May 2012

POST HOSTS WORKSHOPS ON NEW TEST MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY PROTOCOLS

Changes to the Test Management and Security Protocols were approved by the Commission at the February 23, 2012, meeting and became effective May 3, 2012. All basic course presenters must now submit an updated Test Administration and Security Policy to POST. To assist each basic course presenter in the revision of their policy, the Basic Course Test Task Force will hold four workshops on policy development. The first was held at the May 10, 2012, Basic Course Consortium meeting. Presenters participated in group exercises designed to highlight the changes needed in each presenter’s policy to comport with the revised protocols. Three more workshops will be held June 5, June 11, and July 23, 2012.

Questions about the Test Task Force or the Policy Development Workshops may be directed to Associate Governmental Program Analyst Jennifer Imlay, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3917.

“ON COMMON GROUND” - SIKH AMERICAN CULTURAL AWARENESS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT

Now on the POST Learning Portal - “On Common Ground” - a first-of-its-kind training video on Sikh American cultural awareness for law enforcement. It was produced by the U.S. Department of Justice, Community Relations Service, and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF).

This 17-minute film provides law enforcement with an overview of Sikh American cultural practices, describes Sikh “articles of faith,” and explores common misconceptions of the faith, and discusses strategies and best practices to use in non-emergency situations when interacting with the Sikh community.

“On Common Ground” is available on the POST Learning Portal.

Questions about the “On Common Ground” and Sikh American Cultural Awareness for Law Enforcement may be directed to Senior Consultant Robert “R.C.” Smith, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3902.
 

RECRUITMENT OF BASIC COURSE CERTIFICATION REVIEW EVALUATORS

The Basic Training Bureau (BTB) conducts a Basic Course Certification Review (BCCR) on each Basic Academy presenter every three years to ensure quality, integrity, and safety in entry-level peace officer training. BCCRs are employed to validate that academy students are receiving the comprehensive instruction needed to ensure the likelihood of success in a patrol environment.

The BCCR process consists of on-site peer reviews by subject matter expert (SME) Skills Evaluators from neighboring academies, followed by a detailed inspection by POST staff. The Skills Evaluators are selected for their proven level of expertise, not only in their specialty area, but as law enforcement trainers as well. Travel and per diem expenses are covered by POST when evaluators inspect academy sites. This collaborative peer review process serves to ensure objectivity in the BCCR, allows for a diverse group of evaluators to assess the quality of curriculum delivery, and fosters information exchange between academy presenters.

Skills Evaluators specialize in the following areas: Arrest Methods/Defensive Tactics, Firearms/Chemical Agents, Vehicle Operations, Lifetime Fitness, and Scenario Training/Testing. Evaluators must be qualified for the area of expertise according to PAM Sec. 1070; or in the case of Scenarios, must be a qualified Scenario Manager. All participants must also complete the BCCR Evaluator Course presented by POST and be recommended by their host agency.

Although the Basic Training Bureau has an existing cadre of Skills Evaluators, the Bureau is always looking for additional SME’s to participate in the program. Should any Academy presenter have personnel who would be interested in participating as BCCR Skills Evaluators, they are encouraged to contact the Basic Training Bureau for information on future BCCR Evaluator Course presentations.

Questions about the POST Basic Training Bureau or enrolling in a future BCCR Evaluator Course may be directed to Senior Consultant Scott Loggins, Basic Training Bureau, at (916) 227-3467.

POST PRESENTS AT THE CALIFORNIA PEACE OFFICER ASSOCIATION’S (CPOA) ANNUAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

The annual CPOA Leadership Summit was held in May in Monterey. The theme this year was “Turning Challenges into Opportunities.” One of the general session offerings was titled “The Occupy Movement: Navigating the Strategies, Tactics, and Politics.” This panel discussion addressed the Occupy events in Oakland, Los Angeles and Sacramento and also examined the tactics, strategies, policy implications, and political ramifications of successfully managing this movement.

