Our Steve Ference has brought you an unprecedented look at what it takes to become a state trooper over the past two weeks, from working out inside the academy to boxing. Now, in part four of his series, he takes part in high-risk traffic stop training. "First and foremost is your safety. You want to make sure you're going to go home tonight. That's the big thing here - make sure you go home tonight," said Thomas Manny, a New York State Police recruit. He's in his 11th week of training at the academy. "It's not easy at any point. It's a challenge everyday to get up at 5 and stay up until 10," he said.
I was paired up with him for one of the most intense parts of training so far - a high risk traffic stop. It's high risk because we're told the role players we're arresting may have robbed a store or have a violent history. Things could go wrong at any moment.
The key really is communication. If we say one thing wrong to the car operator who we've stopped, well, that could mean confusion, and that could put our lives in jeopardy. Not only our lives, but the public's as well. Already we're lucky though - because we have partners. Manny explained, "A lot of times we're running solo. So you need to have your game face on. You need to show up prepared for anything. Backup could be 20 or 30 minutes away, so you need to know your job and know it well." It wasn't long before I was overwhelmed by the situation.
"You want to be on the lookout for weapons, what poses a threat to you. You want to keep the public safe at all times, and make sure you're doing things all right the whole way," said Manny. "Remove the keys from the vehicle and drop them out the window," I said with some help from troopers and future troopers. "Exit the vehicle facing away from my voice with your hands reaching up in the air. Kick the door shut." And soon, with the help of the other officers we make the arrest. No shots are fired. There's no drama. Exactly what we want. That's important, because recruit Manny and the others who will have lived at the academy for 26 weeks before graduation, rely on this training to help them return home after each day at work.
"I am married, happily married, and have a beautiful baby boy about 5 weeks, so I'm pretty happy about that, which makes it the toughest part - being away from home," he said. Manny said while the training is challenging, he knows his future job will help support his family. So far, recruiters tell us 17,000 people have applied to take the test to try and become a state trooper. After this state police test, the next one isn't for another four years.
American elderly suffer from high gasoline price impact
New York, July 5 : Elderly folk across the United States are experiencing a shortage of gas supply due to soaring gasoline prices.
Rihanna would rather deal with paparazzi than screaming fans
New York, July 5 : Even though most celebrities find the paparazzi annoying, Barbadian singer Rihanna has admitted that she will choose them any day, over screaming fans.
Guy Ritchie drowns his sorrows at his and Madge
New York, July 5 : English screenwriter and film director Guy Ritchie was spotted drowning his sorrows at the same London pub where he and Madge used to hang out.
`No money till you keep your word,
New York, July 5 : Stop giving money to Barack Obama! Don't volunteer for him! That's the biting message from some unhappy precincts of Obama Nation.
Fifth International Convention of
New York, July 5 : Union Steel Minister and Lok Jan Shakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan began the Fifth International Convention of 'Dalit and Minorities' Seminar in New York on Friday.
World hot dog chomping champ retains his crown after eat-off!
Melbourne, July 5 : American Joey Chestnut retained his crown at the annual hot dog eating contest in the Big Apple by gulping down a whopping 64 hot dogs in just 10 minutes.
US Congressman calls Musharraf a "terrible leader"
New York, July 5 : US Congressman Gary Ackerman who returned home after a two-day visit to Pakistan and talked with the region's residents, tribal leaders and troops as well as Pakistani government officials, including Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, has said that he deliberately did not meet President Pervez Musharraf because "he was a terrible leader".
Renney revved up for Rangers
Despire losing players like Brendan Shanahan, Rangers coach Tom Renney is pleased with his team. A year ago at this time, the most cautionary voice was
New York beach evacuated after fireworks wash up
WANTAGH, N.Y. (AP) - A popular Long Island beach has been evacuated on a holiday weekend because unexploded fireworks washed up on shore. About 2,000 visitors were ordered to leave Jones Beach after ...
