Enter the Field Training Officer -- more commonly referred to as the
FTO. Police departments across the country are creating their own FTO
programs to train their new police officers either during their academy
classroom training or post classroom training.
In the past, every new police officer experienced the assistance of
experienced officers on an informal basis, but new officers were rarely
closely supervised on a continuous basis for any length of time. FTO
programs were created for the express purpose of providing the brand
new officer with the continuous supervision, training and assistance to
acclimate the new officer during those first weeks or months on the
street.
An FTO program also gives a police department, or training academy, a
better insight on the new officer's suitability for a police career. In this
regard, the FTO is expected to honestly rate the new officer's abilities to
perform as a police officer under real life interaction with the public;
criminals; the criminal justice system, and his or her performance in
crisis situations.
When you become a police officer, you'll be on a period of probation.
Most police departments require a minimum probation period of one
year. During your probation, your employment can be terminated,
theoretically, for just about anything. Most departments don't like to
terminate probationary officers, simply because you represent a
significant financial investment. So, when a probationary officer is
terminated, it usually is the result of a significant violation. A good
FTO program should do two things: First, it should provide you with the
training to prevent you from committing any significant
violation...whether through ignorance or simple inexperience. Secondly,
the FTO should be prepared to make the hard decision of honestly
rating a new officer who is clearly unsuitable for police work.
For any program to perform successfully, the people running it must
themselves be up to the task. While most experienced police officers
don't mind offering guidance and assistance to a new officer, most don't
want to do it on a full time basis. Therefore, police officers entering an
FTO program have to want to be Field Training Officers. The problem is
that every officer who wants to be an FTO may not be suitable for the
assignment. Choosing an FTO candidate is not a problem in a police
department which experiences little turnover; however, in larger
departments where new hires are frequent and numerous, the selections
of FTO's become more problematic.
FTO. Police departments across the country are creating their own FTO
programs to train their new police officers either during their academy
classroom training or post classroom training.
In the past, every new police officer experienced the assistance of
experienced officers on an informal basis, but new officers were rarely
closely supervised on a continuous basis for any length of time. FTO
programs were created for the express purpose of providing the brand
new officer with the continuous supervision, training and assistance to
acclimate the new officer during those first weeks or months on the
street.
An FTO program also gives a police department, or training academy, a
better insight on the new officer's suitability for a police career. In this
regard, the FTO is expected to honestly rate the new officer's abilities to
perform as a police officer under real life interaction with the public;
criminals; the criminal justice system, and his or her performance in
crisis situations.
When you become a police officer, you'll be on a period of probation.
Most police departments require a minimum probation period of one
year. During your probation, your employment can be terminated,
theoretically, for just about anything. Most departments don't like to
terminate probationary officers, simply because you represent a
significant financial investment. So, when a probationary officer is
terminated, it usually is the result of a significant violation. A good
FTO program should do two things: First, it should provide you with the
training to prevent you from committing any significant
violation...whether through ignorance or simple inexperience. Secondly,
the FTO should be prepared to make the hard decision of honestly
rating a new officer who is clearly unsuitable for police work.
For any program to perform successfully, the people running it must
themselves be up to the task. While most experienced police officers
don't mind offering guidance and assistance to a new officer, most don't
want to do it on a full time basis. Therefore, police officers entering an
FTO program have to want to be Field Training Officers. The problem is
that every officer who wants to be an FTO may not be suitable for the
assignment. Choosing an FTO candidate is not a problem in a police
department which experiences little turnover; however, in larger
departments where new hires are frequent and numerous, the selections
of FTO's become more problematic.
Field
Training
Officer
Training
Officer
| National Association of Field Training Officers serving Municipal, County, State, and Federal Criminal Justice Agencies. |
N.A.F.T.O. is an educational and professional association
concerned with apprenticeship and advance ongoing training
(commonly known to as the Field Training Officer concept) for
Law Enforcement, Communications, and Corrections personnel.
Educators, Administrators and other Criminal Justice
practitioners are also encouraged to participate.
concerned with apprenticeship and advance ongoing training
(commonly known to as the Field Training Officer concept) for
Law Enforcement, Communications, and Corrections personnel.
Educators, Administrators and other Criminal Justice
practitioners are also encouraged to participate.
"The material is appropriate for a wide range of police departments and only be
inappropriate for the smallest, least trained municipalities, where “FTO” would
not be a reality. Mr. Kaminsky has a very good approach, which utilizes adult
learning theory to “tell, show, do”….I am unaware of any competitors or
materials even marginally on the level of this manual.... This is the only manual
that I would use for training or reference within our program."
Sergeant Bob Littlejohn
Public Safety Training Center, Bellevue, WA
inappropriate for the smallest, least trained municipalities, where “FTO” would
not be a reality. Mr. Kaminsky has a very good approach, which utilizes adult
learning theory to “tell, show, do”….I am unaware of any competitors or
materials even marginally on the level of this manual.... This is the only manual
that I would use for training or reference within our program."
Sergeant Bob Littlejohn
Public Safety Training Center, Bellevue, WA
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| Copyright © 2006 - 2011 - Barry M. Baker - CareerPoliceOfficer.com |
| Disclaimer |
| CareerPoliceOfficer.com is not responsible for the contents of any linked site or any link contained in a linked site, or any changes or updates to such sites. Links are provided only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by this site. |
The beginning of your police career is
going to be difficult, because you're
going to experience situations and
circumstances that classroom scenarios
can only touch upon. Since every real
life experience can go in any direction,
scenarios are limited in their ability to
prepare you for the real deal.
going to be difficult, because you're
going to experience situations and
circumstances that classroom scenarios
can only touch upon. Since every real
life experience can go in any direction,
scenarios are limited in their ability to
prepare you for the real deal.