FOLEY, Ala. - When Foley Police Chief David Wilson brought up the term "thin blue line" at the second class of the Citizens Police Academy, he was talking about how a law enforcement agency protects its residents and the separation that law enforcment keeps between a lawful society and a lawless society.

"The 'thin blue line' is the law enforcement community, at all levels, that keep criminals in check and protect our communities," he said. "Yes, we still have crime and the police stay busy, but if the police were not in place, criminals across America would try to do a lot more to our society than they do now. The criminal element knows that we are out looking and that we will respond to protect our people. This includes the fact that in over a hundred cases a year across this nation it involves the ultimate sacrifice, the cost of a police officer's life."

This is why the Foley PD makes an effort to hire only the best of the best, because of how important and fragile that thin blue line can be.

Wilson led the group of residents participating in the citizens police academy, hosted by the Foley Police Department, on a brief journey describing the process for joining the Foley PD.

Wilson has been the Foley chief for four years and he is responsible for 92 employees, he said, and he considers each member of the Foley PD a quality employee.

"We have a pretty tough hiring process here at Foley," he said, noting most hires are of experienced officers but sometimes "a rookie" or someone who grew up in Foley is brought in.

For applicants with no experience, they must pass the following stages in the hiring process: criminal history; driving history; a physical training test, which consists of 22 push-ups in one minute, 25 sit-ups in one minute and running 1.5 miles within a time of 15:28; a written exam; a background investigation done by the Foley PD; coming in front of an oral board; a polygraph exam; a pre-employment psychological exam to determine if the applicant is suited for law enforcement; an executive interview with Wilson himself; a background check done by the city of Foley; and a drug screening and physical.

For applicants certified out of state, the process is the same except there is not a psychological exam because that is covered in the background investigation, Wilson said. For applicants certified in Alabama, there is not a psychological exam or physical training test.

Hires with no experience go through a two-month police academy and then nine weeks of a Field Training Officers, FTO, program. Hires with experience do not go to the academy but go through a four-week FTO program. Then, they are placed on a nine-month probation period.

"We talk for a couple hours, even after they are hired," Wilson said, noting he states what he will not put up with, especially concerning off-duty conduct.

"We are held to a higher standard because we are police officers."

After Wilson finished, Alysia Park and Jason Williams of the Foley PD gave a brief tutorial on how to fill out uniform traffic citations, uniform incident and offense reports and uniform arrest reports. Two weeks into the academy, and the participating residents already are being given the basics of being a police officer.

Read The Foley Onlooker each Wednesday to learn more about the citizens police academy and follow the residents journey from start to finish as they prove their mettle and, hopefully, complete the course and earn the right to ride in a police car with an officer on shift.