September 2010

POST WEBSITE OFFERS EMAIL ALERTS AND NEWSLETTERS

As part of POST’s continuing effort to improve communications with its clients, the POST Website now offers a new “Email Alerts and Newsletters” feature.  Alerts and Newsletters deliver timely information on specific topics of interest, including:

• Administrative Progress Reports (APRs)
• Law Enforcement Employment Opportunities
• POST Bulletins
• Regulatory Actions
• What's New

Any of the POST Website’s more than 33,000 monthly visitors may subscribe to (or unsubscribe from) any of the Alerts and Newsletters by clicking the “Email Alert” icon on various pages. 

The complete list of Alerts and Newsletters is also available under the “Home” tab at http://www.post.ca.gov.

Email Alerts and Newsletters are part of POST’s long-term efforts to move from paper-based to electronic communications.  Other programs that have gone “paperless” at POST include Course Certification Requests, Rosters, Notices of Appointment and Termination, and soon POST Commission Meeting agendas and minutes.

Questions about the POST Website may be directed to Web Designer Daria Maher, Computer Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4848, or to the “Questions, Comments, and Feedback” area of the Website.
 

OVER 40,600 REGISTERED USERS OF POST LEARNING PORTAL

POST has reached a new milestone with 40,600 registered users of the Learning Portal.

Over 60,000 course completions have been recorded representing over 350,000 hours of Continuing Professional Training (CPT) credit automatically recorded at POST.

Users can access 11 different online courses, the Search Warrant Writing Tool, and over 150 different resources including Case Law Today, Homeland Security videos, audio files, PowerPoints, and various high-profile reports (e.g., LEOKA, Exemplary Peace Officer).

Many of the online courses help agencies meet training mandates.  “Communication:  Keeping Your Edge” satisfies a portion of the requirement for perishable skills training.  The First Aid/CPR course meets EMSA requirements.  There are also four instructor development courses that meet the requirement for eight hours of refresher training for academy instructors.

Courses soon to be released include identity theft, and gangs.  Domestic violence updates, public health emergencies, and tactical communication course are in development.

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

 

COMMAND COLLEGE CLASS 47 GRADUATES

The 23 members of Command College Class 47 graduated in September in Folsom.  Currently in its 27th year of operation, Command College graduates now total 956.

Class 47 award recipients were Lieutenant Amy Christey, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department, who received the Hank Koehn Award for “Most Inspirational Student,” and Lieutenant Patrick Nelson, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, who received the Dorothy Harris Award for academic achievement and his futures project and journal article entitled  “Forensic Science:  A Crisis of Confidence.”  Deputy Chief Philip Renko, Monterey Police Department, presented a summary of his futures project, which addressed “generation X-led” policing.  Class Speaker was Lieutenant Mike Saffell, Gardena Police Department.  Dr. Chris Dreisbach was the recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Member Award.

Applications are currently being accepted for Class 51, which is scheduled to commence on May 15, 2011, in Folsom.  Applications are due by February 12, 2011.

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.

 

POST ATTENDS NATIVE AMERICAN DAY

POST was invited to attend and participate in the 43rd Annual Native American Day on the Capitol grounds.  The theme for the event was “Tribal Justice:  Protecting and Preserving Tribal Families and Communities.”  Six individuals were honored for their continuing work in the area of tribal affairs with proclamations from the Governor.

POST was recognized for its contribution with the recently released DVD program “Policing on Tribal Lands and Public Law 280” and the upcoming classes to train peace officers in the investigation of domestic violence and sexual assaults on Native American victims.  This class was developed through a grant from the California Emergency Management Authority.  The first presentation will be held on October 21, 2010, in San Diego with at least five other presentations around the State.

Questions about the event may be directed to Bureau Chief Ed Pecinovsky, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-2820.

