POST STAFF RECEIVES THE “2011 9-1-1 HONORS” AWARD

Special Law Enforcement Consultant Lou Madeira, POST's designated liaison to the state's public safety communications community, was one of 90 individuals in the nation to be nominated for the “2011 9-1-1 Honors Award” presented by the E9-1-1 Institute in Washington, DC.

The E9-1-1 Institute is a Congressional Member Organization of the 112th Congress and is comprised of professional organizations dedicated to NextGen 9-1-1 emergency services support and professional and public education initiatives regarding 9-1-1 services. Members include organizations such as the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials - International (APCO).

A number law enforcement organizations in California from Ventura to Chico joined in nominating Lou in the 9-1-1 Governmental Leader category based on his efforts in support of updating public safety dispatcher (PSD) job analysis information, developing basic and in-service dispatcher training courses, creation of a dispatcher-focused instructor development program, initiation of voluntary Communications Training Officer (CTO) program standards, and formulation and management of a statewide Public Safety Dispatcher Advisory Council.

Questions about the “2011 9-1-1 Honors” award may be directed to Bureau Chief Bob Stresak, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4832.

POST BEGINS DEVELOPMENT OF QUALITY ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS AND METHODS

POST’s Strategic Plan calls for development of methods to effectively assess course quality and instructor performance. POST strives to ensure that all California law enforcement agencies have access to high-quality, cost-effective training for the development of the skills, knowledge, ethics, and attitudes necessary for achieving and maintaining professional excellence.

The POST Quality Assessment project began in January 2011 with a review of current and former efforts to evaluate course quality and instructor performance. A recap of the past two focus group meetings and the selection of committee members were also reviewed. In March 2011, the Quality Assessment workgroup was formed and is comprised of a diverse group of representatives from law enforcement agencies, training presenters, and stakeholder organizations, along with POST staff from Basic Training, Standards and Evaluation, Center for Leadership Development, and Training Delivery and Compliance Services bureaus. Participants include Master Instructor Development Program/Master Instructor Certification Course students and presenters, as well as others who have expertise and experience in adult learning methods and education.

The workgroup held the first meeting in March in San Diego. The goal of this meeting was to identify instructor core competencies and establish measurable behaviors. The group reviewed focus group meeting results, discussed factors necessary for course presentations, and proposed potential evaluation applications for future discussion and development.

The Quality Assessment workgroup will meet over the next several months to formulate evaluation instruments and methodologies, conduct pilot tests of the evaluation processes, and perform data analyses for discussion and possible revisions.

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

PRE-OFFER PERSONALITY TESTING - AGENCY USE SURVEY

In October 2010, POST published the Pre-Offer Personality Testing in the Selection of Entry-Level California Peace Officers: Resource Guide to provide the information necessary to weigh the costs and benefits of adding a personality test to the pre-offer phase of the hiring process. In conjunction with the Resource Guide, POST also made available the Pre-Offer Personality Test Information database, an online database of test publisher information on individual personality tests.

As a follow up, POST is conducting a brief survey to determine if agencies are using or considering pre-offer personality testing as part of the selection process. Agencies are encouraged to complete the survey, which is located at: http://www.post.ca.gov/pre-offer-personality-survey.

Questions about the pre-offer personality testing survey may be directed to Senior Personnel Selection Consultant Shelley Spilberg, Ph.D., Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4824; or Selection Standards Program Analyst Melani Singley, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4258.

SAFE DRIVING CAMPAIGN STAKEHOLDERS MEET

A joint meeting of Situation-Appropriate, Focused, and Educated (SAFE) Driving Campaign stakeholders, the Advisory Board, Research Team, and Vehicle Operations and Training Advisory Council (VOTAC), was held in March in San Diego. Approximately 50 individuals from throughout California and the United States met to discuss various aspects of the SAFE Driving Campaign. During this meeting:

• The Research Team updated participants on the status of each research project currently in progress. These included: 1) Peace Officer Vehicle Operations: A comparative study that currently includes 13 California agencies; 2) Epidemiologic research on traffic safety among California law enforcement officers, and 3) Impact of work-related fatigue on driving performance held at the Washington State University Sleep and Performance Research Center.

