POST Excellence in Training Award

Award Winners - View all Excellence in Training Award Recipients

About the Award

The POST Excellence in Training Award annually recognizes truly outstanding law enforcement trainers. Previously known as the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Peace Officer Training, the awards for training excellence began in 1994.

The POST Excellence in Training Award recognizes individuals and organizations for outstanding achievements and contributions to law enforcement training. The award encourages and fosters innovation, quality, and effectiveness. The award is given in three categories: Individual Achievement, Organizational Achievement, and Lifetime Achievement. The awards are presented by the Commission at a special ceremony in June. Runners-up receive honorary certificates of recognition.

Review Process

The nominations for the three categories of the award are reviewed each year by the POST Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee includes representatives with broad-based interests in the law enforcement profession. The nominations are evaluated using specific criteria for the three awards. The Committee deliberates and makes its recommendations to the Commission. The Commission makes the final award selections.

Categories

This page describes the evaluation criteria used by the panel to select each winner in the three award categories.

Individual Achievement

The award for Individual Achievement is given for remarkable effort or accomplishment resulting in a singularly significant or extraordinary contribution to public law enforcement training.

The individual's contribution must involve innovation, a demonstrably effective project, task, or assignment that has significantly impacted or benefited law enforcement training at the organizational, local or state level. Outstanding contributions may include, but are not limited to, innovative approaches in the preparation, presentation, application, implementation, evaluation, planning and/or management of law enforcement training programs.

Organizational Achievement

This award category recognizes the achievements and contributions made by an organization dedicated to law enforcement training. The award is one wherein training responsibilities and initiatives must have resulted in substantial contributions to public law enforcement and reflect a high degree of training effectiveness and service. The contribution must be documented and describe one or more projects or programs that are primarily training in nature rather than an operational activity.

Outstanding contributions may include, but are not limited to, innovative approaches in the analysis, design, development, implementation, evaluation, or delivery of law enforcement training programs. The criteria may include both quantum and long-term improvements or successes.

Lifetime Achievement

The Lifetime Achievement is presented to individuals who have contributed to public law enforcement training over a substantial period of the individual's career. During this time, individuals must have achieved a remarkable record of demonstrable results, including quality, substance, and innovative impact. He or she must have consistently maintained highly creative and effective effort, displayed exemplary service, and exhibited strong leadership skills. The individual must also enjoy a reputation as an innovator and leader among peers and within the local, state, and regional levels.

Eligibility

This section lists the qualifications and supporting documents required for the award nominations.

Qualifications

To be eligible for an award, individuals or organizations must have shown demonstrated skills, innovative approaches, commitment, energy and intelligence devoted to law enforcement training based on the criteria for each award category. The nominee's contribution will have shown a clear impact on the advancement of California law enforcement training at an extraordinary level.

Nominated individuals may include, but are not limited to, those who are currently or have been law enforcement trainers, law enforcement personnel, private trainers, or educators. Nominees for Lifetime Achievement must have been active in law enforcement training for a minimum of 15 years.

Nominated organizations may include law enforcement agencies, colleges or universities, private presenters or developers, or non-profit foundations engaged in the training of peace officers.

Supporting Documents

The noted accomplishments must be documented and include information about financial, operational, and/or related benefits realized by California law enforcement as a direct result of the nominee's contribution or service. The achievement(s) must have occurred in any year(s) prior to the award year for which the individual or organization is being nominated.

Nomination Application Process

The nomination period for the 2024 POST Excellence in Training Awards is now open. (see below instructions for making a nomination). All nominations must be postmarked by Tuesday, December 31, 2024. POST will return nominations postmarked after this date to the nominator.

The 2024 award recipients will be announced at the March 5, 2025 POST Commission Meeting. The winners will be honored at a special ceremony at the POST Commission Meeting on June 4, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.

Questions regarding the POST Excellence in Training Awards may be directed to Assistant Executive Director Jim Grottkau.