 

POST AUTISM VIDEO ON SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE WEBSITE

Senate Bill 1531 (2008) required POST to create a course for peace officers who are first responders to emergency situations on how to recognize and interact with persons with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD).  In March 2010, POST distributed the training DVD titled “Autism Recognition and& Response.”  The telecourse is designed to help law enforcement officers recognize and respond to persons with ASD, improve communication, reduce risk, and resolve issues with more positive outcomes.  The video addresses the increase in the incidence of ASD and the subsequent impact on law enforcement and first responders.

At the request of the Office of Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg, POST staff and the Senator’s Policy Consultant, Dr. Louis Vismara, are collaborating to further educate law enforcement personnel as well as members of the public on ASD.  To that end, the POST training video “Autism Recognition and Response” is now available on The California Senate Select Committee on Autism and Related Disorders website.  The video can be viewed in its entirety at:  http://senweb03.senate.ca.gov/autism/post2.htm

Questions about the video may be directed to Bureau Chief Jan Bullard, Learning Technology Resources Bureau, at (916) 227-4829.

Questions about the California Senate Select Committee on Autism and Related Disorders may be directed to Senior Consultant Karen Lozito, Executive Office, at (916) 227-2085.

 

INMATE RADICALIZATION PHASE II TRAINING DEVELOPMENT

POST and STC currently certify a 4-hour and 8-hour Inmate Radicalization Awareness Course.  The primary audience for this training course is patrol officers, and supervisors, Terrorism Liaison Officers (TLO), and employees of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).

Cal EMA contracted with POST to oversee the development of Phase II of the training.  Phase II will involve the development of two courses; an 8-hour Inmate Radicalization Awareness-Intermediate course and a companion course for managers, command staff and executives.

In September POST convened a meeting to discuss the development process and timelines for the project.  D-PREP, the POST-certified presenter of the Phase I courses, will coordinate the development effort and will be responsible for all aspects of the project, including the pilot presentations of the two new courses.

The Phase II courses will expand upon the process by which inmates are radicalized into fundamentalist Islamic beliefs (behaviors, literature, tattoos, symbols/drawings, radical speech, videos, and music) and include additional case studies of inmate radicalization.

Significant progress was made at the September meeting and initial topical areas were identified for each of the courses.  Work on expanded course outlines and instructor and student resources will continue through December 2010.  The course materials will be finalized to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) standards and submitted to DHS for approval.  The Phase I course is DHS-approved and many of the subject matter resources that worked on Phase I will participate in the development of Phase II.

Questions about the Inmate Radicalization Awareness Phase II project may be directed to Special Consultant Ken Whitman, Homeland Security Training Program, at (916) 227-5561.

 

POST LIBRARY NEWS

The POST Library reaches external clients by presenting research services and leading discussions on research issues.  In September, Supervising Librarian Laurel Espell participated in the Regional Training Managers Course in Santa Rosa where she advertised POST Library research services to training managers from northern California agencies.  In a trip to Costa Mesa, Laurel led a discussion on copyright issues with Supervisory Leadership Institute facilitators.  The POST Library offers training and research support to law enforcement throughout California.

Questions about the POST Library services may be directed to Supervising Librarian Laurel Espell, Information Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3204.

 

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 September in San Diego.  Approximately 50 individuals from throughout California and the United States met to discuss varied aspects of the SAFE Driving Program.

Several accomplishments were achieved at this meeting including:

• Endorsement of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) new video “Is Today Your Day?” which will be released in conjunction with the IACP Conference in Orlando, Florida.

• The identification by VOTAC of the most common “Deadly Driving Errors.”
  • These errors are common mistakes drivers make that lead to fatal and career-ending collisions.  The VOTAC has also begun to identify interventions that individual drivers, supervisors, and policy-makers can use to improve safety and limit occurrence of these errors.
  • The “Deadly Driving Errors” will be distributed as a pocket-sized reminder card for officers.
• The Research Team finalized interview questions and protocols for Dr. Wehr and Dr. Dodge as they investigate the effects of culture on officer driving.

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

Questions about the SAFE Driving Campaign may be directed to Senior Consultant Bryon Gustafson, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3902.

