Hey! did you just see that flying pink elephant?

[CO.Dep]

Hello all,
im sorry that I fell off the map for a while. I have just changed jobs from being a jail Deputy to being a Police Officer and am currently in field training, so you know why I haven't been posting lately. Anyways, I am having a great time out there but have been trying to get a something down and I am looking for advise.
It is general observation skills, I will be cruising down the road scanning like crazy. I try to take in the big picture look past my headlights etc. etc. All of a sudden my FTO will ask me if I just saw (fill in the blank). I totally miss it feeling like an idiot missing something I should have seen.

Help me out here guys, how do I increase my observation skills while on patrol?

[mcsap]

WHile being observant is good, trying to scan everything/everywhere is a bit much. Back off a little in trying to take it all in.

[oscarmitre]

I remember that feeling - although it was quite a few years ago now ;)
Not much you can do to accelerate it, like many skills it will come with time and practice. Your FTO is letting you know it's something you need to work on - but it will come to you and will be second nature in good time. Reminds me of my first traffic offence. I was fine until my training officer pointed out that I hadn't got the offender's car registration number. He made me drive around to where the offender lived so I wouldn't do it again. It worked.

[CO.Dep]

Thanks for the good advise, I plan on doing more scanning than trying to look at everything at once.

[Lfpdlieu302]

Hello all,
im sorry that I fell off the map for a while. I have just changed jobs from being a jail Deputy to being a Police Officer and am currently in field training, so you know why I haven't been posting lately. Anyways, I am having a great time out there but have been trying to get a something down and I am looking for advise.
It is general observation skills, I will be cruising down the road scanning like crazy. I try to take in the big picture look past my headlights etc. etc. All of a sudden my FTO will ask me if I just saw (fill in the blank). I totally miss it feeling like an idiot missing something I should have seen.

Help me out here guys, how do I increase my observation skills while on patrol?

mcsap hit the nail on the head, and i will add that you are probably being messed with at the same time. if you want to have some fun (dont do this if you will get in trouble :rolleyes: ) but tell your fto no, and then ask if he saw something you did see. ex. "did you see that car?" "no, but did you see that girl?" he's trying to teach you to be observant, but the way he's doing it is kinda like me asking you to read my mind. good luck. continue to stay alert and just learn to observe everything around you, trust me in time you will remember things that you never thought you would or could.

[Retired Trooper]

As an FTO I will regularly ask what street did we just past or what was the name of it. If i get an " I dont know " or something similar I explain why its important then usually have the right answers after that. One of my favorite things is to scan our main channel and all our other channels for the PD, EMS, City Fire, Rescue Squad and Sheriffs office. Then constantly talk with the recruit and wait on him to miss a call or important radio transmission directed our way.