• Several research projects currently under review by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for grant funding were presented. These included the expansion of several components associated with the above projects as well as an Advanced Collision Warning System study designed to reduce fatalities and injuries resulting from collisions occurring when officers are outside of their vehicles.

• The Advisory Board and VOTAC discussed campaign strategies and local efforts. Both groups emphasized the important role of field training officers and the agency’s chief executive in supporting change in attitudes and culture related to driving. Expanded use of technology and social media to deliver and reinforce the SAFE driving message was seen as a critical next step.

• A representative of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department made a presentation on an innovative use of their Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system as part of their “Drive Like Your Life Depends on It” program, designed to reduce officer involved vehicle collisions.

The next SAFE Driving Campaign meeting will be held in September 2011.

Questions about the SAFE Driving Campaign may be directed to Senior Consultant Robert “R.C.” Smith, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3902.

FUTURE VISION TEAM MEMBERS ATTEND COMMAND COLLEGE PRESENTATIONS

Members of the POST Future Vision Team attended student presentations of Command College Class 49. Class 49 dedicated a day of its week-long session in March to presentation of five scenarios describing POST and its clients projected to the year 2030. The five scenarios addressed the future in the context of emergent themes within society, technology, the environment, the economy, and politics.

Applications of technology included: 1) secure web-based reporting of crime accessible to citizens via kiosks at agency stations (only in-progress crimes would warrant response by patrol units); 2) holographic projections delivered by a single instructor to students at numerous training locations simultaneously, eliminating the necessity to travel to training; and 3) ”black box” data retrieval systems worn by officers that would cue needs for training and any behavioral changes.

While the technological trends were generally positive, the economic trends were in the opposite direction; although, technology’s positive influence through online delivery of training did provide for cost savings. Principal economic concerns forecasted included: 1) decriminalization of certain activities, resulting in fewer arrests and lower fines accruing to POST’s funding source; 2) stringent environmental legislation adding to the burden on businesses, causing many to leave the State resulting in further erosion of the tax base; and 3) Medicaid spending crowding expenditures for other purposes, and necessitating elimination of non-essential government services—potentially including POST.

Interestingly, the Future Vision Team’s independent scanning efforts have revealed principal trends (e.g., increasing acceptance of an array of technology platforms and diminishing government resources) paralleling closely those identified by the Command College class. The information gleaned from the Command College presentations has been considered in the Future Vision Team’s preparation of a preferred future framework document, which will be reviewed during April by the POST Leadership Team.

Questions about the Future Vision Team and its progress to date may be directed to Bureau Chief Mike Hooper, Center for Leadership Development Bureau, at (916) 227-4805. Questions about the Command College may be directed to Senior Consultant Mike Davies, Center for Leadership Development Bureau, at (916) 227-4892.

LEARNING TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES ADVISORY COUNCIL UPDATES

The Advisory Council to the Learning Technology Resources Bureau (LTRAC) met in Sacramento in March to discuss various issues and practices. The highlights of this meeting are:

• Non-Peace Officer Access to the Learning Portal – this will allow training personnel to assign designated Learning Portal courses to non-sworn personnel.

• First Aid (FA)/CPR Course - there is now a policy specifying the time allowed between the completion of the online portion and the skills portion of the FA/CPR course. After students complete the online portion of the course, they will have up to 90 days to complete the skills portion.

• New Training Video Design – the council made suggestions for the redesign of the training videos making them more conducive for use in shorter segments over a period of time. Desired features include scenarios to promote discussion and facilitator support materials.

• Learning Portal Redesign- the council provided guidance for the upcoming redesign of the Portal’s interface including easier access to assigned courses, course completion reports for training managers, and user ratings of non-POST-developed resources.

