1. (a) Program Requirements.

   1. (1) The Field Training Program shall be delivered over a minimum of 10 weeks and based upon the structured learning content as specified in Commission Procedure D-13. Exemptions to the Field Training Program requirement are listed in Commission Regulation 1005(a)(1)(B).
   2. (2) A trainee shall have successfully completed the Regular Basic Course before participating in the Field Training Program.

   3. (3) The Field Training Program shall have a Field Training Supervisor/Administrator/Coordinator (SAC) who:

      1. (A) Has been awarded or is eligible for the award of a POST Supervisory Certificate;
      2. (B) Has been appointed by the department head (or their designee); and
      3. (C) Meets the training requirement specified in subsection 1004(c).

   4. (4) The Field Training Program shall have Field Training Officers (FTOs) who:

      1. (A) Have been awarded a POST Basic Certificate (not Specialized);
      2. (B) Have a minimum of one year general law enforcement uniformed patrol experience;
      3. (C) Have been selected based upon a department-specific selection process;
      4. (D) Meet the training requirements specified in subsection 1004(d); and
      5. (E) Are not prohibited from training as specified in California Government Code section 7286(b)(18).

   5. (5) Trainees shall be supervised depending upon their assignment.

      1. (A) A trainee assigned to general law enforcement uniformed patrol duties shall be under the direct and immediate supervision (physical presence) of a qualified Field Training Officer (as described in subsection 1004(a)(4)).
      2. (B) A trainee temporarily assigned to non-enforcement, specialized function(s) for the purpose of specialized training or orientation (i.e., complaint/dispatcher, records, jail, investigations) is not required to be in the immediate presence of a qualified Field Training Officer while performing the specialized function(s).

   6. (6) Trainee performance shall be:

      1. (A) Documented daily through journaling, daily training notes, or Daily Observation Reports (DORs) and shall be reviewed with the trainee by the Field Training Officer; and,
      2. (B) Monitored by a Field Training Program SAC, or designee, by review and signing of the DORs or, by completing and/or signing weekly written summaries of performance (e.g., Supervisor's Weekly Report, Coaching and Training Reports) that are reviewed with the trainee.

   7. (7) Each Field Training Officer shall be evaluated by the trainee and a Field Training Supervisor/Administrator/Coordinator (SAC) as follows:

      1. (A) The trainee shall complete an evaluation of each assigned Field Training Officer at the end of the Field Training Program.
      2. (B) The Field Training Supervisor/Administrator/Coordinator (SAC) shall provide, at least annually, a detailed evaluation to each Field Training Officer on their performance as a Field Training Officer.
   8. (8) Trainees shall complete an evaluation of the Field Training Program at the end of the program.
   9. (9) The Field Training Officer's attestation of each trainee's competence and successful completion of the Field Training Program and a statement that releases the trainee from the program, along with the signed concurrence of the department head, or their designee, shall be retained in department records. Retention length shall be based upon department record policies.
   10. (10) The Training Program shall comply with legislative training requirements for POST's Field Training Program (FTP) or Police Training Program (PTP) per Penal Code section 13515.295.

   Any department which employs peace officers and/or Level I Reserve peace officers shall have a POST-approved Field Training Program. An approved Field Training Program remains in force until modified, at which time a new approval is required. Departments shall comply with the approval timelines set forth in Commission Procedure D-13.

   Requests for approval of a department's Field Training Program shall be submitted on a POST-Approved Field Training Program (FTP) or Police Training Program (PTP) Application, POST 2-229 (10/2024), herein incorporated by reference, signed by the department head attesting to the adherence of the following program requirements:

2. (b) Program Exemption A department may request an exemption of the Field Training Program requirement if:

   1. (1) The department does not provide general law enforcement uniformed patrol services, or

   2. (2) The department hires only lateral entry officers possessing a POST Basic Certificate and who have either:

      1. (A) Completed a POST-approved Field Training Program, or

      2. (B) One year previous experience performing general law enforcement uniformed patrol duties.

