It was a just a mock exercise.

But Manteca Unified students of the Regional Occupational Program’s Careers in Law Enforcement classes Friday treated the California Highway Patrol high-risk felony stop training as if it were the real thing.

“They took the training very seriously,” said CHP Officer James Smith, who took part in last year’s exercise.

He was accompanied by Officer Ruben Jones.

ROP instructor Joe Waller was thrilled to have the CHP working with students from his three classes. His first block consisted of Weston Ranch High while the middle block involved East Union and Manteca High, and third block was made up of Sierra and Lathrop High.

CHP was fresh from putting students through an academy-style workout program that included 10 minutes each of push-ups, jumping jacks, sit-ups, leg-lifts and mountain climbers.

“In the academy, we do each for 35 minutes,” Smith said.

Some students were still sore from the abbreviated workout regiments of a few days ago. That didn’t deter them from taking part in the high-risk felony stop consisting of CHP units rolling into the MUSD complex as if it were an actual situation with sirens blaring and lights flashing.

“We had 100 percent attendance today,” said Waller of his middle block class.

The two units flanked the suspect vehicle – Waller’s sedan – as students stepped in for the officers once the two units came to a halt.

From there, Baldeep Pawar and Russell Contreras, both of Manteca High, barked out orders while holding up their prop police handguns at the suspect Armando Contreras, who was the passenger in the car.

“It was as if I was really being arrested,” said Contreras, who has handcuffed by his fellow classmates under the instructions of Officer Jones.

Skalinn Ramirez and Evelyn Rodas were also part of that training group.

“We had a lot of fun, especially having to do in a (suspected) criminal,” said Rodas, who attends MHS.

Waller is in his 16th year as instructor of this program.

“It’s great to have CHP come in for this training exercise,” he said. “They bring energy and a challenge to my students.

“They really raised the bar for them.”