August 17, 2004 > Interview with Matthew Bocage

TCV: Do you feel more confident than the last time we met?

Bocage: I think that there's no question that I feel much better sitting here today than I did two weeks ago. Just the comfort level, operating the radio, listening for the codes, the right call signs, that sort of thing. I'm much more comfortable now than I was. But I am far from where I want to be at this point, there's no doubt about it.

TCV: Do you feel as though as you're a part of the force?

Bocage: I feel fully embraced. My zone partners and shift partners, everybody's senior to me now, but I feel like everybody's at least done a little part in taking me under their wing. I don't feel isolated or ostracized, or like the rookie or the new guy, or whatever, at all. Everybody has been very supportive.

TCV: Do you feel a change in your relationships with other people?

Bocage: That started, I think, the moment I was hired, but it's definitely evolved to the point now where I'm very conscious of the things that I do, decisions that I make off duty. On duty, there's no question as to the decisions I'm going to make, but off duty, that is, how you spend your time, who you choose to be around.

TCV: As time goes on and you recede more from the experience in Sacramento, how does that feel?

Bocage: Sacramento seems like such a long time ago now. I feel very far removed from that sterile training environment. Everything I have now is built on my training in Sacramento, but I just feel so far removed from where we at up there and what were doing up there, it's a whole new ball game out here.

TCV: When we last spoke, there were a lot of ups and downs in terms of how you felt about all of this, is that leveling off?

Bocage: It has, to a certain degree. There are still spikes, but I don't think that the peaks and valleys are quite as extreme as they were.

TCV: Do you still have the same enthusiasm?

Bocage: There's no question about it. The more confidence I gain, the more excited I become. The ultimate goal is to be in the car alone. That first day, to me, is going to be the most exciting day.