         Requests for a Field Training Program exemption shall be made on POST-Approved Field Training Program (FTP) or Police Training Program (PTP) Application, POST 2-229 (10/2024), signed by the department head, along with written documentation attesting to the department's qualification(s) for an exemption. In the event that a department no longer meets the exemption criteria, a request for POST-approval of the department's Field Training Program shall be made as outlined in Commission Procedure D-13.

3. (c) Field Training Supervisor/Administrator/Coordinator (SAC) Training Requirement

   Every peace officer promoted, appointed, or transferred to a supervisory or management position overseeing a field training program shall successfully complete a POST-certified Field Training Supervisor/Administrator/Coordinator (SAC) Course (as set forth in Commission Procedure D-13) prior to or within 12 months of the initial promotion, appointment, or transfer to such a position.

4. (d) Field Training Officer (FTO) Training Requirements

   1. (1) Every newly appointed FTO shall:

      1. (A) Successfully complete a POST-certified Field Training Officer Course (as set forth in Commission Procedure D-13) prior to training new officers, and

      2. (B) Complete 24-hours of update training every three years following completion of the Field Training Officer Course. The update training shall be satisfied by:

         1. 1. Completing a POST-certified Field Training Officer Update Course (as set forth in Commission Procedure D-13), or
         2. 2. Completing 24-hours of department-specific training in the field training topics contained in the Field Training Officer Update Course (as set forth in Commission Procedure D-13).

   2. (2) Every reassigned FTO, after a 3 year-or-longer break in service as an FTO, shall

      1. (A) Successfully complete a POST-certified Field Training Officer Update Course (as set forth in Commission Procedure D-13) prior to training new officers, and

      2. (B) Complete 24-hours of update training every three years. The update training shall be satisfied by:

         1. 1. Completing a POST-certified Field Training Officer Update Course (as set forth in Commission Procedure D-13), or
         2. 2. Completing 24-hours of department-specific training in the field training topics contained in the Field Training Officer Update Course (as set forth in Commission Procedure D-13).
   3. (3) FTOs will complete 8 hours of crisis intervention behavioral health training (CIBHT) as mandated by Penal Code section 13515.28.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 13503, 13506, 13510, 13510.5 and 13515.28, Penal Code. Reference: Sections 13503, 13506, 13510, 13510.5, 13515.28 and 13515.295, Penal Code; and Section 7286(b)(18), Government Code.

History

1. Repealer of subsection (b) filed 5-14-82; designated effective 7-1-82 (Register 82, No. 20).

2. Amendment of section and Note filed 8-10-2000; operative 9-9-2000 (Register 2000, No. 32).

3. Renumbering of former section 1004 to new section 1012 and new section 1004 filed 10-7-2002; operative 7-1-2003 (Register 2002, No. 41).

4. Amendment of subsection (a)(1) filed 10-7-2003; operative 11-6-2003 (Register 2003, No. 41).

5. Repealer of subsection (e) filed 12-29-2010; operative 1-1-2011 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2010, No. 53).

6. Change without regulatory effect amending subsections (a) and (b) filed 11-26-2012 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2012, No. 48).

7. Change without regulatory effect amending section filed 12-9-2015 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2015, No. 50).

8. Editorial correction of subsections (d)(1)(B)2. and (d)(2)(A) (Register 2016, No. 5).

9. Amendment of Field Training Program or Police Training Program application form (POST 2-229 -- incorporated by reference) and amendment of subsections (a) and (b)(2)(B) filed 6-22-2016; operative 10-1-2016 (Register 2016, No. 26).

10. New subsection (d)(3) and amendment of Note filed 8-23-2018; operative 10-1-2018 (Register 2018, No. 34).

11. Amendment of subsections (a)(1), (b)(2)(B), (c), (d)(1)(A), (d)(1)(B)1.-2., (d)(2)(A) and (d)(2)(B)1.-2. filed 10-15-2021; operative 1-1-2022 (Register 2021, No. 42). Filing deadline specified in Government Code section 11349.3(a) extended 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-40-20 and an additional 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-71-20.

12. Amendment of section, amendment of document POST-Approved Field Training Program (FTP) or Police Training Program (PTP) Application form (POST 2-229) (incorporated by reference) and amendment of Note filed 8-29-2024; operative 10-1-2024 (Register 2024, No. 35).