Remaining recruits from Spokane Police Academy class of ‘94 honored

Not all of the 31 recruits who entered the Spokane Police Academy just after Labor Day in 1994 are still on the force, but 11 of them are still going strong 25 years later. And on Wednesday, they were honored for reaching the milestone.

Among them was Lt. Rob Boothe.

“I still love going to work everyday,” he said at Wednesday’s ceremony.

The class was notable because it was the largest influx of new recruits in years.

“We were the first big infusion of a class bigger than five or so,” Boothe said. “It just allowed a lot more bonding opportunities with the classmates.”

The journey of the class of 1994 was chronicled in an extensive Spokesman-Review article.

“For the next 11 weeks, you will live, eat, sleep this academy. You are ours,” said Sgt. Rob Alderson at the time. “It will be tough. You won’t sail through it. But there’s nothing else like it. This job still makes the hair stand up on my arms.”

After decades on the job, these officers have served in a variety of capacities and faced unthinkable situations.

Police Chief Craig Meidl called up each officer and touted their accomplishments with a little ribbing, of course.

Traci Ponto is a neighborhood resource officer who is well-known in the community.

“Everybody knows Traci,” Meidl said.

Meidl praised Ponto’s consistency and attention to detail over the years.

“She is just one of those people (who) have kept that energy level,” Meidl said.

He described Boothe’s energetic personality and positive energy as “contagious” and called him the “gold standard” that he looks up to.

The two things that make Boothe the most proud when he looks back at the last 25 years are his family and maintaining a good perspective.

“The job – it can eat people up,” Boothe said.

He teaches defensive tactics at the academy and also does a special seminar with his wife on maintaining a healthy balance between family and work.

“You have to have the family on board to embrace this lifestyle,” Boothe said. “They have to understand that it’s this all-involving thing that just doesn’t stop at the end of the day.”

“If you have a realistic expectation, you’re more likely to survive it and thrive in it,” Boothe added.

Early in their careers, officers from the class of 1994 were just “dropping,” said Boothe.

“People come in with those false expectations,” Boothe said. “It can be really hard.”

For officers he trains, Boothe tries to show them a realistic picture of what being in the police force entails. The demanding hiring process that one in 15 applicants make it through has helped distill it down to individuals who have both the interpersonal and physical skills it takes to be an exceptional law enforcement officer, Boothe said.

Boothe is now the commander of the K9 unit and shift lead. Milestones include having his episode of “COPS” be one of the top-rated in the show’s history.

Lt. Shawn Kendall was fondly referred to as “Clark Kent” for his muscular figure in the police academy. Now, he is in his fourth week in charge of the North Precinct, where he works with fellow ‘94 classmate and neighborhood resource officer Keith Cler.

Kendall was previously in charge of the communications center and said he’s excited to get back out in the field.

“Luckily, it’s kind of like riding a bike,” Kendall said.

The biggest impact on policing in the last 25 years has been technology, Kendall said.

It makes it easier and faster to get more information now than it used to be, he said.

“You don’t know what’s around the corner. You don’t know what the next day brings or the next call, the next minute” Boothe said. “That’s what’s really attractive about the job.”