Field Training Officer (FTO) Program

 

Program Documents

The Mesa FTO Program documents set policy standards, formulate the future direction of the FTO Program, and establish evaluation guidelines.  The documents also track, in checklist form, the Officers' in Training (OITs') progress throughout the program.  As a means of measuring success, the Attrition Table tracks the retention rate of the FTO Program.  Retaining qualified OITs translates to a saving of resources, a financially sound practice, and increases the number of qualified officers on the street. To download any of these forms, please forms page.

 

FTO Policy Manual

The Mesa PD FTO Policy Manual defines the mission of the FTO Program.   The manual also outlines the documentation and the roles and responsibilities of all of the members in the program.  Special programs are also outlined in the Policy Manual.  For more information about the Mesa Police FTO Policy manual, please contact Officer Joel Reynolds via phone at 480.644.2442 or via e-mail at joel.reynolds@mesaaz.gov.

 

Strategic Planning

Future goals of the FTO Program were developed by receiving input from OITs, FTOs, sergeants, and staff members.  The users designed the program and its goals.  A Three Year Plan was developed in the spring of 1997.  By the summer of 1999, the Three Year Plan was completed.  The FTO Unit then.sed a Two Year Addendum of Program Goals, which were achieved by 2001.  developing a plan as the example provided can resolve several issues for a department's FTO Program.   A plan can bring professionalism and respect to an FTO Program as the items in the plan are accomplished.  Incentives will encourage members to want to become FTOs in departments where recruitment of quality FTOs is a problem.  Remember that the recruits trained in an FTO Program are the future of the department.  Resources assigned to an FTO Program should be considered an investment in the future of the department.

 

Standard Evaluation Guidelines (SEGs)

The Standard Evaluation Guidelines are used to evaluate OITs.  FTOs strictly adhere to SEGs when evaluating OITs and must refer to the SEGs while completing the Daily Observation Report.  For more information about the Standard Evaluation Guidelines, please contact Officer Joel Reynolds via phone at 480.644.2442 or via e-mail at joel.reynolds@mesaaz.gov.

 

OIT Checklist

The OIT Checklist is used to track the OIT's progress through the four phases of the FTO Program.  Instead of spending a predetermined amount of time in a particular phase, the FTO Unit requires proficiency in particular training subjects before moving on to the next phase.  Consequently, an OIT may spend more, less, or the same amount of time in a phase as he would in a program that has a set time for each phase; advancement is dependent on proficiency.