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PTO - Police Training Officer Online Certification

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Online Police Training Officer Certification (PTO)

Purpose of the Course

The Police Training Officer (PTO) Certification course is designed to introduce participants to the Reno Model of Field Training, while also developing their facilitation, leadership, and coaching skills. These are the same skills that thousands of trainers have told us they need, as they help the trainee transition from the academy to their apprenticeship training setting. Throughout the course participants will be exposed to time-proven field training practices, the same curriculum that is contained within our 5-day (40-hour) Instructor-Led PTO program.

What To Expect

The course is housed within our online learning management system (LMS) and is accessible at the users own pace 24/7 via a laptop or PC. A comprehensive hardcopy and digital workbook is provided to further active-learning. Please see a detailed breakdown of the course modules below. Several of the modules require application of learning via uploaded assignments that are embedded seamlessly within the LMS. Our team then reviews the assignment submission and provides individualized feedback within 48-hours. For example, the students will assess interactions between trainers and trainees during Module 4.4 and then upload their perspectives through the LMS. The LMS accommodates various user-friendlly submission formats such as typed, scanned, video or audio, each further enabling active-learning. This blended eLearning allows students to complete the course as it works for their schedule and their learning preference. We constantly hear how user-friendly the LMS is, even from those more hesitant to use technology. The course concludes with a virtual practical exercise between the student and one of our instructors. It culminates with completion of a CTR for instructor review and feedback.

When you are prepared to advance, please use registration link at which point a payment link will be visible. Once payment is processed, a course access code will be issued which allows participants to immediately begin the course. While a pdf version of the course workbook is contained within the LMS, a hard copy workbook will also be shipped to each student. We find that most students typically complete the course over a three-week period. While participants can complete the course aligned to their own schedule, except for discussed hardships we set the parameters for the course be completed within 60-days. Note that the course is not formatted for cell phones and students will find that a laptop or PC is ideal.

As this course targets general PTO under the Reno model, and general coaching practices, it is important that participants also familiarize themselves with their Agency’s internal program requirements and documents, which may differ from the samples provided. Participants are expected to ask questions, speak to experienced training officers, to research answers, and to “own responsibility for their training.”

Course Overview

Through eight comprehensive modules, the course covers PTO program history, leadership, trainee integration, adult learning principles, evaluation methods, emotional intelligence, and practical applications. The curriculum emphasizes developing interpersonal communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills essential for law enforcement.

  • - Review the evolution of the Police Training Officer Program – Mod.1.1
    - State the objectives of the Police Training Officer program
    - Label 4 levels of competency – Mod. 1.2
    - Share student perspectives regarding critical law enforcement skills
    - State the history of problem-based learning
    - Define problem-based learning
    - Discuss learning-centric training approaches
    - Review a five-step approach to problem-solving
    Assignment 1.2
    - Introduce portions of the PTO program structure and systems – Mod. 1.3
    - Illustrate an example PTO schedule
    - Introduce participants to PTO forms – Mod. 1.4
    - Define PTO roles and responsibilities – Mod. 1.5
    - Identify PTO duties and expectations
    - Review PTO acronyms and training terminology

  • - Name the origins of leadership – Mod. 2.1
    - Distinguish leadership from management
    - List 12 qualities of outstanding leaders
    - Review John C. Maxwell’s’ Five Levels of Leadership
    Assignment 2.1

  • - View techniques to improve study habits and cognitive recall – Mod. 3.1
    - Review note-taking approaches to address large volumes of content
    - Discuss study strategies
    - Identify methods to improve cognitive recall
    - Label the ACME acronym associated with effective story-telling
    - View approaches to integrate trainees – Mod. 3.2
    - List eight topics that may help in building rapport
    Assignment 3.2
    - Discuss the value of identifying the trainees learning preference – Mod. 3.3
    - Review how adults learn
    - View a sample trainer – trainee discussion on learning preferences & expectations
    - Review the importance of setting expectations
    - Define two types of training overrides – Mod. 3.4
    - View a sample discussion regarding overrides
    - Apply your related learning
    - Discuss stress inoculation
    Assignment 3.4

  • - Define coaching – Mod. 4.1
    - Reflect on the impact of trainers and coaches in your lifetime
    - List characteristics of top performing coaches
    - Analyze a top performing NFL coaches’ approach
    - Identify techniques that trainers use, that are effective
    - Name 7-reasons employees leave their workplace
    - View the psychology of coaching
    - Review steps to coaching
    - Identify the value of open-ended questions
    - Create and capitalize on coachable moments
    Assignment 4.1
    - Define feedback – Mod. 4.2
    - Discuss the inherent challenges with providing effective feedback
    - Identify four commonalities of persons known for providing effective feedback
    - Label the SERVE acronym associated with effective feedback
    - Label the SMART acronym associated with stating concise objectives
    - List roadblocks, and obstacles that hinder effective communications – Mod. 4.3
    - Experience perspective variance
    - Name strategies to communicate more effectively
    - Label the LADDER acronym associated with effective listening
    - Review Edgar Dale’s Cone of Learning
    - Identify what hinders effective communications
    - Analyze sample debriefing approaches – Mod. 4.4
    - Experience the value of open-ended questions
    - Discuss David Kolb’s experiential learning cycle

  • - Distinguish coaching from evaluation – Mod. 5.1
    - Review Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning
    - Describe learning domains (Affective, Cognitive, Psychomotor) and their associated taxonomy
    - Discuss how Bloom’s Taxonomy is applied within the PTO Program
    Assignment 5.1 - State the purpose and role of a CTR – Mod. 5.2
    - Review CTR formatting
    - Discuss types of situations or performance for narrative comment
    - Review approaches used by trainers for CTR completion
    - Analyze sample evaluation comments

  • - List dimensions of diversity in the workplace – Mod. 6.1
    - Define implicit and explicit bias
    - Discuss training scars
    - Define Emotional Intelligence (EI)
    - Review how EI is applied within training programs
    - Discuss methods to that may help develop the coachees EI
    - Complete an Everything DiSC© Workplace Profile – Mod. 6.2
    - Analyze how you may sometimes be misunderstood
    - Obtain strategies to improve overall workplace effectiveness
    Assignment 6.2

  • - State the purpose of highly focused remedial training – Mod. 7.1
    - Review the definition of remedial training
    - Discuss performance diagnostics considerations
    - Define SMART objectives
    - Name basic and remedial training tools
    - View a sample Remedial Training Plan
    - View sample Learning Activity Packages
    - Discuss potential training liability – Mod. 7.2
    - Define negligence
    - Discuss:
    1. Negligent entrustment
    2. Negligent assignment
    3. Failure to direct
    4. Negligent retention
    5. Failure to train
    - Define vicarious liability

  • - View video-taped trainee performance – Mod. 8.1
    - Participate in virtually facilitated practical testing – Mod. 8.2
    1. Apply your learning by facilitating a trainee debrief/feedback session
    2. Provide praise and recognition (SERVE)
    3. Correct a performance issue
    4. Add a realistic variable/layer
    5. Complete a Numerical and Narrative evaluation (Daily Observation Report – DOR)

  • - Remediation as needed
    - Course feedback
    - Issuance of certificate

How to Enroll

Registration costs $650 and includes personalized coaching, 24/7 LMS access, a hard copy workbook, and an Everything DiSC Workplace Profile. Upon payment, students receive immediate access to begin the course. To register, click the button below. If you have any questions, contact admin@ftocoach.com.

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