Schneider pinch-double lifts Mets past Phils
Brian Schneider lined a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and the Mets rallied in the late innings, beating Philadelphia 9-4 Saturday night and ending the Phillies' four-game winning streak. S...
Mets and majors show no joy of 6
Trot Nixon on the disabled list last Sunday, it may not have seemed like a groundbreaking transaction, but it did have an impact on team history. Nixon's move to the DL means that the veteran outfiel...
Two killed in one hour of mayhem
Sheepshead Bay Houses after a fight broke out at a party. Powers later died at Lutheran Medical Center. The dead man's relatives blamed the shooting on an ongoing fight he was having with another man ...
Pernice shooting to end drought
AT&T National that gave him a one-shot lead and a chance to win for the first time in seven years. Pernice seized the lead, but not control, with a 7-iron that stopped just inside feet at the 17t...
Maine leaves early, Schneider hits late in Mets
Brian Schneider lined a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and the Mets rallied in the late innings, beating Philadelphia 9-4 Saturday night and ending the Phillies' four-game winning streak.
Only one can be First
Click to see how Michelle Obama matches up against her fellow potential First Lady, Cindy McCain. They chatted up the ladies on daytime TV's "The View." They both looked oh-so-glamorous in "Vogue" ...
Reyes gets the short end
Jose Reyes is an easy target and so is his team. Reyes throws his glove and gets into it with announcers and smiles too much or not enough and did nothing the second half of last season when the
Edgar Allen Poe home fixup, quoth The News
Edgar Allan Poe wrote many of his classics is getting an overhaul.The tourist attraction - a cozy, five-room building - will be closed to visitors beginning in the spring. Work, which includes a new v...
Phelps wins butterfly, Hall doesn
Cullen Jones , who set the previous U.S. mark of 21.59 in the semifinals, touched third in 21.81, while Hall was fourth in 21.91. He slapped the water in disgust and dunked his head, but had a big smi...
Rivera holds off Red Sox rally to preserve Yankees win
"You usually don't see many innings like that from (Mariano)," Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters, after watching his pitcher hit two batters en route to loading the bases.
Watson hosts golf event to help fight ALS
Tom Watson (l.), who lost his caddie Bruce Edwards (r.) to ALS in 2004, hosts an annual golf tournament with proceeds going to fight the disease. It's impossible not to enjoy oneself at the Masters...
The Day at the Races
Throughout the day horses were acting up in the paddock as a result of live music performed in a nearby tent. They are nervous animals to begin with and don't need additional disturbances to deal with...
Floridians celebrate the Fourth
Broward County were packed with people ready to celebrate Independence Day. Many wore red, white and blue. Some even dyed their hair patriotically.At John U. Lloyd Beach State Park in Dania Beach, so ...
iPhone 3G queue forms in Manhattan
The line for the Apple iPhone 3G began to form Friday--an entire week before the device goes on sale. Frankly, one shouldn't encourage such behavior by actually covering it. But if I were in Manhatta...
Man killed in card game holdup at his LI home
WYANDANCH, N.Y. (AP) — Police say robbers burst into a friendly card game at a Long Island home and opened fire, wounding two women and killing the host when he tried to fight back. Suffolk Co...
Put the memorial first
New York is usually one tough town, but it's hard to imagine a softer civic touch than the one that greeted the admission last week that Ground Zero is a mess. When, after nearly seven years of false ...
Feldman, Kinsler carry Rangers past O
Eric Hurley was scratched with a hamstring injury, Feldman (3-3) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings. The right-hander allowed three runs and three hits in the first, then blanked the Orio...
How do we bring Bin Laden to justice We don
John McCain . For the moment, both are keeping their options open, speaking more in mood and tone than in real substance. In the heat of a campaign season, that's probably good. Anything one candidate...
Wake up to crime spike
Crown Heights , there's evidence that city government is consciously making the problem worse, not better. I know many good, dedicated people in and around City Hall and 1 Police Plaza, from deputy m...
