Senior Police Cadet InternAt — Anaheim Police Department
The Cadet Training Program is designed to effectively teach and mentor new Cadets to meet the goals of the Anaheim Police Department: Maintain a high-performing organization, enhance community relationships, and effectively impact crime. It provides the necessary instruction and oversight to maximize employee safety, provide quality mentorship, limit liability, and deliver quality customer service to our community.
Cadet Training consists of daily supervision and evaluations during five phases, totaling a minimum of 360 hours. Based on observations, Daily Observation Reports (DOR’s), and input from officers and Senior Training Cadets (STC), the Youth Services Sergeant may extend training hours if minimum performance standards are not satisfied at specific benchmarks. At the conclusion of each training phase, the Youth Services Sergeant will meet with the trainee to assess readiness for progression to the next phase.
STC’s will ensure the trainee satisfactorily understands and/or performs all Critical Task List (CTL) items in each phase. STC’s and Youth Services officers will make reasonable efforts to aid the trainee in successful completion of the training program, ensuring compliance with Anaheim Administrative Regulations and APD policies, procedures, and performance standards.
Tasks:
Manage the front counter at the Police Department: STC’s will demonstrate specific tasks and require the trainee to perform basic and intermediate assignments that includes deescalating situations when civilians enter the policy station with intense matters.
- Assist Citizens by providing them with recourses and referring them to appropriate departments.
- Take low-level crime reports.
Gang Unit with various tasks. Some of these tasks include assisting Gang Investigators with Discovery requests from the OCDAO and the ACA office, scheduling the weekly Gang registrations, and performing other clerical duties.
- Assist Gang Investigators with Discovery requests from the OC District Attorney's Office and the Anaheim City Attorney's office.
- Scheduling and shadow the investigator on weekly Gang registrations during registration intake
- Performing other clerical duties
Training:
Weekly one-on-one training.
Training Phases:
Phase I (30 hours)
This is an observation phase where the trainee shadows the STC in day-to-day operations at the Front Counter including safety protocol, interactions with contacts and learning the variety of technological systems used by Cadets. The trainee will study blueprint, radio codes, laws, city geography, city officials, department personnel, and review a variety of scenarios with the STC.
Phase II (90 hours)
This phase begins the trainee’s hands-on interaction with the more common tasks at the Front Counter under close supervision. STC’s will demonstrate specific tasks and require the trainee to perform basic and intermediate assignments. Trainees will begin learning interview and report writing skills. STC’s will begin administering radio code, geography, and scenario tests. At the conclusion of this phase, trainees will have to demonstrate elementary interview and report writing abilities. All safety protocols must be met.
Phase III (90 hours)
This phase requires the trainee to demonstrate the ability to handle basic and intermediate Front Counter tasks with minimal assistance by STC’s. The trainee will perform advanced tasks under close supervision. The trainee will take a more active role in interviewing contacts, demonstrate satisfactory report writing abilities and adhere to all safety protocols. Trainees will demonstrate the ability to seek assistance from other Cadets and supervising officers when questions arise. STC’s will continue to administer radio code, geography, and scenario tests to enhance the trainee’s knowledge acquisition. A minimum passing score of 85% on radio code and geography tests, and a minimum passing score of 80% on scenario tests are required to progress to Phase IV. At the conclusion of this phase, the trainee will no longer have to take knowledge tests once the minimum passing scores are met.
Phase IV (90 hours)
This phase requires the trainee to demonstrate the ability to handle all Front Counter tasks with minimal assistance by STC’s. The trainee will take a primary role in interviewing contacts and complete satisfactory reports with minimal guidance from STC’s. At the conclusion of this phase, the trainee will demonstrate the ability to perform as a solo Cadet, adhering to all safety protocols, and independently seek guidance from other Cadets and supervising officers when questions arise before entering Phase V.
Phase V (60 hours)
This shadow phase requires the trainee to demonstrate the ability to perform independently of STC’s while adhering to all safety protocols. The STC’s will continue to closely monitor the trainee in the performance of all Front Counter tasks, contact interviews, and report writing. The trainee must demonstrate adequate problem resolution, critical thinking, quality customer service, and seek guidance from other Cadets and supervising officers when needed. At the conclusion of Phase V, the trainee will meet all assessed areas in the Daily Observation Reports with a score of 3 or 4.
Senior Training Cadet (STC) Responsibilities
During all phases, the STC and trainee will work at adjacent Front Counter computer stations. The STC and trainee will work in tandem unless a safety concern arises or permission is granted by supervising officers.
All STC’s will lead by example, demonstrating compliance with Anaheim Administrative Regulations and APD policies, procedures, and performance standards.
The STC will review all trainee reports for accuracy, content, chronology, punctuation, and sentence structure. Every report will list the trainee and STC on the face page and within the written narrative. The trainee and STC will utilize their assigned Body Worn Cameras during all in-person and phone contacts.
When necessary, the STC’s will stop making contacts thirty minutes before the end of their shift to complete the DOR and update the Training Folder.
In instances where safety concerns arise or the trainee’s progression does not meet acceptable standards, the STC’s will promptly notify supervising officers.
STC’s are required to complete a Daily Observation Report (DOR) at the conclusion of each shift and deliver it to the Youth Services Sergeant. The STC’s will make prompt corrections to the DOR’s when needed and return them to the Youth Services Sergeant so as not to delay the trainees’ progression through the training program.
The Youth Services Sergeant and Officers have the discretion of assigning STC’s and trainees to meet staffing needs and ensure timely and efficient progression of the trainee through the training program.
Training Folders
Each trainee will have a Training Folder (TF) stored in the office of the Front Counter supervising officer. Only the STC assigned to a trainee will access the TF. The TF will be updated every shift by the STC assigned to a trainee.
The TF shall be organized in the following manner:
Section #1 – Cadet Training Tracker
This form documents the assigned STC, date, shift, and phase.
Section #2 – Critical Task List
Critical Task Lists will be stored in this section.
Section #3 – Daily Observation Reports
This section stores the DOR’s upon approval of the Youth Services Sergeant.
Section #4 – Tests
All tests are stored in this section. Once a trainee passes a test with a minimum passing score, all other tests of the same content may be removed.
Learning Outcome:
By the end of the academic internship, the student will be able to properly manage the front counter operations and train new cadets.
Additionally, Faith is assigned to assist the Gang Unit with various tasks. Some of these tasks include assisting Gang Investigators with Discovery requests from the OCDAO and the ACA office, scheduling the weekly Gang registrations, and performing other clerical duties.