FIELD TRAINING OFFICER PROGRAM INITIATED

In its continuing effort to enhance professional standards, the Division of Adult Parole Operations has implemented its long awaited Field Training Officer (FTO) program beginning March of 2011.

Every law enforcement agency in California (and most throughout the United States) utilizes a field training officer program for its academy graduates and probationary employees. While most academies do a great job of teaching tactical, ethical or core components of the law, the real test is in the field under actual conditions. That practical learning environment should be under the experienced and watchful eye of a trained "lead agent" that can correct mistakes and also assist supervisors with probationary evaluations.

The FTO selection process will begin within the next few weeks and after selection, staff will attend a California POST accredited FTO school. Field Training Officers will be responsible for guiding trainees through a curriculum that requires blending knowledge, skills and the good judgment to know when, where and how to apply them. Upon graduation from the Basic Parole Agent Academy, new parole agents will be assigned an FTO for 10 weeks prior to assuming a caseload.

“An agent who becomes a Field Training Officer must commit himself or herself to the philosophy of the FTO. Training is as much about commitment as it is about proficiency and professionalism,” said DAPO Director Ambroselli. “It’s about motivating and training in a manner that is meaningful and unforgettable. It’s about caring for your profession, having passion for it, and conveying that passion to everyone, most prominently to your trainees.”

WAY TO GO DAPO!