The Field Training Officer (FTO) program of the Morristown Police Department is a unit made up of approximately twenty patrol officers from all three patrol shifts.  The unit's main function is to provide on the job training for newly hired probationary officers.  Officers who serve as FTOs are hand picked by the Chief of Police based on their job performance, knowledge, experience and integrity.  Once picked, the officer must complete all required training before being allowed to train a new police officer.

The unit as a whole meets regularly and is updated on changes in training procedures.  When training new officers, all FTOs share information about the training and discuss problem areas in an effort to work through them.

For most newly hired police officers, they will work under the supervision of an FTO for four months.  These four months are divided into four, four-week phases.  The probationary officer will be assigned to a different FTO during each phase.  Phase one of the program is the introductory phase, where the probationary officer observes the FTO during the daily duties of the job.  The second phase is the learning phase, where the new officer is introduced to various duties such as report writing and accident investigation, and the probationary officer slowly begins to take on the various responsibilities of the job.  The third phase is more intense, and the new officer is tested on job knowledge and ability.  In the fourth and final phase, the tables are turned and the FTO observes the probationary officer during daily job duties, and only intervenes when necessary.  During all four phases of training, the probationary officer is evaluated every three days by the Field Training Officer.

Officers who have completed the state mandated police academy and who have successfully completed all four phases of the FTO program will be released to work on their own at the discretion of the Chief of Police.  Officers who do not successfully complete the program will be recommended for termination.