There has been some confusion about who really designed the PTO Program. Most people know that the COPS Office of the Department of Justice funded the original development of PTO. However, some people have claimed to be part of the original team when they were not. So, for clarity, here is the team that created PTO:
PHASE I: THE ORIGINAL TEAM –DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT DIRECTOR
Jerry Hoover, MA/MPA, Chief of Police, Reno Police Department.
Chief Hoover was initially contacted by Ellen Scrivner from the COPS Office and asked if he would create and lead a team of professionals to develop a new field training program. This new program was not meant to replace the San Jose Model FTO Program, but to be an alternative for those agencies that desired to emphasize community policing as a departmental policing philosophy. Hoover chose the rest of the team and made the final decisions on development and implementation of the program.
RENO POLICE DEPARTMENT
Ronald Glensor, Ph. D., Assistant Chief of Police.
Steve Pitts, Commander
David Ponte, Field Training Coordinator
Linda Anderson, Administrative Assistant to the COP
COPS OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Ellen Scrivner, Ph. D., Deputy Director
Tamara Clark, Assistant to Deputy Director
POLICE EXECUTIVE RESEARCH FORUM (PERF)
Chuck Wexler, Ph. D., Executive Director
Lori Fridell, Ph. D., Research Director
Lisa Carroll, Research Assistant
CENTER FOR PROBLEM-ORIENTED POLICING, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
Michael Scott, J.D.
The above members created the structure and major elements of the PTO Program. Once this was accomplished, the program manual had to be written and submitted to the COPS Office. Two members were added to the team to write the manual and assist with modifying the program as needed.
ADDITIONAL MEMBERS:
Gerry Cleveland, MA, Educator and School Principle
Greg Saville, MA, Professor, University of New Haven
PHASE II: SUPPLEMENTAL GROUP — TESTING
The following agencies were involved in the initial testing of the program:
Reno Police Department (beta test), NV
Lowell Police Department, MA
Savannah Police Department, GA
Colorado Springs Police Department, CO
Richmond Police Department, CA
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, NC