FTO "trick"

[Niteshift]

One of the best FTO "tricks", I mean training aids, I've seen to drive home the know-where-you-are-lesson is this one:

FTO drives his rookie around a little while, chit-chatting the whole time. The best is if you have a nice wooded area. When he knows his rookie is thoroughly into the conversation and not paying attention, it's time to teach the lesson. FTO looks somewhere, says "Sh*t and throws the car into park. As he jumps out, he tells the rookie "Call for back-up", then he runs out of sight. Then, you let the rookie sit there for a minute, while he is still trying to figure out what to say and where he is at. Then, you return to let your rookie off the hook. Drive the lesson home by asking "How does it feel knowing that I could get killed because you don't know where you are." Let rookie squirm.

Cruel? Maybe a little. Effective? They'll know where they are after that.

------------------
Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[Don]

Cruel? Not at all. Not nearly as hard to take as having the same situation be real. Do whatever it takes to drive home the point.

------------------
Stay safe out there,
6P1 (retired)

[Chopshopcop]

I'd be careful about telling the rook to call for back-up, that could turn $hitty on you.

There's always gonna be the one that will do just that and scream on that radio like a little baby girl that just stepped on a worm. And ole brother Murphy will step in and guarantee that it will be the ONE DAMN TIME the rook knows exactly where they're at. I was an FTO for awhile. Still got the scars http://www.officer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif


When I started, we didn't have FTO's, they were senior partners. My senior used to ride us around, all over the hood, shootin' the bull, just talkin'$hit, then suddenly ask, "Where are we?"

If I couldn't immediately answer, he'd stop, put me out of the car, and maybe 2-3 hours later, he'd come back and ask, "You figger out where you are yet?"

Only happened about twice, three times, then I learned.

[Niteshift]

I guess that I should point out that the shift is in on the "joke". They know (because most had it done to them) that it's scheduled for that night.

Actually, I've yet to see one key up the mic. They just sit there, realizing they don't have a clue what to say. It stops being fun and games riding around in the shiny car.

------------------
Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[Blue_Chameleon]

Whew...thank goodness for urban construction!! heheh... http://www.officer.com/ubb/wink.gif

Besides, I think I'm too scared and paranoid to just strike up a decent conversation anyway. http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif But I'm glad I asked about this whole FTO thing. I can't drive around my own city without looking at street signs now.

My girlfriend and I started driving to go shopping at some place I've never been to over the weekend. We somehow got lost and were just driving around looking for this dumb mini-mall area and somewhere in there, she asked "Where are we?" I guess from reading all of you guys' posts, I told her EXACTLY where we were in reference to intersections...but still had no idea where I was headed...hehe. http://www.officer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[Niteshift]

Don't get too comfy BC, this trick works great at an apartment complex under construction.

------------------
Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[Dukeboy01]

Another variation on that trick is to make the rookie walk back to the last intersection and get the cross streets. One old head at my department used to like to take his rookies out for long drives out in the county down by the river, where cross streets only come up every two miles or so and pull the trick.

[jwelch]

Hello Guys,

Thanks for having this type of information on here. It makes me sit back and think about what I need to be aware of once I become a rookie. I'm in the process right now with Charlotte-Mecklenburg and I hope to get early hired soon. The Sept. Academy is full but I'll be in the January Class. It's great knowing that if I have any questions...there is a brotherhood to back me up...

Thanks,
jamie

[Niteshift]

Or a bunch of guys ready to lead you down the path to all these stunts http://www.officer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

------------------
Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[Sparky]

Here's one of my favorites: FTO with an FNG riding around, chatting, FTO does a serious double-take and the pass side of the car and screeches the squad to a halt and quickly tells the FNG to "GET OUT! GET OUT! GET THAT GUY!" pointing over to the alley....the FNG grabs his baton and jumps out adrenaline pumping right into a huge puddle. Of course, it's best when the FNG doesn't realize the joke and doggedly keeps swivling his head trying to figure out where the "guy" is while standing shin deep in water. (or the pervasive 'mystery moisture' that accumulates in cities regardless of rain fall)

Perhaps I love this one so much because I fell for it several times.

------------------
-Sparky
Fiat justina.

[Niteshift]

My old dept. used to hire a load of people in the spring. They'd then use them as partners for those of us working the spring break areas. One night, 6-7 weeks through a particularly grueling spring break, we noticed one of the FNG's had dozed off in the car.(BIG mistake).

Our first inclination was to hit the airhorn, but instead we took a page out of your playbook. Everyone started yelling "He's running". FNG wakes up, takes off running....after nobody.....into the next parking lot. Our fleet-footed hero finally hears the laughter and slowly returns to the car to begin the constant abuse that lasts until someone else does something stupid.

------------------
Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[Blue_Chameleon]

Holy Cow!!! Falling asleep on an FTO?? If that isn't ballsy, then I don't know what is!

[Niteshift]

They weren't officially in FTO......we used them as an extra body during spring break, taught them bad habits, then sent them to their districts. http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif

Also, it really was a long spring break. 8-9 weeks of 6-7 days on, doing nothing but running your ***** off. It gets to the best of us after a while. We didn't really hold that against him.

------------------
Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[Don]

Hey Blue,

You think it's bad the newbees were sleeping? One of my FTO's was in the habit of "dosing off" while he was supposed to be training me. Now that puts a rookie in one heck of a spot. Fortunately I was not with him for very long.

------------------
Stay safe out there,
6P1 (retired)

[Niteshift]

He fell asleep while in the saddle? http://www.officer.com/ubb/eek.gif
I guess he wasn't afraid of injuns......of course I guess it would be hard out there running radar on covered wagons.

(can't pass up a good age joke)

------------------
Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[This message has been edited by Niteshift (edited 08-23-2000).]

[Don]

http://www.officer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[Motivator]

I heard a story about a guy who fell asleep in his unit...when he awoke,in the dust on his windshield was written BOOM...you are DEAD.He took early retirement.

[Niteshift]

I wonder if these stories breed copy-cat stuff? My chief swears that the same thing happened to one of his officer, except that it was written on the windshield in soap.

------------------
Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[Don]

Then there is the old story about the cop who was asleep in his car, parked near the top of a cliff. When he woke up, he felt natures urge, and as he was in a hidden location got out to relieve himself.

He noticed a rope attached to the bumper of his car, running off the cliff. Attached to the end of a rope, was the guy who committed suicide by hanging himself.

I first heard this as alleged fact when I was in my first academy. I have heard it at least a half dozen times since, all different locations and departments.

------------------
Stay safe out there,
6P1 (retired)