Senior Consultant Robert “R.C.” Smith participated as a member of the panel and presented the recently published POST Guidelines on Crowd Management, Intervention and Control as well as “lessons learned” from reviews conducted in the development of the guidelines.

Questions about the POST Guidelines on Crowd Management, Intervention and Control may be directed to Senior Consultant Robert "R.C." Smith, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3902.

DISPATCH SUPERVISOR COURSE GRADUATES

In April, 25 students graduated from the two-week Dispatch Supervisor course presented by South Bay Public Safety Training Consortium in San Jose. Course Manager Vicki Colla reported that the class included supervisors from Shasta County to San Bernardino County and included one student from Hawaii. The course provided critical training content identified by the dispatch supervisory community. Topics for this class included supervisory roles, situational leadership, motivation, discipline, critical incidents, stress management, counseling, evaluation, and problem solving.

The Dispatch Supervisor course will also be available next year through Golden West College. Coordinator Suzanne Rosas of the Golden West Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Program Center, is looking forward to delivery of the 80-hour Dispatch Supervisor course in southern California.

Questions about the Dispatch Supervisor course may be directed to Senior Consultant Gabe Harp, Training Delivery and Compliance Bureau, at (916) 227-4867.

LEARNING PORTAL INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES NOW AVAILABLE FOR ACADEMY INSTRUCTORS

Five instructional resources were recently added to the POST Learning Portal for use by Basic Course instructors. POST staff from the Learning Technology Resources Bureau demonstrated these resources at the Basic Course Consortium in Burlingame during May.

The resources include scenarios from the recently launched Domestic Violence courses that can be used in a variety of ways. For example, the scenarios may be used for skills practice activities for interviewing, report writing, charging and evidence collections. A trainee could complete part of a scenario then be asked to write a report based on the information and evidence gathered. The instructor would be able to evaluate the written report. In addition, the scenarios could be used for homework or to illustrate domestic violence topics including dominant aggressor, stalking, out-of-state restraining orders, and strangulation.

Trainees may access the scenarios on the Learning Portal via non-peace officer (NPO) access granted by the academy. Portal access for trainees is restricted to courses and instructional resources deemed appropriate for academy students. Academies interested in giving their cadets’ access to the Portal may request NPO administrator access to the Learning Portal by completing the Learning Portal Administrator Request (2-339) (pdf), available on the POST Website in the “Forms” menu.

POST wants to hear from Academy coordinators and Basic Course instructors who are interested in using these resources in upcoming courses to participate in a pilot program. The purpose of the pilot program is to determine the need for additional instructor support materials and to generate ideas for effectively integrating the new resources into current lesson plans.

Questions about the Academy and instructor requests to participate in the pilot as well as questions about the instructional resources, or NPO access may be directed to Senior Instructional Designer Catherine Bacon, Learning Technology Resources Bureau, at (916) 227-4546.

SAFE DRIVING “DID YOU KNOW? 10-97” VIDEO

The new “Did You Know? 10-97” video on vehicle speed is now available on the SAFE Driving Campaign web page.

This brief but powerful video is a must see for all law enforcement!

• Unsafe speed is the leading cause of law enforcement fatal and injury collisions, 

• The faster a vehicle is driven, the more likely the driver is to lose control, 

• Almost one-half of fatal peace officer collisions are single-vehicle,

• Almost one-half of fatal peace officer collisions are with a fixed object such as a guardrail, power pole or tree, and 

• The majority of vehicle-related officer fatalities occur while en route to a call for service, where driving at a high rate of speed may not be necessary.

And don’t forget to view the “Did You Know? Choices” video on seatbelt safety. Released last October, this video has been nominated for an “Emmy.” The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Pacific Southwest Chapter has nominated “Did You Know? Choices” in the category for Commercial-Single Spot, Series or Campaign. “Did You Know? Choices” is also available on the SAFE Driving Campaign webpage.

