The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, October 12, 1995, Page 6, Image 6
Diverse recruits earn police degrees By Jeff Zeleny Senior Reporter A straight-A student, an All American baseball player and an Army Hospital corpsman traded their respective uniforms for police blues and became commissioned officers Wednesday night. Fourteen police recruits, with sig nificantly different backgrounds, re ceived their diplomas Wednesday — nearly one year after they applied to be Lincoln police officers. The three women and 11 men will begin riding along with veteran po lice officers today. In 22 weeks, they will patrol the city "streets solo. The new recruits stood at atten tion as camera flashes brightened the stage at the nearly-full O’Donnell Auditorium on the Nebraska Wesleyan University campus. With their arms locked behind their backs, Lincoln police Chief Tom Casady congratulated the newest members of his force. “It’s truly an outstanding group of men and women,” Casady said, his moustached-grin brimming. The 14 new officers, and the 15 officers who graduated earlier this year from the Lincoln Police Acad emy, came from a field of 902 appli cants, said Lincoln Mayor Mike Johanns. “They are the best of the best, joining a department that is the best of the best in the United States,” Johanns said. The recruits completed 622 class room hours since the academy started July 10. In the last three months, the rookie officers have studied police law, experimented with directing traf fic and practiced at the firearms range. Recruits were given awards on die highest grade-point-average, the best shooter and the most physically fit. Lancaster County District Judge Bernard McGinn told police officers to be accurate, fair and professional in their new careers. In his keynote address, McGinn recalled the sum mer of 1964 when he worked at the Lincoln Police Department. “I know that this class is anxious to get out on the streets and begin their training as Lincoln police offic ers,” McGinn said. “The exercise of the power to make an arrest is an awesome power, yours will be a most difficult job.” McGinn gave the officers advice he gathered in his 11 years as a pros ecutor and 15 years as a district judge. The decisions that officers make daily on the streets, McGinn said, will be scrutinized again and again. “Later, judges and juries will have almost unlimited time to decide if your split decisions were correct,” he said. “We expect a lot from you.” The graduation was the first pub lic ceremony in the department’s re cent history. Outstanding service awards and the department’s medal of honor were awarded to veteran officers. City officials encouraged the pub lic to attend the graduation to show officers support in a time of national mistrust of the police. “It reminds me again that I’m cur rently the mayor of truly the greatest city in America,” Johanns said. “One of the major things that makes the difference is the men and women of the Lincoln Police Department.” Coming out Continued from Page 1 booth deserved to be commended, she said. A new addition to GLSA’s collec tion of educational materials is the Ally Card, available at its booth. The pink, white and black post card-sized card is similar to the pink triangle stickers distributed a few years ago, Schultz said. The Ally Card is more useful than the stickers, she said, because it in cludes an explanation of National Coming Out Day and discusses how students and faculty can commit to a more diverse and accepting campus. The card also can be posted out side an office to indicate that the office is a safe place to talk openly about sexuality. The cards are less imposing than the stickers, Schultz said, because there is less pressure to display them. People can tape them to their doors, she said, or just pick up a card and read it. “It’s whatever they feel comfort able with,” she said. Schultz said one of GLSA’s goals this year was to be all-inclusive, not exclusive. So she encourages everyone — of all sexual orientations — to visit the booth. “We welcome you over to learn more about us, to learn more about the day.” Fresh paint Tanna Kinnaman/DN The Apollo 009 space capsule sits inside a hanger at Duncan Aviation. Repairs begin on Apollo capsule By Paula Lavlgne Senior Reporter Lincoln, we have liftoff. After sitting in a warehouse on East Campus for five years, the Apollo 009 space capsule docked Wednesday at Duncan Aviation. Instead of launching to the moon,the capsule took a less glam orous route down Cornhusker Highway on a flat-bed truck. It was weighed, then taken to a Duncan Aviation paint hangar for repairs. The repairs are being funded by an anonymous Nebraska donor. Herb Howe, associate to the chancellor, said a few highly pub lic sites on and off campus were being considered to display the capsule. Apollo 009 will stay in Ne braska, he said, but will be kept indoors. NASA donated the capsule to the University of Nebraska-Lin coln in 1973. The 14-by-20-foot spacecraft rested outside Morrill Hall until 1991. Rick Drapal, one of the Duncan technicians restoring the space craft, said Apollo 009 would first have to undergo analysis. “We have to remove what ap pears to be house paint that the university put on it,” he said. The spacecraft will then be painted with urethane paint, he said, which is the same paint used on commercial aircraft. Urethane is more durable than ordinary paint. Drapal said the technicians also would try to match the original colors, logos, flags and NASA emblems. They will not repair dam age from the capsule’s test mis sions. The craft was built in 1964 and launched Feb. 26, 1966, by a Sat urn I-B rocket on a sub-orbital flight. It was the first Saturn launch of an Apollo capsule, but not the first Apollo launch. During re-entry, the capsule lost steering control and rolled, caus ing bum marks on the outer skin of the craft. Its first — and only — un manned mission lasted 37 min utes. The capsule did have life sup port systems, Howe said, but as tronauts never traveled in it. Apollo 009 also was used to test parachute systems, he said, which failed. “NASA said if there had been people in that first flight,” he said, “they would now be deceased.” Although Apollo 009 wasn’t as well-known as its Apollo relatives, Drapal said the spacecraft’s land ing mechanisms were the model for those used in the famous Apollo 13. Lori Johnson, Duncan Aviation’s marketing communica tions coordinator, said Apollo 009 was the company’s first spacecraft. But the timeworn craft is in good hands. The technicians have repaired aircraft that were in worse condi tion than the Apollo 009, she said. And besides, she said, the cap sule is for display and “doesn’t have to pass FAA tests.” Go Grease Lightning! Watch out for the Daily Nebraskan’s Fall Car Care Special on October 17. In it will be advertisements by local automotive businesses that can help you buy your first car, unload your last car, or fix up the one in between. THURSDAY NIGHTS COLLEGE DAZE „e‘v\ 4 ^ 9 pm to Close every Thursday THE WHY HONE SS&S Feeling Stressed? See us for the books, tapes, and spiritual , tools to help bring your life into balance. Call if you’re interested about Thursday evening meditations. 3231 S. 13th In the Indian Village Shopping Center 421-1701 Hours M-F: 10-7 Sat: 10-6 Sun:12-5 "SINO^QS^OURFl^^HOI^FO^mERESriN^USI^BOOKS^ NO COVER! Getting BAD Grades? Venture to the Badlands! Badlands Backpacking Adventure October 26-29 Come hike, backpack, and camp in Badlands National Park in southwestern South Dakota. Trip Cost: Members $100 Non-members $150 DEADLINE A October 17,1995/ Sign up today in Outdoor Adventures^^^ For more information call 472-4777 -1 Don't Lose That i Summer Tan 1 I 15 sessions only $2995 expires 10-30-95 1101 Arapahoe (just behind McDonald's on S. 9th St.) 423-6022