While I am not an FTO( Field Training Officer) I would like to impart some advice to the hopeful and the rookies. This advice is either from personal experience and/or advice I've received from FTO s and Salty Dogs. Here it goes:
1) Have you ever seen dead bodies outside of a funeral home?If not you are now guaranteed to. I will never forget my first. A lady in her 40s. The back of her skull was missing and blood was coming out of all her eyes, ears, mouth etc.Since I've seen a multitude. Adolescent drownings, natural, suicide, murder, car wrecks,overdose etc. You will soon learn that people die at all ages from many ways every day.
2) Policing hardens you. You soon will have a very thick skin or you will leave the job. Look at point 1.
3) Because of things like point 1 you need a positive stress outlet.Lots of Officers turn to Alcohol or food. Your goal is to find something you love and do it often. Running, working out, reading, fishing. Anything that gets your mind off the job and is healthy.
4) Leave work at work and home at home.Easier said then done.
5) Spend as much time with your family as possible; treat every day as if it's your last because it truly might be.
6) Expect to lose friends you never thought you would. A lot of law abiding citizens still hate the Police. Weird I know . You don't believe me; I didn't believe my FTO either.
7) Be expected to change as a person. You will it's inevitable. You will become more withdrawn from society. It's a stressful job . You will find yourself keepin space between yourself and others. You will watch people. You can't turn it off.
8)People tell you that eyes lead to a persons soul. It's crap people will look you dead in the eye and lie to you all day long. Ask your FTO for lying cues if he says eyes request to go to interview and interrogation.
9) Trashy people come in all walks of life. It doesn't matter race or income. Don't judge people based on how they look.
10) Treat everyone with respect and dignity no matter what they look like or what crimes they have committed. If they make you treat them bad, well that's on them.
11) You catch more bees with honey and criminals are a lot like bees,
12) Watch people's hands as long as you see them your going home.
13) In God you trust only every one else you check in NCIC. Refer to 9. Truly dangerous people will treat you better than the common citizen.
14) SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY. If you tell someone there going to jail take them. If you tell them your going to let them go if they tell you the truth let them. This is were you get your reputation.
15) Not everyone who commits crimes are bad people.
16) Everyone is mam/sir unless they are fighting you. You gain respect by giving it.
17) You can be proactive without being a prick. Learn to community police. Get out and talk to people in the community; listen to the needs of the community and try to meet the needs.
18) Be an active listener. When someone talks listen until they are done don't simply think of ways to solve their problems the whole time they speak. You will be surprised at what you learn when you truly listen.
19) Great Effective report writing is one of if not the most critical skill an officer can possess. Great reports win court cases. GREAT REPORT WRITING WINS CASES.
20)When you get hired you will hear a lot of old Officers(salty dogs) talk very negatively about the department or Policing in general. Don't let them get you down.
21) DONT BE A HYPOCRITE. It's my pet peeve. How can you write someone a ticket for speeding, seatbelt, insurance etc if you break the same law.
22)MAKE IT HOME AT ALL COST!!!!
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