Field Training Officers Help in Transition to Patrol

Times are changing for the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office – as a number of deputies are setting their sights on the horizons. That means spots are opening up for new people to join the force, but those people need to learn the ropes before hitting the roads. Deputy Brennan Wagner works as a Field Training Officer, and he loves being part of that transitional process. 

He tells us “it really is a very rewarding thing to see a guy progress through the training program and then go out on his own and make a difference.”

He recalls the things he had to work on before hitting the roads himself, like “trying to get to know the roads was kind of an issue for me. But just remembering the process of different calls and the reporting of what you need to have written down and moving things forward so we’re putting together solid cases that aren’t getting kicked back from the DA’s office and that type of thing – we’re doing solid prosecutions all the way through.”

Wagner also hopes to prepare new deputies for life to come at them quickly, saying “it’s funny how the world changes as you move on – so it’s rewarding seeing these guys that are 23, 24 and talking about girlfriends and buying houses and that type of stuff. Versus, when I look at my own life – you can’t tell them, but the world is going to change in the next five years whether you want it to or not.”

Wagner says new recruits tend to spend more time on second shift – due to the higher volume of calls that come in during that time. He says it’s important to give them as much experience with as many situations as possible, so they can handle things on their own once their training is complete.