FIELD TRAINING AND EVALUATION PROGRAM

EVALUATION PROCESS

Introduction
Each trainee's progress, as he/she proceeds through the training program, is recorded through written evaluations.  The evaluation process is equally as important as the training process itself.

Evaluations have many purposes.  The obvious purpose is to record a trainee's progress, but there are other purposes as well.  Evaluations are excellent tools for informing the trainee of his/her performance level at a particular point in time.   They are also excellent devices for identifying training needs and documenting training efforts.  In a word, evaluation represents feedback.

Collectively, over the duration of the program, evaluations tell a story, both categorically and chronologically.  They tell of a trainee's successes and failures, improvements, digressions, and of the attempts to manage each of these occurrences.  They chronicle the skill and efforts of the Field Training Officer (FTO) as well.  These documents are critical in the career of each new Officer and should be treated as such.  Honest and objective evaluations of trainees shall be a prime consideration of all members of this program.

Each trainee will be evaluated over a number of categories.  These categories cover as much of each aspect of the police environment and responsibilities as can be expected.  Standardized Evaluations Guidelines have been established to ensure that each FTO's rating of a trainee will be equal and standard throughout the program.   The Standardized Evaluation guidelines are actually behavioral anchors.  They provide a definition of Unacceptable, Acceptable, and Superior standards of performance that must be applied to all trainees, regardless of their experience level or other incidental factors.  There are Standardized Evaluation Guidelines for every category listed on the face of the Daily Observation Report (DOR).

At no time will the scores be averaged by the FTO.  If a trainee does a task multiple times in a shift and his/her performance is acceptable in every phase of training except one, the FTO will have to rate the trainee unacceptable.  To be at an acceptable level, the trainee must perform acceptable in that task that day.

Evaluation Frequency
While evaluations are completed by Field Training Supervisors, the ultimate responsibility for evaluating a trainee's performance lies with the FTO. 

FTOs complete a daily evaluation, DOR, on each trainee.  It must be completed at the end of the shift and not left, except for extraordinary circumstances, to a later time.  This provides an opportunity for the trainee to ask questions that he/she failed to ask earlier in the day, and also serves to reinforce instructions and critiques that were given during or after each incident.

The FTO will complete a narrative evaluation summarizing the last phase's performance prior to that phase's evaluation session.  This narrative serves as a basis for critique during the meeting.

The Field Training Supervisor is responsible for completing a Supervisor's Observation Report (SOR) once, per week, for every trainee assigned to his/her team.  This report is useful not only to record a trainee's performance, but also to serve as a check and balance of the FTOs evaluation of a trainee.  This instrument also provides a starting point for the weekly meeting with the trainee.

Weekly Examinations
A series of phase examinations have been designed to keep the trainee involved in the Trainee Task List, and to record knowledge gained and retained.  A major concern of FTOs has been that trainees tend not to study new materials without being prompted.  Attempts have been made at giving assignments with due dates to ensure that trainees will make an effort to study new material, as well as review some of the more pertinent material received in the academy.  The phase exams fulfill this need.   They also meet one of the very important requirements of the program - standardized training.  A short exam is designed to correlate with each phase's tasks and is kept in the FTO files.  These exams are to be given to every trainee by their respective FTOs.  The completed exams are graded and critiqued by the FTO, then forwarded to the Program Commander for filing.

The exams are "valid" as they are job related, and pertain to the activities and tasks that were covered in the phase prior to the exam.

The results of each exam may be commented on in the DOR and the subsequent monthly evaluation.  These examinations fulfill the need for problem area identification, and are also important tools for the FTO.

Evaluation Meetings
Evaluation meetings are held every month.  All FTOs currently assigned a trainee are required to attend unless excused by a supervisor.  Attendance by "unassigned" FTOs is voluntary.  The meetings provide an opportunity for FTOs to discuss the performances of their trainee, as well as any problems encountered, and resultant solutions.  A forum is provided for exchanging ideas and general information.

An FTO is expected to discuss strengths, weaknesses, remedial training efforts, and suggestions for future training of the trainee assigned to him/her.  Each trainee in the program will be discussed in this manner.  FTOs who have worked around a particular trainee and have observed performances may offer information and suggestions.   Each member attending the meeting is free to ask questions and suggest possible strategies.  These meetings often become workshops and, therefore, are very helpful to new FTOs who wish to gain insight into the problems inherent in training new Police Officers.

These evaluation meetings are never used to pass on rumors or opinions of trainees' personalities.  Only documented actions will be discussed and only if they relate to the trainee in a constructive manner.  Inflammatory comments will not be tolerated, nor will unsubstantiated acts.  These sessions are meant to assist the program personnel in resolving problems, and to inform the Program Commander of the progress of each trainee.

By having all FTOs attend, evaluation meetings serve to alleviate the time wasted in "getting to know" a new trainee.  An FTO can begin working immediately on any trainee problems, as he/she has been previously briefed and given the chance to formulate a plan for helping their new partner.

Evaluation meetings are also very useful for disseminating administrative information, controlling rumors, and providing on-going training for the FTOs.

Probationary Review Board
Trainees who have successfully completed the Field Training and Evaluation Program are also required to successfully complete the initial probationary period of one year.  During this time, their immediate supervisor is responsible for evaluating their performance, as well as furnishing necessary training beyond that which was given in the FTE Program.

Trainees sometimes look at the completion of the Field Training and Evaluating Program as the end of a very difficult period of their career where they were constantly watched.   They then enter the remainder of the probationary period with the mistaken idea that they are fully competent Police Officers.  They often feel as though they need not make any additional efforts to improve their performance beyond that which comes with experience and time.  Therefore, the Probationary Review Board has been established to preclude the development of this belief, and to reinforce the need to "work hard" throughout the entire probationary period.

The Probationary Review Board is held on the ninth month of the Officer's first year of employment.  The board consists of the Chief of Police, Captain, and the Field Training Program Commander.  Representatives or alternates may be selected to serve as needed.

Each new officer who is about to complete his or her probationary period will attend the Probationary Review Board.  That Officer's supervisor will also appear before the board and give a summary of the Officer's performance throughout the period, following completion of the FTE Program.  An overall summary of performance, to include academy, filed training, and post-training experiences, is compiled and reported on at the sitting of this board.

The Probationary Officer may be asked questions by any member of the board about any aspect of his/her career.  Following this questioning period, the Officer may ask question of any of the three members, or his/her supervisor.  This gives the Probationary Officer a unique opportunity to talk with the "administration".

Upon completion of the review board, a decision will be made whether or not a Probationary Officer will be allowed to complete his/her probation as scheduled, or if an alternative course will need to be followed.

The Probationary Officer will be notified, in writing, of the board's decision.

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