For his final January Short Term (JST) project at Roycemore, senior Hamza Keshk gained valuable connections and hands-on experience in the field that he plans to make his career in one day: local law enforcement.

Hamza went behind the scenes of the police hiring process during the three weeks of JST, taking the police Power Test and written entrance exam — the actual tests he will take when he enters police training after completing his four-year college degree.

The Power Test consists of several physical fitness benchmark tests, including sit-and-reach, running, bench press, and sit-up tests, each with a certain standard required to pass based on age and gender. Hamza exceeded standards on the sit-and-reach and sit-up tests but says he still has room to improve to meet the running (a mile and a half in 14 minutes) and bench press (88% of body weight) standards.

“What I gathered from these tests is that from now until I have to actually take the Power Test, I’m going to implement running, chest, and core exercises into my routine so I can hit those numbers,” said Hamza.

Hamza went on department tours and two-hour ride-alongs with the Morton Grove and Skokie Police Departments. He also completed an eight-hour afternoon shift (3:00-11:00 pm) and ride-along with the Lincolnwood Police Department. During the Lincolnwood shift, Hamza accompanied officers as they responded to several local incidents, including a basement fire (luckily, no one was hurt, and the fire department beat police officers to the scene) and multiple instances of theft, store owner intimidation, and harassment at the Lincolnwood Mall.

“Being in those experiences face to face taught me a lot,” said Hamza. “It taught me that it is really important to have a basic understanding of psychology and how to de-escalate. It's interesting because there’s not really a set personality that police officers have — they’ve just learned from their own experiences. Some are more firm, and some will be more lenient, so it was interesting to see how each officer interacted with people.”

Observing local police officers’ on-scene response techniques helped Hamza form an idea of how he will approach difficult situations when he becomes an officer. “Most of the time, when people see a police officer, they’re nervous. I think not coming across as too hard-headed and coming across as non-threatening is the best approach,” he said.

As a member of the Morton Grove Police Explorer Program, Hamza already had some familiarity with the rigor and processes involved in becoming a police officer but was still surprised by the way the hiring process works. He explained that once a prospective officer passes the Power Test, they will be interviewed at the police department that they want to join. Next, they take the written exam, and then the department sends them to the police academy for three and a half months. Prospective officers then advance to field training at their department, where they drive with a sworn officer in the passenger seat for three to six months while they correct any mistakes and give on-the-job advice. Finally, they reach a 12- to 16-month probation period, which means that the department can let you go at any time if they’re not satisfied with your performance.

JST came at a perfect time as Hamza prepares to graduate from Roycemore in a few months and take a step closer to his future in law enforcement. Reflecting on his 12 years as a Griffin and his four years of JST projects, Hamza expressed his appreciation for this pillar of signature programming at Roycemore. “I really loved JST because it's a great opportunity to really pursue my interests,” he said. “Whether that be the psychology in movies, or exploring cuisines from different cultures, and now police training — there’s a wide range of interests that I was able to explore, and it was great to have three weeks to really go in-depth with those interests."

Did you know Hamza is also an Eisner Scholar at Roycemore? Learn more about Hamza and the Eisner Scholarship.