The PTO Program

“The U.S. Department of Justice should support the development of broad Field Training Program standards and training strategies that address changing police culture and organizational procedural justice issues that agencies can adopt and customize to local needs.A potential model for this is the Police Training Officer program.”

— The Presidents Task Force on 21st Century Policing

PTO Version 2.0 Course

This 40 hour Police Training Officer Version 2.0 Course is the most recent version of the 2001 PTO Training Program.The Program utilizes a community policing philosophy for training new recruits. This course is designed to train coordinators, supervisors and officers to be able to incorporate contemporary adult education methods and a version of problem-based learning (PBL) adapted for police recruits and organizations alike. This Program is the final product of a collaboration between the Reno Police Department, the COPPS office and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).

All our instructors are PTO and PBL certified and will instruct on various topics including:

-Program Structure, Goals and Duties           -Liability Issues

-Problem Based Learning                                 -Leadership Skills  

         -Teaching Techniques                                     -Emotional Intelligence

  -Adult Learning Issues                               -Evaluation Methods

PTO info

The PTO approach to training provides a foundation for life-long learning that prepares new officers for the complexities of policing today and in the future.

The PTO model is based on community policing and collaborative problem solving principles.

The Police Training Officer (PTO) Program was developed through a collaborative effort between the Reno, Nevada Police Department, the Police Excecutive Research Forum (PERF), and the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).

Progressive police administrators have come to the realization that traditional post-academy methods are out of step with today's law enforcement needs.

The PTO model presents an alternative to the current field training officer programs which rely mostly on mechanical training and rote skills, neglecting problem solving education.

The PTO model incorporates contemporary adult educational methods and a version of problem-based learning (PBL) adapted for police.