September 2011

POST WEBSITE UPDATED WITH FUNCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT AND NEW LOOK

On Monday, September 26, 2011, POST Computer Services Bureau (CSB) completed a six-month project to redesign the POST Website (http://post.ca.gov).

The new design features several significant upgrades:

• A streamlined, simplified interface that requires less scrolling and presents information more clearly.
• “Look-and-feel” improvements (fonts, color palettes, graphical design) to improve consistency across POST’s Internet applications: EDI, Course Catalog, POST Mobile Website, Email Alerts, Learning Portal.
• Faster performance through equipment and software upgrades.
• Full compliance with modern accessibility standards. The new site complies with modern World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) accessibility guidelines for access by individuals with disabilities.

Questions about the POST Website redesign may be directed to Web/Network Administrator Colin O’Keefe, Computer Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3914.

THE STATE HIRING FREEZE AND POST

In February 2011, Governor Brown issued Executive Order B-3-11, which placed a hiring freeze on most State departments, regardless of funding source. The Executive Order provided an exemption process to fill vacancies essential to carrying out a department’s mission. POST requested and received four such exemptions. The Executive Order also provided that the Department of Finance (DOF) would be working with departments to develop “targets” for budgetary reductions in lieu of the hiring freeze. In late July, POST was notified by DOF that our “target” was $223,000. POST submitted a plan for this reduction in early August. The plan was approved by DOF in September 2011. As of this date, POST is no longer subject to the prohibitions of Executive Order B-3-11 and is now in the process of filling vacancies in the hope of being fully staffed before the end of 2011.

Questions about the hiring freeze may be directed to Bureau Chief Darla Engler, Administrative Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3907.

POST CONVENES THE ANNUAL MEETING OF REQUALIFICATION COURSE PRESENTERS

Staff from the Basic Training Bureau met with presenters of the Regular Basic Course (RBC) Requalification Course in September. The 136-hour Requalification Course is available to individuals who have completed a POST-certified Regular or Specialized Investigators’ Basic Course, or the Basic Course Waiver process, or who have been awarded a POST Basic Certificate and have a three year or longer break in service. At this annual meeting the group discussed course presentations and Testing and Training Specification revisions that will be enacted in January 2012. Additionally, in response to a 2010 request from presenters to facilitate instruction time in the classroom, staff is in the process of moving two hours of instruction from Learning Domain 42, Cultural Diversity, to Learning Domain 12, Controlled Substances. This change only affects the Requalification Course and will become effective in July 2012. The change only applies to presentation hours, with no change in course content.

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

LEARNING PORTAL USER NUMBERS CONTINUE TO RISE

The Learning Technology Resources Bureau (LTRB) has recorded a continuing increase in the number of new users of the Learning Portal. The increase in new users has averaged 500 per month, bringing the current total to 48,157.

The Learning Portal offers 13 self-paced courses on topics that include Officer Safety, Search Warrant Fundamentals, Tactical Communication, Identity Theft, and Gangs. Each course is informative and interactive, and provides students with Continuous Professional Training (CPT) credit. User comments include:

“Outstanding time saver [for] delivering a very important subject matter, which we all need to be reminded of from time to time.”

“Great tool! Training is often hard to come by due to lack of instructors/time/resources.”

“Like a video game for adult professionals. It held my interest and made learning fun—great job!”

Learning Portal users also have access to the Terrorism Video Suite and several instructor/facilitator resources.

LTRB staff recently implemented a program to allow specified non-peace officers access to some training courses in the Learning Portal. For more information regarding the Non-Peace Officer Access refer to POST Bulletin 2011-14.

Questions regarding the POST Learning Portal may be directed to Supervisor Jan Myyra, Learning Technology Resources, at (916) 227-4550.

DRIVING SIMULATOR SCENARIO WORKSHOPS CONTINUE

The installation of the new Law Enforcement Driving Simulators (LEDS) at 21 locations throughout the state has now been completed. The simulators came preloaded from the manufacturer with 60 driving scenarios. The current scenarios are updated versions of those originally designed for an older generation of simulators.

Subject matter resources from various Regional Skills Training Centers (RSTC) met at the Orange County Sheriff’s Katella Training Center to continue the process of reviewing and modifying current scenarios into more effective training tools. Within three days, 20 more scenarios were updated. Three of the scenarios were modified to be “linked” together. Linked scenarios allow the students to interact with each other within the same scenario, providing a very realistic training experience. One more workshop will be planned, which will result in the modification of the remaining scenarios.

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

NUMBER OF COMMAND COLLEGE GRADUATES REACHES 1,000

Command College increased its total number of graduates to 1,002 on September 9, 2011, as 24 members of Class 49 graduated in Folsom. Following welcoming remarks by POST Assistant Executive Director Michael DiMiceli, Captain Jaime Clayton, Imperial County Sheriff’s Department, presented a summary of her futures project, “Rehabilitation, Recidivism, and the Virtual World.” Captain Clayton’s project focused on the use of virtual reality to initiate the in-custody rehabilitation process. Integration of individualized virtual therapies would literally commence upon closure of inmates’ cell doors and continue throughout the period of incarceration.

