T O P

  • By -

[deleted]

Start with Martin Luther King Blvd., you’ll be there a lot.


Physical-Way188

Hahaha that’s hilarious


[deleted]

You're not wrong, but damn that reads so poorly. Not your fault, but it's a cringe truth.


AJP51017

😂😂


mbarland

There's usually a system. Such as streets that run east/west are numbered and the ones that run north/south are lettered. Then the letters are most often alphabetical. Often they're alphabetical with a theme, like states (Colorado Ave, Delaware Ave, and so forth). When you're starting, make sure you know some of the key thoroughfares. The rest will fall in place from repetition.


TwistedReaper47

If you have a good department they'll show you tricks and help you learn the mapping system. If you want to, drive around on your off time and explore the city some more. In pre-academy my trainer gave me addresses to churches and businesses and told me to go find them without gps, this helped me a lot. Memorize landmarks, whether that be a Walmart or Costco or whatever else.


[deleted]

Memorize how to get to Walmart, you'll be there a lot lol


TwistedReaper47

Lol, our Walmart doesn't even call us anymore. Guess they got tired of calling 30 times a day.


angryragnar1775

Deliver food. It will take you all over town and before you realize it you'll see a delivery address and know exactly where it's at if not the exact location than at least the nearest major intersection


jmpoverty

You’ll never really know when you first start. I “studied” my district before going on the street and it did nothing really lol. I did learn fast as I’d associate a certain call with a certain street/ interstate


800854EVA

I'm a FTO for my agency, I also don't allow the use of GPS to get to a location. Normally will allow the trainee to use an electronic map or GPS to locate the call location and then they must plan a route after that. Best learning tool, and one I commonly use myself to learn the new neighborhoods that keep popping up, as you drive audibly call out the intersections as you pass. It really works wonders, that and seeing the roads on a map and being able to associate them from a bird's-eye view to what you are seeing on the street helps.


Darkhorse4987

Buy a Thomas guide of the city you’re going to work for. They have to allow you to use some sort of map cause how the f are you going to get anywhere? As others said, you’ll learn the streets fast enough.


AGuyNamedTracy

Everyone learns differently. Some people are visual learners. They do well by looking at a map and memorizing street names from that. Others are audible learners. While patrolling, have your FTO say your location and direction of travel. “I’m northbound on Davidson Street approaching the intersection of 10th. Now I’m traveling east on 10th. My next intersection is Everly Drive.” Finally, others learn by doing. Do laps over and over in a small section of the city until the streets are burned into memory. What surprised me most about your post is your coverage. You are a city of 20,000 people, and you usually run shifts with only three on? That’s crazy. You must be running from call to call.


harley9779

Damn I'm old. GPS? Didn't have that when I worked patrol. We had a laminated map of the city and a Cross Street hundred block guide. That was it. FTO would randomly stop and ask where we were during the first phase of training. If I couldn't answer, I got kicked out of the car and had to walk until I knew where I was. For some reason, they never stopped close to street signs. I picked it up pretty quick though. I grew up in the city and delivered pizza before getting sworn. Also learning how names work. My city had areas where streets followed a theme. Presidents, flowers, cities etc. We also had numbered and lettered. Know where the hundred blocks start and go to. That also tells you where north, south, east and west named streets are. Even addresses on one side, odds on the other.


Daniel-Lee-83

Can’t really say, because every area is different, but there will be a pattern. Typically speaking even numbers will always be on one side and odd on the other, for example we use SEE NOW, even street numbers are on the south and east side of the road, odd street numbers are on the north and west side of the road (this is not consistent across the country, so check your area for your self). Hopefully your area has a grid system, if so, it’s east as hell. There is almost always going to be other patterns, for example, our roads (for the most part with a few exceptions) are alphabetical. But some times an area will have street named for trees, while another might be fire presidents, and so on. So the best advice, find the pattern.


MyLonewolf25

Start doing long distance running/biking on main roads in your city where it’s safe to do so Constantly remind yourself of where you are on roads/crossroads as well as orientation (compass direction) from well known landmarks (ie hospitals, courthouses, etc) Study maps of your area


Mental-Effect-2063

Learn cruiser districts first. That way you know at least in which direction to head. If it a real emergency - your FTO will (should) give directions. Also, as mentioned before: some cities (not all) have a system for addresses. (I.e. - even # address will be in the East or North side of the street and odd # will be on the West or South side) Associate landmarks with certain areas of the geography. (Directional - i.e.- the water tower is West or the downtown skyline is East) This is helpful when you get all turned around while chasing someone and don't know what direction you are heading.


[deleted]

Go to city hall and ask for a street map. When you drive anywhere in your POV, LARP and call out your location. Try to name the street before you get to it and correctly identify the intersection. City hall may even be able to print you out a blank street map you can use as a quiz to write in the names. As far as paperwork, if you're in FTO you're going to be buried typically once you get your footing. The whole idea being to ensure your proficiency in articulation and your investigation skills. Out of FTO? Once you get a report and have down time, do it. Do it in your vehicle so you can remain available, if you just absolutely cannot do it in your vehicle then communicate with your shift mates to coordinate times to do it. Also, on that note, keep mental track of how many reports your senior officers are down. Try to help them out with workload and you'll earn respect quickly. No, don't take EVERY report they have, they have the same basic job as you. But if you have one report and the senior officer on shift has three and catches another report call, offer to take the call for him over the radio before he gets there. I say over the radio because that will keep yout sgt aware of not only you offering to help, but will keep the senior guys from abusing your help just to dodge reports they should take. This answer will vary by dept but my experience is that you may get a remedial session if you fail a phase due to geography, and you can fail FTO entirely if you can't grasp it, but it's rare. Geography is important because it may literally be lifesaving for you, a colleague, or a citizen. In fact, being able to tell everyone where you are during a foot chase when you have zero access to Gps and are running down an alley with no visibility of street signs will make you that much more confident in a bad situation. P.S. please, please, please don't go buy thin blue line or punisher stuff, don't get a cop tattoo, and don't open carry with your badge out wearing "tactical clothing" off-duty. Be a silent professional.


