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.
(more…)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…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
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 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…)
Welcome back. This is our last installation of articles on the 21st Century Field Training Officer. In March of 2016, NAFTO had the opportunity to present this information in classroom form to an audience of some of America’s best Law Enforcement instructors at the annual ILEETA conference in Chicago, Illinois. (more…)
Welcome back! This is Part #2 of our series on the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing and its impact on the field training unit. One aspect of NAFTO training, philosophy and mind-set that I have always been very proud of is the fact that we are not chained to history. I believe that at NAFTO we believe that we can take our training and experience and move forward with time as law enforcement practices evolve. I was told once that cops hate two things. We hate change and we also hate the way things are. Funny and true for most of us. I hope to ease some nerves and help clear some muddy waters for training officers out there facing the winds of change as FTOs. (more…)
NAFTO fields questions on a regular basis from departments asking for guidance or training in an effort to comply with the task force’s final report. This series of articles is meant to hopefully clarify some matters and share with our members how NAFTO can help support field training programs throughout the country. (more…)
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