Voice of the People for July 6, 2008
The cat's meow Bronx: Thank you for leading us to Tyril Frith, the Brooklyn dog whisperer ("King of dogdom," March 24). Our wonderful bichon-poo, Mish-Mish, had gotten very aggressive after he was att...
Mets 9, Phillies 4
E_Howard (10), Seanez (1). DP_Philadelphia 1. LOB_New York 9, Philadelphia 4. 2B_JReyes (21), Tatis (3), DWright (21), Schneider (4). HR_Howard (23). SB_DWright (9), Beltran (12), Victorino (21). ...
Pit Bull Saves Owner From Home Intruder
NEW YORK (CBS) ― A pit bull rescued his owner from a sexual assault.Police said a man broke into a woman's spring valley home Friday morning and attempted to rape her. The intruder allegedly ...
Rodriguez, Ramirez highlight AL All-Stars
New York Post 's Web site.Balloting for the All-Star game ended Wednesday and the official results will be announced Sunday. All starters mentioned in the report led in fan voting as of June 30.The Ya...
Wife of pastor, gospel singer dies in car crash
Betty Wright of Roosevelt, wife of the Rev. Timothy Wright, died and Wright and the couple's teenage grandson were critically injured in a three-vehicle crash in Pennsylvania
Damon could land on DL for first time
Farewell to the Cathedral NEW YORK -- Johnny Damon is adjusting to life after his violent meeting with Yankee Stadium's left-field fence -- suddenly, everyday chores like putting on clothes and drivin...
Yankees huddle about what to do with injured Damon
NEW YORK (AP) -- Johnny Damon's injured left shoulder was wrapped tightly and the New York Yankees outfielder admitted to having some pills to dull the pain.
Manuel would rather players rest up
Listen on Gameday Audio PHILADELPHIA -- It's not an item Mets manager Jerry Manuel likes to consider often, but when running through his mind the names of his players that might deserve an All-Star bi...
NYPD officer serving in Afghanistan dies
A New York City police lieutenant serving as a national guardsman has died in Afghanistan, police said Saturday. Lt. Daniel Farkas, of Brooklyn, who joined the
Bananas gone, but their trailers recovered in NYC
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Delaware state police say two stolen truck trailers have been recovered in New York City — minus their loads of bananas. The trailers were full of the fruit when t...
Battered Fan Sues The Mets
July 5, 2008 A Mets fan has put the city on notice that he intends to file a $5.5 million lawsuit for a Aug. 8, 2007, flying-bat incident at Shea Stadium that left him with broken teeth, facial fr...
NY Philharmonic axes Governors Island concert
Governors Island is a half-mile off lower Manhattan. The city and state are working to transform much of the island into a lush park with an amphitheater and other amenities.
Venus and Serena Williams win Wimbledon doubles crown
Hours after Venus Williams (l.) beats her sister Serena to take the Wimby singles title, the two pair off to win the doubles crown. WIMBLEDON, England - When Venus Williams won her second match po...
FDNY Makes Heroic Rescue
Posted: 4:27 pm Two firefighters from the FDNY Marine Unit made a daring rescue in violent waters on the Fourth of July when a party boat watching fireworks ran aground on a rock jetty in Brooklyn. ...
Rivera, Yankees Hold Off BoSox In 9th For 2-1 Win
NEW YORK (AP) ― Mariano Rivera flashed his classic form just in time.The New York Yankees closer pitched himself in and out of trouble Saturday, escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the nint...
Brooklyn Pastor Wright Hurt In Car Accident
LOGANTON, Pa. (AP) ― Gospel singer Timothy Wright was critically injured in a crash in central Pennsylvania that killed his wife and a wrong-way driver who hit their vehicle, police said.Wrigh...
Driver crashes into Queens storefront, killing 2
NEW YORK (AP) — A Queens driver has been arrested on vehicular manslaughter charges after crashing into a storefront, killing two of his passengers. Police say the 28-year-old was arrested Satu...
