POST Monthly Report

August 2011

2012 POST INSTRUCTOR SYMPOSIUM

In August, the Instructor Symposium Committee members convened to review successes and areas for improvement following the April 2011 Symposium. Attendee evaluations from this event were generally positive and the training was regarded as highly successful. The group presented many new ideas and suggestions for training, and will begin work on recruiting trainers and new opportunities in preparation for next year.

The Instructor Symposium provides an opportunity for instructors to receive state-of-the-art training and satisfy the academy instructor and continuing professional training requirements. This Symposium typically reaches full attendance capacity.

The 2012 POST Instructor Training Symposium will be held April 10-13 at the Marriott Hotel in San Diego. This annual symposium is presented by the San Diego Regional Training Center. The 2012 theme is “Training Without Limits.”

Questions about the Instructor Symposium or the IDI Program may be directed to Senior Consultant Anne Brewer, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4895.


POST AD HOC BASIC COURSE TEST TASK FORCE

The Basic Course Test Task Force, an ad hoc committee to address testing issues affecting basic course presenters, met in August. The task force finalized revisions to: (1) the POST Test Administration and Security Guidelines document; (2) the Code of Conduct Contract for staff, instructors, trainees and students documents; and (3) the POST Administrative Manual, Section D-1. The revised documents will be presented to the Basic Course Consortium in September, and to the Commission in October. Proposed amendments to Business and Professions Code §123 will be submitted to the Commission’s Legislative Review Committee later in the year.

Questions about this task force may be directed to Personnel Selection Consultant Supervisor Diane Hrepich, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4831.


POST REVISES THE 40-HOUR FIELD TRAINING OFFICER COURSE

Staff from the Basic Training Bureau met with subject matter resources in April and August to review and recommend revisions to the 40-hour Field Training Officer (FTO) Course, which is required for initial certification of FTOs. The group reviewed course instruction and added language in each topical area that identifies ethical issues related to the respective subjects. A major change to the course is the addition of a new block on driving practices. This change is similar to the addition of two hours of instruction on safe driving practices that has been inserted in the 24-hour FTO Update Course.

For the 40-hour FTO Course, a four-hour block tentatively titled “Addressing Driving Issues/Driver Safety,” was added that focuses on how an FTO should instruct and exemplify safe and proper driving practices to a trainee. The block discusses Situation-Appropriate, Focused, and Educated (SAFE) driving, and stresses the need for ongoing driver training and modeling appropriate driving behavior, while adhering to the law and department policies. Additionally, five new case studies related to fictional trainees were created for the new driving block, and the case studies in the other blocks were updated. The course remains at 40 hours, since the time allotted for the new block of instruction was created by adjusting time and modifying other blocks.

Questions about this project may be directed to Senior Consultant Don Shingara, Basic Training Bureau, at (916) 227-3935.


REPORT WRITING PROJECT UPDATE

The development of two new grading processes, a point deduction and a rubric matrix system, has been completed for use in the Report Writing, Learning Domain 18, in the Basic Course. A grading form, compatible with both systems, has also been completed. To date, two train-the-trainer classes have been conducted to expose instructors to teaching the new processes. Draft versions of the grading systems and form will soon be placed on the POST Website for statewide use. Evaluation of existing and development of new report writing video scenarios are underway.

Questions about the Learning Domain 18 Report Writing Project may be directed to Bureau Chief Bob Stresak, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4832.


MONROVIA POLICE CHIEF TO IMPLEMENT NEW TECHNOLOGY CREATED IN COMMAND COLLEGE

Photo by Sarah ReingewirtzThe Whittier Daily News featured in its August 12, 2011, edition a story (by staff writer Brenda Gazzar and photo by Sarah Reingewirtz) on Monrovia Police Chief Jim Hunt’s intended introduction of video conferencing crime reporting (written in the Daily News as conceived “while enrolled at the 18-month California Law Enforcement Command College, which is taught by top educators and business leaders from around the country.”). Chief Hunt was quoted as expressing that "The key mission right now is to try to maintain that high level of service we've provided in Monrovia and our community policing focus through this recession--with less resources and less funds." As stated in the article, “Not only does he need to keep the ‘All-America’ city safe, he has to do it with a limited budget and eight fewer budgeted police officers.”

Chief Hunt created the video conferencing idea while a member of Command College Class 46, which graduated in May 2010. The concept is now a part of the department's strategic plan. Video conferencing will allow crimes, for which there is no lead or little or no evidence, to be reported without requiring dispatch of field units. In addition to enabling “cold” reports to be efficiently taken, video conferencing provides for a degree of personal interaction not afforded by conventional online reporting systems.

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


RETROACTIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010-11

In September 2008, POST imposed several cost-cutting measures related to Training Reimbursement Requests due to budget-related factors. While some of those reductions were reinstated on July 2010, the high-cost lodging allowance remained suspended and mileage reimbursement remained at the $.26 per mile rate as it has been for many years.

In Fiscal Year 2010-11, POST was fully funded. Therefore, in August 2011, POST was able to retroactively increase reimbursement for subsistence in certain designated high-cost counties (see Bulletin 2011-09 (pdf) for details). Also, for Training Reimbursement Requests (TRRs) submitted from July 1, 2010 through December 2010, mileage was increased from $.26 cents to $.50 per mile. TRRs submitted from January 2011 through June 2011, were paid at the rate of $.51 per mile. The retroactive payment checks were mailed to agencies in the POST Program in August 2011 totaling $1,787,015. These rates will remain in effect for Fiscal Year 2011-12 and into the future.

