Duluth Police Recruits Train For High-Speed Chase

Class Of 15 Recruits Is The Largest Ever For the Department

DULUTH, Minn. –  We’re taking you on the tarmac and behind the wheel as Duluth police recruits get tested during a mock high-speed chase.

It’s all about learning to have full control of a police cruiser while facing so many distractions, especially on a 911 call.

John Villa, 34, one of the 15 recruits – the largest class on record for the Duluth Police Department.

“Even though this was a controlled environment, describe the adrenaline. Was it up or down?” asked FOX 21’s Dan Hanger.

“Oh, it was up. The adrenaline was up,” Villa replied.

Sgt. Joel Olejnicak is a 19-year veteran of the department who says this type of hands-on training is critical for the safety of the officer and the public.

“This is a test. We want them to demonstrate to us as instructors that the technics we’ve talked about,” Olejnicak said. “You can see that their hands will tense up on the steering wheel. And we’ll have to remind them as instructors when we are sitting in the passenger’s seat — just relax. Just breathe.”

And that’s exactly what happened for Villa after his mock chase on the tarmac of the 148th Fighter Wing.

“I was noticing I was holding my breath that second time around. And you telling me, breathe, breathe,” Villa said.

But breathing can be difficult when faced with so many things happening around an officer.

“There’s pedestrians may be coming up. Maybe we’re coming up to a school zone, and he’s got to be thinking about that is this somewhere I want to lead this chase to,” Olejnicak said.

And while speed is one factor in the training, fighting that adrenaline is another.

“When your heart rate goes up and it gets to a certain level, you lose some of your ability to think — and to think rational thoughts,” Olejnicak said.

It’s an intense training experience that’s exhilarating for these future officers — all while focusing on a core mission to serve and protect.

“I want to be able to contribute back to the community. I want to be able to provide a service to the area that, ya know, not a lot of people can do,” Villa said. “Yes, I am here to help you, and yes I’m not here to make it harder on you. And yes I want to help make this a better community.”

The recruits will have their swearing-in ceremony in the middle of January.

They will then go through four months of training on the streets of Duluth.