FREE e-Newsletter

Important News - Hot Topics
Get them Now!

web poll

Would you prefer to read POLICE Magazine on a tablet?

I'd like both
No thanks, I like a print copy in my hand
Tablet all the way

Search Result: FTOs

Displaying 41 - 56 of 56

Veteran Cop as New Recruit

July 1, 2008

I recently received a question from a department's Field Training Officer program coordinator. His department just hired several new officers. Great, except these are not academy-fresh officers; these are veteran officers from other departments. What now?

Don't Call Me a Rookie

June 27, 2008

Names do not make you a cop. If you mature and conduct yourself as a seasoned officer, the title will eventually disappear from around you.

Ask Questions

May 9, 2008

You are a rookie and sometimes you think it is best to stay quiet. You may have been told or maybe it was implied that you should sit down, shut up, and don't touch anything. This could be the worst advice of all. Sometimes it is best to speak up.

Fitting In

May 1, 2008

The first year after your academy graduation is critical in building the foundation for the remainder of your career. A great deal of it starts with the personal relationships you build with your peers during your first year on the street.

Who Picked My FTO?

April 18, 2008

To me, FTO stands for Fine Tuning Officer, not Fun Time Officer. If you are a recruit who thinks this is a chance for a good time, go to the local amusement park instead. FTO work is hard work; get used to it now.

Make Learning the Streets a Game

April 18, 2008

We are riding around; you hear a street name go out on the radio. Tell me where that street is now! Give me a landmark close to the call as well. No, your grandmother's house does not count either.

Welcome the Red Ink

February 7, 2008

Don't get your feelings hurt, but if you think your FTO won't mark up your first police report until it's bleeding red ink you're in for a surprise.

How Do I Advance My Career?

November 1, 2007

So you're beginning your career in law enforcement and you want to position yourself now for the future. You wish to become a chief, sheriff, captain, or detective. But how do you prepare yourself today for that career that is 15 years down the road? Simple; today's planning will set your future's career path.

Unintended Consequences

October 22, 2007

Have you ever asked a fellow officer where in the world they learned to do what they just did, and had them say in reply that they had been taught that in the academy? Or in some in-service class? Or had seen it in a training video? Here's one way that that happens.

BSing Wastes Training Time

October 8, 2007

There is not a cop alive who doesn't have a trunkful of good police war stories. In fact, I used to think the reason cops were invited to parties was for our great storytelling ability. But knowing when to use that ability is key.

FTO for Life

August 17, 2007

There is an age old question that surfaces in this column of mine: How long will the FTO be my FTO? The first answer to this is that it depends on which phase of the training process you are in, but that is the incorrect answer. The real answer is, for life.

Can I Get a "Do Over"?

August 7, 2007

Yes, in the FTO program you can get hurt, killed, sued, and all of the nasty things of a cop's life up to and including termination. Do not get faint of heart. Just know that this is still a learning program and you will make mistakes!

Be a Mentor, Not a Monster

June 21, 2007

I remember a training officer I had once, back in my cub days, who decided that the best way to break in a new guy was to act all tough and hard, and to intimidate me with his experience and his disdain for me and for what I thought I knew.

The FTO’s Role in Your Training

May 9, 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?

Recruit Training: Prepare Your Recruits with an FTO Class

May 9, 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.

How to Select and Train FTOs

January 1, 2005

Patrol training is the obligatory stepping stone to street work for many a new cop. It is weeks (or months in remedial cases) of short meals, long nights, and court in the morning. And this time spent with a veteran field training officer (FTO) can result in some of the most curious pairings of individuals since Pat Boone married himself to heavy metal. Still, this mentoring process is critical to the development of new officers.

« Previous 1 23Next »

Yes! Please rush me my FREE TRIAL ISSUE of POLICE magazine and FREE Officer Survival Guide with tips and tactics to help me safely get out of 10 different situations.

Just fill in the form to the right and click the button to receive your FREE Trial Issue.

If POLICE does not satisfy you, just write "cancel" on the invoice and send it back. You'll pay nothing, and the FREE issue is yours to keep. If you enjoy POLICE, pay only $25 for a full one-year subscription (12 issues in all). Enjoy a savings of over 60% off the cover price!

Offer valid in US only. Outside U.S., click here.

It's easy! Just fill in the form below and click the red button to receive your FREE Trial Issue.
First Name:	Last Name:
Rank:	Agency:
Address:	City:
State:	Zip Code:
Country:
We respect your privacy. Please let us know if the address provided is your home, as your RANK / AGENCY will not be included on the mailing label. YES, it is my home address.
E-mail Address: