Officer Training

After successfully completing the police academy, new officers begin work at the Santa Cruz Police Department (SCPD), starting in the Field Training Officer (FTO) Program. SCPD's Field Training and Evaluation program is an 18-week intensive on-the-job training program. New officers receive daily performance evaluations and must meet specific performance standards before being certified for solo patrol duty. The training are conducted by field training officers (FTO), an FTO Sergeant, and an FTO Lieutenant.

Once officers receive solo patrol status, they join the remainder of SCPD officers in the ongoing training conducted annually. California's POST requires officers to receive training in certain topics to maintain certification. For example, California police officers receive Tactical Communication and De-escalation training every two years.

In an effort to go above the State standard, SCPD officers receive ongoing and regular training in Tactical Communication and De-escalation. We accomplish this by incorporating these topics into a variety of other regular SCPD training such as, Reality Based Scenario training, On-Duty Scenario training, Range training, Defensive Tactics training, and Crisis Intervention Techniques training, and De-escalation training. All of our trainers are certified and considered experts in their field.

All SCPD officers are certified in Crisis Intervention Techniques that specifically address how officers interact and communicate with individuals in a mental crisis or with a mental disorder. Additionally, all SCPD officers are trained in recognizing implicit bias and preventing racial profiling. SCPD conducts multiple scenario-based trainings throughout the year that test officers' ability to de-escalate situations and make good critical decisions.