New Recruit

[Jonesey]

I am a new recruit, and getting ready to start FTO in a month or so. Are there any tips any officers with experience can give me to assist me through the program? If so, please write back...

Thanks You & Be Safe,
Jonesey

Good luck on your decision to enter into law enforcement. I have just a few suggestions for you to get through the 14 weeks of FTO.

1. Listen carefully to your FTO’s and follow instructions
2. Read ahead and understand your FTO Manual, ask questions on the material you have read.
3. Get to work on time and look sharp in your uniform. Take pride in your appearance.
4. Do not speak your mind on any political situation at SPPD. Keep your comments to yourself period. Not even to your peers or friends.
5. Be respectful to your peers and supervisors
6. Learn everything you can from everyone you can 14 weeks is just the start of your 1 year probationary period. The FTO program will give you a good start on a new career but the learning never stops.
7. Work hard, complete your first year move on to a real department where police work is encouraged and respected. GOOD LUCK

Don't even waste your time at SPPD!!!

Amen to #7

Forget about a personal life and plan on reading the statue book and FTO manual on the weekends and in your free time.
Plan on working 12 hr days with interrupted sleep.
If you do not know your way around St Pete, drive it on the weekends.
Don't get caught up in the political non-sense
Try not to drink and party on the weekends

good luck

(1)Take the statue book and cut out the most frequent crimes and paste or tape to a note card on one side. on the other side fill out questions to ask. Wanda Williams had a book of questions to ask for certain questions. Place in notecard holder and to keep in car and put the most used in your shirt pocket. This worked very well for me.
(2) The Fto is always right do not argue just say yes Sir and bite your lip. I was unable to do this. Which made my stay long and stressful. But I finally made it by.
(3) think
(4) do fir's. do some traffic, learn zone for parimeters,
(5) dont get your self killed be very careful these suckbags will kill you in a heart beat.

(6) get the f$%k out of st pete pd

OK. Let's review the feedback from vets here at the PD:

1 - Study and study more.
2. Pay attention to the FTO's and vets; say very little.
3. Apply what you have learned by doing it repeatedly.
4. After probation, get the f-*& out of SPPD!
5. Do not stop, do not pass Go, do not invest in this agency which will absolutely NOT return your dedication and loyalty!
6. Select an agency with a 20-year retirement so when you do retire from public service, you can make some actual $ on top of your meager pension.

Count how many times someone says "...once you make it through the program."

if you can drive a car an have a gun on u're side your ganna make it. Were pretty desperate here for troops.[/b]

Once you get out of the program leave. You will be glad you did, this place is terrible. Remember SPPD's motto....To work here you are either STUPID or STUCK.