Date of Award
Spring 3-2006
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Public Administration (MPA)
Abstract
The field training officer (FTO) program, developed in the late 1960s, provides supervision and evaluation of new police officers in their local jurisdictions upon graduating the academy. The FTO approach, however, has not kept pace with the evolution of policing, specifically with the evolution of community oriented policing and problem-solving (COPPS) and developing officers with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. With federal assistance, training needs were assessed and a new Police Training Officer (PTO) program was initiated in the Reno Police Department and five other national sites. This descriptive study examines how and why this groundbreaking and essential approach to training came into being, as well as its theoretical underpinnings with regard to adult and problem-based learning.
This study will also assess whether the implementation of the PTO program at the Reno Police Department has effectively produced police officers who are capable of: (1) providing responsible, community-focused policing services, (2) employing problem-solving and critical thinking, and (3) utilizing these principles in all aspects of training to increase the overall performance of the Reno Police Department.
Recommended Citation
Pitts, Steven, "The Study of a Contemporary Approach to Post-Academy Recruit Training" (2006). EMPA Capstones. 267.
https://digitalcommons.law.ggu.edu/capstones/267