One More Trainee

[ateamer]

Just got another trainee through a phase of field training. He was #33 for me. He worked really hard, made a lot of improvement and will do just fine through the next phase. Being an FTO is one of the most rewarding jobs in all of law enforcement, just had to say this. It can be a real challenge at times, but the payoff is getting to work alongside them as partners and friends after they finish training and knowing the department's future is in good hands.

[katseiye]

We just got three more out of the Academy. Two will probably be pretty good. Jury's still out on #3, but he'll probably come along with the right FTO's.

Can't train any more because of policy and position but I'll still have my hand in on reports and policy/procedure issues.

You're right though. Even if you don't agree with the direction of the dept., so much can be accomplished as an FTO to bring newbies into the right way of conducting business. Go ateamer !

[oneoldcop]

Just got another trainee through a phase of field training. He was #33 for me. He worked really hard, made a lot of improvement and will do just fine through the next phase. Being an FTO is one of the most rewarding jobs in all of law enforcement, just had to say this. It can be a real challenge at times, but the payoff is getting to work alongside them as partners and friends after they finish training and knowing the department's future is in good hands.

that's a lot of ground you've covered and kept the right attitude!!! Way to go!!!

[jcioccke]

That is am Awesome!! Thank you for sharing.

[Loose Cannon]

Just sent my rookie on to the next phase last Thursday. It is challenging trying to drive all those points home in a short amount of time. It is definitely exhausting, but very rewarding.

[SOI]

I liked being an FTO in small doses. But no matter how well you got along, how smart they are, or anything else, after a month or more of sharing an already cramped car, we get on each others nerves.

[CurlyQ]

Just curious . . . what happens when an FTO at your agency does not recommend a "trainee" for road patrol after going through the program? At my agency, they just push them through anyway. I can't understand it. Why have FTO if the trainee is going to be accepted no matter how they do . . . not to mention how much the FTO is discredited.

[mdrdep]

My last trainee was served with his letter of intent for termination

[SOI]

Just curious . . . what happens when an FTO at your agency does not recommend a "trainee" for road patrol after going through the program? At my agency, they just push them through anyway. I can't understand it. Why have FTO if the trainee is going to be accepted no matter how they do . . . not to mention how much the FTO is discredited.

Basically the same here. If they hang on all the way through and don't quit, they get passed regardless of their FTO's recommendation. Short of directly endangering someone's life, they have to quit, so it's up to the FTO to make them so miserable and ride their *** so hard that they get the message. We will fire someone if they are a serious safety threat. But if they get through without blatantly demonstrating a risk to someone's life, and only lack common sense/can't write reports/can't make a decision/can't learn the county/can't read a map/etc, no matter how bad it is, they'll "pass". Just another reason I don't miss training.

[ateamer]

If a trainee is consistently not meeting standards, and he has been given all the remedial training we can offer (maximum of two remedial phases - our training phases are five weeks) and still not responding, then he is let go. Over the years, we have an average field training pass rate of about 80%. There have been times when everyone in a class has made it off training, and there was one class with a 100% washout rate. (Of the latter, three or four of that group of five should never have been hired, but that was beyond the FTOs' control.)

It's nice to work for an agency that enforces standards and doesn't make exceptions just to keep staffing levels up or if someone is popular.

[CruiserClass]

Just curious . . . what happens when an FTO at your agency does not recommend a "trainee" for road patrol after going through the program? At my agency, they just push them through anyway. I can't understand it. Why have FTO if the trainee is going to be accepted no matter how they do . . . not to mention how much the FTO is discredited.

I'm not an FTO (too new and waaaaay to impatient in the role of instructor to be any good at it), but from what I've observed they get an extra rotation of FTO with a different officer to see if they can be salvaged of if they get canned. We normally get four rotations with three different FTOs, the first and last being with the same one, so you'll get a chance at a 5th. I had one guy from my class who was given his quit or be fired notice during FTO.

[Sum10]

I would just like to thank the FTO's that take in the trainees and treat them with respect...and teach them what they need to know to become good officers. I am currently in FTO training right now going into my fourth month which is quasi solo status. I have had approx. 8FTO's thus far some good ones and some bad. I think that a lot of FTO's are made to become FTO's so they are kind of well.... jerks about it. I just wanted to thank the ones that become FTO's to make their department better and to make the ones they work beside better officers who can trust one another.

[tn_gunslinger]

Heading to FTO school next month. After 2 years here and 5 total, I think it's time to give it back. And I love teaching. I'm really excited about stepping into this role

[SgtScott31]

The five new hires we just put through (police & fire) training voted me as their favorite. That does feel good.

[bikecop136]

The five new hires we just put through (police & fire) training voted me as their favorite. That does feel good.

Good job Brother....