Question to FTO's and Vets about laterals

[goodfella]

This question is catered more towards FTO's but I wouldn't mind other opinions views too.

I've been a sworn officer for almost 4 years now and have been doing quite well. Jumped on the TAC team last year and trying to do my best with the job at hand.

So my question is I might have an opportunity shortly to lateral out of state to a much larger department. If I take the position I'm obviously going to be a rookie again (To the OLD guys I'm still a rookie, but it's all good), but when I'm in FTO is there any suggestionns on how to make a good impression on the new PD? Any experiences on laterals coming over that were just plain ol pathetic?

Most of the questions I'm asking are pretty much common sense, and I'm pretty sure I can handle the new PD without looking like an imbecile. However, it would be nice to hear some feedback on what to do, and what not to do.

[Iowa #1603]

When you join the new department--------------act like a rookie.

You don't know crap...........you absorb everything you are told--------and get through FTO as quietly as you can.

You will get some breaks because you are "trained"........but don't' expect too many

[LA DEP]

When you join the new department--------------act like a rookie.

You don't know crap...........you absorb everything you are told--------and get through FTO as quietly as you can.

You will get some breaks because you are "trained"........but don't' expect too many

+10000000

You are right back down at the bottom of the food chain.......and will win far more respect if do NEVER utter the phrase 'well, this is how we did it at xxxxxxxxx'

[oneoldcop]

+10000000

You are right back down at the bottom of the food chain.......and will win far more respect if do NEVER utter the phrase 'well, this is how we did it at xxxxxxxxx'

We all know that^^^but it never hurts to be reminded...

[PtlCop]

I train experienced officers differently than I train rookies. Certainly our rookies spend a lot of time being corrected on traffic stop tactics, officer safety type issues, paperwork issues, investigatory procedures, etc. SOME of those things you won't have to be trained on, perhaps refreshed on, but not trained on.

That being said, you'll do traffic stops differently there than you do at your current agency. You'll do paperwork different, you'll work with a different prosecutor, you'll work with different supervisors, etc. So you'll have to learn their ways and their procedures for things. If you simply show up to work, do your job, accept constructive criticism and learn the new procedures, you'll be fine.

I won't say you should NEVER say "this is how we did it where I came from" but there are very, very few situations where that'll be good for you. If your training officer asks you why you did something the way you did, saying "well, back at My Old PD, we were trained that way because of X, Y, and Z," then that's fine. If you're told to do paperwork one way, and you say "no, i do it this way because at My Old PD we did it that way" then you'll not do well.

[vincelli]

The simple fact that you posted this question indicates that you have the correct attitude for a very smooth lateral.

-V

[K9_Rex]

Been there...did a lateral from 1 state to the next almost 6 years ago now. If you have the mind set that you are willing to learn "their style" you will be OK. That was the hardest part for me. I had been use to doing things one way for so long. Not to mention, I left a State and went to work in a Commonwealth. That was a big adjustment for me. I was a FTO and K9 hanlder starting over as a 3rd shift patrolman. Just had to come to work with the mindset that I was "learning" again from my FTO at this dept. There were a few bumps but it all worked out pretty good. In less than 3 years I made it to the Detective Bureau.

I never used the "thats how I did it at xyz dept." We had several discussions about how things were done there compared to here. Obviously, there was some good and some bad with both. We had a good time... two experienced Officers riding the midnight shift together, we locked sum *** up.