POST Monthly Report

December 2012


December APR and Year in Review

INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
By Bob Stresak


Bob StresakThis month’s APR includes highlights of POST’s December 2012 activities and a review of some of our major activities for the past year.

Our former Executive Director Paul Cappitelli retired on December 21 and at the October Commission meeting I was named by the Commission to be the Interim Executive Director, pending the Commission’s future decision on Paul’s permanent replacement. It is an honor to be named in this capacity and, at the same time, humbling to assume the mantle of such a great responsibility. So, it is in my current capacity that I join with all POST staff in wishing all POST constituents a happy and successful 2013.

When a leader departs, there is frequently a discussion about his or her legacy. If that issue were up for discussion in this instance there would be no argument. Paul Cappitelli's herculean efforts that galvanized the POST SAFE Driving campaign will be his legacy and California law enforcement will be the beneficiary. For the first time in 25 years, we saw no on-duty traffic-related peace officer deaths in 2012! A remarkable accomplishment! I’d like to believe this is directly attributable to SAFE Driving, the Below 100 campaign, established and supported by Law Officer Magazine and the commitment of law enforcement leaders throughout the state. It is my intention to continue pursuing this effort to reduce and hopefully eliminate preventable traffic-related peace officer career ending injuries and deaths. 

A number of other critical issues remain on POST’s radar screen. Our budget is always a concern until it is finally approved by the legislature and signed by the Governor. I believe issues like crowd control, active shooter and terrorism training, use of force, a stronger inclusion of critical thinking in training content, increasing the use of the Learning Portal, providing a robust research resource for law enforcement and keeping pace on the treadmill of technological developments in training delivery will remain challenges we will address in 2013. Much needs to be done.

In the five years he served as the Executive Director of POST, Paul worked to be open and accessible to all constituents. I hope to follow his example and remain equally accessible to the Commission, department heads, and trainers. Collaboration is the key to the successful future of law enforcement training. Statewide, over 90,000 peace officers, reserve officers, dispatchers, and records supervisors are counting on us to support their mission. This is a responsibility that is not taken lightly. If you have ideas on how we can improve our service to the field, I’d appreciate hearing them. Happy New Year to all.

Responses may be sent to Bob Stresak or (916) 227-2803.

DECEMBER 2012 APR

LAPD CONDUCTS DEDICATION CEREMONIES FOR ITS “POLICE ORIENTATION AND PREPARATION PROGRAM”

In December 2012, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) conducted dedication ceremonies for its Police Orientation and Preparation Program (POPP) at Ahmanson Recruit Training Center. POPP is a two-year program affiliated with West Los Angeles Community College that is the college portion of LAPD’s application of POST’s Career Pipeline Program. The Career Pipeline Program was created through a POST strategic plan objective in 2008. The goal of the POST strategic objective was to assist law enforcement in developing partnerships with their local school districts to create school-based career programs to “grow their own” law enforcement candidate pools. A successful career pipeline model begins recruiting candidates in their elementary school years and places them in a school-based program through their college years, while at the same time affording participation in local Police Explorer or Cadet Programs and internships with public safety agencies.

LAPD oversees a school-based magnet model that offers a structured law enforcement program for middle and high schools. There are currently four high schools feeding into POPP. Upon completing POPP, students can apply for entrance with LAPD or they can transfer to a four-year college program and apply to LAPD upon graduation.

POST is currently working with the California Department of Education and a number of pilot sites to expand the POST Career Pipeline Program throughout California.

Questions about the Career Pipeline Program may be directed to Senior Consultant Greg Kyritsis, Center for Leadership Development Bureau, at (916) 227-2822.

OVER 60,000 REGISTERED USERS OF POST LEARNING PORTAL

POST has reached over 60,000 registered users of the Learning Portal. This includes sworn, dispatch, and a growing number of Non-Peace Officers (NPOs) via the Non-Peace Officer Access process (see POST Bulletin 2012-07 (pdf)).

Over 133,000 course completions have been recorded representing nearly 481,000 hours of Continuing Professional Training (CPT) credit automatically recorded at POST.

Users can currently access 16 online courses, the Search Warrant Writing Tool, and hundreds of different resources including Case Law Today, Homeland Security Training Videos, audio files, presentation files, and various high-profile reports.

Many of the online courses help agencies meet training mandates. “Domestic Violence: It’s Your Call” (either Volume I or II) meets the legislative mandate for biennial Domestic Violence Update training (Penal Code section 13519). All online courses are approved for CPT credit.

Questions about the Learning Portal may be directed to Instructional Systems Engineer Rich Dunn, Sr., Learning Technology Resources Bureau, or (916) 227-4262.

POST CONTINUES UPDATE OF THE DISPATCHER SELECTION TEST BATTERY

The project to update the POST Entry-Level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery continues. In December a meeting with subject matter experts was held in Burlingame. Dispatcher guidelines and specifications were reviewed to ensure current test items are relevant to the job of a dispatcher and constructing alternative audio portions of the existing exam. POST extended invitations for this workshop to communication center managers/supervisors, dispatcher trainers, dispatchers (new and experienced), and other personnel who have been actively involved in the recruitment, selection, retention, training, and career development of public safety dispatchers.

