seventeenth-quarterly-report.pdf

Seventeenth Quarterly Report of the Independent Monitor for the Oakland Police Department April 28, 2014 Page 72 Discussion: As previously reported, OPD published Departmental General Order B-8, Field Training Program, which incorporates the requirements of Task 42, on March 2, 2009. As the Department has trained at least 95% of relevant personnel on this revised policy, we find OPD in continued Phase 1 compliance with this Task. As of the publication of this report, the Department is revising DGO B-8; we will discuss this further in our next report. During our most recent review, we interviewed the former Field Training Coordinator and the sergeant who was recently appointed to serve as Field Training Coordinator; and reviewed related memoranda, evaluation forms, and other documentation. The former FTO Coordinator has been transferred to a new assignment but loaned to the FTO Unit to ensure that the new coordinator has the full advantage of his knowledge about the program. At the time of our November 2013 site visit, 36 trainees were in the field assigned to FTO officers. These trainees had begun their FTO Program assignments in September and have been rotated to different FTOs once. Thirty of these trainees have since graduated from the FTO Program and moved to full assignment as police officers. Seven officers are currently in the FTO Program, including two who were extended, four who were in a transitional course, and one who resigned but has been permitted to return for a second attempt at the FTO Program. As of our last site visit, there were 51 FTOs – eight of whom were unavailable for assignment as FTOs due to their current work assignment. Twenty-three officers were being processed to serve as FTOs. At the time of our November 2013 visit, these officers were awaiting panel interview and selection by the Chief. During this reporting period, we found that the selection of the 23 officers had proceeded, and 18 had been recommended and approved by the Chief. At present, OPD has 61 FTOs approved, of which 51 are available for assignment. The rest are unavailable due to work assignment, injury, or medical status. Task 42.1 requires that the Field Training Program Coordinator is a full-time position (compliance standard: Yes/No). A full-time sergeant is currently assigned to supervise the program. There are two police officers assigned to assist the FTO Coordinator. OPD is in compliance with this subtask. Task 42.2.1 requires that trainee officers rotate to a new Field Training Officer (FTO) and a new geographic area of the City at predetermined intervals (compliance standard: 90%). Trainees are rotated every four weeks to a new assignment and new FTO. While the FTO Program Coordinator reports that he finds it difficult to assign trainees to different sections of the City, when the recent rotations occurred, he was able to accomplish the required rotation. Task 42.3.1 requires that incentives for participation as an FTO be increased (compliance standard: Yes/No). Officers who serve as FTOs are paid incentive pay for their service. In addition, the program includes several incentives (e.g., chevrons, administrative days, and Case3:00-cv-04599-TEH Document979 Filed04/28/14 Page73 of 88