Nice of you to give birth here, Angelina
Hollywood super couple have chosen the relatively low-key Rivieria city for the birth of their twins, expected within weeks. Jolie has been hospitalized since Sunday in the seaside Lenval hospital, wh...
stray cat found with rabies
NEW YORK (AP) — Westchester County Health Department officials say a stray male cat in Peekskill has tested positive for rabies. Officials say the white cat with tan markings and stripes on it...
Man accused of faking heart attacks to avoid paying restaurant bills, cab fares
Milwaukee -area man has been accused of faking heart attacks to avoid paying restaurant bills and cab fares.Police say the Waukesha man took a cab to a mall Monday and pretended to have a heart attack...
Pols point to system failure in recent pit bull attacks
Bronx were bitten, one on his leg, the other on his hand. The bloody attacks last week had one vicious common denominator - pit bulls.Animal advocates and city officials said the maulings never had to...
Queens drowning victim, 8, son of cop
NYPD spokesman released the victim's name, but refused to release his address because they said he is the relative of cop. The NYPD routinely releases the names and addresses of fatalities in the city...
Alejandro Valverde wins first stage of Tour de France
Spain won the first stage of the Tour de France on Saturday with a ride through flat country, the opening of a three-week race trying to restore its luster after years of doping scandals. Valverde br...
Diabetic Olympian Gary Hall blasts dopers, while his life depends on insulin
A look at the 14 world records set so far this year in swimming. OMAHA, Neb. - Even if world records in swimming weren't crumbling faster than sand castles at high tide, Gary Hall Jr. still would ...
Obama, Clinton to hold joint fundraisers in NY
Jen Psaki said the Democratic nominee-in-waiting and Clinton will hold three fundraisers. Two events are scheduled for Wednesday night — one to raise money for his general election campaign and one ...
2 Stolen Trucks Found in New York
2 Killed, 1 Injured in Shootout with Police Two men were killed last night and another man was injured after gunfire broke out between them and two Baltimore City Police officers in southwest Baltimo...
News explains hole truth about drug testing in golf
Saturday, July 5th 2008, 2:40 PM The era of drug testing in professional golf began Tuesday as the PGA Tour joined the LPGA, whose anti-doping policy officially commenced Jan.1. Though both tours...
Tyson Gay cramps up in 200-meter trial, won
Champion sprinter Tyson Gay is carted off the track Saturday after suffering a nasty spill in a 200-meter trial (see below for the fateful sequence).
A century ago, Americans witnessed aviation marvel
HAMMONDSPORT, N.Y. (AP) — On a steamy Fourth of July evening a century ago, a wood-and-fabric biplane lifted off from Stony Brook Farm and stayed airborne for almost a mile in a stupendous triu...
Two drown in the Delaware River on holiday
YULAN, N.Y. (AP) — Police say a teenager and a man in his 20s were pulled from the Delaware River after drownings only hours and 22 miles apart near the Pennsylvania state line. The names of t...
Man flying lawn chair lifted by helium balloon
Idaho .Couch kissed his wife and kids goodbye, and patted their shivering Chihuahua, Isabella, before his ground crew gave him a push so he could clear surrounding light poles and a coffee cart.Then, ...
Two dead and several injured in violent Fourth
Saturday, July 5th 2008, 2:45 PM A wave of violence after dark on the Fourth of July left two people dead and several others seriously wounded, police said.The unrelated shootings and stabbings i...
Teens accused of murder over fake cocaine
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Two Syracuse teenagers are charged with second-degree murder, accused of killing a man last week who had sold them fake cocaine. According to police, Joquann Dixson and Ti...
Man drowns in Adirondack lake
BOLTON, N.Y. (AP) — Authorities say a 26-year-old man drowned while swimming in Lake George in the southeastern Adirondacks. According to Warren County deputies, the body of Robert M. Riccardi...
Army sergeant gunned down at Brooklyn BBQ
Saturday, July 5th 2008, 2:14 PM Cops are hunting for a jealous man in the fatal shooting of his ex-girlfriend's new beau - an Army sergeant who had come from a
Police Investigate Deadly Brooklyn Triple Stabbing
July 05, 2008 Police are searching for suspects in a stabbing of three men in Brooklyn early this morning. The incident happened at Ashford and Liberty Streets in East New York before 2:30 a.m. ...