The next workshop will be held in Anaheim, on February 6-8, 2013. This workshop will focus on creating new test items for the test battery.

Questions about the workshop or the POST Dispatcher Selection Test Battery may be directed to Senior Personnel Selection Consultant Tammura Brown, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-2810.

POST ENTERS INTO NEW 3-YEAR CONTRACT, KEEPING PORTAL LIGHTS ON

In order to keep a complex online learning environment running, POST must continuously evaluate and frequently renew mechanisms to support the customized Learning Portal. Agencies and Portal users will be happy to know the Commission has entered into a new three-year agreement with a vendor to continue this support—effectively keeping the Learning Portal “lights” on and maintaining California law enforcement’s access to numerous online courses and training resources.

This new agreement provides regular maintenance of the customized Portal as well as on-going enhancements. Enhancements will be released periodically and in response to changes in POST programs, products, and user needs. As part of the agreement, a major enhancement is planned in 2015 to redesign the Portal user interface as was done earlier this year.

Questions about the new Learning Portal agreement may be directed to Senior Instructional Systems Engineer Rich Dunn, Sr., Learning Technology Resources Bureau, at (916) 227-4262.

POST TEST PANEL CONVENES

The Test Panel met twice since the approval by the POST Basic Course Consortium in September to change the current test item format from individual learning domains to multi-dimensional educational objectives.

At the November meeting, the Panel constructed new items and met again in December to review the work. Satisfied with its progress, the Panel refined the newly constructed items and created additional items. The Panel will meet six times in 2013 to continue this process. The Panel intends to invite assistance of subject matter experts as necessary.

As noted in the September APR, the goal of the Panel is to begin pilot testing sometime in mid-2013 and implement the new testing format in 2014 or 2015.

Questions about the POST Test Panel may be directed to Personnel Selection Consultant Supervisor Diane Hrepich, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4831; or Staff Services Analyst Windy Kaiser, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4537.

STUDENT WORKBOOK UPDATE WORKSHOPS

There is a student workbook for each of the 42 Learning Domains in the Regular Basic Course, the four Learning Domains specific to the Specialized Investigators’ Basic Course and a series for the PC 832 Course. The student workbooks are considered to be textbooks and are an integral part of the basic course instructional system. The content and format is based on the Training and Testing Specifications for Peace Officer Basic Courses (TTS) which is the curriculum document.

Workbooks are updated on an as needed basis with some requiring more frequent updates than others. The Basic Training Bureau conducts a number of workbook updates each year. The Basic Course Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator are responsible for scheduling and conducting the workshops. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are selected from academies and agencies to participate with POST staff in the workshops.

The workshops are designed to review the student workbook and the written test for the concerned Learning Domain. Most workshops take place over a two day time period with a third day included if there is a written test for the Learning Domain. The review process includes legal updates, emerging practices, and a look at the grammar, sentence structure and syntax. The updates and publishing of the revised workbooks are done in-house by the Basic Training Bureau.

Questions about the student workbooks may be directed to Senior Consultant Robert Ziglar, Basic Training Bureau, at (916) 227-4259.

EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT COURSE SMES CONVENED

During December, subject matter experts (SMEs) were convened to review the content of the Executive Development Course (EDC). The SMEs were recent graduates of the EDC and represented the spectrum of EDC attendees (e.g., executives from police and sheriff departments, as well as executives from university public safety departments and district attorney offices). Significant progress was made during the 12 hours the SMEs were together. More than 100 learning outcomes were developed.

The ten individuals comprising the EDC instructional cadre are scheduled to attend a two-day workshop in January. The workshop has a two-fold purpose: 1) to familiarize instructors with the learning outcomes developed at the December SMEs meeting, and 2) to discuss optimal methods for curriculum delivery.

While the EDC has been continuously reviewed to ensure currency of the content, it has not been systematically and comprehensively analyzed in several years. Thus, it is being subjected to in-depth evaluation to ensure the content is responsive to contemporary needs and that the curriculum is being delivered most effectively.

Questions about the EDC may be directed to Senior Consultant Michael Davies, Center for Leadership Development Center Bureau, at (916) 227-4892.

BASIC COURSE PRESENTER TEST ADMINISTRATION AND SECURITY POLICY STATUS

Effective May 3, 2012, all basic course presenters were required to revise and submit an updated Test Administration and Security Policy to POST by September 7, 2012. To assist basic course presenters in the revision of their policies, four policy development workshops were held in 2012 with 67 presenters (84%) in attendance. Presenters participated in group exercises designed to highlight the changes needed in each presenter’s policy to comport with the revised requirements.

