FTO Shopping!!
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Thread: FTO Shopping!!

  1. #1
    Guest

    FTO Shopping!!

    By Anthony Crisp
    PoliceOne Member

    What is the advantage for a law enforcement agency to allow a peace officer trainee to choose their field training officer in an effort pass the training program? As a result, what is the advantage for a law enforcement agency to allow a substandard-performing police officer trainee to pass the FTO Program?

    I’ve been a FTO for 11 years. Previously I was an athletic coach and trainer for 15 years. In this setting, I adhered to a set of strict guidelines. During my training, I’ve had the luxury of exceptional classes and instructors. I am proud of my FTO position. I genuinely enjoy training entry level police officers how to succeed and stay safe.

    Along my career path I’ve worked with many successful FTO graduates. I’ve also witnessed a growing number of trainees “slip through” the program, mostly by manipulating the rules.

    Example of FTO Shopping
    Subsequent to a successful police academy graduation, a trainee enters the post academy field training program. S/he reaches the fourth phase and shortly after quits in tears from an admitted lack of competence. At this point I felt that the Field Training Officer (FTO) AND the program supervisor would or should conclude that this career wasn’t for him/her.

    After rethinking their career, the trainee returns in a day wanting another chance and another FTO. After disregarding the numerous concerns of the senior FTO, the management agrees. Management does this notwithstanding the documentation by the senior FTO of the numerous officer-safety errors and substandard performance. This was also observed during traffic stop training scenarios.

    How long does an employer enable this officer? What’s the value to the agency? What’s the value to the other officers assigned to work with this new officer? In short, this decision is an insult to the FTO program. This profession is not like any other job; we’re talking about protecting lives.

    It is my feeling that management just incurred major liability by allowing a trainee to re-enter the FTO program, let alone select another FTO. The question arises, who is in charge of training, the agency or the applicant officer?

    The job of an FTO is rewarding in many ways. The main reason is that they will mold an unproven individual into a professional police officer. They teach the “rookies” how to make their community and/ or state safe for its citizens.

    Without going into detail about the differences between the San Jose Model and the Public Safety Model, an unstructured program has no balance. The more that takes place outside of the structure, the more it becomes random and arbitrary.

    An FTO program can’t be judged consistently when it is random and arbitrary. The more a program is outside structure, it becomes erratic and inconsistent — not to mention a liability issue for the state, county, or city.

    A police officer’s value is based on their replace ability. If a police officer cannot do the job efficiently and effectively, another trained officer is in line to prove his worth. A trainee with consistently bad officer safety errors will eventually put other officers in danger. That’s the liability.

    Quality FTOs that are sharp and competent typically provide better training to elevate new police officers. They are officers that are game-changers with high skill level and competence that are few and far between. A couple of elite FTOs ascend each decade.

    Ensuring High-Quality Trainees
    Sometimes, for some new trainees “the wiring isn’t all there.” This leads me to look at the flip side of this situation: the trainees. The intention of the Affirmative Action groundwork in 1964 from President Lyndon B. Johnson was to take a positive (affirmative) action creating an opportunity for different people to mix together in a particular job. The founding principle of affirmative action was fairness.

    Americans value diversity, but they value fairness more. This policy gave special consideration to minorities and women. It is time we stop judging people based on their race or gender and focus on their true character — the significance of this practice in law enforcement in the 21st Century has declined.

    What is more important: the ability to have a more qualified and more viable officer providing safety for the public with sound option principles, or just the ability to assume no one will ever really hurt you and being impressed with yourself and your new authority?

    What are the tax payers and public getting for their money regarding a properly trained peace officer that is required to provide security and protection? Is it only a warm body that takes up a position control number? The result is a sub-par employee with career problems.

    If a department is willing to evolve with training new employees, they must consider a FTO’s teaching style and match them with the learning style of the trainee for the training to become more successful. Being a lead FTO before, I was the only FTO that used this method with success — creating a better learning and communication environment.

    Security and leadership is paramount in this law enforcement arena. Know the assets and liability of what you decide to do going into the profession.

