Posted: 4/13/2006 11:58:25 PM EDT
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Well, I just got hired by what seems like an awesome department. Questions for F.T.O's on here. Besides driving town and learning streets Besides knowing to shut up and listen and learn. What else can I do in the next month and a half to mentally and physically prepare myself for the 12 week process ahead? I may not end up the best but I want to try my hardest to be the best new recruit they hav ehad in a while. Thanks for any help given Dan T. |
Forego any semblance of a social life - seriously. Consider the FTO process the equivalent of a Berlitz Foreign Language class... Full immersion to the exclusion of everything else. Keep your mind on the job - think about it. Most tasks you'll learn will be associated with specific department policies. Be sure you have read and understand them, and be sure to ask questions if you have any doubt about your understanding of it. Don't be afraid to ask those questions. I always was more concerned about new officers who refused to ask questions, since that tends to give the impression of a 'know it all'. Be humble, ask questions, and listen. Don't take it personal if you're told you're doing something wrong. You're EXPECTED to do things the wrong way - it's the only way we can train you how to do the job the right way. Some things we actually WANT you to do wrong, so that you reach a self-realization that it was wrong, and it's easier for us to explain why. For example, standing with your weapon facing a suspect; or parking your squad directly in front of a house you're responding to for a domestic. One more thing brother - Welcome to the greatest job in the world. |
I trained about 100 rookies in a little over 10 years with the average time spent about 4 weeks with each. The streets, proper paperwork and the knowledge of laws and procedures are obviously very important. From my experience, the biggest thing that kept rookies from making it out of FTO training was decision making and report writing/investigative skills. Most people learned the streets, most learned which paperwork was needed for each type of situation. Those are facts that are pretty much set in stone. You have this type of report or this is the street name. They don't change day to day. The decision making is a killer. I made my rookies attempt to make a decision on every call or situation. Most of the times early in their training, I would have them tell me what they would do on a call and if it was correct, I would allow them to do it. If it was wrong, I would correct them and then let them complete the call. That of course relies on time not being critical. I would rather have a rooke pull me off to the side and make a decision, even if wrong, rather than stand there and do nothing or make no decision. When the rookie gets out of FTO training, he/she will not always have someone there to rely on in each circumstance. You must get to a point of making your own decisions. An officer that cannot make a decision and cannot react to a problem immediately is just about worthless. That does not mean you know everything at the end of training or ever for that matter. I have been doing the job for almost 23 years and I still learn new things. What you do need to get to is a point of being able to at least know what you can do legally and when you need help. If the most you can do at a crime scene is to secure it the best you can and call for help and hang on till it arrives, then you have done your job. At least you knew your limitations and what help was needed. So, learn the policies, the streets and the laws. But at least equally, learn to make decisions on your own. That is what your FTO is there for, to help you to learn to make decisions independently. Welcome and good luck in training. |
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+1 on the forego your social life. Some pointers: 1. Do not justify mistakes, just take the good with the bad and press on. 2. In patrol training, you will **** up. No doubt about it. We all did and you will too, just press on and do not get trapped in the "downhill spiral" where you are kicking yourself in the ass all shift over a bad call. Take your lumps and start fresh on the next call. Try to keep your confidence up. 3. You will be doing alot of paper. It's how you learn. If you get seriously swamped, don't whine to other officers/trainees... just let your FTO know that you are having trouble. FTOs are there to facilitate your molding into a competant officer... not just "grade" you. 4. Like stated, ask questions. 5. Listen to the radio, even off duty to get used to and comfortable with radio traffic/procedures. 6. Get the necessary sleep and nutrition. Sounds dumb, but trainees that just have to squeeze in a "party" are usually poor performers the next shift. 7. Always be available to help other officers/trainees or quick to offer help when needed. 8. Do not gossip about your co-workers or join in gossip. Poor form for trainees. 9. All FTOs are different and have their own methods. Try to refrain from the old "Well, I was taught to do it this way..." line. You will have to adapt to different officers and have to be flexable. When you are finalized, you can pick what works best for you. 10. Good luck and welcome to the club! NorCal |
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I'm not an FTO so the FTOs on here can correct me if I'm wrong. When you walk into a scene, take command, you are the police and you're in charge. If someone doesn't understand that then make them understand. Some people need polite talk, others need to be spoken to more harshly. If you can determine which tack to take early it makes it easier. Make a decision. If you are unsure of a policy or are worried that you might not be doing it right, tell your backing officer, "I'm seeing X,Y,Z and I'm going to arrest, interview and release, whatever, do you see something I don't?" They will help you make a good decision. Don't sweat your small errors, you're learning. I asked other officers beside my FTO to give me feedback if they thought I needed it, that I'm trying to learn and they would not hurt my feelings if they pointed something out to me. I also would recommend watching how other officers handle a type of call. There are different ways to get to the same destination. When in doubt handcuff. You can always take them off later. I let people know what's going on as soon as practicable. "I'm not sure what is happening next" or "I'm waiting for my Sgt to arrive." or "you're going to jail for investigation of VUCSA." Have fun, be a sponge for information, make a decision, be humble upon receiving advice, don't be concerned about cuffing too early, and have fun. Did I mention have fun. If on the off chance you get a "bad" FTO, suck it up and unless he's breaking the law count the days. |