• Gaming Research – council members experienced a few gaming engines that staff has been researching for their applicability to training law enforcement.

Questions or comments about the Learning Portal may be directed to Supervisor Jan Myyra, Learning Technology Resources Bureau, at (916) 227-4550. Questions or comments about the POST Video Training Program may be directed to Special Consultant Vicki Dellone, Learning Technology Resources Bureau.

BI-ANNUAL SIMULATOR TRAINING PRESENTER SEMINAR HELD

The presenters of Law Enforcement Driving Simulators (LEDS) and Force Option Simulators (FOS) at the twenty-one Regional Skills Training Centers (RSTC’s) throughout the state met in March in San Diego for the bi-annual meeting. The seminar consisted of open discussion on training issues, curricula updates, and technical issues encountered when using advanced simulator technology.

The importance of simulation training lies in the ability to present the trainee with high stress/high threat situations in a safe and controlled environment, and at a much more reasonable cost than “live” situation training.

The core of this meeting was an open dialog with executives from FAAC, Inc., the manufacturer of the newly install LEDS, with the presenters and ways to improve the performance of this technology. Discussion included technical issues for operating the LEDS as well as current and future software updates that will ensure the highest level of law enforcement training into the future.

Questions about the simulator training may be directed to Senior Consultant Cliff Peppers, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4887.

POST NEW LIBRARY CATALOG

The POST Library is pleased to announce the new library catalog, along with a re-designed library section of the POST Website. This giant step in service means that all materials (e.g., Command College, Master Instructor materials, books, journals, articles, etc.) are integrated into one database and can be searched together. A search can be limited (using “drop-downs”) to a specific collection, format, media type (like electronic files), and date.

On the left navigation bar users can look for links to additional research sites. “New Books” is a continuous listing of titles as they are added to the catalog.

The POST Library is continuously innovating to solve the information needs of California’s law enforcement community.

Questions about the new library catalog may be directed to Supervising Librarian Laurel Espell, Administrative Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3204.

INSTRUCTOR STANDARDS ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN SAN DIEGO

The Instructor Standards Advisory Council (ISAC) meeting was held in San Diego in March. Updates were provided for the current and projected instructor development courses from Napa Valley College for Levels I and II and by the San Diego Regional Training Center on Levels III and IV. Additionally, a report was presented on a newly developed and successful Critical Thinking Course presented by a Master Instructor course student.

Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau staff discussed recent events as they related to compromised examinations in the basic course, the impact on the academy involved, and the costs to replace these tests. Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau staff emphasized the criticality of honesty and compliance with POST regulations relating to testing, the repercussions for failing to maintain high standards, and the need to emphasize instructor credibility while teaching.

The topic of compliance and recertification of Academy Instructor Certification Course instructors was discussed; specifically regarding incidents when Academies “go dark” and instructors cannot meet the required Academy Instructor Certificate Program (AICP) recertification standards. ISAC members expressed the need to establish a standard for recertification under these circumstances. Criteria regarding recertification procedure in these instances will be developed and included on the agenda for input at the September 2011 ISAC meeting. Staff also presented language to amend POST regulations to make triennial recertification for AICP instructors mirror compliance by peace officers for Continuing Professional Training. ISAC members endorsed the proposal.

A Strategic Plan Objective is to examine the feasibility of implementing an AICP type of standard for instructors that teach in the Public Safety Dispatcher Basic Course. Staff conducted an online survey with representatives of the Public Safety Dispatcher Advisory Council in February 2011. The survey solicited input regarding their receptiveness and support or opposition for this type of program. The results supported a higher standard for trainers and the responses were favorable for a course similar in length and frequency to the AICP. ISAC discussed the implication of such a standard and the impact it would have on presenters. A finalized proposal will be presented to ISAC at the September 2011 meeting.

The next ISAC meeting will be in San Francisco on September 28-29, 2011.

