Training is a major component of the Dublin Police Department. With a focus on properly educating and preparing officers through the Columbus Police Academy and Dublin Police’s Field Training and Evaluation Program, officers also receive annual, biannual and other ongoing training to address topics such as First Aid and CPR, de-escalation, bias-based training and weapons training.
All training also includes a policy component that officers review.
New Hire Training
- Police Academy
- Dublin Police recruits will attend the Columbus Police Academy, which includes more than 1,100 hours of training and a minimum of 40 hours of scenario-based training. The 29-week program will equip recruits with the tools needed to become exceptional law enforcement officers.
- City’s Field Training and Evaluation Program
- Extensive scenario-based training that complements Columbus Police Academy; minimum of 16 weeks of on-the-job training.
Annual Training
- Policy Review
- Officers receive an overview of all policies that have changed in the past year and are encouraged to revisit policies and contact the Policy Coordinator with questions or concerns.
- Legal Updates
- Legal counsel trains officers on recent changes and interpretations to case law. Officers are also provided an opportunity to seek clarification on laws, codes and enforcement.
- Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)
- All staff are required to understand the EOP and review updates. Biannually, the department participates in tabletop exercises regarding the activation of the EOP.
- Response to Resistance Training
- Officers are required to review the response to resistance policies annually in conjunction with Spring Defensive Tactics training. This covers de-escalation practices, appropriate response techniques to resistance, scenario-based training and appropriate decision-making.
- Non-Bias-Based Policing
- Officers review the agency policies on non-bias-based policing as well as review ongoing trends identified in the Dublin Police’s Annual Bias-Based Administrative Review.
- In August 2020, the Dublin Police conducted an implicit bias management training with officers. Dr. Marvin Whitfield with Blue Force Mobile Training led the course, explaining how having awareness, knowledge, understanding and skills is the foundation to helping people develop empathy and manage their unconscious biases. Officers continued implicit bias training throughout 2021.
- Mental Health
- All staff receive training on personal mental health and wellness as well as on managing scenarios with people who are experiencing mental health and behavioral health challenges.
- Less-Lethal Weapons
- Officers review procedures and must demonstrate proficiency in the use of less-lethal weapons, such as batons and Oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray.
- Firearms/TASER
- Officers review procedures and must demonstrate proficiency in the use of firearms and a TASER and qualify annually.
Biannual Training
- Domestic Violence
- Officers complete a refresher course on the department’s domestic violence policy, related laws, internal procedures and more.
- First Aid/CPR
- The Washington Township Fire Department conducts First Aid and CPR certification for officers.
- Ethics
- All City of Dublin employees are required to complete the State of Ohio ethics training.
- Temporary Holding Facility
- Officers receive refresher training on the operation of the Dublin Police’s temporary holding facility, including safety, sanitation and security procedures.
- Court Security
- Officers receive refresher training on the Court Security Function, including the operation of court and security measures.
Advanced Training
- Accreditation Update
- All staff receive a review of CALEA accreditation and the accompanying processes in preparation for the CALEA on-site assessment.
- Pursuit Policy
- As needed, officers receive the pursuit policy and procedures to familiarize officers with trends in police pursuit usage.
- Crisis Intervention Team Training
- Crisis Intervention Team programs help direct people with mental health challenges into treatment instead of inappropriate incarceration. The 40-hour training provides practical techniques for de-escalating crises, and officers learn about approaches to best interact with people who have mental health challenges.
Field Training and Evaluation Program
The Field Training and Evaluation Program (FTEP) is designed to complement a trainee’s required Academy training, provide them with the skills necessary to be a competent police officer, to develop proper attitudes toward the profession and department’s values and mission, and to serve as an extension of the hiring process to determine whether to retain a police officer.
The program includes a minimum of 16 weeks of on-the-job training. During those 16 weeks, trainees will serve under the direct guidance of a Field Training Officer (FTO). The FTOs are seasoned police officers who were selected for the position due to their ability to teach, coach and mentor new officers.
The FTO will remain at the trainee’s side throughout each shift they work together in order to ensure the trainee is meeting Dublin Police standards and gaining the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed on their own.
Phases of Training
The 16-week program is broken down into four phases of training. The first three phases include evaluation and coaching, with an emphasis on training the newly hired officer in the skills and knowledge required for the job. Trainees will generally work all three shifts during their first three phases of training, rotating to a new FTO at the beginning of each phase.
Each phase will also require the trainee to pass a series of written examinations ranging from local geography to the Ohio Revised Code.
Evaluation Phase
The fourth phase is an evaluation-only period, in which the FTO does not provide assistance during calls for service, and the trainee must demonstrate the ability to function on their own.
Every day of the Field Training and Evaluation Program, the trainee is evaluated using a Daily Observation Report (DOR). The DOR consists of 30 categories in which the FTO will rate the trainee on a scale of one to seven.
Reflecting the gravity of decisions made in the policing profession, if a trainee does anything considered unsatisfactory by the FTO during their shift, they will be rated as unsatisfactory in that category for the day, regardless of how well the trainee otherwise performed in that category.
Scenario-Based Training
In addition to the four phases, the program also contains three scenario-based training days. The scenarios are drawn from real-world situations, most having occurred in Dublin at some point. The scenarios are designed to challenge the trainee in the areas of conflict management, legal knowledge, search and seizure, and laws of arrest.
Through this type of training, the FTOs can simulate real-world conditions and evaluate how the trainee performs in situations that may not organically arise during the course of the trainee’s FTEP experience.
The Field Training and Evaluation Program ensures that every officer in the department meets the rigorous standards of professionalism set forth by the agency and provides the citizens of Dublin with the highest quality officers.
