The Field Training Program facilitates a Police Officer's transition from academic setting to be performing general law enforcement duties. Although an officer graduating from the police academy has received thorough instruction on basic law enforcement subjects, he or she cannot be expected to immediately assume the full responsibilities of a police officer. New officers must receive additional training in the field where they can learn from officers who have already gained a great deal of practical patrol experience.

The Field Training Program introduces newly assigned officers to the personnel, procedures, policies, purposes, the initial formal and informal training and the day-to-day duties of the employing law enforcement agency.

The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) requires officers to have a minimum of 560 hours of training and pass a 200 question state written examination before being commissioned as a Police Officer in the State of Texas. The Field Training Officer program is expected to achieve the following goals:

• Produce a competent peace officer capable of working a solo assignment in a safe, skillful, productive and professional manner.
• Provide standardized training to all newly assigned regular officers in the practical application of learned information.
• Provide clear standards for rating and evaluation which give all trainees every reasonable opportunity to succeed.
• Enhance the professionalism, job skills, and ethical standards of the law enforcement community.

The El Paso ISD Police Department’s Field Training Program requires a minimum of one year probationary period. Under some circumstances a new police officer may be extended even longer. EPISD Police Officers are required to meet the challenges of today’s modern police environment as well as the equally challenging issues of policing in an educational setting.

The road to becoming a Field Training Officer (FTO) is demanding and the EPISD Police Department has extremely tough screening standards. Field Training Officers are tasked with the challenge of training, preparing, and assisting new officers in building the strong foundation needed to be successful in law enforcement. Field Training Officer “lead by example” every day and are truly the best of the best. The EPISD Police Department has made a commitment to the public and ourselves: to provide the best prepared and best trained Police Officers in Texas.