1. What is the Patrol Training Officer Program?
The PTO program is post-academy training that replaces the outdated Field Training Officer Program

2. What is the Patrol Training Officer Program?
The PTO program relies on the adult learning strategies, particularly Problem Based Learning

3. What is Problem Based Learning?
PBL is a learner-centered teaching methodology that uses real-life problems as the vehicle for learning

4. How does PBL Work?
Learners are presented with real-life problems and follow a pattern of discovery whereby they express ideas about solving a problem, list facts already known surrounding the problem, determine what they need to know and where to go for the answers, develop an action plan, and finally, evaluate their outcomes.

5. How does PBL Work?
Problem Based Learning is the engine that drives the Patrol Training Officer program

6. How will implementing the PTO program benefit my agency?
Because this training places an emphasis on problem solving and community policing, your new officers will thoroughly understand problem solving and actively engage in it

7. How will implementing the PTO program benefit my agency?
PTO trainees and trainers have an increased level of emotional intelligence - self-awareness, motivation, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills

8. How will implementing the PTO program benefit my agency?
Increased interest and involvement in community oriented policing and problem solving throughout your agency

9. How will implementing the PTO program benefit my agency?
A sense of beat responsibility and beat ownership in your officers

10. How will implementing the PTO program benefit my agency?
You’ll be using a training program that improves the learning capacity of your officers

11. Has anyone tried this program yet?
Reno, Nevada
Savannah, Georgia
Lowell, Massachusetts
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Richmond, California
Charlotte-Mecklenberg, North Carolina
All of these departments have fully implemented the PTO program as their method of post-academy training

12. Where can I go to learn more about the Police Training Officer program?
For more information please contact Adam Bracey or Dave Maddox at the Virginia Community Policing Institute at

13. What does the actual training look like?
The PTO training is a 40-hour course designed to provide your new PTOs with the elements of the PTO model and how to customize the program to best serve the needs of their agencies

14. What does the actual training look like?
The 40-hour course is an interactive, fast paced, fun, and challenging style of learning that strengthens the skills of your PTOs as trainers and enables them to develop new police officers who mature to a level of competency much faster than traditional field training