Questions about the retroactive subsistence/mileage increases may be directed to Reimbursement Analyst Debbie Elayan, Administrative Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3933.


LEADERSHIP TRAINING REMAINS STRONG

The Center for Leadership Development Bureau experienced impressive numbers of individuals completing its training courses during Fiscal Year 2010-2011. Despite resource challenges, law enforcement agencies continue to accord “must-have” status to leadership training. One thousand and fifty-five newly appointed first-line supervisors completed the 80-hour Supervisory Course, and 536 newly appointed middle-managers completed the 104-hour Management Course. While an optional course for those occupying or seeking executive-level positions, the 80-hour Executive Development Course experienced maximum enrollment figures for all sessions, and graduated 144 individuals. The 192-hour Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute graduated 391 experienced sergeants, and the 240-hour Law Enforcement Command College saw 45 managers graduate.

Questions about the leadership training programs offered through the Center for Leadership Development Bureau may be directed to Office Technician Nani Vang, Center for Leadership Development Bureau, at (916) 227-2821.


QUALITY ASSESSMENT PROJECT UPDATE

POST Strategic Plan Objective B.15.08 directs staff to develop methods to effectively assess the quality of training courses and instructors. Beginning in January 2011, POST staff and subject matter resources met to identify course and instructor performance dimensions and observable behaviors, and used the results to develop evaluation forms and a scoring methodology. Pilot testing of the new evaluation rubrics began in August and will continue for the next several months. Courses utilized for the pilot tests were randomly selected from the POST Course Catalog. The training presenters were contacted in advance and have agreed to allow POST evaluators to test the new forms in their courses. Results from the pilot tests will be used to validate the evaluation forms and scoring methodology.

A preliminary meeting of POST staff and subject matter resources was convened in August to discuss potential Web applications for the new evaluation forms. Suggestions included mobile phone applications which could be made available for students, expanded reporting and analysis capability, and incentivizing student evaluations of courses. Evaluator training sessions for use of the new Course and Instructor Evaluation forms are planned for September and October.

Questions about the Quality Assessment project may be directed to Senior Consultant Tami Evans, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-0473.


ANNUAL RESERVE PEACE OFFICERS CONFERENCE

The California Reserve Peace Officers Association (CRPOA) held its annual training conference in San Jose during August, 2011. Approximately 325 reserve officers and coordinators from throughout the state were in attendance. The training consisted of 20 different classes covering a variety of subjects. Officers attending the conference could receive up to 24 hours of training to meet the Continuing Professional Training requirement. As part of the conference, Bureau Chief Frank Decker and Senior Consultants Stephanie Scofield and Robert Ziglar presented an eight-hour introductory class for new reserve coordinators and two four-hour update classes for experienced coordinators to approximately 90 attendees. The subjects covered included: reserve levels, peace officer selection, entry level and in-service training requirements, requalification, course presentation, recruitment, and compliance reviews.

CRPOA plans to hold the next training conference in San Diego on August 22-25, 2012. Information on the conference is available at www.crpoa.org.

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


POST BEGINS CANINE GUIDELINES UPDATE

POST has received significant inquiries and feedback from the law enforcement canine community with regard to the expansion of canine service functions and varying perspectives about canine deployment. As a result, after more than a decade since the last update, staff is assembling subject matter resources (SMRs) to revisit the Canine Guidelines.

In an effort to involve a broad cross-section of canine stakeholders, staff has developed a Canine Guidelines Update Participation Request survey to solicit interested parties who would be willing to serve as SMRs on the update committee. The survey describes the anticipated work of the committee, lays out expectations for participants, and provides respondents an opportunity to highlight relevant information that would support their selection to the committee. The survey is available online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Canines and should be completed by anyone interested in participating. Staff anticipates identifying participants in September and holding the first committee meeting in late October or early November.

In addition to participation on the Canine Guidelines Update Committee, staff seeks input from stakeholders who have suggestions for the Canine Guidelines update. To facilitate receiving input from stakeholders, staff has developed a “virtual suggestion box” that is available online at http://isuggest.com/2389352. The virtual suggestion box provides a simple way for interested persons to quickly and easily provide input directly with as much or as little information as is convenient (anonymous suggestions are accepted). There is simply a textbox and a submit button (which only needs to be clicked once). The information is immediately available to POST staff.

Questions about the Canine Guidelines update may be directed to Senior Consultant Bryon G. Gustafson, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-2510.


LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - STATUS OF CURRENT LEGISLATION

The following are bills in Legislative Session 2011/12 on which the Commission has taken, or will consider taking, a position.

Bill # and Author Title, Summary, and Commission Position

Status of Bill

SB 428
(Strickland)
Public Safety Omnibus Bill. This bill, in part, would make non-substantive changes to Section 13540 of the Penal Code.

Commission Position: Support.

Pass Assembly.
To Senate for concurrence
8/22/11
AB 308
(Ammiano)
Criminal investigations: eyewitness identification: lineups. This bill, as amended, would require the DOJ, in consultation with POST and other specified entities, to develop guidelines for policies and procedures relating to eyewitness lineup identifications.

Commission Position: Neutral.

Held in Senate Appropriations Committee
8/25/11
AB 770
(Torres)
Emergency telephone systems.This bill, in part, would add one representative from the Commission on POST to the State 911 Advisory Board. The bill would also require the review and update of technical and operational standards for public agency systems to include standards for recruitment and training of public safety dispatchers.

Commission Position: Support.

Held in Senate Appropriations Committee
8/25/11

Questions about the Legislative Updates may be directed to Legislative Liaison Karen Lozito, Executive Office, at (916) 227-2085.

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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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