All new employees are in a probationary status for the first 12 months of employment. During this time, they are in an extensive training program.

Training consists of six separate phases of instruction. Each phase contains benchmarks of performance and goals that must be met before moving to the next phase of training. The six phases of instruction are comprised of structured academic classroom lecture and discussion, role playing, on-the-job instruction through a personal trainer, and police "ride alongs." Trainees work all shifts in order to expose the new employee to the wide variety of work that is required of this position.