Annual Training

Specialized Training

New Officer Training

Holdover training, also known as new hire orientation, is where newly hired officers are exposed to an six-week orientation to the Tampa Police Department.  This training prepares the newly hired officer for their work at the Tampa Police Department.  The training includes classroom instruction of the agency's Standard Operating Procedures and mandated instruction to include domestic violence, human diversity, mental health, juvenile sex offender investigations, and ethics.  The training will include high liability topics to include firearms training and qualification, defensive tactics, physical fitness awareness, and vehicle operations.  Holdover Training will prepare the newly hired officer to enter the 20-week Field Training Program.

Firearms Training

The Tampa Police Department requires yearly re-qualifications training for all officers.  This is done through our in-service training program.  Officers must complete the state qualification course which is set by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Standards and Training.  Officers are issued a Smith & Wesson M&P .40 firearm or they can elect to carry a personal firearm authorized by the department.  Other firearms carried by officers include a 12 gauge shotgun or patrol carbine rifle.

Defensive Tactics 

Police defensive tactics are NOT the same as self-defense or martial arts.  While martial arts provide a technical basis for defensive tactics, they are generally not suitable for use on the street.  The role of defensive tactics in law enforcement is to assist the officer in performance of an arrest or restraint of a subject.  This increases the margin of safety for both the officer and the subject.  Officers are trained in different types of disciplines to include takedowns, restraints, control techniques, and basic ground fighting.

Less Lethal

Less lethal weapons includes the Electronic Controlled Device or commonly known as Taser, Oleoresin Capsicum spray also known as OC spray or pepper spray, flexible baton round or the "bean bag gun," are all used as incapacitation weapons.  They are designed to incapacitate a subject.  Officers at the Tampa Police Department are required to be exposed to OC spray and the Taser prior to being deployed on the streets.

Driving

Emergency vehicle operation training consists of in-depth training on how the police vehicles and other vehicles will react when confronted with stress full driving conditions.  Officers must pass skills courses that will test their driving ability prior to driving a police vehicle.

CPR

All officers are trained in the current practices and applications of CPR as well as the use of the AED.  Officers are currently recertified through ASHI (American Safety Health Institute) every other year.