There are currently 80 basic course presenters and to date, POST has received 65 (81%) of the required policies. Of the remaining presenters who did not submit a policy, 11 (14%) have discontinued presentation of the course(s) and 4 (5%) had Testing System access removed by POST staff. Detailed review and approval of policies will be completed by January 31, 2013.

Questions about the policy status or the Test Task Force may be directed to Associate Governmental Program Analyst Jennifer Imlay, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3917.

2012—NO CALIFORNIA LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TRAFFIC FATALITIES

For the first time in more than 25 years, the State of California finished the calendar year without a single law enforcement officer killed in a traffic collision. POST considers “traffic fatalities” to include deaths from collisions involving automobiles or motorcycles, as well as those where a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle.

Between 1995 and 2011, California lost 95 law enforcement officers to traffic fatalities—an average of 5.59 per year. Given this basis, the chances of having a year like 2012 with no law enforcement officer traffic fatalities is roughly .4%, which means that it is likely to happen by chance 1 in 268 years.

POST staff does not believe this happened by chance. Rather it is reflective of the tremendous efforts of the law enforcement community around the state and throughout the nation. The SAFE Driving Campaign, the SAFE Driving Symposium, the “Did You Know” videos, the new law enforcement driving simulators (LEDS), the Below 100 Campaign, the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) Traffic Safety Summit, the improvements to driver training, and the commitments of law enforcement officers, supervisors, trainers, managers, and executives to driving safely—these have had an impact.

Staff has begun an in-depth analysis of the significant change in 2012. An article will be drafted and is expected to be published later this year.

Questions about this research may be directed to Bureau Chief Bryon G. Gustafson, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4832.

POST WEBSITE PROVES TO BE AN EFFECTIVE CLIENT RESOURCE

In 2010, POST launched its Green Initiative to reduce energy and resource consumption. By transitioning many paper-based processes to online Web-based applications, POST has simultaneously reduced resource consumption and increased the effectiveness of its communication. Methods used include email newsletters, social media, and secure meeting places on the POST Website.

To measure the Initiative’s effectiveness, the Web Team tracks Website statistics, including: number of emailed newsletters, Twitter followers, subscribers to secure networks, users viewing the SAFE Driving and other videos, and Website membership. A snapshot of the Initiative’s effectiveness follows.

Newsletters

A series of POST Newsletters was created in September 2010 as part of POST’s Paperless Distribution Processes designed to save on printing, packaging, and mailing costs. Hard copy items previously mailed in bulk to constituents are now delivered electronically via modern Web-based electronic distribution subscriptions, resulting in costs savings of over $2,000 per month. An opt-in email subscription service to the general public and law enforcement community is available at http://post.ca.gov/e-mail-alerts.

Six types of Newsletters are currently available: Administrative Progress Report, POST Bulletins, Regulatory Actions, What’s New, Law Enforcement Employment Opportunities (Jobs), and SAFE Driving. Newsletter subscriptions have grown – and continue to grow – on a monthly basis as noted below:

Year Number of Subscribers
2010 1,702
2011 3,701
2012 (added SAFE Driving Newsletter)                              8,519

 

Interesting Statistics Number of Subscribers
First newsletters sent to Job Subscribers - 10/4/2010 97
Largest Newsletter Subscription - SAFE Driving 12/2012 2,016
Most Newsletters Emailed in One Month - 12/2012 14,027
Total Emailed Newsletters Sent 10/2010-12/2012 233,832


Twitter Feeds

Two Twitter feeds (http://twitter.com/commissionpost and http://twitter.com/CaPOST_Jobs) allow POST to communicate more effectively with highly mobile individuals:

Number of: Total
Twitter Followers                                                                 483
Tweets 759


Secure Networks

The Web Team has created secure areas of the POST Website that may be accessed only by designated groups. We provide all development and on-site training for the following:

Number of: Total
Secure Networks - SBSLI, Command College, Supervisory Course, Records Management, Management Course, State Threat Assessment System (STAS), and Career Pipeline 7
Secure Network Members            1,546


Website Use

There has been a steady and consistent increase in website membership and website use. POST tracks additional data regarding the POST Website, such as how many people are viewing certain pages, and website membership:

Number of: Total
Views of SAFE Driving Videos                                                       21,806
New Members Per Month 900
Website Members 23,403

 

Increased website use will further POST’s goal of reducing resource consumption while providing exceptional, timely service to our clients.

 

Questions about the POST Website may be directed to Associate Governmental Program Analyst Daria Maher, Computer Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4848.

YEAR IN REVIEW

The following is a synopsis of POST projects and activities for 2012. The full text of each month’s Administrative Progress Reports can be accessed through the POST Webpage.

January 2012

CSU CHICO STUDENTS VISIT LEARNING TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES AT POST

Students of the Instructional Design and Technology Society at California State University Chico, met with POST staff from the Learning Technology Resources Bureau (LTR) to see how skills and knowledge learned in their curriculum are applied in a real-world setting.

