The first scene opens with John (Michael Cudlitz) and his sponsor (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) walking and talking together. Later on, the two would end up working together on The Walking Dead (2010) as Abraham and Bob respectively.
The red-and-white paperback book the sergeant passes out in roll call is "Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement" by Kevin Gilmartin, Ph.D. It is a standard reference for law enforcement officers, often handed out or read for assignment in police academies.