 

LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL TRAINING COMPLIANCE ADDED TO POST WEBSITE

Effective September 2010, law enforcement personnel can view their individual Continuing Professional Training (CPT) and Perishable Skills training for the current compliance cycle on the POST Website.  To access this service, officers must go to the POST Website at: http://post.ca.gov.  From the POST home page access the database by clicking on the “sign in” button located in the upper right hand coroner.  After providing verification information, users will be able to review their individual training compliance information.  By accessing this tool, officers will be able to confirm that all recently completed training has been entered on their profiles or determine the number of hours of CPT needed to achieve compliance.

Questions about the project may be directed to Senior Programmer Analyst Bob Lapanja, Computer Service Bureau, at (916) 227-4857.

 

MASTER INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION COURSE CLASS 3

The Master Instructor Certification Course, Class 3, held its validation workshop in San Mateo in September 2010.  The students presented their Total Training Package (TTP) to a panel of experts for evaluation and validation of learning.  The TTP consists of a complete training package for a 24-hour law enforcement training course that can be provided to any subject matter resource in that particular field who can then teach the course.  The students provided an overview of their course, the developmental process, and a sample learning activity from the newly designed course.

Twenty students entered into this program and 15 completed all phases to present their TTP at the validation workshop.  The students are in varying stages of work for product completion which is due by graduation in early November 2010.

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

 

SMR CONVENE FOR SCHOOL-BASED PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

The creation of a program guide for implementing a school-based public safety curriculum, pursuant to POST Strategic Plan Objective B.8.08, was discussed in September when subject matter resources (SMR) convened at the San Bernardino Public Safety Academy, an award winning charter school for grades 6-12.  Besides getting a firsthand look at an exemplary program, SMR developed a list of core curriculum components, employing POST’s “Background Investigation Dimensions for Peace Officers and Public Safety Dispatchers” as a guide.  The core components will be woven into current state educational standards from a menu of public safety school models that will include magnet programs, partnership academies, Regional Occupation Programs (ROP), and charter school programs for grades 6-12.

Curriculum topics will focus on the various skills needed in law enforcement and also reinforce character building and obviate behaviors that could disqualify students from attaining peace officer positions.  Staff members from the Public Safety Academy shared how their teachers have all been cross-trained in the Michael Josephson Institute of Ethic’s “Character Counts” program and how their students have accepted the program’s tenets as part of their school culture.  A representative from the Josephson Institute was present at the meeting and expressed interest in tailoring a program specifically for school-based public safety programs.

For those students at the collegiate portion of the “pipeline,” SMR advocated the need for college courses that would continue instruction in leadership and ethics.  Ideally, these college courses would also weave the POST “background dimensions” throughout the program, along with “life-time fitness” and a regular review of the POST “Personal History Statement.”

Curriculum development is occurring in collaboration with Santa Rosa Junior College via a contract that was awarded to the college at the end of fiscal year 2009/2010.  A DVD containing vignettes of model programs is also under production and will be a supplement to the program guide.  The curriculum will also be made available to law enforcement agencies to assist them in development of partnerships with their local schools to implement such programs.

A driving factor for developing these school-based programs is the low success rate of applicants entering the selection process.  POST estimates that only eight of 100 applicants are currently able to pass the selection process; many agencies are reporting even lower success rates.  The development of public safety school programs that weave the components of the background dimensions throughout the school curriculum should make students more successful in the law enforcement selection process.

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

 

FIFTH POST BLOOD DRIVE

The fifth of six scheduled POST Blood Drives for 2010 was held on September 15th.  A new record of 36 pints was collected.  Of the 36 donors, 18 were from the Office of Technology Services (OTS).  Since February 2009, we have collected 276 pints.  The donor list consists of 46 from POST and 47 from OTS.  Staff, friends, and family of POST are encouraged to join the next blood drive on Tuesday, November 16th.

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

 

CORONER JOB ANALYSIS PRESENTATION

In September, POST staff attended the California State Coroners’ Association Conference in Modesto and presented the results of the California Coroner Occupational Analysis.  Conference participants were given an overview of the occupational analysis process and purpose (i.e., provide a legally-defensible basis for statewide training and curriculum).  Findings were discussed and conference attendees were directed to the California Coroner Occupational Analysis Report (pdf) which is now available through the POST Website.