Local Brooklyn Pastor, Musician Critically Injured In Deadly Car Crash
July 05, 2008 A city pastor and noted musician remains in critical condition after a deadly car accident this morning. Reverend Timothy Wright was on his way home from a gospel convention in Detroi...
Man killed, woman hurt in Brooklyn shooting
East Flatbush at 1 a.m. Saturday. They found a 27-year-old man with two gunshot wounds to the torso and a 27-year-old woman with a gunshot wound to the leg. Police say the male victim, George Kidso...
National Speed Limit May Help Fuel Costs
NEW YORK (CBS) ― As gas prices hit another all time high this holiday weekend, a top Washington lawmaker is suggesting a national speed limit to save fuel. The horsepower in our cars may be in...
Coupons Help Provide Relief To Rising Prices
NEW YORK (CBS) ― With prices rising for everything from gas to groceries, people are looking for any kind of relief, and many are finding that relief with coupons.Alyson Miller is crazy for co...
Poe Cottage in NYC park to undergo renovation
(AP Photo/Historic House Trust of New York City, Madeleine Isom)This artist's rendering provided by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation shows the planned visitors center for the Edgar A...
2 fishermen in canoe missing off South Shore
Coast Guard and a host of police and fie agencies are searching for two men missing off the South Shore since Wednesday. The two men, both of Queens, set out on a canoe fishing trip this past Sunda...
Responses to green energy programs lack energy
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Even as more Americans look to shrink their carbon footprints, relatively few have switched to providers of electricity generated by wind, water and sun. "Green power" prog...
7.5 Sports Museum of America Tickets
$5 Off All Tickets Through September! To celebrate the opening of the Sports Museum of America, New York Giants fans receive a special discount offer ($5 off all tickets) for visits through September...
Politicians get real about ground zero rebuilding
NEW YORK (AP) — The signature skyscraper that replaces the World Trade Center is nearly ready to move in. The memorial to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks is a year away from opening. A s...
Molotov cocktail thrown against NY home
LYNBROOK, N.Y. (AP) — Nassau County police are investigating a molotov cocktail attack on a Lynbrook home. Police say the improvised explosive ignited early Friday when it was thrown against t...
African-Americans Mark Emancipation Day
July 05, 2008 African-Americans around the city and state are marking the 181st anniversary of New York's Emancipation Day. While the anniversary of the end of slavery in New York was actually yest...
E. Northport man arrested as cops shut down fireworks display
An East Northport man was arrested late Friday and charged with producing an unlicensed fireworks display as he launched it for a crowd outside a Smithtown residence. Suffolk police said Thomas Ega...
Statue Of Liberty Crown To Reopen
NEW YORK -- The National Park Service has been looking at reopening more of the Statue of Liberty to visitors.According to documents released Friday by a New York congressman, the park service asked f...
Champ retains NYC hot-dog eating title in overtime
International Federation of Competitive Eating , said it was the first time in his memory that the contest went into overtime.As usual, Kobayashi's strategy was to eat all the dogs first, then dunk th...
3 stabbed in dispute in Brooklyn
NEW YORK (AP) — Police say one man has died and two others are wounded after they were stabbed during a dispute in Brooklyn. The violence happened at 2:20 a.m. Saturday at Ashford and Liberty ...
Rain no strain on Macy
Saturday, July 5th 2008, 8:46 AM NEW YORKERS and visitors packed the streets and perched on rooftops to watch the annual Independence Day fireworks extravaganza light up the sky last night.The ra...
Man tears head off Hitler wax figure at new Madame Tussauds in Berlin
Madame Tussauds ' new branch in Berlin in what appeared to be a symbolic protest on the museum's opening day Saturday, officials said.Police said the 41-year-old man shoved aside two museum employees ...
