Focus activities should never be structured so that they are listed with dates of completion. Focus activities are general guidelines for the PTO to use to direct the activities of a trainee. Focus Activities fall into four categories:
- High frequency policing activities related to each respective substantive topic.
- High risk policing activities related to each respective substantive topic.
- Organizational priorities related to each respective substantive topic.
- Community priorities related to each respective substantive topic.
They are related to specific Substantive Topical areas. These focus activities represent the daily events that define the job of a police officer. They are determined by how many times certain activities occur, how dangerous they are, whether they meet organizational priorities and/or the community’s needs.
These activities should be broad so as not to become overwhelming for the trainee. For example, instead of specific crimes like burglary and vandalism, the activity should focus on property crimes.
When an agency creates a list of activities that are too specific, then the next step typically becomes a checklist with dates and signature boxes. This is not what the PTO Model is. That is a return to the old FTO program, the worst part of the FTO program…CHECKLISTS! Don’t let this happen to your agency.