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As recruits you are under the microscope, and that’s a good thing.
May 09, 2007
It is your first day on the job. You are going to be scrutinized by everyone. Your superiors are going to inspect you. You know this, but do you actually know what the first inspection is really going to be like?
This will be a critical inspection for you and one that will set the tone for the rest of your patrol life. Read Full Article
author: William Harvey | posted @ Wednesday, May 09, 2007 12:33 PM |
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What do those three little letters really stand for anyway?
May 09, 2007
When you look at another officer’s uniform and see an FTO pin, what thoughts come into your mind? Sure you know that FTO is an abbreviation for “field training officer.” But just what does that mean?
FTOs have the unheralded and often thankless job of training you to survive and flourish in the real world. Read Full Article
author: William Harvey | posted @ Wednesday, May 09, 2007 12:31 PM |
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You can make your life on the job a lot better by taking the time to pack and carry some little things that you are sure to need.
May 09, 2007
Patrol duty can be really long and tiring. You will have headaches, minor injuries, heartburn, and you will spend a lot of time in weather that drives most people indoors for the night.
You can make your life on the job a lot better by taking the time to pack and carry some little things that you are sure to need.
Put a creature comfort kit in your bag. Why? It is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and have to pay $5 for a 25-cent item in a convenience store on a midnight shift. Read Full Article
author: William Harvey | posted @ Wednesday, May 09, 2007 12:29 PM |
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What to buy for your first days on the job.
May 09, 2007
There are a few realities of life that we must get out of the way before we begin this discussion.
First, your department should tell you what it will issue to you. This prevents you from purchasing needless items and wasting your money. It should also tell you the items it recommends you have that it will not purchase for you. Finally, it should tell you what it prohibits you to have. Enough said. Read Full Article
author: William Harvey | posted @ Wednesday, May 09, 2007 12:27 PM |
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Dispel the mystery of the field training program by holding a class for the recruits before the program begins.
May 09, 2007
All through the academy, your recruits are told horror stories of their future training officers and the “FTO program.” Police work is like most vocations where there are rites of passage. People beginning this career wonder about the rites of passage and trials of fire that they will face as they join the profession.
If you want your recruits to perform better, my advice is to tell them what to expect in the field training program before it begins. Don’t make things worse by spreading more bull. Read Full Article
author: William Harvey | posted @ Wednesday, May 09, 2007 12:22 PM |
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The massacre at Virginia Tech is a portent of things to come.
May 09, 2007
All of the experts agree that America will experience more “active shooter” situations in schools in the near future. Anti-terrorist strategists will also tell you that Muslim terrorists are planning to take over American schools then rape and slaughter our innocent children.
What can you, an ordinary first responder, do to prepare a response to a school shooting or hostage situation at one of your local schools? Plenty. Read Full Article
author: Richard Valdemar | posted @ Wednesday, May 09, 2007 12:16 PM |
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