British court peels potato tax on Pringles
Procter & Gamble Co. Warren overruled a VAT Tribunal decision that Pringles should be subject to the 17.5% tax because it met the definition of "potato crisps, potato sticks, potato puffs and similar ...
Magna Carta To Be Displayed In City
July 05, 2008 The Magna Carta, Britain's medieval charter and a legal basis for the U.S. Constitution, is reportedly coming to the city for the first time in 70 years. According to the Daily News, ...
Obama Campaigns Through Fourth Of July Weekend
Presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama is spending the Fourth of July campaigning in Montana, trying to win a state that has only voted for a Democratic presidential candidate twice since 1948. ...
Off-Broadway "Indie" Theater Finds Business Surging Despite NYC Tourism Slump
We often invite the public to our working productions, and we participate in public readings of scripts we're testing for future performances A rising tide, they say, floats all boats, and New...
L.I. Dad Charged With Letting 10-Year Old Drive
SELDEN, N.Y. (AP) ― A Long Island man is under arrest after police say he let his 10-year-old son drive a car in a parking lot and the boy crashed into another car.No one was injured in the cr...
Spitzer Call Girl Drops Girls Gone Wild Lawsuit
MIAMI (AP) ― The call girl involved in a scandal that brought down New York's former governor has dropped a lawsuit claiming "Girls Gone Wild" founder Joe Francis exploited her image and name ...
New Yorkers Celebrate Fourth Of July With Fireworks, Music
July 05, 2008 Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers turned out in a light drizzle Friday night to celebrate the nation's 232nd birthday with the annual Fourth of July fireworks display along the East R...
Colombia captives video shows elation
Colombia - Video taken during the rescue of 15 rebel-held hostages shows them filing grim-faced toward the helicopter that would fly them to safety, then hugging one another and crying with joy after ...
Purrfect ending to story of the felonious feline
Ruth Cisero , on Thursday, concluding she had met terms of a special probation for first-time offenders. Her felonious feline, Lewis, is now an indoor pet, allowed outside only in a cat carrier. "Unli...
Boy Drowns In Queens Pool
July 05, 2008 A Fourth of July party in Queens turned tragic as an eight-year-old boy drowned last night in a backyard pool. It happened around 7 p.m. last night at a house on 136th Street in Flush...
Serb Who Fled NY Doesn
The lawyer of a Serb charged with beating a New York college classmate to near death said Friday he fled to his homeland because he doesn't believe in the U.S. justice system.
Big Apple Holds Huge Independence Day Celebrations
NEW YORK (AP) ― The nation's largest fireworks display exploded in a spectrum of color over the East River, temporarily stealing the spotlight from New York's world-famous skyline and helping ...
Suit against ExcelAire for Brazil jet crash thrown out
A federal judge in Brooklyn has thrown out a lawsuit brought against Ronkonkoma-based ExcelAire by the families of Brazilians killed in a September 2006 jet crash in the Amazon rain forest, saying th...
A-Rod steps out, Cynthia steps up
Florida . "She's a very strong woman." Scurtis said her family believes megastar Madonna is behind the marital rift that has Cynthia hiding out with platonic pal
Duhon agrees to Knick offer
Chicago Bulls , is considered a strong defensive guard who has the ability to run an offense. One of his former coaches called Duhon "a ball mover who can knock down a shot." He averaged 5.8 points a...
A barbaric life behind bars in
John Bright , for instance, explains that he's a "marshmallow," really, until someone upsets him by, for instance, changing the TV channel without his permission. Then John may decide to fight, which ...
Peter the Cheater hits waves as Christie dines with Joel
Christie Brinkley and her daughter Alexa Joel spent the Fourth of July in Sag Harbor with Billy Joel at his home on Rysam Street (click for photos from Brinkley's divorce trial with Peter cook).
Chestnut again proves he
Takeru Kobayashi, left, of Japan poses for photographs with reigning hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut, of San Jose, Calif., during the weigh in news conference for the
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