Not enough training?

[JinXeD]

Alright, ..... my cousin was currently hired to a police department about 15 minutes south of chicago. The town is not one of the best. Lots of drugs, guns, and bad people. He is only part-time for now and wants to use this as a stepping stone to further his advancement somewhere else one day soon. The thing I am curious about is his training time especially for a town that is a little worse then some others. He trained at an academy for only 5 weeks and is now already on his own. He never had an FTO and is not going to get one in the future. Is this normal? I have always seen around 10 weeks in the academy and then additional training with an FTO. I just want to find out if this is normal for most departments. Don't forget that the town is not one of the best. His first call was to some guy shooting at the police and injuring one. So I just want to get some feedback on this.

Thanks all,
Jay

[scooterlee]

Im confused...he only went to an academy for 5 weeks??? Was he an officer before and transfered to this agency?

I'll need you to clarify that issue before I can give you my opinion on the rest.

[pkagel]

If I were him I'd be doing some ride alongs w/ CPD to try and learn something. 5 weeks and hit the beat sounds like something from the 50's!!

[hemicop]

If he had prior lE experience it's possible. I once workrd for a small P.D. in N.M. that was almost as bad, but that was in the 70's. If I were him I'd be taking a Ton of LE classes at college & doing a TON of ride-alongs with CPD to learn some practical applic. of what little they taught him. Liabilty is a big thing nowadays & if he screws-up this small Dept. probably won't be able to cover him & will leave him hanging.

[JinXeD]

He doesn't have any prior LE experience. When he first told me he only had 5 weeks of training, my reaction was the same as yours.

[gotthblues]

5 weeks is not long enough even for a small rural dept...let alone the outskirts of chicago,, there is nothing wrong with using a small dept for a stepping stone,, but you have to be careful which one you pick, you can do a lot a damage if your not.
this dept sounds like all they care about is a warm body to fill a car. i would advise him to look elsewhere, seriously, this sounds like a very bad position to be in. i know of a few guys back home who ruined their reputations, as that s all you really have, and now have no shot at police work. beside officer safety so you dont get dead, there is A LOT of legal knowledge you HAVE TO HAVE, so you dont screw yourself,

[hemicop]

He doesn't have any prior LE experience. When he first told me he only had 5 weeks of training, my reaction was the same as yours.

With no LE experience he barley knows enough to be dangerous. Tell him to run fast & run far! the liability is too great!

[pkagel]

I just can't believe that the state only req's that little training. In CA the minimum is about 640hrs. My academy gave us 1010 hrs. In 5 weeks I'd hope they spent it all on DT and Search & Seizure.

[PhilipCal]

Not enough training

No, not nearly enough. My first question would be concerning Illinois minimum standards. These standards govern the training of any Peace Officer regardless of the hiring authority.(State.County, or City). Five weeks of training, based on five,eight hour days per week= 200 hours. Most states mandate at least twice that amount. No FTO program? That's a recipe for disaster.

[JinXeD]

No, not nearly enough. My first question would be concerning Illinois minimum standards. These standards govern the training of any Peace Officer regardless of the hiring authority.(State.County, or City). Five weeks of training, based on five,eight hour days per week= 200 hours. Most states mandate at least twice that amount. No FTO program? That's a recipe for disaster.

My thoughts exactly....

[furetto7]

You stated that his is part-time, I know that in Kansas there are two different academies, one for part-time officers that is only two weeks long and the regular academy for full-time thats now runs fourteen weeks. It sounds like he has been to a part-time academy not the longer full-time academy.

[JinXeD]

but even if that were true, i don't believe he should be out there riding by himself. i think having no FTO or anything else to further his training is pretty dumb.