STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Field Training Programs for Supervisors
Many seasoned police officers and executives can recall that , until the early 1990 ’ s , newly hired officers in Georgia had 12 months to attend the Basic Mandate Academy . While some agencies had extensive field training programs , others only required an officer to ride along with a seasoned officer for few shifts before being permitted to go on patrol alone . Others simply issued new officers a uniform , duty weapon , and keys to a patrol car on their first day and released them to start work .
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This approach to deploying newly hired officers is unimaginable in today ’ s environment . Yet , that is exactly how many agencies indoctrinate newly promoted supervisors . Many are placed in these positions with no orientation or basic directions . One day the individual is serving as a patrol officer and the next day they are responsible for leading , supervising , and holding an entire shift of officers accountable to established standards . Two to three years later , they may be sent to a basic supervisor ’ s training course after they have already developed bad habits and their image is tarnished with their assigned personnel .
The only guidance newly appoint ed supervisors receive in these departments is from their observations of previous supervisors over their course of their careers . While it is not always the case , in many instances , these observations and experiences are a collection of behaviors that have no place in today ’ s professional police organizations . This may explain why one of the primary reasons employees leave their department is how they are treated by their immediate supervisor .
Being a first-line supervisor is the hardest job in the police department . First , they serve as the vital conduit between officers on the street and the department ’ s leadership . As part of this , first line supervisors have the awesome responsibility of ensuring perfor-