Department Goals & FTO Program

Department Goals

The main objective of Blaine County Sheriff's Office is to protect the public and be the line between order and chaos. The most important objective as an officer is to keep positive public relations amongst the community, this means building bridges amongst troubled areas whilst being kind/courteous and professional at all times while representing the Blaine County Sheriff's Department.

FTO Program

FTO is intended to facilitate cadets’ transition from the time they get hired on. Up until the time they become an officer for our department. The program is also designed for those that have transferred from other departments to be able to fit in and learn the ways in how a Blaine County Sheriff's Department deputy operates day to day.

The program is in place to educate them on how the department functions. Most cadets being hired to our department have previous knowledge/experience of being law enforcement. Therefore cadets cannot be expected to have the full responsibilities of an experienced officer. Newly assigned officers must receive additional training in the field, on actual calls for service, where they can learn from officers who already have prior patrol experience.

Cadets can still ride along with officers but officers will not be able to progress them on their training. Only FTO’s may provide FTO paperwork regarding the Cadet.

Field Training Overview

Field training introduces a newly assigned cadet to the personnel procedures, and policies, and opens the door for the individual to evolve into a qualified law enforcement officer.

The initial process takes place of formal training which is specific to the department and the day-to-day duties of an officer. In order to make the new cadets’ field training as effective as possible, they are assigned to a Field Training Officer (FTO).

A Training Officer (FTO) is an experienced officer selected to train discipline and conduct of how officers should behave on duty. All officers that are certified as FTO are approved and trained by the department's captains or higher. They are to be held in high regard during training and they are someone you should be listening to at all times.

It is the responsibility of the FTO to thoroughly review the field training program guide materials with the newly assigned officer (AKA Cadet). A Training Officer (FTO) is there to demonstrate proper patrol procedures. Cadets will be required to perform various law enforcement duties under the guidance and supervision of their assigned FTO / Command team.

The cadet's performance will be evaluated by the FTO through daily / weekly reviews, to make sure that the progress that is being made is positive.

This is usually a one-on-one style of training, every FTO trains differently but the main content which gets covered is the same. Throughout the Field, training Cadets will experience different civilians which they will meet out in the streets. They will also see different styles/values other people hold to the department. In the hope that they have a work ethic in carrying out their duties and keeping to the policy/guidelines once they are fully trained as an officer.