Out of State Certified Applicants

• Equivalency of Training (EOT) eligible applicants are eligible for an $8000 Incentive Payment. Once hired, the officer will receive $4000 upon completion of the Field Training Program. The remaining $4000 will be paid after 4 years of continuous service (as a police officer) upon completion of the Field Training Program.
• EOT eligible applicants can receive up to 6 years credit for every full year of sworn law enforcement experience. The lateral pay will begin once the officer completes the Field Training Program.
• EOT eligible applicants will attend the St Petersburg College Equivalency of Training Academy. The academy is Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm. (Click here for more information about the academy)
• Out of State Certified Officers with training that is comparable to FDLE requirements are eligible to attend the ten (10) day course covering high liability areas. The department pays all costs to attend the EOT program. Benefits and salary are included while attending the EOT program. (Click here for more information about the FDLE EOT program)

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Training

Orientation Academy: 3-4 weeks (Cadet salary)
During the Orientation Academy EOT eligible Officers will attend a city orientation, complete a fitness assessment, and attend classroom/practical Fire Arms training.

EOT Program: 2 weeks (Cadet salary)

Post Academy: 8 weeks (1st year officer salary upon completion of the State Exam and obtaining Certification)

During the Post Academy EOT eligible Officers will receive department related training on various topics:

• Policies/procedures
• Report Writing
• Dispatching Calls
• Records Management Systems
• Scenario Training
• Physical Fitness
• Defensive Tactics
• Body Cameras
• Geographic Orientation
• Radio Procedures

*Officers will receive lateral pay (if eligible) upon completion of the Field Training Program.

Field Training Program

The Field Training Program (FTP) is a 4 month program where you will take the classroom skills and knowledge taught in the academy and apply it to the real world while under the supervision of a Field Training Officer (FTO). The program is composed up of 4 phases:

• Phase 1:
  4 weeks observing your Field Training Officer and the expectation of performing at 25%.
• Phase 2:
  4 weeks with the expectation of performing at 50%.
• Phase 3:
  4 weeks with the expectation of performing at 75%.
• Phase 4:
  2 weeks with the expectations of performing at 100%. Followed by 2 weeks of observation by your FTO with the expectation of performing at 100%.

You will be assigned various Field Training Officers throughout the different phases. The program will include performance evaluations, standardized task training and evaluations that scores every area of performance during the course of each day.

If you are interested in talking to someone and getting more information about joining our agency, click here.