Police Officer Trainee

Police Officer Trainee

Police Officer Trainees are those individuals who still need to complete a Basic Police Academy. The City of Cloverdale will pay those individuals hired as Police Officer Trainees while they attend the Basic Police Academy and the cost of the Academy. Upon graduation, they are sworn in and appointed as Police Officers and are assigned to the Field Training Program.

The 20–24-week intensive academy teaches Criminal Law, Laws of Search and Seizure, Laws of Evidence, Traffic Laws, Investigative Techniques, Patrol Procedures, Firearms, Defensive Driver Training, Defensive Tactics, Police Report Writing, First Aid, and CPR. In addition to providing academic instruction and evaluation, your physical strength and agility will be tested. There are 800 total classroom hours (21-semester units). For more information regarding the police academy: Santa Rosa College.

Police Officers are assigned to the Field Training Program before assuming full responsibility in a solo officer assignment. Experienced Field Training Officers serve as trainers, coaches, and role models to guide officers through the learning experience. Field Training Officers provide daily coaching, guidance, and counseling. The primary objectives of the Field Training Program are to develop and enhance an officer's learning from the Academy within the community environment through real-life activities and to provide consistent evaluations of skills, knowledge, application, and ability to problem-solve effectively. Officers will learn to perform normal police activities, respond to calls for service, and analyze complex problems. The Field Training Program is 16 consecutive weeks. This includes two weeks of department orientation and training, and 14 weeks of training and evaluation, which includes one week of solo officer assessment. During the training, officers are apprised daily of their progress through verbal and written feedback and evaluations.