Stay tuned for future “Did You Know?” videos on the topics of fatigue, distraction, and night-time driving.

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

BASIC TRAINING BUREAU FACILITATES SCENARIO WORKSHOPS

The Basic Training Bureau hosted two Scenario Workshops for the purpose of assisting Basic Academy personnel to better prepare students for the challenges they will face after academy graduation, and to develop new scenario scripts to assist training presenters with student testing. In April, the Bureau taught a Scenario Manager’s Workshop to meet the regulatory requirement for academy staff members responsible for oversight of scenario administration. The Bureau also facilitated a Scenario Committee Workshop in May, which was attended by SMEs and advised a broad range of topics.

Many of the participants were active law enforcement personnel who recently transferred to training units from field assignments. This dynamic enhanced the collective knowledge base, and provided increased insight about current tactics and operational concerns, as well as emerging trends in case law. The committee membership also included a cadre of veteran law enforcement trainers and presenters.

The work of the committee resulted in scenario scripts that were clear and relevant to development of current law enforcement challenges, as well as the regulatory mandates of the POST Training and Testing Specifications. With the addition of new and revised scenario scripts, academy presenters will soon have access to scenarios that better reflect current law enforcement challenges, while also meeting the requirements of POST mandates for basic academies.

Questions about the POST Basic Training Bureau or Academy Scenarios may be directed to Senior Consultant Bob Ziglar, Basic Training Bureau, at (916) 227-4259; or Senior Consultant Scott Loggins, Basic Training Bureau, at (916) 227-3467.

POST “DID YOU KNOW?” VIDEO NOMINATED FOR EMMY AWARD

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced their nomination of the POST Did You Know – “Choices” for an Emmy Award in the category of Commercial Ad Campaign Spots.

Digital OutPost of Carlsbad produced “Choices” as the first “Did You Know?” video featuring the message for law enforcement to use their seatbelts whenever they drive. The awards ceremony will be held in Carlsbad on June 16 where the winners will be announced.

The Learning Technology Resources Bureau launched the “Did You Know?” video program last year and currently features ”Choices,” “Diplomacy,” “Marsy’s Law,” and the newest video “10-97” on the POST Website and the Learning Portal.

Questions about the POST “Did You Know?” program may be directed to Bureau Chief Jan Bullard, Learning Technology Resources Bureau, at (916) 227-4829.

ORIENTATION CONDUCTED FOR THE SOLANO COUNTY SCHOOL-BASED PUBLIC SAFETY ACADEMY

POST staff observed an orientation session for students entering the newly developed Public Safety Academy (PSA) within the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District. The orientation, conducted in May at the Fairfield Police Department Training Center, familiarized students entering the new program with the curriculum and conduct expected of them. Parents also attended.

The PSA program is an outgrowth of the school-based career pipeline concept facilitated by POST for agencies to “grow their own” peace officer candidates. The program rests on a partnership between Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District and the Solano County Sheriff and Chiefs Association, which includes the County District Attorney’s Office and local CHP commander. The PSA begins in August 2012 at a facility within the City of Fairfield. The program will start at the fifth grade level and ultimately progress through twelfth grade. Projected enrollment for the initial year of operation is 400 students, and these students will populate grades five through eight. Further detailed information regarding program content and operation may be found at the following website:  http://sites.google.com/a/fsusd.org/psa/home.

Questions about the school-based public safety program project may be directed to Senior Consultant Greg Kyritsis, Center for Leadership Development Bureau, at (916) 227-2822.

SAFE DRIVING CAMPAIGN STAKEHOLDERS MEET

The biannual meeting of the SAFE Driving Campaign was held during May in San Diego. The SAFE Driving Campaign is aimed at reducing fatal and serious injury law enforcement traffic collisions. The campaign has three stakeholder groups to assist in achieving this goal: an Advisory Board concerned with national awareness efforts, a Research Team responsible for identifying causes and interventions associated with officer-involved collisions, and a Vehicle Operations and Training Advisory Council (VOTAC) focused on the advancement of best policy and training practices.

