Field Training Officers

Comment by Michael Henry on April 13, 2009 at 8:05pm

Although i no longer train officers in the field, i do write policy and would like to share your thoughts and insight into what i do now.

Comment by Alvin L. Arrowood, III on April 14, 2009 at 12:32pm

I too no longer train, especially since I retired, but I plan on getting back into LE maybe at a small department. I miss just being a cop. As a lieutenant you are far removed from that.

Comment by Curtis J. (Jeff) Cope on April 14, 2009 at 12:55pm

As a retired LT. myself, I was fortunate to have started teaching while I was still active. I was also fortunate to develop an expertise in use of force issues, which allowed me to start testifying as an expert in police practices cases. Both of those venues now allow me to have a good life after law enforcement.
I would suggest that if you have a particular area of the job that you are really good at to hone those skills and pursue the teaching end. We need to have the ability to pass on to the younger generation our successes as well as our failures so they can benefit from those lessons.

Comment by Rocky Apperson on April 15, 2009 at 11:29am

I have a question to anyone who is an expert or has any relevant, recent experience in pursuit driver training, (EVOC), and particularly as it relates to unmarked, detectives vehicles, involved in emergency operations. If anyone has any recent case law information related to this subject I would be interested.. I'm an EVOC instructor for our agency and would like to share any recent case that may be relevant to our people rolling code 3 (lights and siren) in the field.

Comment by John Lachman on April 15, 2009 at 11:39am

I am retired from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and now living in Pensacola. I was an FTO for Florida Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco and for the sheriff's office. I am currently employed with the Escambia County School District in Safety and Security.

Comment by Michael Henry on April 15, 2009 at 3:10pm

Rocky,
I have a pursuit policy training class on Friday i'm attending. The class is being put on by www.pursuittraining.org. They have classes at numerous places. Hope this helps.

Comment by Curtis J. (Jeff) Cope on April 15, 2009 at 6:50pm

Rocky,
Most agencies that I am aware of don't want any unmarked units involved in Code-3 activities and their policies prohibit them from doing so. On top of that, many states require a unit to have emergency equipment afixed to the vehicle with siren and a foward solid red or blue light.

Comment by Rocky Apperson on April 15, 2009 at 7:35pm

Jeff and Mike,

Thank you for your responses. Mike, I will pass on the info you provided to my Admin folk here looking into our P&Ps. Jeff, we also have a policy which strongly discourages Code 3 activities in unmarked units. You and I both know what the reality is working cases on the street. I was just wondering if anyone had any recent cases to highlight specific issues that dealt with this particular area for our upcoming training update, especially rolling code to assist, etc.. I think it tends to sink in a little better if you have an actual case study for people to relate to. Thanks for your help.

Comment by Curtis J. (Jeff) Cope on April 17, 2009 at 2:33pm

I was involved in defending a State Narcotics Officer last year. His unit and other UC officers were set up on a house looking for a Parole at Large (PAL) and one of the units reported seeing the guy in a vehicle rolling by the house. The Officer followed in his plain car that was emergency equipped (dash mounted lights and inside hood siren). The officer became involved in a pursuit and asked for assistance from a local PD but that didn't happen before the suspect bails out. The ensuing foot pursuit lead to a fatal OIS. The local DA took the officere to trial, charging him with a homicide. Some of the DA's case surrounded the use of a unmarked police unit and what was defined in the California Penal Code as an emergency vehicle (which the undercover unit did not fall into). It was fortunate that the jury sided with the officer and found him innocent because it was a good shoot situation.
Anyone getting involved in pursuit activity in an unmarked unit has to realize that in many cases they are not protected from liability if the vehicle they are driving does not match what is authorized in the Department' s policy.
The State Officer retired off the job because of the incedent.

Comment by RJ on April 21, 2009 at 2:00pm

Hi All, I look forward to meeting many great men and women in LE and look forward to some great disscusions. I have been in LE over 20+ years currently a Sgt. Nice to meet everyone Stay Safe Always.

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