In line with LTR’s commitment to experiential learning, the students were asked to provide a critique of the user interface of a course POST currently has in development. The students provided helpful feedback regarding the course’s interface design and remarked how much they appreciated the opportunity to participate in the review, as well as the overall opportunity to see an example of employment options in the e-learning industry.

February 2012

UPDATED CROWD MANAGEMENT, INTERVENTION, AND CONTROL GUIDELINES

In January, POST facilitated an in-depth review and revision of the 2003 POST Crowd Management and Civil Disobedience Guidelines. The purpose of this review was to update the guidelines, and address evolving trends in crowd management and law enforcement response to acts of civil disobedience. The review was conducted by a panel of subject matter experts consisting of law enforcement leaders from throughout California and recognized legal experts.

Subsequently, seven new guidelines, updated case law, and a listing of training resources were added to the guidelines document. The guidelines are intended to be a resource for law enforcement leaders that provide foundational guidance for the facilitation of First Amendment rights, while allowing discretion and flexibility in the development of individual agency policies and procedures.

At its February meeting, the Commission approved the revised Guidelines for Crowd Management, Intervention, and Control (pdf).

“EDUCATING FOR CAREERS CONFERENCE” PRESENTATION

During February, POST was one of the presenters at the 18th Annual Educating for Careers Conference, hosted by the California Department of Education at the Sacramento Convention Center. More than 2,000 California educators representing California Partnership Academies attended the conference. The California Partnership Academy (CPA) program focuses on small learning communities within larger high schools, usually enrolling students in grades 10-12. The CPA program is aligned with the Department of Education’s California Career Technical Education (CCTE) program, which focuses on 15 career sectors and multiple career pathways. The law enforcement profession or pathway is part of the Public Services sector.

LEARNING PORTAL’S EXCITING NEW LOOK AND FEEL!

The Learning Technology Resources Bureau announced an exciting new look and feel to the Learning Portal. With the primary focus on learner needs, POST staff met with many users to make the Portal more useful and accessible to more people.

POST EMAIL SYSTEM MIGRATION ON TRACK

Computer Services Bureau network staff successfully migrated its email system to a central email system as required by legislation (AB 2408) and Executive Order S-03-10. The email migration project started in October 2010. The migration was completed in June. As part of this email migration, staff pilot tested and evaluated a variety of smartphones. These included Blackberry phones, iPhones, and Droid phones. Based on the results of these evaluations, a decision was made to allow the use of several smartphone types.

LIBRARY NEWS

The Library and Research Center announced the new design of the online catalog. Interested in crowd management or the effects of the economic downturn on police budgets? Type the term “crowd management,” “economic downturn”, or “budgets” to get the latest material. Many electronic documents are readily available. Library staff continues to take an active role in the research instruction of training managers and the students of POST training programs.

SAFE DRIVING CAMPAIGN PRESENTATION AT FLETC

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) hosted a summit in February to address line-of-duty deaths attributable to distracted driving. Participants included law enforcement leaders and trainers who are committed to reducing vehicle-related law enforcement deaths. Dale Stockton, Editor in Chief of Law Officer Magazine, and a member of the POST SAFE Driving Campaign Advisory Board, attended the summit. Mr. Stockton made a presentation to summit attendees on the SAFE Driving Campaign and the Below 100 initiative. Below 100 is an initiative to reduce law enforcement line-of-duty deaths to fewer than one hundred per year. Below 100 and the SAFE Driving Campaign share similar objectives and have joined in their outreach efforts to improve officer safety and achieve reductions in fatal and serious injury law enforcement traffic collisions nationwide.

March 2012

INCIDENT PREPAREDNESS ASSESSMENT TOOL UNVEILED AT CROWD MANAGEMENT SUMMIT

In March, POST staff from the Learning Technology Resources Bureau demonstrated the Incident Preparedness Assessment Tool, currently in development, at the Crowd Management Summit in San Diego. This tool provides command and executive level staff the ability to review and analyze planning and preparedness for all hazard incidents (e.g., natural disasters, riots, terrorism attacks, etc.), special events, or other incidents, and to identify and correct any gap identified by the tool. Features of the tool include links to available resources, examples and forms, multi-user input, task delegation, and email notifications.

The tool will be available via the POST Learning Portal for general release in the first quarter, 2013.

POST CONTRIBUTES TO UPDATING CONTENT OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CAREER EDUCATION STANDARDS

In March, POST convened public safety professionals and members of the State Department of Education to update the California Career Technical Education (CCTE) standards for grades 7 through 12. The CCTE program consists of 15 career sectors that can be used by local schools statewide to imbed career topics into school curricula. The law enforcement profession falls under the Public Services sector. Career-focused curricula enhance student’s understanding of how core subjects apply to specific career pathways. POST’s participation in the update of these standards was crucial to the POST Career Pipeline Project, which promotes law enforcement agency affiliations with school-based public safety programs.

The State Department of Education staff was impressed with the diversity and experience of the POST task group and with the final modifications to the curriculum standards. The updates to the CCTE standards are expected to enable future law enforcement applicants to become better prepared for entry into law enforcement or other public safety career fields.

