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Field Operations Directives (FODs)

95-002 Supervision of Field Training Officers - First Six Month Training Experience


95-003 Contract Cities Involvement in Assignment of Station Commanders and Dedicated Personnel
94-002 Training Safety Policy

SUPERVISION OF FIELD TRAINING OFFICERS - FIRST SIX MONTH TRAINING EXPERIENCE

Purpose

The purpose of this Field Operations Directive is to establish a program to assess and assist newly promoted Field Training Officers (FTOs) and to ensure quality training is occurring for newly assigned field personnel. This program was also developed to track newly assigned FTOs.

This program will not only provide the Department with the necessary tools to supervise and, when necessary, deselect newly assigned FTOs, but will also provide an assistance program for all newly assigned FTOs.

Policy and Procedures

Pairing of Mentor to newly appointed FTO

  • The Unit Commander at each station shall review current and past FTOs to determine which individuals most accurately reflect the Department's model of an ideal training officer. These FTOs will be assigned as mentors to newly appointed FTOs. Participation as a mentor is voluntary.
  • Every effort should be made to assign the mentor and new FTO on the same shift and regular days off. For practical reasons (three deputies in a car) and to maintain a positive training atmosphere (preventing the image of "ganging up" on the trainee), the mentor should not be assigned to work with the new FTO or trainee except when one of them is off-duty (i.e., station level training, sick call in, etc.).
  • The new FTO should be encouraged to utilize their mentor to answer questions regarding the day to day functions of a FTO. At the completion of the new FTO's first six months of training, the formal mentor/FTO relationship shall be dissolved. However, this does not preclude the FTO from continuing to seek advice from them on an informal basis.

FTO / Trainee assignments

  • Station training sergeants shall make every effort to assign new FTOs (first three months as a FTO) to a trainee that has already completed their first three (3) phases of training and is not experiencing significant learning difficulties. This practice should reduce the pressure and stress the new FTO typically experiences during their first few months as a training officer.
  • In order to effectively measure the abilities of the new FTO, the second training experience should be with a new trainee just starting their first month of patrol training. This will allow station training sergeants to evaluate the performance of the new FTO during the most stressful stage of training. This process will also benefit the trainee as the new FTO will already have some practical experience as a training officer.

Training folders for newly assigned FTO's

  • Station training sergeants shall maintain a separate training folder for all new FTOs. These folders shall be retained for two (2) years beyond the ending date of the deputy’s FTO status. The folders shall contain, but are not limited to, the following items:
    • FTO Core Values Essay
    • Copies of field audits conducted on FTO, etc.
    • FTO Performance Evaluations
    • Monthly written evaluations by training sergeants
    • Bonus Authorization Forms
    • Identification of the FTO's Mentor(s) and trainees
    • FTO Core Values Exercise
    • FTO Application form and other relevant application paperwork
    • Captain’s Training Philosophy
    • FTO Principles
    • FTO Guidelines
    • Field Sergeant Questionnaires (see section IV.)
    • Hazing Policy
    • Resume’
    • Training Records
    • RAPS Statistics
    • FTO Course Completion
    • FTO Interview results
    • Other documentation that provides insight into the effectiveness of the newly assigned FTO (i.e., citizen complaints, positive and negative supervisory contacts, on-duty traffic collisions, etc.)

Assessing new FTO progress

  • Station training sergeants will distribute and collect questionnaires (see attached) from all patrol sergeants that work on the same shift as the new FTO. These questionnaires will then be reviewed individually by the station training sergeant, noting both the strengths and the weaknesses of the new FTO.  These questionnaires shall be retained in the FTO's training folder.

Field Audits

  • Station training sergeants shall acquire copies of all field audits conducted on the new FTO and trainee, FTO solely, trainee solely, and the trainee with other FTOs. These audits will be individually reviewed by the station training sergeant, noting both the strengths and the weaknesses of the new FTO. The audits on the trainee in absentia of their FTO can provide insight as to the effectiveness of the FTO and their training methods. These audits shall be kept in the FTO's training folder.

Assessment of the newly assigned FTO

  • Station training sergeants shall review all questionnaires, field audits, and any other documentation collectively. This should provide the necessary insight into the FTO's capabilities to determine how well they are progressing. If an FTO is performing in a substandard manner, their training sergeant shall immediately address the difficulty(s), either remediating the FTO or deselecting them from the position. This review shall be conducted monthly during the first six (6) months the new FTO is training. Training sergeants shall prepare a written assessment, on a SH-AD-32, of the FTO's progress for each review period. This assessment shall be discussed with the FTO by the training sergeant and signed by both parties. The original shall be forwarded to the training lieutenant and a copy placed in the FTO's training folder.

Evaluation of program

  • In order to ensure uniformity in the Department's Field Training Program, Field Training Officer selection and retention, and compliance to policies governing FTOs, the Advanced Officer Training unit will inspect each unit's program during their regularly scheduled command inspection. This inspection will include a review of: all newly assigned FTO training folders for the year prior to the inspection, their trainees’ folders, FTO Application Forms, Bonus Authorization Forms, citizen complaints, documented positive and negative supervisory contacts, and discipline records that pertain to suitability for the position of FTO.

Affected Directives/Publications

None

Cites/References

None

Attachments

Newly appointed FTO Questionnaire