When most young officers successfully complete their field training officer (FTO) program they get “the speech”. Most often they are called in by the chief or the patrol division commander and receive the formal briefing, the letter of encouragement or expectations and then their assignment orders. Most of these presentations are boilerplate rhetoric; the usual formalities and the recruits’ minds are anywhere but here. Through the years I have changed my speech to my version of ‘the talk’. Some may like this version and others may cringe, matters not I have used this and will continue for it seems to work.
When the officer comes in, I ask that they sit down and listen. I am not going to holler at them but give them my observations of what a recruit will endure and what they are going to face.
The Great Gods of Policeland
Let me start off with not trying to offend you, I do not know what your spiritual or religious beliefs are, but alas you are trodding in a different world now. You see, here we have the Great Gods of Policeland who oversee us. The Great Gods are amused with rookies and love to toy with them to harden them into tough veterans. Don’t go off on me like I am trying to create a new belief system, humor goes a long way.
In your first few calls, you will have the ‘call of calls’ and it will take all of the king’s horses and all of the king’s men to get you out of this one. Some of my most epic calls were originally dispatched to a first year recruit. They in turn had to call for a backup, supervisor, and eventually the watch commander and whoever else who could helpful. Yes, it will be that big. What the Gods are doing to you is to test your mettle and to remind you that you will need help and guidance from time to time. The big lesson is to not be afraid to call for help and some calls take the entire team so don’t think you can do this alone. Mine was a homicide in a furniture store with a few strange turns, I managed to arrest the shooter despite myself.
Yes, you will make mistakes. Don’t forget the pathway to the sergeant’s office for you will make a mistake from time to time. You cut a procedure short, forget a policy on the report or just plain fumble the ball. More than likely you will miss a court date, it is called multitasking and time management. You say that you will not make any mistakes and are that conscientious of a police officer - the Gods are amused. What is important here is how you cope with your error. You get up, dust yourself off and get back in the game.
You will have an auto accident in your first year, it is written. My job is to remind you to wear your seat belts, drive within your capabilities and minimize your mistakes – pay attention! Do not take this as a free pass to drive as you wish, try your best to make it although few actually do so. This happened to me, I backed into a dumpster on my first day out. Here you are working in a cockpit with more electronics at your fingertips now than most fighter pilots had in WWII. Be careful of cockpit distractions, minimize the annoyances and welcome to multitasking, this isn’t an afternoon drive in the park.
You will have a complaint lodged against you within your first year. Now you get to go to internal affairs for the first time! The overwhelming majority of the time this will be unfounded, frivolous and a downright insult to you. This will happen for the Great Gods want you prepared for the real complaints later on in the career.
You probably will have an injury at some point within the first year or so. More than likely it will be a scrape, cut or a sprain. Again, don’t use this as an excuse to act dangerously; I want you to go home at the end of the shift and not by the emergency room. Stay aware of your surroundings and be careful as you can be, again minimize your exposure to danger. Besides, the Gods are entertained when you slip and bust your buns.
Finally, do not forget you are a FNG. That stands for Fabulous New Guy/Girl if you did not know. Not all of the veteran officers are here to welcome you; they don’t know you and are not going to like you. Respect is earned and not issued from the quartermaster’s office. You will have to make your way throw the maze of the department and you will survive, this is more like rights’ of passage. Until you have made your first felony arrest, first bar fight or whatever your colleagues consider the passageway, you are there. This will happen and no you cannot force it. That crusty old senior officer does the biddings of the Gods to test your temperament.
Now go forth and remember that the day you know everything about this job is the day you need to turn in your shield. You will and must learn every day to survive, so proclaim the Gods.
William L. Harvey | Chief
William L. "Bill" Harvey is a U.S. Army Military Police Corps veteran. He has a BA in criminology from St. Leo University and is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute of the University of Louisville (103rd AOC). Harvey served for over 23 years with the Savannah (GA) Police Department in field operations, investigations and completed his career as the director of training. Served as the chief of police of the Lebanon City Police Dept (PA) for over seven years and then ten years as Chief of Police for the Ephrata Police Dept (PA). In retirement he continues to publish for professional periodicals and train.