SHERMAN BLOCK SUPERVISORY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FEATURED IN ONLINE JOURNAL

The March issue of the Law Enforcement Executive Forum (LEEF) included an article on the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute (SBSLI). The LEEF journal, with subscribers internationally, is a publication of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board and Western Illinois University and is a forum for dissemination of best practices relevant to today’s law enforcement environment.

POST HOSTS CROWD MANAGEMENT SUMMIT

POST hosted a Crowd Management Summit in San Diego during March 2012. Over 350 law enforcement executives, managers and supervisors attended the 3-day event. The format for the summit was a series of panel presentations by Police Chiefs, Sheriffs, City Executives, and experts in Technology, Law and Mutual Aid providers.
Information sharing between the panels and the audience was outstanding.

IN MEMORY OF RETIRED POST SPECIAL CONSULTANT LUIZ A. “LOU” MADEIRA

Lou Madeira
April 2012

POST PRESENTS AT STATEWIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT MUTUAL AID COORDINATOR’S MEETING

The California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) held a two-day Statewide Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Coordinator’s Meeting in April. The meeting focused on issues pertaining to law enforcement response to incidents of civil disobedience and public protest.

POST LAUNCHES SAFE DRIVING CAMPAIGN NEWS ALERT

POST launched the SAFE Driving Campaign News Alert in April. The News Alert is specific to the SAFE Driving Campaign and provides recipients with links to training materials, news articles, research studies, videos, and other information that further the goal of reducing law enforcement fatalities and career ending injuries resulting from vehicle collisions.

The SAFE Driving News Alert is for law enforcement executives, managers, supervisors, trainers, and line staff. The SAFE Driving News Alert has over 2,000 subscribers. Those not receiving the News Alert may subscribe at the POST Website.

NEW DID YOU KNOW: MARSY’S LAW, RELEASED

In an effort to remind peace officers of their responsibilities under Marsy’s Law, Learning Technology Resources Bureau has just released a new “Did You Know?” on the Learning Portal.

The “Did You Know’s?” are 60 – 90 second videos that deliver a strong training message in a quick and dynamic way.

View the Marsy’s Law “Did You Know?”.

POST PARTICIPATES WITH THE GREATER SACRAMENTO AREA TASK FORCE ON HATE CRIME

The Greater Sacramento Area Task Force on Hate Crime consists of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and community organizations dedicated to preventing and combating hate crimes. The Task Force meets three times a year and is sponsored by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California. It is comprised of over 40 agencies and organizations, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the region’s District Attorneys and law enforcement agencies, Sacramento Human Rights Fair Housing Commission, the NAACP, the Anti-Defamation League, California State University Sacramento, and other organizations.

THE 2012 POST INSTRUCTOR SYMPOSIUM

The 2012 POST Instructor Development Institute (IDI) Annual Training Symposium was held during April in San Diego. The Symposium was presented by the San Diego Regional Training Center and featured the theme entitled, “Training Without Limits.”

The Symposium was attended by approximately 420 instructors, 100 of whom are Institute of Criminal Investigation (ICI) instructors.

The Symposium featured multiple workshops on topics, such as Social Media, Effective Classroom Facilitation, Video Production, Apple for Law Enforcement Training, Speaking with Confidence and Clarity, Transforming the Way You Work, Managing Emotions in the Classroom, Civil Liability Update, Learning Activities for Law Enforcement, Crucial Conversations, and Instructional Technology.

NEW DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURSES ON THE POST LEARNING PORTAL

In April, POST launched two new courses on the Learning Portal: “Domestic Violence: It’s Your Call,” Volumes I and II.

Four hours of CPT credit are earned upon completion of Volume I and six hours of CPT credit are earned upon completion of Volume II. Each course meets the legislative mandate for biennial Domestic Violence Update Training (Penal Code section 13519).

LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMAND COLLEGE GRADUATES ITS 50TH CLASS

The Law Enforcement Command College graduated its 50th class in April, in San Diego bringing the number of Command College graduates to 1,028.

DIRECT ACCESS TO A NEWLY ACQUIRED DATABASE: CRIMINAL JUSTICE ABSTRACTS

The POST Library and Research Center announced the availability of direct access to a newly acquired database: Criminal Justice Abstracts. Over 200 sources are available in full text. To access the link, go to the Library Home Page, click on “Online Databases,” then “Ebscohost Research Databases. This excellent research tool is available to POST staff, students, and instructors of Command College and the Supervisory Leadership Institute. A link has been posted on these internal sites.

IN MEMORY OF RETIRED POST SENIOR CONSULTANT TOM SCHEIDECKER

Tom Scheidecker
May 2012

POST PRESENTS AT THE CALIFORNIA PEACE OFFICER ASSOCIATION’S (CPOA) ANNUAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

The annual CPOA Leadership Summit was held in May in Monterey. The theme was “Turning Challenges into Opportunities.” One of the general session offerings was titled, “The Occupy Movement: Navigating the Strategies, Tactics, and Politics.” This panel discussion addressed the Occupy events in Oakland, Los Angeles, and Sacramento and also examined the tactics, strategies, policy implications, and political ramifications of successfully managing such events.

