I’m about 2 weeks into phase 1 of FTO and it’s been really frustrating. I am pretty confident that got a fto that was forced to do it because every time i ask a question i don’t get the greatest response.
I’ve asked my fto about trainings the department puts people through and stuff about what the department has to offer and he just says “ you shouldn’t be worrying about that right now. Ill ask him about different areas where we patrol at and he’ll be like “don’t worry about that area you’re over here rn”. A lot of the questions he does answer he’ll be like “well obviously“ or just gives me some smart ass response like why am i even asking that question. Every question i ask just feels like a dumb question and im really just trying to learn as much as possible and do well in this field but i feel like i can’t with this fto. I getting prioritizing one thing at a time and not trying to learn everything at once but i just hate how he shuts me down after every question.
They’ve started to let me drive and my fto just sits on his phone all day on facebook and doesn’t talk to me. On my first day of driving he told me “ i know this isn’t ghost phase but im just going to let you do your thing” while he just sits on his phone scrolling on fb all day.
To be fair i have learned a lot already during this phase. He has given me good advice and shown me how to do a lot of things. But i just hate how i can’t communicate with him because he doesn’t even seem interested in teaching me.
How i can i best capitalize this fto phase? Im with this dude for a few more weeks and but then i switch FTOs for maybe 4 weeks but then im back with him for 3rd phase and ghost phase. He’s also my Sgt when i get out of FTO
Comments
not much you can do without risking pushback, especially if he’s going to be your Sgt. when this is all over. People can be pretty sensitive, so if you ask for a different FTO he might take it personally and then take it out on you.
On the positive side, he clearly trusts you well enough to take a relatively hands-off approach. Either that or he’s one of the “teachers” who just dump people into the deep end of the pool and they either sink or swim.
Just absorb what advice and things he does teach you, and try to figure out the rest. Hopefully you work with good people who can help you out as a rookie once you’re off FTO.
Be busy, it will make him teach you.
get a warrant list, go arrest people. stop more cars. stop bicycles and pedestrians.
Ask him to give you a random address to practice geography.
He’s a sgt and fto-ing you? He was definitely voluntold. He’s not gonna help you so do your thing. Don’t ask about trainings, you’re not there yet. Sucks he won’t help you with other parts of the city. Just do your thing make him have to teach you by being proactive
I agree with your FTOs responses as youre only in week 2. Worry about your job that day, not future training or other beats. It won’t matter if you don’t pass.
You will not get along with every cop, FTO, supervisor or training instructor. Just focus on passing field training. You should be evaluated every day on categories, if you’re deficient, it’ll be addressed.
You might be best friends with your next FTO, who knows. Just focus on passing. At the end of field training, there should be some sort of evaluation, you can unload there.
He is definitely told to be your FTO and he has no business taking rookies but he is trusting you enough to do your thing. I bet he will tell you when something is wrong.
Just keep doing your thing and be proactive so he has to talk to you about some things.
I agree with him saying you don’t need to worry about some things. Focus on today and maybe what’s literally tomorrow but not on what you might do in the future.
Focus on learning how to be an officer. We aren’t being paid to be your friend and answer all of your questions and musings.
Learn your area. The others are irrelevant right now. You need to know yours and focus on that. Don’t worry about other units and trainings and “what the department has to offer.” You should have considered all of that before you joined. And you will have time to consider that if you get off probation.
If you are two weeks in, you’re essentially still a regular citizen who has information from the academy on what the laws are. You need to learn HOW to be an officer and that should be your sole focus right now. Stop expecting someone to hold your hand. This isn’t that type of job.
Learn how to run a scene. Learn why some resolutions were chosen over others. Learn how best to implement them. Learn how to write. Learn your assigned area backwards and forwards. These are the things that are important to you right now. Other areas, how to get other trainings, all of that you will naturally learn if those things become relevant to you IN THE FUTURE. Focus on learning how to be an officer now.
Not much you can do. Sucks.
Just focus on 4 things
they literally cant fail you if u nail these 4 things. If you are good at talking with ppl. That seals the deal
He probably h a t e s. his chain of command and hates being in a car and having to answer 30,000 questions a day. Hes probably on facebook looking to lateral to other agencies