Field Training Officer Program

The Mesa Police Department, in keeping with community expectations for professional police service, has established the Field Training Officer Program.

The mission of the Mesa Police Department Field Training Officer Program:

To prepare Officers in Training (OITs) to perform the essential duties of a police officer by emphasizing community engagement, professionalism, trust and providing customer service that exceeds expectation while seeking continuous opportunities to improve.

Program Structure

Our FTO Program stresses learning the essential aspects of police work during a four-phase, twenty-four-week Training Program. The FTO Program exposes the OIT (Officer in Training) to a minimum of three Field Training Officers (FTO’s). FTO’s are seasoned patrol officers that have gone through a recommendation and selection process, as well as completed an FTO school to assist them in training our new officers.

First phase of the FTO Program is an 8-week phase, the first three weeks focus on the FTO Showing, Teaching, Training and Mentoring (STTM) the OIT without any documentation. The STTM weeks assists the OIT in acclimating to their new environment. It also gives the FTO a chance to show the OIT our community and provide examples of how to best meet communities expectations.

The second phase is 6 weeks, the third phase is 7 weeks, with one STTM week at the start of each.

The first week of the 3-week fourth phase consists of the FTO's riding with the OIT as an observer and intervening only when needed. The remaining 2-weeks of fourth phase consists of the OIT in a patrol car by themselves, handling calls on their own. The FTO rides in a separate patrol car and "shadows" the OIT on calls.

During this final phase, the FTO confirms the OIT is able to handle calls as a solo officer before successfully completing the program.

Realizing that these new officers may learn at different rates, the FTO Program is based on proficiency, not a rigid timeline. When the OIT completes the requirements of each phase and is proficient at those requirements, they move to the next phase.

Once the OIT completes the FTO Program, the OIT is assigned to one of our four patrol districts where they are evaluated by their permanent patrol sergeant for an additional four weeks to ensure they are capable to performing as a solo police officer.