Approximately 50 individuals from throughout California and the United States met to discuss various aspects of the SAFE Driving Campaign. During this meeting:

• POST premiered the second “Did You Know 10-97” video which sends a powerful message to all peace officers regarding vehicle speed. It is a "must see" for line staff and agency executives alike. 

Participants received presentations from:

The Advisory Council and VOTAC worked to finalize language for the SAFE Driving Pledge. The pledge is designed to promote awareness and obtain organizational commitment to reducing officer deaths and injuries resulting from vehicle collisions.

The Research Team updated the status of each research project currently in progress. These included:

The next SAFE Driving Campaign meeting will be held in conjunction with the SAFE Driving Symposium in San Diego in October 2012. 

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

LAW ENFORCEMENT RECORDS MANAGEMENT GUIDE UPDATE

Work has begun to revise the POST Law Enforcement Records Management Guide, Fourth Edition, last updated in 2000. A team of SMEs is being assembled to assist in the current revision process. Members of the California Law Enforcement Association of Records Supervisors (CLEARS) have been instrumental in past updates and are actively participating in the current effort.

Questions about the POST Law Enforcement Records Management Guide may be directed to Staff Services Manager I Kathy Hobson, Management Counseling Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3911.

POST HOSTS REGIONAL TRAINING ON THE TEST MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT SYSTEM

The Test Management and Assessment System (TMAS) is a software program that delivers cognitive written tests to basic course presenters. These tests are administered to students attending basic courses. Beginning in November 2011 through April 2012, POST TMAS staff conducted multiple regional training sessions for basic course presenters on the use of this system. Approximately 60 academy staff members statewide participated in these one-day training sessions.

TMAS training is offered on a continuous basis for all authorized POST basic courses presenters. Requirements for training include:

• Documentation from the Director or Coordinator of a POST program indicating the need for training,

• Confirmation that a copy of the POST Test Use and Security Agreement has been read and signed, and 

• Completion of Proctor Training.

Questions about the TMAS may be directed to Associate Governmental Program Analyst Kenya Smith, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4957.

POST LIBRARY INTRODUCES STUDENTS TO RESEARCH SERVICES; WEBSITE BECOMES EXAMPLE OF EXCELLENT DESIGN

In mid-May, POST Library staff traveled to a Command College session in San Diego, for a hands-on demonstration of the latest in law enforcement research on the web. Using actual questions from the field, students learned that law enforcement research requires planning and investigative skills.

In other news, the POST Library online catalog is being highlighted by EOS International (our software vendor) as an outstanding design on their training guide website.

Questions about the law enforcement research or training may be directed to Supervising Librarian Laurel Espell, Administrative Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3204. 

POST 2012 STATEWIDE TRAINING MANAGERS WORKSHOP

POST 2012 Statewide Training Managers Workshop, hosted by the Los Angeles Police Department, was held in April at the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel. The workshop offered training coordinators/managers the opportunity to personally meet with POST staff and participate in interactive, hands-on training. The training consisted of two days of informational presentations relating new and updated information for the coordinators/managers respective areas of interest. The 138 participants attended a “Mock Trail – Defending Your Course Certification” session and were transported and toured through the LAPD Elysian Park, Ahmanson Recruit Training Center and the Los Angeles Police Historical Society Museum.

One of the goals of the workshop was to gather information, create a list of training needs, and then match those needs to the corresponding training already available through POST courses and resources. Survey forms indicated the workshop was a success and attendees would appreciate a workshop in Northern California in 2013.

Questions about the 2012 Statewide Training Managers Workshop may be directed to Senior Consultant April Crume, Training Delivery and Compliance Bureau, at (916) 227-0472.  

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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