now."

Olsen was taken everywhere the officer to whom he was assigned went, but often for safety reasons he was not allowed to get out of the car. But even inside the car, Olsen said he had some thrills.

"One time I was with (a traffic officer) and we were flying down the interstate running radar," Olsen said. "He locked on to someone doing about 79 in the other lane.

"He didn't slow down much before hitting the median," Olsen recounted. "I thought I was dead for sure; then I got used to his driving."

Olsen said he worked eight- to nine-hour shifts every day with the police, and then had to go to his part-time job afterward.

"It was hard to schedule my time at work around my shifts at the police department," Olsen said. "I guess I got what I asked for, though.

"I asked a lot of questions especially of officers I knew pretty well," Olsen said. "What was so interesting is that every officer had a different perspective on the job."

Another Southeast student is working at the Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

Sean Wood, 22, said he finagled his way into the internship by calling on an old acquaintance, the prosecuting attorney.

"That and I filled out an application that was about 20 pages long," Wood said.

Since beginning his internship in the middle of May, Wood has had the opportunity to work with the prosecutor's investigator.

"I've helped with interviews, taking statements, showing photo lineups to witnesses just about anything relating to investigations," he said. "Every case is different; it's a constant challenge on a daily basis."

Wood is particularly interested in investigations and detective work. After graduation, he plans to apply to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Academy and hopes someday to work for the Secret Service.

After his internship ends in August, Wood plans to stick around the Jackson courthouse as long as his services can be of use to the staff.

"I couldn't say that there is just one thing that I have learned since I've been here that stands out in my mind," Wood said. "Here, I've learned so much; every day something new happens."

Despite his ambition to be a law enforcement officer, Wood chose the prosecutor's office for very specific reasons.

"Here, the prosecutor's office in my mind, anyway is the chief law enforcement agency in the county," he said. "I thought I would learn more about the legalities of law enforcement here than at a police department."

Wood said the greatest opportunity he had been afforded by the internship was being able to work under Cape County Prosecutor Morley Swingle.

"(Swingle) is an incredible man; you don't realize that until you've seen him work," Wood said. "I've learned more from him by just watching him than I've learned in some of my classes.

"He's amazing, absolutely amazing," Wood continued. "If I could be half as good at what I do as he is at his job, I will always be successful."