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Fto Program Essay

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The FTO program is a critical process to developing new officers (Scoville, 2005). “A good recipe for an FTO would be to mix portions of Sheriff Buford Pusser from “Walking Tall,” Sherlock Holmes, and Officer Pete Malloy from “Adam-12.” It would then tell you to bake them together and frost them with a glaze of the patient bemusement and gentle common sense of Andy Griffith’s Sheriff Andy Taylor” (Scoville, 2005, para. 2). FTOs will have a significant influence on their trainees and thus influence the future of law enforcement making the selection of the trainers a critical component of the process (Scoville, 2005). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed 90% of officers interviewed stated their FTO was the most significant …show more content…

Also, I would be aware of officers applying with the sole motivation of advancing their own careers rather than having the true motivation of training new officers (Scoville, 2005). There would have to be a minimum amount of time served on patrol, and depending on the size of the agency, the time requirement could be different. I would say 5 years is a good starting point. Data has suggested that FTO’s can become “burnt-out” due to the long shifts and constant flow of new officers rotating in (Doerner, 2012). Officers that possess a strong quality of patients are essential. I would require FTO’s to pass a FTO trainers course consisting of at least 40 hours. The course will provide the qualification of becoming certified as an instructor. I would seek officers that have a diverse qualification background such as K-9, anti-gang/drug, traffic, and homicide, which would expose new officers to the many faucets of police work. Although not a qualification, FTO selection would be strictly reserved for officers that are absolutely honest, have a tough work ethic, and exemplifies moral principals. The long-term impact FTOs have on new officers cannot be

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