SFS SNCO joins Springfield police force Published Oct. 16, 2013 By MSgt. Timm Huffman 439th Airlift Wing Public Affairs WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. -- A 439th Security Forces Squadron senior noncommissioned officer became one of the newest members of the local law enforcement community when he graduated from the Springfield Police Academy, Sept. 5. The intensive, six-month course, taught at Westover, trained MSgt. Arjel Falcon in civilian law enforcement practices, state and local laws and included a good dose of basic-trainingstyle, in-your-face yelling. MSgt. Falcon's military training, which includes an early stint in the Army National Guard and 11 years at Westover, prepared him for the "noise." He was able to tune it out and focus on the instruction, which included marching, physical training and lots of homework. "None of that other stuff bothered me," said MSgt. Falcon. "But the homework - oh, my God." After a day full of instruction, he said he'd go home, have to press his uniform and then work on homework until 3 a.m. Despite the challenges, MSgt. Falcon enjoyed the camaraderie, spending time with the guys and seeing what each person brings to the table. "We started off as individuals and they wove us together into family," MSgt. Falcon said. Another highlight MSgt. Falcon recounted was the week spent learning emergency vehicle operations. His face lit up with a smile as he talked about weaving in and out of cones and learning to handle squad cars at high speed. He said there were some similarities between being an Air Force and civilian cop, but that the differences were much greater. For example, he cited the need for a warrant to search an individual's personal property, while on base, that's not needed. MSgt. Falcon said the graduation was "awesome" and provided peace of mind. "It allowed me to put a check mark on the bucket list," he said. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, guest speaker, addressed to the graduates. "You don't have an easy job; you do have an important job. You are ambassadors of peace and I applaud your courage," he said. "I don't envy what you do; I respect what you do," he added. For MSgt Falcon, a 20-year resident of the city, he can't wait to give back. "It's great to be able to make changes. As a Hispanic guy, I know what it takes and I am looking forward to seeing the streets and being on duty," he said. The day following graduation was his first on duty. "It felt great to be welcomed into the Springfield Police Department family as an officer and not a recruit," he said.