Questions about the project may be directed to Personnel Selection Consultant Elizabeth Wisnia, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4830; or Personnel Selection Consultant Tammura Brown, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-2810.

 

CENTRAL VALLEY OPENS TWO NEW PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING CENTERS

Law enforcement training in California’s central valley took a major step into the future with the opening of two new, state-of-the-art training centers in Hanford and in Fresno.  Both were the result of several years of planning, fulfilling the needs of two diverse law enforcement training operations.  Thoughtful cost containment efforts, community support, and partnerships with other governmental entities were important components in the successful completion of both centers.  Providing facilities and training features intended to increase service quality and officer preparedness, the two distinctly different operations offer a basis for professional development for future generations of law enforcement officers in this region.

The Public Safety Training Department of the College of Sequoias is located on the Hanford satellite campus of the College of the Sequoias at 925 13^th Avenue, Hanford, and hosted an open house in September 2010.  The facility is physically separated from other classroom and administration buildings on the spacious campus, housing administrative offices, computer ready classrooms, locker rooms, indoor physical training areas and exercise equipment, separate force option and driving simulator centers, outdoor exercise testing areas, driving lanes, and a concrete skid pan.  The long established academy program has quickly settled into the new site under Director Brian DeCuir, and with the support of the Tulare-Kings Counties Law Enforcement Advisory Board and Chairman Rueben Shortnacy (Corcoran Police Chief).  Both Intensive and Extended Format Basic Courses are already underway.  Equipped to provide both pre-service and in-service law enforcement training, the new facilities are a welcome addition to regional law enforcement services and resources.

The Fresno Police Department Regional Training Center is located at 6375 W. Central Avenue, Fresno, and hosted a grand opening ceremony and open house on September 28, 2010.  The spacious center was developed on a 78 acre rural parcel allowing inclusion of an extensive driving track, climate adjustable skid pan, and contemporary firearms ranges accommodating 200 yard rifle course, sniper house, and full automatic firearms training.  An entry building with moveable interior walls and an administration building with office, computer ready classrooms, simulator centers for both force option and driving simulators, and equipped with contemporary technology complete the campus.  Police Chief Jerry Dyer commended the continuing support of the City government and community in bringing the training center to completion, also recognizing valued partners in law enforcement, the military, and the private sector.  The ceremony concluded with a pursuit driving demonstration, and a tactical maneuver scenario by the SWAT team, showcasing the facility’s dimensions and inviting a further look at the model development designed to serve law enforcement training needs throughout the state.

Questions about the new Public Safety Training Centers may be directed to Senior Consultant Ron Wood, Training Delivery and Compliance Bureau, at (916) 227-7620.

 

BASIC COURSE PHYSICAL CONDITIONING PROGRAM REVISION

A Pilot Academy Instructor Training Workshop was presented at Sacramento Police Academy during September as part of the project to revise the Basic Course Physical Conditioning Program.  Physical training instructors from academies that will pilot test the proposed new curriculum attended this workshop.

In this 40-hour workshop, participants learned current physical conditioning principles, practiced effective and safe techniques, and designed lesson plans appropriate for academy environments.  Instructors from San Diego Regional Public Safety Training Institute, Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy, and South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium participated, and all intend to begin pilot testing the new curriculum with their next classes.  Two others, Sacramento Regional Public Safety Training Center and Sacramento Police Academy, have been piloting the new curriculum since July, 2010.  Some initial pilot test results are anticipated in October, 2010.

Questions about the Basic Course Physical Conditioning Program revision may be directed to Senior Personnel Selection Consultant Michael Catlin, Standards and Evaluation Services Bureau, at (916) 227-2570.