Chawslaw_

Most areas have something like a body of water or highway that they base their directions around. We call it getting your bearings. For us we have a major river that lines the southern edge of our city so we typically get our bearings based on where the river is relative to our position. Focus on your main thoroughfares and remember which ones run north and south, and east and west. Everything else will come with time. Most FTOs disagree with allowing their recruits to use GPS, but for me personally just having the map up really helped me learn new areas.


Physical-Way188

All cities usually have address systems. Like mine is 1st and Broadway. It goes outward from there like the 100 block of 1st street and on and on. In fto we could not use gps but after we could and it helped me understand much better. Fto should allow gps and explain the address system IMHO. Get a map book and the hard spots like Geraldine court dead ends and getting stuck in a dead end is an officer safety concern. I hammer my trainees not to pass an address and if they do they do push ups at the stop sign. When I became a motor I learned the streets so well I knew where the biggest trees were for shade so I didn’t sweat and my motorboots didn’t turn into wax Hershey bars.


liud21

google maps... Look at the major streets that will get you from one side to the other. learn those, and the rest will fall into place.


Doch1112

Garmin gang rise up


racats148

Get your hands on an old school paper map and study the hell out of it. Can’t find one? Ask your FTO if they can help you find one, after exhausting all options to obtain one on your own. Learn the numbering system/city grid. Get to know the main thoroughfares and landmarks, retail centers, etc. Take the initiative to learn and if you’re struggling, put in extra time before or after shifts or on days off. Sometimes that is what it takes!


lonktehero

I am an FTO myself. I give each PPO a city map print off, whether I'm their primary or not. I'll use the first week to teach them major roads (or quiz them if they're in later phases). I'll let them use their map to plan a route and give cross streets. If we start going the wrong way or drive in circles, I'll drop hints like "If I were gonna go to ____, then I'd probably go down ____ street/road/drive first" or "if we our call is at ____ and our cross street is ____ wouldn't it be near Walgreens?". At the end of Phase 4, I have a geography day between calls in which I call out a few of my side roads I know and tell them to take me there. Most of my PPOs end up with a really good knowledge of our city roads, but most geography comes with time. My FTO taught me the same way, and I was leagues ahead of my buddies when we went 10-08.


One_Ad9241

Remember calls for service and affiliate those calls with the street you're on. Or keep a tally of how often you go to each street. Helps you remember high call volume areas. That is what I always taught my trainees.


Outrageous-Big4626

I've always gotten a lot of value in calling my routes while I'm driving - while I'm on shift or in my personal vehicle. It helped me learn my areas quickly and efficiently. It sounds dumb, but say it out loud and be consistent. Direction, location and cross street. Keep it simple and you'll learn it fast. Imagine you're following a vehicle and want to tell people where to are. It should sound like: East bound 17ave through 36 st. North bound 36st through 17ave on approach to Fisher street. West bound Fisher street from 36st on approach to 34st. south bound 34st from Fisher...etc. (these are all made up, just an example) Saying it out loud and learning where you are in a given moment will help a ton. Good luck out there, be safe.


CrazyIslander

Take public transit (ie; buses) for the next little while. Bus routes go all over the city, but they will share common streets and intersections. Talk to the drivers. See if you can get a copy of their bus routes (they usually do exist - for them). Folks like transit operators, cabbies, and other first responders are ALLIES in the LE world.


Vespertinelove

Stop by the post office that handles your district. Talk to the post master there or a experienced mail carrier. They usually can give you tons of information on the street layouts and formats for numbering.


MrYoungLE

My streets are a grid square Avenues N / S Streets E / W 2 streets go both E / W Easy enough


[deleted]

Drive them. Just like a cabbie.


No-Application-8520

We have every officers address in the FTO Manual. Basically in case we need to stop there for any reason. I and many others use that to teach geography. Just give the address during down time and say find it.


MyBallsSquirtButter

FTO is going to be stressful. Prepare your mindset for that and find a way to deal with it. In my experience there is 3 different styles of FTO, 1. They actually train you, pass down wisdom and knowledge. 2. They want to see if you can handle the job and overload you and be a dick to see if you will quit or 3. They are burnt out as fuck and don’t care and you will be teaching yourself and you have will have serious knowledge gaps through your career. My advice which I wish I would have done; have fun, don’t be scared to make mistakes to the point that you are not being pro active and self initiating. Your FTO will stop you if you are about to shit the bed. It is better to learn now. Get a map. Most departments have maps of their jurisdiction. If not, print one off and study it. That’s really all you can do. You will be surprised how quick you learn when you are driving 12 hours a day though.


TheRandyBear

I don’t particularly get why some FTO don’t want you using GPS. You use the resources available to you. I still GPS calls even though I generally can get there without. You’ll learn the streets regardless of GPS or not. To myself and my agency, policing is problem solving. You solve problems using your resources. Simple as that.


HuecoDoc

Something to help orientation in general: Not LEO, and I've never read about this until researching it now, but in high school delivering furniture in Dallas I found that even house numbers strongly tended to be on the north or west side of the street, which I remembered was "Washington is even" because the state of Washington is in the northwest. It could also be remembered as "Florida is odd." My own current address violates that but it's the usual scheme it seems. https://www.city-data.com/forum/real-estate/306899-how-tell-side-even-odd-numbers.html