Lakewood Police Department Policy and Procedure		Effective Date: 12/15/2023
	Policy Number:   PP-3603 Mentor Program

1. New Hire Mentor – An agent with a strong personal desire to participate in the mentoring process and is recognized by their peers and supervisors as a role model.  Generally, a new hire mentor will have between 1.5 and 5 years of service. These agents are typically in the best position to build trust and share relevant experiences from their recent training and assimilation into the department’s culture with newly hired employees.  This responsibility gives new agents an opportunity to positively contribute to the department in ways that their new employment status would typically not yet allow.

2. Protégé - Person being advised and developed by a mentor.

3. Military Mentor-Employee who has deployed to any branch of the Armed Services or Reserves, for longer than 30 days, while working for the department.  They have a strong personal desire to assist the employee during pre-deployment, communicate during deployment and assist during post deployment.

4. Deploying Employee - Current employee who is deploying to a military assignment, for longer than 30 days.

5. Mentorship Board Command Member - The program coordinator, appointed by the Chief of Police.

6. Mentorship Board - Individuals selected by the Mentorship Board Command Member to oversee the mentorship program.  Their responsibilities include but are not limited to:  Assisting in the screening, selection, and training of mentors, and matching mentors with protégés and deploying employees.  

a. The Mentorship Board will be comprised of a member of Command, two Patrol Sergeants, and eight agents.  

b. The Mentorship Board will partner with Human Resources, Combined Regional Academy and the Professional Standards Section as needed. 

c. The Mentorship Board will also consist of a board position for a Military Mentor board member who will train agents as Military Mentors.  These Military Mentors will mentor and communicate with employees preparing for military deployment of over 30 days, including pre-deployment, deployment, and post-deployment.

7. Goals of the Mentoring Program

a. Provide a supportive atmosphere that welcomes newly hired employees into their position and the department.

b. Provide support and insight about the department, the city, the mentor’s job experiences, and how mentors have handled past challenges.

c. Assist in insuring the continuity and quality of the next generation of department leaders.

d. Reduce sworn employee turnover.

e. Provide a means of communicating organizational norms, core values and culture.

f. Provide a liaison between employees and the department during military deployment.

8. Field Training Agents vs New Hire Mentoring

a. The role of the new hire mentor and FTA are distinct, yet complementary.  The role of the FTA is to train and develop effective agents.  As required during Field Training, the FTA evaluates the recruit’s performance on a daily basis.

b. The new hire mentor’s role is supportive and relational.  New hire mentors do NOT assist or engage in performance evaluation.  New hire mentors assist with transitioning new agents into the police department by answering questions and serving as a resource.  New hire mentors will not fraternize outside of the mentorship role with the protégé during the Academy or Field Training. 

9. Mentor Responsibilities

a. Meet with assigned protégé face-to-face at least once monthly.

b. Listen to personal and professional challenges.

c. Serve as a role model and encourage success.

d. Provide support and help build self-confidence.

e. Offer friendship, encouragement, and guidance.

f. Provide information and resources.

g. Respect confidentiality, except as set forth in bullet. (9) (i).

h. Provide program feedback.

i. Abide by the Mentor Code of Ethics.

10. Protégé Responsibilities

a. Communicate with mentor as needed.

b. Respect the mentor’s time and agency responsibilities.

c. Follow through on commitments made with your mentor.

d. Respect confidentiality, except as set forth in bullet (10) (e).

e. Abide by the Protégé Code of Ethics.

11. Characteristics of a Mentor

a. Displays a positive attitude toward the department, supervisors, and their peers.

b. Is encouraging, supportive, and committed to improving the performance of others.

c. Contributes to the department’s goals and objectives. 

d. Viewed as a role model and team player.

e. Possesses a high degree of honesty and integrity.

f. Is dependable and flexible.

g. Is a good listener.

h. Possesses a sense of humor.

i. Maintains confidentialiy.

j. Is approachable and respectful.

k. Can commit the time to meet with their protégé, in person, at least once per month, and more as needed.

12. New Hire Mentor Eligibility Requirements

a. Graduate of the Combined Regional Training Academy.

b. Successful completion of the Field Training Program.

c. Satisfactorily completed six months of patrol time after completion of Field Training.

d. Less than five years total service at the time assigned to a Protégé.

e. Recommendation by supervisors.

f. Lateral mentors will be accepted and assigned to other lateral employees as individual qualifications permit, and on a case-by-case basis.

g. Volunteer for the program.

13. Military Mentor Eligibility Requirements

a. Meet all the above requirements for a New Hire Mentor.

b. During their tenure with the Lakewood Police Department, have deployed as a member of the armed services for longer than 30 days.

14. New Hire Mentor and Military Mentor Selection Process

a. Mentorship Board Command Member announces openings for New Hire Mentors.

b. Interested employees submit a memorandum of interest to the Mentorship Board Command Member via their chain of command.

c. A peer review/recommendation process is conducted.

d. Selection and announcement made by Mentorship Board Command Member. 

e. Mentor completes training program.

f. Mentor signs and accepts the Mentor Code of Ethics.

g. Mentor completes Personal Interest Questionnaire.

h. Mentor is assigned a protégé by the Mentorship Board.

15. Mentor Training

a. It is the responsibility of the Mentorship Board Command Member to ensure that each mentor has been trained prior to being assigned a protégé and/or serving as a Military Mentor.

b. The Mentorship Board will schedule and conduct all required training for selected mentors.

16. New Hire Mentorship Process

a. Protégés, deploying / employing, and mentors complete a Personal Interest Questionnaire.

b. The Mentorship Board will match mentors, protégés or deploying employees based on similar backgrounds and interests (prior military, age, marital status, dependents, hobbies and interests, residential geographical location, etc.). 

c. Mentors and protégés will meet in person at least once monthly.  Mentors and protégés can meet more frequently and use other forms of communication (email, phone, texting) as mutually agreed upon.

d. Where possible, mentors and protégés should meet during regular working hours.  

e. Mentors, protégés and deploying employee are encouraged to meet in public areas, such as the Police Station, Academy, sub-stations, a coffee house, etc.  Mentors and protégés will not meet at the private residence of either party during the Academy or Field Training. 

f. Mentors will facilitate voluntary, monthly ride-alongs with their assigned protégé, as scheduling and workload permits.  A ride-along should not exceed four hours in length and is contingent upon the recruit meeting minimum academic and performance expectations during Academy training.

g. Mentors and protégés will complete progress surveys to ensure the relationship is productive and is meeting the needs of both the protégé and mentor.

h. If at any time the mentor, protégé or deploying employee believes the relationship to be unproductive or counterproductive, they may request the Mentorship Board for reassignment or to be removed from the program entirely.

i. Should a protégé present the new hire mentor with a topic beyond their scope, (unethical conduct, mental or physical health problems, financial issues, etc.), it should be brought to the attention of the Mentorship Board Command Member.