POST staff participated on the panel and presented the recently published POST Guidelines on Crowd Management, Intervention and Control as well as “lessons learned” from reviews conducted in the development of the guidelines.


SAFE DRIVING “DID YOU KNOW? 10-97” VIDEO

The new “Did You Know? 10-97” video on vehicle speed is now available on the SAFE Driving Campaign webpage.

And don’t forget to view the “Did You Know? Choices” video on seatbelt safety. Released last October, this video was nominated for an “Emmy.” The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Pacific Southwest Chapter nominated the “Did You Know? Choices” in the category for Commercial-Single Spot, Series or Campaign. “Did You Know? Choices” is also available on the SAFE Driving Campaign webpage.

ORIENTATION CONDUCTED FOR THE SOLANO COUNTY SCHOOL-BASED PUBLIC SAFETY ACADEMY

POST staff observed an orientation session for students entering the newly developed Public Safety Academy (PSA) within the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District. The orientation, conducted in May at the Fairfield Police Department Training Center, familiarized students entering the program with the curriculum and conduct expected of them. Parents also attended.

The PSA program is an outgrowth of the school-based career pipeline concept facilitated by POST for agencies to “grow their own” peace officer candidates. Further detailed information regarding program content and operation may be found at the following website:http://sites.google.com/a/fsusd.org/psa/home.

LAW ENFORCEMENT RECORDS MANAGEMENT GUIDE UPDATE

Work began to revise the POST Law Enforcement Records Management Guide, Fourth Edition, which was last updated in 2000. A team of SMEs was assembled to assist in the revision process. Members of the California Law Enforcement Association of Records Supervisors (CLEARS) have been instrumental in past updates and actively participated in the current effort.

June 2012

SACRAMENTO SUPERIOR COURT RULES FOR POST

In October 2011, the Los Angeles Times made a California Public Records Act (CPRA) request in which the Times asked that POST release peace officer information pursuant to the ruling in California POST v. Superior Court (2007) 42 Cal.4th 278. POST agreed to release information required by what ultimately became a California Supreme Court decision. However, POST declined to generate “unique identifiers” – requested by the Times but not required by the court - for each officer. Also at issue was the continuing jurisdiction of the Sacramento Superior Court. The Times’ position was that the 2011 filing was a continuation of the original Superior Court decision and that the court that ruled in its favor in 2002 should retain jurisdiction in 2012. POST believed that Sacramento Superior Court no longer had jurisdiction over a matter that was settled in 2008.

On June 1, 2012, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Lloyd Connelly ruled that POST was not required to develop and provide unique identifiers for peace officers in the POST program and his court no longer retained jurisdiction in the matter.

NEW POST LEARNING PORTAL COURSE: “SEXUAL ASSAULT: THE PATROL RESPONSE”

“Sexual Assault: The Patrol Response” is the latest course offered on the Learning Portal.

Six (6) hours of CPT credit are earned upon completion of the course.

POST HOSTS WORKSHOP TO UPDATE THE TERRORISM LIAISON OFFICER (TLO) COURSES

In June, POST hosted a three-day workshop to update the basic and intermediate Terrorism Liaison Officer (TLO) courses.

Participants evaluated the curriculum, the design and delivery methodology of existing courses, and relevant training experience for those assigned to perform the duties of a Terrorism Liaison Officer.

CERTIFICATES PROGRAM UPDATE

POST’s Professional Certificate Program was created to foster education, training, and professionalism in law enforcement and to raise the level of competence of law enforcement officers.

Over 10,000 certificates were issued during Fiscal Year 2011-12. Other services provided by the Certificates Unit include fielding eligibility questions, archiving documents that are submitted for certificates, and replacing lost certificates.

PILOT SCHOOL-BASED PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM CONCEPTS REVIEWED AT JOINT MEETING OF POST AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

POST, in partnership with the California Department of Education, is establishing four pilot programs to form regional public safety career pipelines pursuant to Strategic Plan Objective B.8.08, “Study the feasibility of a model school-based program that can be replicated statewide.” The feasibility reports are due in March 2013.

POST CONDUCTS MEETING TO DEVELOP A CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION (CPE) REQUIREMENT FOR PEACE OFFICER SCREENING PSYCHOLOGISTS

At their February 2012 meeting, the Commission approved the creation of a continuing professional education (CPE) requirement for peace officer screening psychologists. The CPE requirement will be incorporated in Commission Regulation 1955 and will serve to implement Government Code section 1031(f), which stipulates that screening psychologists must meet “any applicable education and training procedures set forth by (POST) designed for the conduct of pre-employment screening of peace officers.”

