Policy Text
Revised December 2019 TUSTIN
POLICE
DEPARTMENT
Police Services Officer
TRAINING MANUAL
2
WALLY KARP
MAY 20, 1941 TO JANUARY 7, 1973
A dedicated Police Officer, Father and Veteran
On December 6th, 1972 after responding to
a man with a gun call,
Waldron Karp was shot
and fatally wounded by a gunman.
Waldron Karp gave his life
in the performance of his duty
to protect the Citizens of Tustin,
may he not be forgotten .
The Tustin Police Officer’s Memorial was dedicated on January 7, 2001. In attendance were
members of Wally Karp's family, many friends, and the entire Tustin Police Department.
The ultimate goal of the Tustin Police Department’s Field Training Program is to insure
another name is never added to the memorial.
A General overview of the City, the Police Department and the way it functions. This will
cover the orientation and general information necessary to ease you into your new role.
3
The primary focus in this phase are the following duties:
City/Equipment Orientation : You will be exposed to the cit y and the use of maps, the MDC,
the car radio, and basic information about the police department.
Software Programs : We utilize numerous software programs throughout the day in the
course of our duties. You will be shown how to log on to our system, retri eve email, fill out
your timesheet, locate online training tools, etc.
Police Codes/Radio Codes : You will be learning police radio codes and using them to
transmit over the police radio. You will also begin learning police codes such as the Penal
Code, V ehicle Code, etc.
Policy/Standard Operating Procedures : You will be introduced to our department policies
and standard operating procedures. It is your responsibility to know them and abide by them
at all times.
PHASE I – Desk Assignment
During this phase you will be assigned to a Police Services Officer “FTO.” In this phase
your primary focus will be on training at the front desk.
The term "Desk Officer" describes today's professional whose skills combine those of a
public relations r epresentative, a report writer, a phone call -taker and computer specialist.
The goal is improved public assistance by improving the quality of contact and
communication between the public and the department.
Welcome to the world of the Law Enforcement Com puter. If you have not previously used
a CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) system, you will be introduced to the most modern
method of public safety computerization. Although it can appear intimidating, it is user
friendly. You cannot break the computer by pressing the wrong button, and if you do make
a mistake, it can be fixed. You will find CAD fast, exact, and easy to use.
The CAD system affords all terminal user ’s quick access to a myriad of computer files.
Users can query the status of all officer un its and calls from any terminal in this system. One
can also view and/or print out a history of any incident in chronological order. What used to
take hours of handwriting and typing now only takes seconds to notate and the computer
stores the data.
The term "Call -taker" refers to the individual who receives a call from a reporting party and
extracts enough information for the proper allocation of resources. This may include, but is
not restricted to, transferring a call to dispatch, entering a call for service, filing a crime report,
and disseminating information on a civil problem.
The telephone is the most available means of access the citizen has of obtaining the
services of a public safety department. It is the primary link between the citizen and the help
they need. When you answer the telephone, you are about to meet someone; to engage in
4
a conversation is as important as a face -to-face visit. The Call -taker is the voice of the law
enforcement agency; the link between someone who needs help and you who can supply
the assistance needed. The impression you make on each caller will determine the
effectiveness of the department.
Your job requires a positive attitude, which allows you to consistently function under
pressure. It takes a vast amount of knowledge and dexterity to utilize all available resources
and provide quality assistance. A prime requirement is the ability to comprehend what is
read or heard, process that information, make an accurate assessment and take the
necessary action in a clear and concise manner.
Your role in performing the front desk function is a vital link between the public and the police
department. It takes a person who possesses a large amount of self -control to be able to
represent the department in a profession al manner regardless of the circumstances you
may encounter.
As a member of public safety front desk personnel, you are part of a total public safety
services team, providing vital support functions while working toward the larger goals and
objectives of our law enforcement agency, which include providing efficient law enforcement
services to the citizens of Tustin.
Upon accepting the responsibilities and challenges of the position, you will experience a
level of personal satisfaction and achievement seld om encountered in a routine work
environment. You have the right to, and should, take pride in a job well done.
The primary focus in this phase are the following duties:
General Front Desk Responsibilities: As a "Desk Officer" you will learn how to ha ndle all
requests for assistance from the public. You will at various times be an officer, a mediator,
a psychologist and ALWAYS a public relations representative for the department and the
city