    Different environments create different cultures, some for the worse. If this type of conduct known to management is allowed for one trainee, it must be allowed for the rest or there is culpability. I feel the genesis of this untraditional style is unnecessary.

    If I were in a decision-making position to rectify the problem, one option is to recommend the trainee be extended on FTO for a minimum of ninety days. I would keep the trainee in a probationary status and evaluate the progress to make sure they were on the right track.

    A second option is to have detailed documentation from the FTO and program supervisor to justify and protect the department. This would identify why a trainee was not at the acceptable level of FTO as a peace officer, or simply accept the trainee’s resignation. In the situation cited above, option two should have occurred.

    I love excellence and competence. I feel that mediocrity is demeaning to law enforcement professionals.

  2. #2
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    6

    Re: FTO Shopping!!

    I have kept quiet on here for way to long!

    What has happened to our agency....... this article depicts the battle we are currently facing. The FTO/FTO Sergeant are the one's to evaluate the daily performance of the training officer. They alone know what problems he/she have and the ability or inability to fix the problem.

    The Chief is a great leader; however, he does not see the daily problems that are not able to be fixed.

    In the case we are currently facing their is a term, a legal term if you must, that is very applicable to this situation. When one of us gets hurt please remember this..... Negligent retention. The definition is as follows:

    Negligent retention: Employers may face liability for negligent retention when they are careless in taking corrective action against an employee after learning an employee was unfit after he was hired. This may include failing to retrain, reassign, or discharge the employee. An employer's failure to be aware of an employee's unfitness can also lead to liability. Like negligent hiring, claims for negligent retention typically arise from acts performed by an employee outside the scope of his or her employment.

    I would think if an officer told someone that they were going to get themselves or someone else hurt and the employer kept that person employed this would fit.

    To our Administration:
    I understand it cost thousands of dollars to train someone, but it that not worth saving a life?

    To our Sergeants:
    Stand up and say something. You are the leaders and it is your responsibility to keep the officers safe.

    To my fellow officers:
    Just pray......

  3. #3
    Guest

    Re: FTO Shopping!!

    I wish someone would stand up for these officers. FTO is a big responsibility and when the boss does not care what they say, That is bulls##t. I hope they relize the money it is going to cost to pay for the lawsuits that is coming from keeping the trainee.

  4. #4
    Guest

    Re: FTO Shopping!!

    MOD 654, you say "The Chief is a great leader; however, he does not see the daily problems that are not able to be fixed." The chief has been made aware of the problems that exist and has failed to correct them. What ever problems that he is not made aware of fall under the fault of the Captain and the Admin Sgt. as they too have the power to correct the problems and have also failed to do so.

    The Chief had promoted based on race, he has hired someone who had a criminal record, failed a polygraph and Psych test, was almost last on the hiring list based on the fact that he was the only African American applicant. Then when problems arose and the Chief was made aware it took him weeks to make a decision to fire him.

    Now we have a trainee who is having problems passing the program so he quit after telling numerous officers that this job wasn't for him. The Chief has overlooked evaluations of the FTOs and FTO supervisor and gave the trainee his job back.

    The Chief has allowed the violation of city rules/regulations and department policy. I know you want an example: While off duty, A sergeant becomes involved in a vehicle pursuit, while out of the city and county he creates a roadblock, shoots multiple rounds from a rifle at a moving vehicle which is occupied by the suspect. Policy says deadly force. The Chief and Admin Sgt. respond to the scene tell him good job, no investigation is ever conducted even though numerous polices were violated.

    A "great leader" doesn't bend rules so he can do what he wants. Seams as if someone can't admit he has continuously made bad decisions and there are problems he and his administration can't correct.

    BTW, how is the "Strategic Plan" for the department going? Wasn't that supposed to be completed 2014????

    Sounds like more talk and promises that can't be kept. Just remember when the going gets tough just ignore the problem, it will go away eventually!

  5. #5
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    6

    Re: FTO Shopping!!

    Well said.

    Put it in your black book, do as many do and have done in the past. Get your training and move on to a bigger and better agency. Training grounds......

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