Field Officers Training Program

FIELD OFFICERS TRAINING PROGRAM

The Sonoma County Animal Control Division Field Training Program is creative, progressive and used to promote and develop a recruit’s knowledge of an Animal Control Officer’s duties and skills. It is also used as an educational process providing the recruits with the proper material and guidelines to perform competently as an Animal Control Officer.

The program will be used as a selection and evaluation process to provide the department and the public concerned with employees that can perform their job duties and make quick rational decisions while adjusting to departmental expectations and the growth and expansion of the County’s population.

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Date Issued Issued To

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Date Completed

IN-SERVICE TRAINING GUIDE

PURPOSE

This guide is used to instruct new Animal Control officers in the various duties which they will most likely perform during their careers. All situations and problems are not included, but the topics and instructions found in this program will constitute the basic information to help new officers build a good foundation for his, or her, future activities on the job.

The Field Training Officers (FTO’s) are carefully selected and trained to do the on-the-job training.

The recruit officer is expected to carry the in-service training guide at all times and show it upon request by the FTO or the supervisor.

FTO’s and their supervisor will make routine checks of the recruit’s training guide to ensure that definite progress is being made.

In addition to the instruction the recruit officer receives under the direction of an FTO, it is recommended that the officer routinely study the information they receive to expedite their field training and knowledge of their duties.

FIELD TRAINING PROGRAM AND OUTLINE

This on-the-job training program consists of a twelve-week schedule. The twelve weeks are spent with up two FTO’s, each training for a four (4) week period. The final four (4) weeks will be completed with the initial FTO.

SYNOPSIS OF FIRST 12 WEEKS OF TRAINING

TRAINING WEEK 1

1. Officer equipment issued

2. Vehicle and equipment - checking and care of

3. Thomas Brothers map book. Learn beat areas and structure

4. Learn radio procedure

5. Learn radio codes

6. Reports and usage

7. Use of Policy and Procedure Manual

8. Familiarity of officer’s Humane Manual

9. Observing FTO performing job duties

10. Reviewing auto accident report and procedures

11. Officer safety

12. Review of IIPP/ EAP/ MSDS(with Safety Coordinator)

TRAINING WEEK 2

1. Operating vehicle

2. Public contact

3. Learning laws

4. Use of routine forms

5. Learning officer safety procedures

6. Preparing minor reports

7. Use of warning notice

8. Use of citation

9. Learning codes: Food & Ag, Administration, Health & Safety, Fish & Game, Penal and County Ordinance

10. Remedial training and evaluation

11. Officer safety

TRAINING WEEK 3

1. Routing details

2. Emergency vehicle equipment

3. Preparing reports

4. Officer safety

5. Policies and procedures

6. Handling of livestock

7. Use of department forms

8. Forming habits to routine procedure

9. Remedial training and evaluation

TRAINING WEEK 4

1. Contacting the public regarding complaint solving

2. Handling and investigating livestock depredation, humane complaints and rabies control situations

3. Use of firearms and related policies

4. Seizing and impounding animals

5. Range training

6. Range qualifying with shotgun

7. Report writing

8. Conducting investigations

9. Quarantine of suspect bite animals

10. County lab procedures

11. Officer safety

12. Remedial training and evaluation

TRAINING WEEK 6

1. Reports

2. Policies and procedures - Review field officer manual

3. Special circumstances

4. Officer safety

5. Codes and sections

6. Remedial training and evaluation

TRAINING WEEK 7

1. Reports

2. Policies and procedures

3. Officer safety

4. Controlling animals on highway. Methods and resources for traffic control.

5. Remedial training and evaluation

TRAINING WEEK 8

1. Situations requiring assistance - other officer, law enforcement

2. Standby and call out procedures

3. Reports

4. Officer safety

5. Policies and procedures

6. Remedial training and evaluation

TRAINING WEEK 9

1. Responding to priority complaints

2. Reports

3. Codes and sections

4. Policies and procedures

5. Officer safety

6. Remedial training and evaluation

TRAINING WEEK 10

1. Hauling and transporting livestock

2. Use and procedure for use of livestock trailer

3. Officer safety

4. Policies and procedures

5. Handling vicious animals

6. Handling adverse situations

7. Remedial training and evaluation

TRAINING WEEK 11

1. Business and professions code

2. Health and safety codes

3. Civil code

4. County Ordinance

5. Policies and procedures

6. Officer safety

7. Remedial training and evaluation

TRAINING WEEK 12

1. Review and makeup or retraining, if needed

2. Evaluation

3. Release to perform job and evaluation

STANDARDIZED EVALUATION GUIDELINES

CRITICAL PERFORMANCE SKILLS

1. DRIVING SKILLS

1-3 Unacceptable: Involved in accident(s), unnecessary speed, failure to obey traffic laws

4-7 Acceptable: Maintains control of vehicle, evaluates driving situations and reacts properly, uses proper speed for driving condition

8 Superior: Demonstrates high degree of ability and competence when driving

2. ORIENTATION SKILLS

1-3 Unacceptable: Becomes disoriented when responding to stressful situations. Is unable to relate their location to their destination. Is unable to use map under stressful situations.

