# The Commute Game: A powerful tool for passing FTO



## the42cop

Anyone looking to enter the Academy has to wonder about FTO afterwards. There are lots of ways to fail FTO, but one of the quickest is poor geographic orientation and poor overall observation skills. Next time you're stuck in traffic on your way to the Academy, or running errands, play the commute game and start building the skills necessary to pass FTO.

The commute game: A powerful tool for passing FTO - So you wanna be a cop?

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## felony

These two things will fail any recruit from FTO.

1) Officer Safety
2) Orientation


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## BxDetSgt

And not responding to questions/directives in a timely manner.


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## Joel98

felony said:


> These two things will fail any recruit from FTO.
> 
> 1) Officer Safety
> 2) Orientation


This 100%, officer safety is huge.


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## Oakum yokum

Proper radio traffic, in correct sequence..


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## USAF3424

Heard a new kid call “Washington Street” “Washington Ave” the other day on the radio. It’s only the longest street in Boston.....


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## Oakum yokum

On one if first MV stops,. I called in plate# prior to location. Fto got pissed,. I explained that who killed me was more important than where my body was.
He refused to talk to me for two hours.

Wouldn't even discuss it....


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## Oakum yokum

Next shift, I called it in exactly how he wanted it.. 1/2 hr later I was one my own in a cruiser. ......


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## BxDetSgt

Location Location Location, the plate number will be in the MDT or you can call it in after you stop. Your FTO was correct.


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## felony

As BxDetSgt stated, location first. What if the vehicle has a plate attached to the wrong vehicle, the owner is not the operator, or the passenger has a warrant and gets out firing, before you call your location in. Your back up/ dispatch, will have no idea where you are. Try to anticipate where you're going to stop the car and call it in. I try to query the plate prior to the stop, to check registration status, owner info, if the owner is a female and the operator is a male, criminal history, WMS, etc. It's basic officer safety. If you have the violation, you can follow the car and check these things, before you activate the blue lights. I always try to know who I am dealing with, before I stop the car. Like I said, it's basic officer safety and any seasoned officer will agree.


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## Oakum yokum

Two sides to every coin,. I'll take it under advisement.....


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## Joel98

Oakum yokum said:


> On one if first MV stops,. I called in plate# prior to location. Fto got pissed,. I explained that who killed me was more important than where my body was.
> He refused to talk to me for two hours.
> 
> Wouldn't even discuss it....


That's pretty ballsy arguing with an FTO who has years of experience and you're brand new


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## Joel98

felony said:


> As BxDetSgt stated, location first. What if the vehicle has a plate attached to the wrong vehicle, the owner is not the operator, or the passenger has a warrant and gets out firing, before you call your location in. Your back up/ dispatch, will have no idea where you are. Try to anticipate where you're going to stop the car and call it in. I try to query the plate prior to the stop, to check registration status, owner info, if the owner is a female and the operator is a male, criminal history, WMS, etc. It's basic officer safety. If you have the violation, you can follow the car and check these things, before you activate the blue lights. I always try to know who I am dealing with, before I stop the car. Like I said, it's basic officer safety and any seasoned officer will agree.


All good points and I won't disagree with you. All I'll say is there are lots of departments out there that do this in all different kinds of ways, they've kind of figured out what works for them through their own experiences and trial and error.

In fact I know of a couple large departments in California that call in traffic stops giving the license plate first, and then location. And these are departments that deal with serious officer safety situations everyday.

Not saying you're wrong, just saying that everywhere in the country seems to do their own way, a lot of similarities but a lot of differences too.


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