First Day of Field Training

[packpolice]

What was your first day of field training like?

[Evnings]

A lot of fun, educational, and scary.

It was fun because it was the day I realized everything I had tried to accomplish since I became an explorer. It was educational because I was there to learn.It was scary because I felt like I was on display and every move I made was being rated and reviewed by not only my FTO and the the other cops, but the public at large.

[Chief Wiggum]

I was so excited to finally be done with the Academy and to be getting out to the field to do some "real' police work. I was so sick of the Academy and I couldn't wait to get away from it. I talked to my FTO at the Academy graduation and he said: "Be here at the Academy Monday at 8am. I've got training and your going with me."

Grrrrrrrrr. Computer training.

[J-WS6]

hahhaha...

On a sidenote; I have academy induction in one week from today !

[Deputy Joe]

Old Department: No FTO program. I was working with someone that worked on the department about 1 month and had little idea what was going on. We got dispatched to a disturbance. The man causing the disturbance was swinging around an axe, over his head. Yes, I would have been justified to shoot him. He dropped the axe for a cigarette.

New Department: I met so many people that I don't remember who I all met.

2 more weeks and I am done with Field Training.

[ 06-30-2003, 04:35 PM: Message edited by: Deputy Joe ]

[ateamer]

2-15-89: Walked into the roll call room and was pulled aside by another deputy. He informed me as to the rules pertaining to fresh meat: "You are nothing. You are schit. Sit next to your FTO and keep your mouth shut." I later found out he had precisely five months longer on the job than me.

Then I found my briefcase missing; it had been hidden because some veteran's seat was blocked. Learned my lesson about that.

Early in the shift, my FTO pointed out some vagrants sitting on a seawall, enjoying their 0900 beers. He told me to contact them. All that came out of my mouth when I walked up was "uhhhh, hi". (I got a 2 out of 7 for non-stress communications/verbal skills for that day - never got below a 4 after that.)

My primary FTO pushed me to get involved right off the bat, which was very helpful. The FTO manual and program guidelines call for the first two weeks to be "limbo", with no daily evals, no requirement for the trainee to do anything but observe and learn and for the trainee to not drive yet. He had me taking reports on the second day and driving on the third. It was a big confidence-builder.

[J-WS6]

If I had to FTO someone the size of ateamer, i'd give him the keys to the cruiser and ask him nicely not to hurt me.