On Dec. 14, both of those men celebrated their graduations from the academy, and earlier this week, started their field training with their respective departments.

Officer Chris Taylor, with the Fort Dodge Police Department, and Deputy Cory Wood, of the Webster County Sheriff’s Department, are now on patrol, accompanied by a senior officer, to learn the ropes of how local law enforcement works.

Taylor has been training with Officer Nathan Wolfe, while Wood’s training is being done with Deputy Trevir Michehl.

Wood said his favorite part of the academy was the criminal classes, where he was taught how to determine the appropriate charges to file when called to an incident.

“We also did our OWI (operating while under the influence) classes,” he said, “and the radar classes were probably the biggest things I took away from there.”

Taylor gained the most knowledge during the criminal law and search and seizure portions of the academy.

“That was one of the longest classes we’ve had, the most hours on the exams that we had,” Taylor said. “I would say that was probably some of the more valuable classes because they really drive that stuff home to you. It really takes a lot of time to understand it all.”

The Fort Dodge officer had his first shift on Sunday, and also worked Wednesday and Thursday. He said he’s just been “getting out, experiencing how officers handle different situations.”

“(I’ve been) making a few traffic stops, kind of getting my experience with doing the real thing,” Taylor said, adding he’s also learning how to use the software in the police vehicles.

Wood began his first shift on Tuesday and was expecting to continue his field training today.

“I’ll be riding with another deputy and just getting to do some hands-on training,” he said. “Getting to be able to be at the calls instead of sitting in the classroom.”

Taylor said being out in the field versus being in the classroom “ties everything together.”

“In the classroom, you’re taught how to do something or you’re told how certain things operate,” he said, adding that actually experiencing field training helps him understand what he was taught at the academy.

“It’s pretty familiar, and I’d say you probably understand it a lot better after you’ve done it a couple times,” Taylor said.

Wood, who rode along with experienced deputies prior to starting training, said the major difference for him is that he now has the training to deal with situations he encounters.

“It’s going to be a lot better because there’s a lot more I can do,” Wood said, adding that he’ll be able to do more “hands-on” work.

“(It’s) being able to go out there and do my job,” he said.

Taylor agreed, saying he’s “getting my experience with doing the real thing.”