I read a news article stating that: "At least 30 states let some newly hired local law enforcement officers hit the streets with a gun, a badge and little or no training." I honestly thought that every state required academy training prior to going into the field. Only Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming require training before officers are put into the field. The news article then went on to give a few examples of "oops mistakes" that have happened in states that don't give academy training.
That information really surprised me. Can you imagine giving some 20 year old a gun, badge and uniform with no training and then letting him loose in your community?
In my former department, upon being hired as a police recruit the officer will be on probation for 18 months. First they must successfully complete 6 months of academy training before they graduate as probationary police officers. They are then assigned to work with a field training officer for six months in which a "daily observation report" is completed every day. If they successfully complete that, their next six months of training is with a senior officer who will complete a "weekly observation report".