In June, a meeting was held in Sacramento to draft POST CPE requirements. Meeting participants included recognized experts in public safety pre-employment psychological assessment and key members of the California Psychological Association. Specific course content criteria were created, as were administrative procedures for both psychologists and course presenters.

Based on the decisions reached and products created during this meeting, a draft requirement and associated procedures was created for review by a panel of subject matter experts. The subsequent iteration was distributed to a sample of peace officer screening psychologists throughout California for review and comment prior to submittal of the regulation to the Office of Administrative Law as part of the regulatory process.

LEARNING PORTAL REACHES RECORD CPT TOTALS

The Learning Portal continues to gain popularity with the field. The Portal was launched in December 2005. As of June 30, 2012, over 376,000 CPT training hours had been awarded.

This form of training is cost-effective for POST because the cost per awarded CPT hour ranges from $4.32 - $7.93 -- significantly less than other forms of training. These costs will continue to drop as more courses are completed and CPT hours are awarded.

July 2012

POST GRAPHIC ARTIST RECOGNIZED BY CHP

CHP PaintingOn July 13, POST Graphic Artist Designer III Alan Pell (center) presented California Highway Patrol Commissioner Joe Farrow (far left) and CHP Academy Commander (Captain) Mitchell Mueller (far right) a painting of a CHP motor officer next to his patrol motorcycle. Alan’s work was initially recognized by Captain Mueller at the June Commission meeting, where the painting was publicly displayed before the Commissioners.

At the conclusion of the Commission meeting, Captain Mueller, a member of the POST Advisory Committee, approached Alan with the idea of putting the painting on display at the CHP Academy.

The painting is based on a photograph taken by Alan in 2009 at the CHP Academy in West Sacramento. It is a mirror image of a photograph taken 50 years earlier that depicted a motor officer in the same pose with his machine. Both photographs were juxtaposed in a commemorative book produced by POST staff to celebrate POST’s 50th anniversary. In developing the painting, Alan combined computerized brushes that replicate the effect of real brush strokes, with traditional hand painting using acrylics. The project was conceived by Alan and was completed in his studio. The painting is now on loan to the CHP and can be seen in the lobby of the CHP Academy.

About the artist: Alan Pell came to work at POST in 2005. He has over 30 years' experience as a graphic artist, painter, and photographer. Along with his design duties, Alan is often the official photographer at POST Commission meetings and award ceremonies, and is assigned to the Graphics Unit at POST, along with Nancy Lewis, another talented graphic artist. It was Nancy who conceived of the initial use of the old and new CHP photos. These two creative people are responsible for giving POST publications a truly professional look.

POST CASE LAW TODAY VIDEO TRAINING SERIES REDESIGNED, EXCLUSIVELY ON LEARNING PORTAL

For more than 20 years, POST has successfully used video-based training to keep California’s law enforcement officers updated on changes in statutory law and case decisions via its monthly Case Law Today legal update series. Initially offered through satellite broadcasts, and later on VHS and DVD video formats, in June this series was fully redesigned into an online streaming video format and is offered exclusively on the POST Learning Portal.

The convenient access and upgrades are expected to increase the popularity of this program and will add greater value to this well-established POST training resource.

TWO NEW TRAINING VIDEOS RELEASED TO THE FIELD

The Social Media for Law Enforcement and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury training videos were released to the field. These two videos are the first produced in the new format that provides easy, step-by-step facilitation support making them more interactive and simple to complete for Continuous Professional Training (CPT) hours. This format accommodates group facilitation or independent viewing.

POST UPDATES THE PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT GUIDE

POST began updating the POST Property and Evidence Management Guide, which was last revised in 2005. The guide, which can be found on the POST Website, is a reference for law enforcement agencies, and discusses best practices relating to property and evidence functions. The material contained in the guide covers property and evidence organizational considerations, documentation, storage facilities, handling procedures, audits and inventories, and disposition and purging.

August 2012

ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES SYMPOSIUM

The 2012 Environmental Crimes Symposium, jointly sponsored by POST and Cal EPA, was held during November in Sacramento. The theme of the symposium was “Collaboration, Partnership, and Integration in Environmental Crimes Enforcement.”

The audience for this event was leadership from state and local law enforcement and environmental regulatory agencies. Symposium presentations were geared to assist chief executives, directors, and managers by providing the current information for those who set policy, establish priorities, and develop agency procedures.

ANNUAL RESERVE PEACE OFFICERS CONFERENCE

During August, the California Reserve Peace Officers Association (CRPOA) held its annual training conference in San Diego. Approximately 400 reserve officers and coordinators from throughout the state were in attendance. The training consisted of 18 different classes covering a variety of subjects. Officers attending the conference were able to receive up to 24 hours of training to meet the Continuing Professional Training requirement.

POST PRESENTS AT THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING CONFERENCE

The Southern California Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) Conference took place in August, in Santa Ana. During the conference, staff briefed the assembly on recent updates to Regular Basic Course Learning Domain 37, People with Disabilities. The presentation included an overview of course content, including disability laws, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, and mental illness.

