Happy Thanksgiving Break, Hounds! This week on Highlighting Hounds, we are featuring sophomore Austin Gatlin ’27 and his internship experience at the Holden Police Department. Austin had the opportunity to experience a wide range of law enforcement roles by rotating through different sections of the department each week. His responsibilities varied depending on the assignment, from observing officers during ride-alongs to assisting with administrative tasks such as filing License to Carry permits. Austin also shadowed specialized positions, including the K9 officer and the court officer, and spent time with the local fire department. One of his key experiences included helping organize a barbeque for students with special needs at Wachusett Regional High School. Read more to learn how through these diverse experiences, Austin gained a deeper understanding of the daily operations of law enforcement and strengthened his skills in communication, discretion, and teamwork—skills that will support his future career in law enforcement.
Give a brief overview of the company that you interned with, as well as what your position was.
I interned with the Holden Police Department in Holden, Massachusetts. I interned with different branches of the department every week.
Describe a typical day as an intern. What are your day-to-day tasks and responsibilities?
It depended on who I was with. My shifts would be twice a week 4-5 hours a day. Most of the time I was observing officers in their interactions with the public. I would go on ride-alongs if I was out with an officer. One week I oversaw the administrative lieutenant and got to see his work toward getting the Holden Police Department accredited nationally. If I worked with the administrative department, I would help file LTCs (License to carry permits). One week I was observing the dispatch center, so I learned about how they take calls, the systems they use to help police officers respond to calls, and how they manage helping citizens over the phone and at the front desk. I got to spend a day with the court officer and visit the Leominster district court, which is the court that the town of Holden is assigned to. I also was able to go out with the K9 officer one day and see how they do their training exercises, as well as learn about the process of getting a K9 for the department and how the training looks. One day I even got to go over to the fire station and learn about what they do, all the tools they have, and even went out to two calls with them– A medical call and a small fire.
Were you involved in any major projects or accomplishments as an intern?
I was able to work with the school resource officer from Wachusett Regional Highschool on setting up and running a barbeque lunch for the students in the special needs program in the school district. We had around 30 students and 25 faculty members. I got to help serve the food and talk with many of the faculty and some of the students. The police department brought out a police cruiser for the kids to get in and see, the fire department did the same and brought out a fire engine and an ambulance. Overall, it was a very fun experience getting to serve the kids and seeing all the smiles.
What are your career goals? How will this internship help you reach those goals?
I hope to work in law enforcement one day at the city, state, or federal level. This internship showed me what it is like to work at the city level, as well as talk with many police officers about what they feel are the pros and cons of their job. It allowed me to learn more about the day-to-day life of law enforcement, and I gained more knowledge about certain laws and how situations are handled.
What are your key takeaways from your experience? What skills did you gain from this internship?
Some key takeaways from my experience are that there are a lot of moving pieces within a police department. Communication is always a vital part of not only jobs in law enforcement– but any job. I learned how to understand the situation and what to do when different scenarios present themselves. At the city level of law enforcement there is a big emphasis on the ability to use discretion, and through ride-alongs and observing different officers, I was able to see how they each go about it differently.
Why did you apply to this internship? What aspects of the position/company interested you?
I applied to the internship because of my interest in a law enforcement career, but also the proximity to Assumption University. Holden is one of the bigger towns surrounding Worcester, which is something I was looking for. I wasn’t picky on where I had an internship– I just sent out a few emails and Holden PD responded to me quickly. I knew I wanted to see different parts of the job and they expressed that was something I would be able to do with them.
How has your Assumption career prepared you for this internship?
The ability to talk with people. My involvement through different clubs and organizations at Assumption has helped me improve my speaking abilities and ability to connect with people through conversation. Through my internship, I learned how important these traits can be in law enforcement.
What advice would you give to a student who wants to participate in an internship?
Be proactive. Companies won’t reach out to you, so be prepared to do the work. Fill out several applications and if there isn’t one available, send an email. Plenty of companies will hire an intern, but they don’t post the position online. You don’t always have to shoot to intern at a big company or department. Any experience is a good experience, and there is always something to learn.
How did your skills as a student-athlete translate into this position?
When working in law enforcement you are part of a team. There is a lot of trust needed in law enforcement to execute responses effectively and efficiently, and that is a key thing on the field as well. Being able to talk clearly and effectively can make a difference in a game, and it can make a difference on a call as well. There are also a lot of physical demands in the world of law enforcement, so obviously being a student-athlete did a lot for me in that sense.
If you are interested in being featured on Highlighting Hounds or know of any students who would be a strong candidate, please email us at careerdevelopment@assumption.edu!