The keynote address was made by Retired Police Chief Jim Gardiner, who was a member of Command College Class #3. Chief Gardiner stressed that the heightened world view obtained through the Command College experience is more vital now than ever before. He challenged the graduates to inspire their subordinates to do their own jobs better and to prepare them to become the leaders of the future—and to do so while modeling professionalism, accountability, and sincere interest in the welfare and development of all individuals in their organizations.

Lieutenant Burke Farrah, Fresno Police Department, was the Class Speaker. Lieutenant Farrah noted the increasing level of violence perpetrated against peace officers—citing a 17 percent increase over last year. This statistic had recently taken on special meaning in the context of Lieutenant Farrah’s own agency, which within the past few weeks had been the target of two incidents of fire bombings. However, he emphasized that militant radicals do not by any measure represent the public at large. He added that the ability to recognize trends and to exercise quality leadership will enable us to prevail over incidents of radicalism.

Lieutenant Lon Turner, Chula Vista Police Department, was the recipient of the Hank Koehn Award for “most inspirational student.” Lieutenant Jeremy G. B. Watney, Tracy Police Department, received the Dorothy Harris Award for academic achievement. Dr. Sandy Boyd was the recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Member Award.

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

TRAINING ADMINISTRATORS COURSE

The Training Administrators Course (TAC) has been revised to include new changes to the POST Homepage and recent changes in the POST Electronic Database Interchange (EDI). Course participants will now have updated information regarding course certification using EDI. The 12-hour TAC covers basic use of the course certification process, presentation requests, course rosters, and course modifications into EDI. TAC attendance is limited to those individuals who are current POST presenters and are responsible for the day-to-day data entry into EDI for course certification.

If an individual meets the criteria for attendance, an online application can be accessed at: http://post.ca.gov/training-administrators-course. POST Plan IV or Letter of Agreement is allowed for attendees.

Questions about the Training Administrators Course may be directed to your Regional Consultant; or to Senior Consultant Charles Sandoval, Training Delivery and Compliance Bureau, at (916) 227-4414; or to Senior Consultant Stephanie Scofield, Training Delivery and Compliance Bureau, at (916) 227-4873.

MASTER INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION COURSE #4 GRADUATE EARNS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE $500,000 GRANT FOR FORENSIC SCIENCE TRAINING

The most recent POST Master Instructor Certification Course (MICC) class graduated on June 21, 2011, after ten months of learning and applying the Instructional Systems Design process. Each graduate developed a 24-hour course of instruction that met a validated public safety training need.

Oakland Police Department Criminalist II Bonnie Cheng was one of 14 graduates of MICC #4. Ms. Cheng developed a 24-hour interactive course about the role biological evidence plays in a criminal investigation from the crime scene to the courtroom.

At the mid point of her MICC training, Ms. Cheng discovered a grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice was seeking applications for funding to support forensic science training and research. Proposals sought for forensic science education projects through this grant had two requirements: 1) increase the number of no-cost educational opportunities for public crime laboratory personnel and practitioners in forensic science disciplines and provide forensic science training to other relevant criminal justice partners and professionals involved in treating victims of sexual assault, and 2) support targeted research of formal and informal forensic science training programs employed by the forensic science community at the state and local levels.

The due dates for the final project that determined success or failure for MICC students and the federal grant application were only one week apart, in April 2011. Ms. Cheng’s diligence was recognized by her successful completion of her exceptional MICC Total Training Package project, and submission of her forensic science training grant application by the due date.

Ms. Cheng was recently notified that she was awarded the $500,000 grant, which consists of delivering her 24-hour master instructor-developed course four times per year in five states over the next three years. This course will teach students to recognize, collect, package, and store biological evidence; be familiar with DNA databases and know when and how to utilize them; and read and understand laboratory reports and know which steps to take when presenting the biological evidence aspect of the case to the prosecuting attorney.

Questions regarding the MICC or this training may be directed to Senior Consultant Anne Brewer, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4895.

MANAGEMENT COUNSELING SERVICES BUREAU ACTIVITIES

The Management Counseling Services Bureau receives many requests for management studies each year from local law enforcement agencies. The first half of 2011 brought in 20 such requests. Topics typically include property and evidence, staffing/workload, and organizational reviews. Currently, 32 studies are either pending or in progress, including a multi-faceted property and evidence study underway for one of the largest agencies in the state: the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD). Due to its size and complexity, the SFPD study has consumed a large percentage of the bureau’s limited staffing resources. The three-part draft report has been completed and is awaiting review by SFPD.

Questions about management counseling services may be directed to Bureau Chief John Dineen, Management Counseling Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4549.

FOURTH POST BLOOD DRIVE

The fourth of five scheduled POST Blood Drives for 2011 was held in September. There were 15 signups and 13 pints collected. We’re pleased to report that one of our employees donated his 90th pint of blood. Since February 2009, POST-sponsored Blood Drives have resulted in 361 pints collected. POST staff, friends, and family are encouraged to join the next Blood Drive on Wednesday, December 21.

Questions about the POST Blood Drive or joining the Bone Marrow registry may be directed to Blood Drive Coordinator Patti Kaida, Administrative Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4847.


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.

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

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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