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thanks for al of the sound advice. I am a month from completing the academy so the working out part was taken care of a while ago. I was always into lifting but have found a new love for running. The advice everyone has given will be carried with me throughout my training and I will update this thread when I screw up and when I do something positive. Once again, thanks. Dan T. |
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Echo all of the above. Officer Safety is a big one around here. You will make mistakes. You've got to learn from them or you will get yourself and or your partner killed. Get your rest. Get your exercise, Eat right. Speak clearly on the radio. Know where you are at all times. Know where your beat buddies are at all times. Write good reports. If you are having trouble with something try to learn the right way to do it and then do it a bunch. I had trouble with my car stops. So my FTO and I did a bunch of them. If they use the method they use here, you will have a ck list of types of calls. You will be "volunteered" for a whole bunch of different things to get you exposed. I can do mentals, and dead bodies in my sleep. It takes me forever to do a shoplift. Best of luck and welcome to the insanity.  |
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All great tips. Read the law books yourself. Study and ask questions. Don't rattle off a 100 of them at a time. Don't take court or the actions of lawyers personally. I actually got along quite well with most of the defense attorneys. You just need to realize they have a job to do just like you have a job to do. Volunteer. Being one of the first to volunteer even for shit duty (IMO) pays off in the long run. Soon you will be tasked with some better assignments while those who never volunteered for anything will end up with the crap details. Just my opinion but has worked well for me so far. |
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Some very good info listed above! People smell indecision from along way off. When I was an FTO I always felt that it was important to learn foundational skills. I know that may sound simplistic and stupid but I watched a lot of FTO's teach short cuts and easy ways to work a call and I always felt that it was a big disservice to the rookie. Be attentive and heads up. I have seen a bunch of rookies self destruct over their egos not letting them accept criticism fromt their FTOs. Oh yeah, forget your social life like everyone else has already said. Applying laws in a classroom setting without pressure is a whole different ballgame from applying them in a situation where emotions are out of control and people's liberties are about to go away. Good Luck. |
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Treat people with respect and act like u really do care about their problem. Most of the time if u treat them like a person they will treat u better. Then there's some people u can't do this with just do what u have todo to solve the problem and make sure u and your partner goes home at the shift's end. STAY SAFE and go to training classes as much as u can TRAIN ,TRAIN, TRAIN and then TRAIN some more.Don't let that gun and badge thing go to ur head. Also try to learn where your brothers live and keep an eye on their house and family, I understand if you from a big dept. this may be hard todo, but do your best. Cops dont give Cops tickets we have to stick together. GOOD LUCK AND WELCOME TO THE JOB. |
I love that one. I guess everyone has had rookies that say they made a 98% on the Penal Code test in the academy but have a hard time applying it to the streets. I always told them something like, that is because a person on the street doesn't run up to you hysterical and bleeding to say ....."officer, the actor ran up me and intentionally, knowingly or recklessly caused bodily injury to me by causing pain and injury, by striking me in the face causing a laceration to my lip". |
Ain't that the truth |
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Excellent advise from all who have posted. What I hate more than anything else is a trainee that is trying to impress me with some wizbang off the wall shit. Just make a decision and worry about the criticizm later. Don't worry about what other officers are thinking when you make dicisions. We were all there once ourselves and we understand. You may get made fun of, but at least you did something. As an FTO I can tell you that you will have questions so ask them, we expect you to. Yes, occationally we get tired of explaining things but I would still rather take the time to help a trainee than the see him screw something up later. Remember, we, FTO's, are there to help and train you, not wash you out. Trainees wash themselves out. Don't whine, take you lumps and move on, don't beat yourself up over something you missed or screwed up. Everyday is a new day. Take resonsibility for what you do, dont blame something or someone else. Above all else, stay safe and come back at the end of every shift. Good Luck, be safe and welcome to the brotherhood. |
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+1 to what my fellow LEO/FTOs said. DOn't make any plans for off duty stuff. Your RDOs may change, you stay over on calls, or some type of homework or studying. Short FTO story. I also work sex crimes, so a vict came in to report a crime. I pulled my recruit off to the side, and asked him what he thinks he should do first.  Capt then pulled me aside and asked me if I was going to have the recruit work this. I stated "Yes sir". He informed me the kid has to learn how to walk first and I'm going to teach him how to run. I worked it, he learned, and a big sigh of releaf came out of him why I told him I was going to take it. We still laugh about it. THis is the same poor recruit that was with me on a search warrent and we found a bomb  .Enjoy, learn, be careful, and WELCOME! Art in KY |
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I see alot of trainees canned for repeated officer safety issues and the inability to take charge of a scene. Like someone else said, when you show up, you are the boss! You must establish control of every scene. I think if you remember these everything else will fall into place. Also I'd get to be real familiar with state statute. It's impressive when an FTO cant remember a statute and you rattle it off. Just dont do it to much or he'll  .What I learned that helps me even now is If I consider doing something It's prolly better off that I go ahead and do it. DO NOT HESITATE TO DO SOMETHING! Make a decision you can justify and commit to it. Right or wrong. |