FTO Liability

The probationary employment period presents law enforcement agencies with a unique opportunity to evaluate performance, identify critical “red flags,” and take proactive measures to address misconduct. Agency leaders depend on Field Training Officers (FTOs) to closely supervise probationary officers, provide corrective feedback, and document any fundamental performance issues before their transition to full-time officer status and the legal protections that come with it.

While it is certainly normal for probationary officers to make mistakes, there is often a clear distinction between understandable mental mistakes as opposed to performance issues that reflect on core character issues such as dishonesty, unwillingness to accept responsibility for errors, and inability to receive corrective feedback. FTOs are responsible for making this crucial distinction on a day-to-day basis during an officer’s probationary employment period.

This webinar will provide attendees with the knowledge necessary to recognize the most common and costly personnel liability issues facing FTOs and how those liability risks can be managed.  Topics covered will include:

• Understanding the liabilities incurred by FTO failures, including claims of negligent training, negligent retention, and negligent supervision
• Utilizing the role of FTOs for the purposes of vetting new officers and the long-term costs associated with ignoring “red flags” in the probationary period
• Clearly defining the role of FTOs as supervisors, teachers, and performance evaluators during the probationary period
• Engaging in corrective feedback and creating thorough documentation
• Making inherently subjective assessments as transparent and legally defensible as possible through the use of objective assessments of fact
• Confronting toxic behavior and effectively communicating fundamental performance issues up the chain of command