Field Training Officer by IPTM
Field Training Officer
This innovative course represents the first offering of its kind designed specifically for field training officers working in the modern law enforcement environment. The program delivers a comprehensive, accelerated, and intensively-paced educational experience that equips participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively train and mentor new recruits entering the profession.
Built upon the widely-adopted San Jose Model, this course emphasizes "best practice" evaluation methodologies that are legally defensible and currently implemented by public safety organizations nationwide. The FTO program model taught in this course has successfully withstood Federal Court scrutiny. Participants will gain insight into the advantages of utilizing a structured Field Training and Evaluation Program during the hiring process, and will explore the specific responsibilities and expectations associated with the field training officer role.
Through a combination of classroom instruction, group discussions, and hands-on practical exercises, attendees will develop competency in documenting trainee performance, implementing standardized evaluation procedures, and understanding the legal framework governing FTO programs. The course addresses the essential structural components of an effective FTO program and provides guidance for customizing these elements to meet individual agency needs. Participants will also learn strategies for developing remedial training action plans to address performance gaps identified during the training period.
Topics covered include:
- Foundational FTO program concepts and philosophies
- Key responsibilities and roles of field training officers
- Documentation strategies and shift observation techniques
- Essential and supplemental FTO program documentation
- Program automation and modernization approaches
- Structural design and agency-specific modifications
- Recruit preparation and trainee responsibilities
- Field response procedures and call handling protocols
- Adult learning theory, memory retention, and stress management
- Assessment methods including tests and quizzes
- Legal considerations specific to FTO programs
- Managing trainee driving performance concerns
- Strategies for working with challenging trainees
- Critical FTO documentation forms and reports
- Ethical issues and professional conduct standards
- Narrative evaluation best practices
- Development of remedial training action plans
- Non-Recertified Trainee (N.R.T.) designation protocols
Intended Audience: This course is designed for sworn law enforcement officers employed across various disciplines, including patrol, corrections, federal, court, state, wildlife, and ranger agencies. It serves officers responsible for conducting field training with new recruits; first-line supervisors such as sergeants and corporals overseeing FTOs and trainees; watch commanders and patrol managers unfamiliar with FTO processes; agency training coordinators; and FTO program managers or field training officers who have not completed a foundational FTO course or whose training occurred more than five years ago. Enrollment is restricted to sworn and non-sworn law enforcement personnel only.
Course Details:
- Duration: 20 hours
- Instructor: Ann Dorn
- Cost: $695.00
Scheduled Offerings:
Pelham, Alabama
March 15-17, 2027
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Pelham Police Department Training Room
32 Philip Davis Street, Pelham, AL 35124
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
April 5-7, 2027
8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Bay St. Louis Police Department Training Room
547 Main Street, Bay St. Louis, MS 39525
Jacksonville, Florida
April 26-28, 2027
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
IPTM - University of North Florida
Adam W. Herbert University Center, 12000 Alumni Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32224
Jacksonville, Florida
October 4-6, 2027
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
IPTM - University of North Florida
Adam W. Herbert University Center, 12000 Alumni Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32224