Instructions for Making a Nomination

Below are instructions for submitting a nominee(s) for the POST Excellence in Training Award:

  1. Review the "Categories", "Eligibility", and "Award Criteria" tabs to ensure that your nominee meets all qualifications and requirements. All nominations will be reviewed by the Awards Panel.
  2. All nominations must be submitted on the Nomination for POST Excellence in Training Award Form (docx).
  3. After completing the form, a printed copy must be signed by the department head/CEO or designee of the nominating organization and then mailed to POST. (Nominations submitted in any other format will be returned without consideration.)
  4. The narrative justification of 1,000 words or less (excluding supporting documentation) in Section 3 must be completed to be considered for an award.
  5. Supporting documents must be listed in Section 4 with a brief description and be included with the application. (Supporting documents will not be returned.)
  6. Applications submitted without the narrative, supporting documents, or appropriate signature will be returned without consideration.
  7. Use the Checklist as a guide to ensure a complete application has been submitted.
  8. Applications must be postmarked no later than December 31, 2024. Any application postmarked after this date will not be considered.
  9. Applications submitted in previous years must be properly resubmitted to be eligible for the current year's award.
  10. Note: Any returned applications may be resubmitted with appropriate corrections prior to the deadline.
  11. Please do not submit applications in a bound format.
  12. Send completed applications to:

Excellence in Training Screening Committee
c/o California POST
860 Stillwater Road, Suite 100
West Sacramento, CA 95605-1630

Or email completed applications to : trainingawards@post.ca.gov

Nomination Checklist

Based on the nomination category, use this checklist to make sure that you have properly completed the application form and addressed the specific factors required for award consideration. Refer to Eligibility and Award Categories for complete qualification details.

Once the final candidates have been selected, the POST Advisory Committee will make award recommendations to the POST Commission. The Commission will make the final award decisions.

The specific checklist for each category is listed below:

  • Individual Achievement:
    • Identify specific accomplishment(s) representing significant or extraordinary contribution(s) to law enforcement training.
    • Identify specific innovation(s) in training methods, programs, approaches, technology, etc.
    • Describe the impact the achievement(s) have had on law enforcement training.
  • Organizational Achievement:
    • Identify the specific training project or program for which the organization is being nominated.
    • Demonstrate that the project or program primarily addresses training rather than operations, and show a substantial contribution to law enforcement training.
  • Lifetime Achievement:
    • Include the number of years the nominee has contributed to law enforcement training (minimum 15 years with supporting documents).
    • Describe the nominee's reputation, including aspects as an innovator and leader at the local, regional, and/or state levels.
    • Identify specific accomplishment(s) representing significant or extraordinary contribution(s) to law enforcement training.

Final Check For All Categories

The nomination identifies specifics about the achievement(s), contribution(s), and impact(s) rather than generalities.

The narrative justification clearly addresses factors of innovation, impact, and reputation/recognition, and is less than 1,000 words.

The Individual and Lifetime Achievement applications are not for oneself.

The application form (docx) is appropriately signed and all supporting documents are included before submitting to POST.

Award Criteria

Nominees are evaluated based on this specific criteria by the panel to select each winner.

Innovation

Nominees will be evaluated on the use of unique and innovative approaches in the design, development, implementation, and presentation of training programs, leading to improved quality or delivery of law enforcement practices. Innovation also includes new or creative approaches to program delivery, or the introduction of new technology or creative uses for existing technology that lead to improved quality or delivery of law enforcement training.

Impact

The nomination should fully describe the effectiveness of the achievement(s) on law enforcement training. Are improvement(s) resulting from the accomplishment(s) limited to the immediate organization, or do they impact or have the potential to impact other law enforcement organizations at the local, regional, or state levels? The nomination should include any quality, cost effectiveness, operational, or other related improvement(s) derived or projected as the result of the nominee's accomplishment(s).

The nomination for Lifetime Achievement should focus on the same points but should be discussed in terms of accomplishments throughout the nominee's career in law enforcement training. The number of years (minimum 15) that the nominee has been in law enforcement training must be documented.

Reputation / Recognition

Nominations will be evaluated based on the reputation and recognition of the nominated individual or organization. The nomination should emphasize how "sought out for advice" the nominee is by his or her peers. It should also identify the nominee's reputation as a leader and innovator within law enforcement training and any official recognition made by the individual's organization or peers.