Field Training Programs: Correcting Poor Performance

Steven Kellams graduated from the Indiana University Police Academy om 1989. In 1991, he was hired by the Bloomington Police Department and was assigned to the night shift. During that time, he has been a breath-test operator, bike patrol officer, field training officer, senior field training officer, and field training manager. He has also served the department as Civil Disturbance Unit Commander and Special Investigations Unit Commander. In 2000, Lieutenant Kellams was instrumental in redesigning the field training program for the Bloomington Police Department and has taught that program to hundreds of departments throughout Indiana and the United States. He has also instructed on field training issues at the national level when he presented two courses at the 2002, 2009, 2010, and 2011 National Association of Field Training Officers Conference in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Madison, Wisconsin, Denver, Colorado, and Phoenix, Arizona. In 2000, Lieutenant Kellams was elected state director for the Indiana Chapter of the National Association of Field Training Officers. In 2005, he was elected to the Executive Board of the National Association of Field Training Officers and, in 2008, he was the National President of NAFTO. In 2005, Lieutenant Kellams was named Monroe County Officer of the Year for his work with the Bloomington Police Departments Field Training Program. Lieutenant Kellams is a certified Indiana Law Enforcement Academy training instructor and teaches courses in Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, domestic violence, officer safety, firearms, civil disturbance, and field training. Through his company, FTO Solutions, he offers field training officer courses including a 4-day Basic field training officer course, a 2-day advanced field training officer course, and a 3-day managing the field training officer unit course.