The mission of the Field Training Officer Program is to provide future police officers in this department with the instruction and experience needed to become the finest and best trained officers possible.
The Field Training Officer Program is a nationally recognized system of training that has been adopted by many departments across the country. Here in Texarkana it is designed to be fourteen weeks long and is administered by a specially chosen group of Field Training Officers, and a Field Training Sergeant. Our Field Training Officers are among the best officers in the department, and all of them have received special training.
The demands placed on police officers in today’s society require them to acquire and maintain a vast amount of knowledge. To be effective and safe, they must learn quickly and be able to relate their knowledge to field situations. The Field Training Officer Program satisfies these demands by integrating the learning process which begins at the Academy with the practical application of field instruction. It is an approach to training that is based on a system of formal, standardized and structured teaching and evaluation. The result will be a probationary officer who has been thoroughly trained and who is confident and efficient.
It is not easy to become a Texarkana Arkansas Police Officer and the Field Training Program is a vital part of the total process. In addition to passing a thorough background check, undergoing a complete medical examination, psychological and physical aptitude testing, a pre-employment polygraph, and successfully completing a twelve week academy, the new recruit must satisfactorily complete the Field Training Program.