“Two of our officers previously attended this class and highly recommended.”
We were In Lynnwood, WA April 27th – 29th where we held a 2-day Refresher followed by our 1-day Management Class.
Regarding the Refresher Class, 12 current FTOs attended and quickly realized that the skills required to train and evaluate the performance of new hires is truly a perishable skill. After reviewing several of the blocks of instruction covered in the Basic Class—and reviewing how to evaluate according to the SEGs—several commented, “That’s not how we do it here.” An unusual comment as they admitted to utilizing the San Jose Model of Field Training (SJM). By the end of the second day, those misconceptions had been cleared up based on the comments we received from the course evaluation:
- “Believe all FTOs should take this class every couple of years.”
- “Two of our officers previously attended this class and highly recommended.”
- “This course was well structured and contained information I felt was a solid reminder on the intent and defensibility of the SJM. I valued the experience of the instructors and the scenarios they provided which aligned with the training.”
- “The explanation of the ‘rotations’ was new to me. Energetic class, environment encourages discussion. Thanks for reminding me that my ‘thought’ of lumping numeric scores and using excessive narrative is not necessary. Using bullet points, great idea!”
- “This class was a great reminder of the duties and responsibilities of the FTO. It expanded my foundation. I’m glad I took this class.”
- “I felt this class gave me a complete understanding the SJM and why adhering to it is vital.”
Based on the feedback we received from last years Management Class, we adjusted the curriculum to spend more time with the hands-on aspects of the overall functions of managing the program. We discussed issues commonly encountered and the importance of the manager to completely understand their program’s implementation.
FTO Coordinators from Seattle, Lynnwood, Nisqually, Des Moines, Kelso, Issaquah and the University of Washington Police Departments were in attendance, commenting after the class:
- “This class provided good material for me to design a new FTO Program as we transition for the Reno Model to the SJM.”
- “Great examples and stories that applied to the course material.”
- “Passion and motivation to teach the course was obvious.”
- “Great class, instructors were very knowledgeable and helpful in bringing our program to the next level. Excited to implement the things I learned.”
- “Marked difference since the last class. Much more complete overview of how to run an FTO Program. This class will be a benefit both to smaller and larger agencies. All coordinators should attend this class.”
- “This course was instructive and valuable. I believe it will help me solidify the foundation of our FTO Program.”
We are headed to Union Gap, WA June 8th – 12th for a Basic Class. This class is filling up fast, so please register soon if you wish to secure a seat. We will be back in Everett, WA September 14th – 18th then off to the North Delta Training Academy Louisiana, October 12th – 16th for a Basic Class followed by our Managing your FTO Program on the 19th.
That will close out the 2026 year. As always if you would like to host one of our classes, please send us a text (425-426-6350) , e-mail (ftoschool@gmail.com), or feel free to call to secure your dates early.
