Do You Invest In Your Employees?
After completing the law enforcement academy in 1995, I rode
with veteran officers so I could learn how to do the job. The department
did not have a Field Training Program. I only learned from veteran officers who
were supposed to “teach” new officers.
Out of the three “veteran” officers I was learning from (rode
with), only one actually taught me how to be a police officer; not to mention he
was a very different teacher from the other two.
Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Interview
As one might guess, you can’t earn a lifetime achievement award for field training without dedicating a significant portion of your career towards the cause. This year, NAFTO bestowed Joyce McCoy with such an honor, and her path began over 30 years ago.
(more…)Intelligence Based Training
Intelligence-Based Training has a place in training Student Officers. Do you use Intelligence-Based Training in your agency?
Field Training Officers are integral to the future and success of not only each individual student officer they mentor but to the overall success and legitimacy of the agency as a whole. We know the face of any agency is the patrol officer. How these patrol officers present that face to the public falls squarely on the shoulders of the Field Training Program collectively, and each FTO individually. (more…)
Expectations & Standards
As field training officers we have training expectations and we have training standards. Can both of these be achieved simultaneously?
Recently, I spent some time in Salt Lake City, Utah with about 50 fantastic Field Training Supervisors. I was there for the NAFTO 2 day FTO Management class. During Day 1 we got carried away with a great conversation about the difference between meeting our training standards and meeting our training expectations. (more…)
Lateral FTO Program Question
A recent question came to NAFTO in regards about lateral hires and the length of the FTO Period. The question was should the lateral hires complete the full FTO program for your agency or can their FTO training be abbreviated? (more…)
The Role of the Field Training Officer Pt. 2
The Role of the Field Training Officer – An essay Pt. 2
This is part one of two of an essay submitted as part of the testing process for new FTO’s with the Marysville Police Departjment. The author was a lateral hire from Juno, AK and had been an FTO at his previous agency. After completing the Washington State 40 hr FTO Academy, he edited the essay based on his learning experience at the FTO Academy. (more…)
The Role of the Field Training Officer Pt. 1
The Role of the Field Training Officer – An essay Pt. 1
This is part one of two of an essay submitted as part of the testing process for new FTO’s with the Marysville Police Departjment. The author was a lateral hire from Juno, AK and had been an FTO at his previous agency. After completing the Washington State 40 hr FTO Academy, he edited the essay based on his learning experience at the FTO Academy. (more…)
Simplify Your FTO Program with Software
Simplify your Field Training Program with Agency360’s FTO Software
You find it rewarding to be a Field Training Officer (FTO), but It’s been a long day with the trainee that hasn’t gone well. You are so busy that your 12-hour shift has turned into 14 and finally the time to go home arrives. But then you remember…you still need to fill out your daily observation (field training paperwork) for the trainee. (more…)