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Group Exercise
You and the other officers at the table have been hired by the Copley
Township Police Department. As part of your introduction and training with
the department you have been assigned to work with a few Field Training
Officers. While you have rotated with several officers, the officer in
charge of the field training program has spent by and far the most time
with you.
The problem is that there have been a few times when he has left you
in the car and gone in to a bar, a business or a home anywhere from 20
to 40 minutes. There were times after he came out you thought you smelled
alcohol. The other night he parked in back of a local bar and went in for
about an hour. When he finally came out you thought he might have been
drunk, but since it was shift change time you did not say or do anything.
After talking to the other new officers you realize that the same experience
has happened to all. You have agreed to meet and come up with a unanimous
decision on a course of action to deal with the situation.
This is not quite as easy as it might be. The officer is normally an
excellent officer and is perceived by the chief and the department as being
an extremely effective officer. The officer has mentioned to you that he
is involved in a nasty divorce and custody dispute over his two boys with
his wife and that his father is terminally ill and in a great deal of pain.
He has taken extra time in explaining the township, its residents and the
department to you. His insights have helped you immensely during the brief
time you have been on the department.
Remember, the only ground rules for this meeting is that what ever
act is initiated must be agreed to unanimously and all must participate.