 

POST STAFF ATTENDS GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY OF YUBA COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S NEW PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING CENTER

On Friday, September 24, 2010, Senior Consultant Michael Gomez participated in the ground breaking ceremony of Yuba Community College’s $19 million dollar Public Safety Training Center (PSTC) located in Marysville, California.  The construction of the 42,000 square foot PSTC is a result of the passage of a 2006 bond measure designed to support and enhance the region’s public safety training needs. The PSTC also includes future plans to construct an EVOC center within walking distance of the main campus.  The ceremony was attended by Yuba Community College District (YCCD) Chancellor, Dr. Nicki Harrington, members of the YCCD Board Trustees, Yuba College President Kay Adkins and Administration of Justice Director, Rolfe Appel. Yuba County Sheriff Steve Durfor and Mr. Gomez addressed the audience on the importance of the PSTC’s future contribution and resources available to the region’s law enforcement agencies.  The plans for the new center were unveiled for public viewing and guests were invited to participate in the ceremonial “Shovel to Groundbreaking” photo opportunities.

Questions about the ground breaking ceremony may be directed to Senior Consultant Michael Gomez, Training Delivery and Compliance Bureau, at (916) 227-4870.

 

SEARCH WARRANT WRITING TOOL RELEASED VIA THE LEARNING PORTAL

POST is proud to announce the release of the Search Warrant Writing Tool (SWWT), the first performance support tool.  This innovative software application installs directly on a computer and guides the student through the search warrant writing process.  The tool was released via the Learning Portal in September 2010.  There have been 1,351 downloads in the first four weeks.

The initial release contains templatesdesigned to help the tool format search warrants for Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Santa Clara counties.  Staff is working on the format for the remaining 52 counties with the hope of completing them by the end of the 2010.  A built-in auto update feature will enable the delivery of the remaining county templates as they are completed.  The format of the search warrant is fully editable in any word processor.

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

 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - STATUS OF CURRENT LEGISLATION

The following are bills in Legislative Session 2009/10 on which the Commission has taken, or will consider taking, a position.

 

 

Bill # and Author	Title, Summary, and Commission Position	Status of Bill
AB 33 (Nava and Cook)	Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training: Missing Children.   This bill would require the Commission on POST, as necessary and appropriate, to modify its missing persons investigations guidelines and curriculum with contemporary information. Commission Position: Neutral.	Chaptered 9/24/10
AB 1899 (Eng)	State Agencies:   Information: Internet Website. This bill would require, subject to specific exemptions, state agencies (including POST, the Department of General Services, and the office of the State Chief Information Officer) to post specified audits and contracts to the state's Reporting Transparency in Government Internet Website. Commission Position: Neutral.	Enrolled 9/8/10
SB 110 (Liu)	People with Disabilities: Victims of Crime. This bill states that every state law enforcement agency in the POST program may provide training to its peace officers using the telecourse “Crime Victims with Disabilities,” each time the Commission on POST and the Department of Justice update the telecourse to reflect changes in law, standards, and information since the telecourse was produced in 2002. Commission Position: Neutral.	Enrolled 8/23/10
SB 1062 (Strickland)	Public Safety Omnibus Bill. This bill, in part, would make non-substantive changes to Section 13540 of the Penal Code. Commission Position: Support.	Enrolled 8/13/10
SB 1190 (Cedillo)	Animal Control Officers:   Illegal Dumping Enforcement Officers: Baton Training. This bill would remove the requirement that animal control officers and illegal dumping enforcement officers complete training certified by the Department of Consumer Affairs in order to be permitted to carry a club or baton and would instead require the officers to complete training approved by the Commission on POST. Commission Position: Neutral.	Chaptered 7/15/10
SB 1296 (Correa)	Peace Officer Training: Injuries: Post-Traumatic Stress. This bill would require the Commission on POST to assess the training needed by peace officers on the topic of how to interact with returning veterans or other persons suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).   Should a need for training be found, the Commission would be required to create and make available a course for first-responding peace officers, distribute a training bulletin on the subject via the Internet, and report to the Legislature on the extent peace officers are receiving the training. Commission Position: Neutral.	Enrolled 8/25/10

 

 

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