Onboarding former officers into a company team

Expect a culture shift

Agencies are hierarchical and policy-heavy. Your company may be flatter and faster. Spell out decision rights, how to escalate, and what “good” looks like in the first month.

First-week checklist

• Assign a buddy who is not their manager.
• Explain tools (CRM, ticketing, Slack/Teams) without assuming agency software knowledge.
• Review compliance rules that differ from LE (marketing claims, customer data, social media).
• If the role sells to or supports agencies, introduce them to one friendly customer early.

Writing and briefings

Many officers write excellent reports but have never written a sales email or executive one-pager. Share examples; don’t assume the format transfers automatically.

Schedule and wellness

Shift work backgrounds vary. Be clear about on-call, travel weeks, and PTO. Avoid joking about “walking the beat” as a performance metaphor.

Probation and feedback

Give structured feedback at 30/60/90 days. Officers are used to FTOs and clear scorecards — ambiguity feels like silence.