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

POST CONVENES AD HOC BASIC COURSE TEST TASK FORCE

The Basic Course Test Task Force, which POST convened as an ad hoc committee to address testing issues that affect basic course presenters, met in March. The Task Force reviewed and modified several documents for submission to the Basic Course Consortium in May. Those recommendations include: 1) requiring all presenters to implement a Code of Conduct Contract for staff, instructors, trainees and students; 2) modifying POST Regulations; and 3) adding language of specific laws to enable enforcement of violations of the Test Use Security Agreement.

The Task Force has an ambitious schedule, including creation of a committee to meet yearly to review the Test Administration Guidelines and Security Agreement; modifying language to regulations regarding test administration, remediation, and test review; reviewing the Basic Course Certification Review process and other tasks related to testing in the basic courses.

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

NEW POST MOBILE WEBSITE DESIGNED FOR iPAD and SMARTPHONE USERS

On Tuesday, March 22, Computer Services Bureau announced POST Mobile, a new POST website designed for iPad and SmartPhone users.

POST Mobile offers information found on the main POST Website, presented in a format for mobile devices:

• About POST - General information about POST, its mission, values, and vision.

• POST ID Lookup - Any individual who has enrolled in POST-certified training may obtain his/her POST ID. This ID uniquely identifies California law enforcement personnel to POST and academies offering training.

• Training Dashboard - California Law Enforcement personnel with an active POST appointment may instantly check POST Continuing Professional Training (CPT) and Perishable Skills training status (POST ID required).

• Training Academy Map - An interactive Google map displaying addresses for all Training Academies participating in the California POST program.

• Law Enforcement Jobs - A list of current job opportunities offered by law enforcement agencies participating in the California POST program.

• Jobs at POST - All current POST employment opportunities.

To access, POST Mobile from your iPad or SmartPhone, go to http://www.post.ca.gov, and choose “POST Mobile Site” when asked to select a site. More information about the mobile site can also be found at: http://www.post.ca.gov/post-mobile-site.

Additional features will be added to the site over the coming months.

Questions about the POST Mobile may be directed to Associate Information Systems Analyst Mike Hong, Computer Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4827.

POST BEGINS PROCESS TO IMPLEMENT LEGISLATIVE MANDATE PENAL CODE 13515.36

POST staff attended the California Veterans’ Courts Workgroup meeting in March. The meeting, held under the auspices of the Administrative Office of the Courts, brought together representatives from the courts, mental health providers, veterans’ services groups, law enforcement, and community members to discuss issues and legislation related to returning military veterans and the criminal justice system. The Veterans’ Courts Workgroup will focus on consistent statewide procedures in working with military veterans entering the criminal justice system in accordance with PC 1170.9. The meeting highlights included:

• Reports on statewide efforts to provide services to returning military veterans;

• Discussion of preliminary goals and objectives for the workgroup; and

• Presentation on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) by Dr. Cynthia Boyd, Staff Neuropsychologist, Veterans Brain Injury Center, Naval Medical Center, San Diego.

In September 2010, SB 1296 (Correa) was signed into law, adding Penal Code Section 13515.36, which requires POST to create a training course for peace officers on how to recognize and interact with persons suffering from PTSD or TBI. POST staff was invited to join the Veterans’ Court Workgroup to collaborate with court professionals and other disciplines as an initial step in the development of law enforcement training.

Questions about the Veterans’ Courts Workgroup or development of the training course may be directed to Senior Consultant Tami Evans, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-0473, or Senior Consultant Gabe Harp, Training Delivery and Compliance Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4867.

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.	Senate Public Safety Committee 2/24/11
AB 308 (Ammiano)	Criminal investigations: eyewitness identification: lineups. This bill would require law enforcement officials to adopt and implement the policies and procedures regulating eyewitness lineup identifications recommended by the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice. This bill would also require the DOJ and POST to develop guidelines in consultation with specified entities to ensure the reliability of eyewitness identifications. Commission Position: Oppose Unless Amended.	Assembly Committees on Judiciary and Public Safety 2/24/11
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: Neutral.	Assembly Committee on Appropriations 3/21/11

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