POST WINS IACP/SPRINT EXCELLENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT RESEARCH AWARD

The Awards Review Subcommittee of the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) selected the winning program for the 2012 IACP/Sprint Excellence in Law Enforcement Research Award. The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training was selected as the Gold Award winner for its SAFE Driving Research Program.

September 2012

GOVERNOR BROWN SIGNS ASSEMBLY BILL 2285

During September, Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 2285 Peace Officer Trainee Cheating bill into law. This bill was sponsored by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), and authored by Assembly Member Mike Eng.

Assembly Bill (AB) 2285 creates a zero-tolerance for cheating on examinations administered by any of the POST-certified academies, and holds culpable parties accountable with the assessment of a civil fine up to $1,000.

With the passage of AB 2285, POST became the first state in the nation to legislatively sanction acts of academic dishonesty in peace officer training academies.

October 2012

POST CONDUCTS FIRST SAFE DRIVING SYMPOSIUM

The first SAFE Driving Symposium was held in San Diego during October, with approximately 250 in attendance. The event was successful and the attendees left with new enthusiasm and resources to reduce the incidence of peace officers being killed or experiencing career ending injuries as a result of traffic collisions.

UPCOMING REVISIONS TO POST PSYCHOLOGICAL SCREENING REQUIREMENTS THE FOCUS OF TWO PRESENTATIONS AT THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE

The upcoming revisions to POST peace officer psychological evaluation requirements (Commission Regulation 1955) was the subject of two presentations by Supervising Personnel Selection Consultant Shelley Weiss Spilberg, Ph.D., during the 2012 annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) held in San Diego. The first presentation was made before the annual Johnson, Roberts and Associates pre-conference workshop which was attended by over 40 psychologists from across the country. The second presentation was before the IACP’s Police Psychological Services Section.

TRAINING COURSE FOR ACADEMY DIRECTORS AND COORDINATORS

Commission Regulation 1052 requires that each academy shall designate a director and a coordinator to oversee basic training. This regulation also specifies that each academy shall be supervised at all times by an academy director or coordinator when instruction is being conducted. This requirement includes each Modular Format presenter that is not an academy that must also designate a coordinator for the same purpose.

Each director and coordinator must complete the Academy Director/Coordinator Course within one year from the date of their appointment. This is a four-day class conducted by the Basic Training Bureau (BTB) with the assistance of experienced academy directors and coordinators. Due to the high turnover of personnel in these positions, Basic Training Bureau presents the class at least three times a year for up to 25 students each.


IN MEMORY OF POST RETIRED SPECIAL CONSULTANT KENNETH L. WHITMAN

Ken Whitman
November 2012

NEW “DID YOU KNOW?” HIGHLIGHTS THE ISSUE OF FATIGUE

The newest “Did You Know?” highlights the effects fatigue has on driver safety. Identified as one of the five factors that cause career-ending and fatal collisions for law enforcement officers, “Fatigue” addresses this subject in an entertaining and humorous manner.

The “Did You Know’s?” are 60 – 90 second video spots that deliver a strong training message in a quick and dynamic way. To view these videos’ on “Fatigue”, “10-97”, and “Choices” visit the SAFE Driving Videos webpage.

CANINE GUIDELINES UPDATE COMMITTEE MEETS

The Law Enforcement Canine Guidelines Update Committee formed late last year held its second meeting during November, in San Diego. More than 25 stakeholders participated representing a variety of canine associations and law enforcement agencies throughout California. After postponing the project to reevaluate needs and address staffing, the committee reconvened to complete the collaborative portion of the update process. This included a final review of the 1995 guidelines, attaining consensus on terminology, and revisions to the Canine Team Evaluator Course outline.

NEW “DISPATCH CENTER” ON LEARNING PORTAL

The Learning Technology Resources Bureau (LTRB) launched a new area for dispatchers within the Learning Portal called the Dispatch Center. The intent of the Center is to provide California Law Enforcement Dispatchers an opportunity to build a community with other dispatchers and offer support and help to others in addressing their needs.

During the development of this project, LTRB worked closely with the Public Safety Dispatcher Advisory Council (PSDAC) and others to create an area where dispatchers from across the State can:

  • Network with other California dispatchers;
  • View a calendar of events, training classes, and meetings;
  • Discuss a variety of current dispatch topics with their peers;
  • Share files such as relevant articles, training tips, and policies or procedures;
  • Comment on and rate the shared files;
  • Learn about dispatchers who have been honored by the field;
  • Take instant dispatch-related polls; and
  • Link to external dispatch and law enforcement-related websites.

Dispatchers are encouraged to login to the Learning Portal to explore, share, and discuss topics in the Dispatch Center. 

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The Administrative Progress Report is a monthly status report that informs POST Commissioners and the California law enforcement community of recent progress on POST projects and instructional programs under development, and other information of importance to our mission to continually enhance the professionalism of California law enforcement.

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