March 2013

STATEWIDE RECRUITMENT/EXAMINATION ANNOUNCEMENT

POST is preparing to conduct an OPEN statewide recruitment/examination for the Law Enforcement Consultant I and II classifications. Both classifications require a background in law enforcement. POST anticipates releasing the Examination Bulletin in June 2013 and administering the examination in September 2013.

Questions about the Statewide Recruitment/Examination may be directed to the POST HR Office, at (916) 227-3927 or (916) 227-3934. Also, check the POST Website for more updated information as we get closer to the Bulletin release date.

POST CONTINUES REVISION OF THE EVIDENCE AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT GUIDE

The newest version of the POST Evidence and Property Management Guide, last revised in 2005, is currently undergoing final revision and review at POST, following four meetings of a subject matter expert group from August 2012 to January 2013. The document, located on the POST Website (pdf) at , is a reference guide detailing best practices related to the security, intake, handling, storage, and disposition of evidence and property. When completed, the document will be restructured into a set of guidelines and supporting commentary intended to be used by agency heads, managers, and evidence/property staff to facilitate the effective and efficient operation of an agency’s evidence/property function. Following final review and approval, the new version of the POST Evidence and Property Management Guide will be available online by July 2013.

Questions about the project may be directed to Senior Consultant Don Shingara, Management Counseling Services Bureau, at (916) 227-2510.

SAFE DRIVING CAMPAIGN MOTORS ADVISORY GROUP

The SAFE Driving Campaign’s MOTORS Advisory Group met this March in Sacramento. MOTORS stands for Motor Officer Training and Operations Review for Safety. The group’s mandate is the advancement of preferred policy, training practices, and safety equipment that will serve to reduce fatal and serious injury traffic collisions involving law enforcement motorcycles.

The Advisory Group consists of motor unit managers, supervisors, and lead trainers from various police departments, including the Cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, El Cerrito, and Davis; from various sheriff's departments, including the Counties of Los Angeles, Alameda, and San Bernardino; and from various state agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, and California Office of Traffic Safety.

The Advisory Group has begun drafting statewide guidelines specifically pertaining to the operation of law enforcement motorcycles. These guidelines will address various legal, policy, operational, training, safety, and equipment considerations. To the extent possible, “best practices” will be identified and incorporated into recommendations.

The intent of these guidelines is to provide helpful guidance to law enforcement agencies in the formation, oversight, operation, and training of effective law enforcement motorcycle units. While these guidelines will encourage some degree of standardization, it is recognized that local conditions and needs vary considerably and therefore flexibility is afforded agencies. These guidelines will address motorcycle operations that focus on effectiveness and safety.

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

PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHER ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING

The POST Instructor Development Institute (IDI) encompasses training for Public Safety Dispatchers as well as Law Enforcement Officers. This month the Public Safety Dispatch Advisory Council (PSDAC) had met in Burlingame. There were approximately 25 attendees from different agencies and backgrounds throughout the state. There are 14 regions within California, each represented by a dispatcher. Of these regions, 11 representatives were in attendance. Other members included representatives from Emergency Management agencies (e.g., CALNENA, CALEDA), Chief of Police organizations and large agencies such as CHP, LAPD, and LASD. Attendees shared information on current trends, best practices, employee retention ideas, and many other topics of interest in the Public Safety Dispatcher field. The next PSDAC meeting is scheduled for the fall of this year.

Questions about the Public Safety Dispatch Advisory Council or Instructor Development Institute may be directed to Senior Consultant Larry Ellsworth, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4895.

POST HOSTS POLICE TRAINING OFFICER (PTO) COUNCIL MEETING

POST hosted a two-day meeting during March 2013 with the Police Training Officer (PTO) Council. The PTO is a Commission-approved Problem Based Learning (PBL) format for field training currently used by six agencies. The program was approved following a lengthy development process and pilot testing. The PTO Council consists of subject matter experts and training presenters and is intended to provide support for the program. All current PTO agencies and training presenters were invited to attend. The attendees represented the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety, Folsom Police Department, and South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium.

The council members met with POST staff to discuss the program and to do a final review of the new Police Training Program (PTP) Guide. The council and staff made minor changes to the guide and agreed that it will be placed on the POST Website once the proposed changes have been made. Significant points of discussion included:

• Adding a PTO link to the Field Training Program portion of the website,
• Adding frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the PTO program to the website, 
• Developing additional ways to increase awareness of the program and the PBL format, 
• Conducting follow-up contacts with the agencies that have expressed interest in the PTO program, and 
• Putting a driver safety/SAFE Driving component in the PTO program. 

 The next council meeting is scheduled to take place in northern California in September 2013.

Questions about the meeting and/or discussion may be directed to Senior Consultant Alexis Blaylock, Basic Training Bureau, at (916) 227-3935.