4-7 Acceptable: Reasonably aware of their location. Is able to use map effectively.

8 Superior: Always responds quickly to calls by using appropriate route. Does not refer constantly to map.

3. FIELD PERFORMANCE

1-3 Unacceptable: Becomes overemotional and panic stricken, unable to function, loses temper.

4-7 Acceptable: Shows calm and controlled attitude under stressful situations. Does not allow situation to further deteriorate.

8 Superior: Maintains control and brings order under most circumstances without assistance.

4. OFFICER SAFETY

1-3 Unacceptable: Fails to advise dispatch when leaving vehicle. Fails to maintain good physical condition. Fails to maintain and utilize personal safety equipment. Does not see potentially dangerous situation. Stands too close to vehicle traffic. Fails to keep control of violator/suspect during interview(s), etc. Fails to park vehicle in safe area and manner. Fails to exercise control of animals during impound.

4-7 Acceptable: Understands principles of officer safety procedures and applies principles.

8 Superior: Always stays in a safe position. Always watchful on his approach to a building or situation. Does not become overconfident or suspicious unnecessarily.

5. CONTROL OF CONFLICT - Voice Command

1-3 Unacceptable: Improper voice control. Too soft, too loud, confused voice command or indecisive, poor officer decision-making.

4-7 Acceptable: Speaks with authority in a calm, clear voice.

8 Superior: Always gives a complete command with authority in a clear, calm voice.

6. PROPER FORM SELECTION

1-3 Unacceptable: Unable to determine proper form for given situation. Forms not completed.

4-7 Acceptable: Knows most standard forms and understands format. Completes forms with reasonable accuracy.

8 Superior: Consistently completes detailed forms with no assistance. High degree of accuracy - instructions, information, etc.

7. REPORT WRITING - Organization/Detail

1-3 Unacceptable: Totally incapable of organizing events into written form.

4-7 Acceptable: Converts field activity into a logical sequence of thought and includes all elements of the situation.

8 Superior: A complete and detailed account of what occurred from beginning to end. A written and organized report that provides concise information a reader can comprehend.

8. REPORT WRITING - Grammar/Spelling/Neatness

1-3 Unacceptable: Illegible, misspelled words. Incomplete sentence structure.

4-7 Acceptable: Grammar, spelling and neatness are satisfactory in that errors are rare and do not impair understanding.

8 Superior: Very neat and legible. No spelling mistakes and excellent grammar and sentence structure.

9. REPORT WRITING - Appropriate time used

1-3 Unacceptable: Requires 1/2 to 3 hours to complete basic simple reports.

4-7 Acceptable: Completes basic simple report in 35 minutes.

8 Superior: Completes simple basic reports without delay, using no more time than a skilled veteran officer.

10. SELF-INITIATED FIELD ACTIVITY

1-3 Unacceptable: Does not see or ignores activity. Does not follow up on situations.

4-7 Acceptable: Recognizes and identifies violations, takes appropriate action during routine activity.

8 Superior: Retains and maintains information given from handout material, bulletins and prior contacts. Conducts follow ups as needed.

11. PROBLEM SOLVING/DECISION MAKING ABILITY

1-3 Unacceptable: Acts without thought or is indecisive. Relies on others to make decisions.

4-7 Acceptable: Is able to reasonably solve problems and relate situation to prior training. Has good perception and ability to make their own decision.

8 Superior: Excellent perception in foreseeing and preventing problems and uses advanced decision-making skills.

12. RADIO - APPROPRIATE USE OF COMMUNICATION CODES

1-3 Unacceptable: Misinterprets communications codes, definition, or fails to use radio codes in accordance with set policy. Fails or refuses to improve

4-7 Acceptable: Has good working knowledge of majority of communication code definition.

8 Superior: Uses communication codes with ease in all receiving and sending situations.

13. RADIO - LISTENING AND COMPREHENDING TRANSMISSION

1-3 Unacceptable: Repeatedly misses his/her call sign and is unaware of traffic in adjoining beat areas. Does not comprehend messages.

4-7 Acceptable: Copies most radio traffic and comprehends messages, generally is aware of adjoining beat areas’ traffic.

8 Superior: Always comprehends radio traffic and quickly makes a written record of details. Is always aware of traffic in adjoining beats.

14. RADIO - ARTICULATION OF TRANSMISSION

1-3 Unacceptable: Does not mentally preplan before transmitting message. Under or over modulation resulting in dispatcher constantly asking for repeat.

4-7 Acceptable: Uses proper procedure with short, precise transmission.

8 Superior: Always uses proper procedure with clear, calm voice, even during stressful situations.

15. KNOWLEDGE OF DEPARTMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

1-3 Unacceptable: Has no knowledge of department’s policies and makes no attempt to learn.

4-7 Acceptable: Familiar with most commonly applied departmental policies and procedures.

8 Superior: Exceptional working knowledge of departmental policies and procedures.

16. KNOWLEDGE OF PENAL CODE

1-3 Unacceptable: Doesn’t know elements of basic sections, not able to learn, no attempt at improvement.