Master Police Officer Program

 

Master Police Officer Program

 

 

Description: A Master Police Officer is a senior police officer who serves as a subject matter expert advisor to the Supervisor and the Watch Commander or unit Commander and also serves as a mentor to junior police officers. A Master Police Officer generally has ten years of police experience and maintains knowledge of many aspects of law enforcement. This knowledge and experience usually is gained by having previously served in a specialty billet such as Detective, Street Crimes, Task Force, School Resource Officer, SWAT, Hostage Negotiations, Community Policing, Field Training Officer, Honor Guard, Traffic, and K-9. Master Police Officers can serve in limited command billets of small units and may supervise a unit in the absence of the Supervisor. In terms of where the rank of Master Police Officer falls on the spectrum of typical departmental ranking systems, it is generally NOT a civil service supervisory rank, however it is regarded as the highest rank attainable by a Police Officer, equivalent in many ways to the rank of Corporal. Master Police Officers are working members of a unit and will carry on with all expected duties of a basic police officer.

 

Criteria: A Master Police Officer candidate should have the following criteria:

 

•           10 years with the agency or 8 years with at least 2 years prior law enforcement experience.

•           The candidate should have completed all of the basic schools and have completed FTO or Line Supervision School.

•           Pass a written critical skills exam.

•           Annually complete at least 20 hours of community service, or complete an approved service project that benefits the agency, or serve a collateral duty of the supervisors choosing.

 

Mentorship: A Master Police Officer should be the backbone of this agency’s mentorship program. A junior police officer should be able to seek advice from the Master Police Officers in their unit, without worry of judgment of their immediate supervisor. In turn the supervisor should be able to work with the Master Police Officers in their unit to link up junior police officers with certain Master Police officers who have a particular set of skills that meet the specific issues that may arise. Supervisors can also seek advice from the Master Police Officers without worry of judgment from subordinates. The Master Police Officers should not take this position lightly and should guard these confidences. Some of the leadership skills sets and concepts are taught at the Field Training Officer and the Line Supervision Courses, and it should be a requirement to attend one of these courses prior to obtaining the rank of Master Police Officer.

 

Required Basic Schools: Master Police Officer Candidates should take the following basic courses prior to applying for the rank of Master Police Officer. Candidates should also have FTO School or Line Supervision, and one of the listed advanced schools.

 

•           Investigative Interviews

•           Domestic Intervention

•           CIT School

•           Drug Identification

•           Laser/Radar School

•           Breath Tech Operator

•           Field Sobriety School

•           Sex Crimes

•           Building Searches

•           Tactical Handgun School

 

     Advanced Schools:

•           SWAT School

•           Hostage Negotiations

•           CID School

•           Undercover Operations

•           DEA School

•           Traffic Homicide School

•           Death Investigations

•           Instructor Techniques

•           Crime Prevention

 

Written Critical Skills Exam: The purpose of a written critical skills exam is to ensure that a Master Police Officer in charge of a group of officers or one that is left in charge of a shift, has the basic leadership skills to handle situations involving high liability issues in the department. A Master Police Officer left in charge of a group will always have access to a Watch Commander or a higher ranking command staff member.

Community Service: 20 hours of community service annually. Service may include but not limited to the following:

•           Volunteering at a church

•           Volunteering with the Boy Scout, Girl Scouts, or Police Explorers

•           Volunteering as a role player at CIT School

•           Volunteering with Toys for Tots

•           Participating in the National Night Out

•           Participating in the Citizen’s Police Academy

 

Service Project: The nexus of the service project is to promote innovation within the department. Good ideas generated from the ranks tend to have real practical value and give the officers a sense of ownership in the department. The service project should be significant enough to have a benefit to the department, city, or to its citizens. Example of a service project include:

•           Addressing a traffic issue through a study and implementing a plan of action.

•           Identifying a specific need for some equipment and locating resources to pay for the equipment.

•           Applying for a grant for a specific program.

•           Facilitating an annual department firearms competition.

•           Fund Raising for the FOP or a charity organization.

•           Organizing a local food drive.

•           Reform an existing policy that makes a significant improvement for the department.

 

Collateral Duty: If a Master Police Officer chooses not to volunteer or to take on a service project, they can take on collateral duties directed by their supervisor. These duties may include, but not limited to the following:

•           ASL (Assistant Squad Leader)

•           Shift Inventory and Inspections

•           Significant Shift Training

•           Equipment Issue

•           Language Translation

•           Task Organizer

Master Police Officer Process

 
The process of appointing new Master Police Officers once the minimum requirements have been established, will consist of a three phase process. Each phase will assess points to an overall composite score. The maximum score is 300. At the end of the three phases, the candidates with the highest composite scores will be considered for appointment to Master Police Officer based on the number of positions available. This process includes the following phases:

1.      Master Police Officer Candidates will submit a resume and cover letter which includes a declaration of at least one or more Subject Matter Expertise. Candidates will be assessed points for their time in service with the department with a maximum of 100 points assessed for a candidate with 20 years of service. 10 points per year past the 10 year mark. For example, a candidate with 11 years of service will receive 10 points. A candidate with 12 years of service will receive 20 points, etc...

2.       Candidates will take a written critical skills exam of 90 multiple choice questions and an essay worth 10 points. This test is geared to determine if the candidate has the skills to take charge of a shift or unit in the absence of a supervisor. Critical skills must include high liability subjects such as the Mutual Aid Policy, Pursuit Policy, Use of Force Policy, Officer Involved Incidents, and Use of Resources.

3.      A series of exams that test the declared Subject Matter Expertise. The expertise must be significant and will be determined by the staff based on the needs of the department, a shift, or a unit. For example, a Subject Matter Expertise could include Investigations. A Master Police Officer with a Subject Matter Expertise in investigations should be able to conduct death investigations, write search and arrest warrants, and conduct good crime scene investigations. Candidates will be able to declare a maximum of 10 subject matter expertises, with 10 points given to each and 100 points maximum. The exams for a Subject Matter Expertise will be a pass or fail exam. This is so the candidate proves their declared Subject Matter Expertise.

  



Master Police Officer Definition

Master Police Officer, a rank used by some police departments across the United States. Typically, an "MPO" is a police officer who has at least eight-to-ten years on the job and has served within a variety of units (Patrol, Field Training, SWAT, Undercover Narcotics, or Detectives). Most departments require that the individual be a fully trained police officer who is trained to a greatly higher level than regular police officers and serve as a mentor to less experienced officers. In terms of where the rank of Master Police Officer falls on the spectrum of typical departmental ranking systems, it is generally NOT a civil service supervisory rank, however it is regarded as the highest rank attainable by a street/patrol officer (higher than an officer/deputy/trooper), equivalent in many ways to the rank of Corporal, Although an MPO may be authorized by his department to assume command at the scene of an event until the arrival of a higher ranking supervisor, unlike a Corporal or Sergeant an MPO is typically not in a supervisory position in charge of a group of officers.