POST HOSTS STATEWIDE TRAINING MANAGERS WORKSHOP

During March 2013, POST hosted a Statewide Training Managers Workshop in Burlingame, California. Over 200 attendees managing law enforcement agency training programs throughout California met and received current training and information including POST regulations and processes.

The workshop included attorney Missy O’Linn who spoke on Training Challenges in Law Enforcement, Deputy Chief Janeith Glenn-Davis of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District Police Department, attorneys Morin Jacob and Joseph Lucia reviewed the Mehserle case and training lessons learned.

The workshop also included hands-on training from POST staff in breakout sessions about course certification, the POST Learning Portal, Academy Instructor Certificate Program, the Electronic Data Interchange System, Reimbursements, POST certificates, the POST Website and Library.

Questions about the Statewide Training Managers Workshop may be directed to Bureau Chief Stephanie Scofield, Training Delivery and Compliance Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4549. 

9th ANNUAL ICI DETECTIVE SYMPOSIUM HELD IN UNIVERSAL CITY

The Robert Presley Institute of Criminal Investigation (ICI) held its 9th annual Detective Symposium in Universal City from March 25 to 28, 2013. This conference was hosted by the Los Angeles Police Department with assistance from many dedicated committee members. Planning for this program began a year ago and culminated in a successful program for 600 detectives from throughout the state.

There was a mix of daily plenary sessions that discussed lessons learned during major incidents including the shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford and Missing Child Caylee Anthony investigation; an overview of research tools for complex investigations by Cynthia Heatherington; and a special speaker who described a personal perspective on the resilience of victims and survivors. The symposium featured two VIPs, Dr. William Lewinski of Force Science Institute, an expert in Human Behavior in Force Encounters, and Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman, an internationally recognized scholar, soldier, expert in the field of human aggression and the roots of violence and violent crime, and author of many books including “The Bulletproof Mind,” “On Killing,” and “On Combat.”

Each day offered a variety of breakout training sessions that provided detectives with an opportunity to select investigative courses to enhance their skills.

The breakout session topics included Operation Garlic Press (storefront) Sting Operation, Forensic Art, Current Trends in Mortgage Fraud, Water-Related Evidence Recovery and Analysis, Mexican Mafia, High Tech Take-Over Robbery Case, Occupy Oakland, Coronado Mansion Death Investigation, DNA, Cognitive Interviewing, Social Networking, and Technical Tools for Any Investigation.

Questions about the Symposium or the Institute of Criminal Investigation may be directed to Senior Consultant Larry Ellsworth, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4895.

POST’S FIRST MOBILE APP – FOR INVESTIGATORS

Staff debuted its first mobile “app” at the 2013 ICI Detective Symposium. It is estimated that over 300 investigators downloaded the app over a two-day period.

The app breaks down the investigation process into five main phases, each of which is then broken down into its major steps. Investigators can then access the suggested inputs/outputs, processes, and guidelines for each of the steps. The tool provides a good “mental model” of the investigation process. It not only helps new investigators get up-to-speed more quickly but also is a good resource for seasoned investigators.

The tool can be used with either a smartphone or desktop computer by going to the “Tools” category on the POST Learning Portal. The application is titled “Investigation Tool,” but POST is seeking suggestions for a new title. The mobile application is in “beta” and staff is seeking feedback prior to releasing the final version, which will be available in App Stores (iTunes and Google Play).

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

NEW TRAINING VIDEO FORMAT FEATURED AT TRAINING MANAGER’S WORKSHOP

Learning Technology Resources Staff demonstrated the new POST training video format at the March Training Manager’s Workshop in Burlingame.

The first video in the new format was released on DVD in July 2012. It provides easy-to-follow steps for group facilitation by instructors, and includes a process to allow Continuous Professional Training (CPT) credit to be awarded to trainees viewing on an individual basis. (Refer to POST Bulletin 2012-09 (pdf)).

Since the inception of the training video program, instructor-led classroom facilitation of the POST videos has been required for trainees to receive CPT credit. However, the direction and instructor support needed to accommodate this requirement was limited. Now, the POST training videos will provide enhanced functionality and options for facilitators and individual trainees that include set-up questions, sample facilitation sessions/demonstrations, and interviews with subject matter experts that clarify and reiterate important teaching points.

The response from the attendees was very positive.

Already released in the new format are Social Media for Law Enforcement, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder/Traumatic Brain Injury (PTSD/TBI), and Ethical Decision Making. To be released within the next three months are Crowd Intervention and Management, Everyday Leadership, Mental Health Update and Stress Management.

Questions about the POST training videos may be directed to Special Consultant Vicki Dellone; or Director, Television Communication Center Ron Crook, Learning Technology Resources Bureau, at (916) 227-3913.

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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