I was hired 3 months ago as a digital forensics examiner, focusing on mobile device extractions like phones and tablets. This role was meant for internal candidates only and followed civil service rules. Before this, I was a tenured crime scene investigator, where I ranked #1. The new unit I joined is smaller, with only 10 people compared to my previous unit's 24. Initially, I was given a training plan that seemed promising, and I communicated my eagerness to learn quickly. The training was expected to take around 6 months, but I was ahead of schedule by the second month and requested to accelerate my training to help with the overwhelming case load. They agreed, but then my trainer got tied up with a major case, leaving me to self-study for about a month. At the end of this self-study period, I received a performance review that was shocking. Every category that had previously been rated as Satisfactory was now marked as Needs Improvement. They claimed I was often "off topic" and cited my reading of tech-related news as a negative. They also mentioned that I appeared unenthusiastic and unfriendly, even accusing me of throwing a phone at a detective, which they later retracted to just being too quick in setting it down. I expressed my frustration about being unable to prove my commitment without actual work to do, and they suggested I could use the time to show my desire to be there, despite the lack of tasks. To counter this, I've started keeping a log of all the small tasks I do, like assisting detectives and maintaining equipment, but I feel like I'm being set up to fail. It’s disheartening because all I want is to contribute and work effectively.