Excellence in Training

Behaviors and Options

Just when you thought the debate about Use of Force Models had died down someone feels the need to write an article for a Chief’s magazine slamming those that advocate teaching to the law rather than teaching to a model.

I am not going to weigh in on the model versus no model debate. I will however, weigh in on ways to deliver training to develop competent and confident officers.

Models serve as a visual aide to help visual learners understand how use of force options fit into totality of circumstances. They are not a decision making tool for law enforcement officers.

Training needs to be designed and delivered to teach officers what they can do, teach them when they can do it and help them develop the confidence to do it immediately.  How do you do that? Teach the law and teach behaviors and options.  Based on the behaviors of the subject and the totality of circumstances the officer always has a range of force response options he or she can utilize.  There is no one right option; there is always a range of reasonable options. Teach behaviors and options, decision-making, failure drills (what to do when a tool or techniques does not work) and articulation throughout training. This allows officers to learn to apply the law and adapt to a variety of behaviors and circumstances resulting in officers that are both competent and confident. At this point if you have a model, teach officers how behaviors and options fits into the model so if he or she ever has to answer questions on the stand concerning the model they can explain the totality of circumstances and how their actions reasonably fits into the model. The officer’s notes and reports however, describe the subject’s behaviors and are written based on the totality of circumstances, not based on the model.

If you are using a model to educate visual learners in court also ensure you educate them about the reality that use of force is subject driven. Subjects always have the opportunity to cooperate. When they choose not to cooperate they create a situation where officers in the lawful execution of their duties have to use some level of force to control the subject. The level of resistance or aggression by the subject will make up part of the totality of circumstances, which will determine the level of force the officer reasonably believes is necessary to establish control of the subject.

You need to continually evaluate what you are teaching, but more importantly you need to evaluate how you are teaching to ensure you are doing what is best for your officers. 

Take care. 

Brian Willis

If you are interested in booking Brian Willis for a presentation, keynote or course contact him at winningmind@mac.com. You can visit our website at www.winningmindtraining.com for a list of presentations and courses Brian can offer your organization, staff training function or conference.

Registration is now available for the 2012 Legacy of Excellence Conference. 

W.I.N. 1: Critical Issues in Training and Leading Warriors, W.I.N. 2: Insights Into Training and leading Warriors, If I Knew Then: Life Lessons From Cops on the Street and W.I.N. 2: Warrior Reflections are now all available in e-book format for your iPad and your favorite e-book reader. For print versions go to www.warriorspiritbooks.com.  

 

 

 

 

After the Shot

Last week I talked about the need to train for up close and personal deadly force confrontations.  So, what happens following a deadly for encounter where one of your officers has shot someone?

Are you educating your officers, starting in the recruit academy, about what to expect after the shooting?

Do they understand the officer involved shooting protocols in place in your jurisdiction? Will it be your agency doing the investigation or an outside agency?

Have they been told that some investigator or supervisor may seize their gun? This may happen at the scene or at the office. Ideally the officer will be given a replacement gun but officers need to be warned that may not happen.

Have you educated your officers on the effects of stress on memory? Do they understand the important of rest following an event and prior to completing their statement?

Do they know who to call for competent legal representation? Is that phone call their responsibility or will some else automatically make that call for them such as a representative from the union, association, FOP, or PBA?

Have you trained your supervisors about their roles and responsibilities following a shooting?

Have you done your best to ensure the people tasked with investigating the shootings have attended the Force Science Institute certification course (www.forcescience.org).

Have you educated your administrators about the science and the realities of combat and the effects of stress? Have you educated your public information officers, Chiefs and Sheriffs about more desirable things to say to the media following an officer involved shooting?

Too often officers get training in how to take the shot, and when the law allows them to take the shot and are left on their own to figure out what happens after the shot. This is a critical moment in an officer’s career and their life and is far too important to be left to chance. Do the research and make sure you educate your officers about what they need to do for themselves after the shot. 

For access to a great resource on OIS protocols click on this link and download the handout from John Bostain's presentation at IACP. OIS Protocol Handout

Take care. 

Brian Willis

If you are interested in booking Brian Willis for a presentation, keynote or course contact him at winningmind@mac.com. You can visit our website at www.winningmindtraining.com for a list of presentations and courses Brian can offer your organization, staff training function or conference.

Registration is now available for the 2012 Legacy of Excellence Conference. 

W.I.N. 1: Critical Issues in Training and Leading Warriors, W.I.N. 2: Insights Into Training and leading Warriors, If I Knew Then: Life Lessons From Cops on the Street and W.I.N. 2: Warrior Reflections are now all available in e-book format for your iPad and your favorite e-book reader. For print versions go to www.warriorspiritbooks.com.  

 

 

Up Close and Personal

Are you training officers to win up close and personal violent encounters?

Are you training officers to shoot a subject from inches away, who poses a threat of death or grievous bodily harm to the officer or someone else?

Are you training officers to shoot a subject in the back to save the life of a fellow officer or a citizen?

Are you training officers to shoot a subject in the back of the head from inches away to save a life?

Are you training officers to shoot a subject from inches away to save the life of a fellow officer who is engaged in an up close and personal struggle with the subject? 

If you answered yes to all these questions congratulations are in order. You are doing a great job. Unfortunately, you are in the minority. As I travel around North America and talk to officers about Harnessing the Winning Mind and Warrior Spirit we always engage in this conversation. The reality is few agencies are training officers in these vital life saving skills. Failure to train these skills has cost officers their lives and it is unacceptable.

There are a lot of excuses for not doing this training, but no valid reasons. Close quarters tactics can be covered during control tactics training using red guns. Shooting up close in personal and shooting in the back can be done at the range, can be done during the scenarios and can be done in control tactics classes. The important thing is you have to do it.

Firearms instructors and control tactics instructors need to sit down and talk about how they can all integrate this type of training into their programs. You cannot assume someone else is addressing it only to find out after an officer is murdered that no one was covering these tactics. This issue is about mindset as much as it is about actual tactics so make sure you address both the physical and mental aspects.

Take care. 

Brian Willis

If you are interested in booking Brian Willis for a presentation, keynote or course contact him at winningmind@mac.com. You can visit our website at www.winningmindtraining.com for a list of presentations and courses Brian can offer your organization, staff training function or conference.

Registration is now available for the 2012 Legacy of Excellence Conference. 

W.I.N. 1: Critical Issues in Training and Leading Warriors, W.I.N. 2: Insights Into Training and leading Warriors, If I Knew Then: Life Lessons From Cops on the Street and W.I.N. 2: Warrior Reflections are now all available in e-book format for your iPad and your favorite e-book reader. For print versions go to www.warriorspiritbooks.com.  

What Are You......

Before you read any further stop and make a list of the Professional Speakers you know.

Was your name on the list? What about the other law enforcement trainers in your agency? Do you consider yourself a professional speaker? A professional trainer?

The reality is that if you are a trainer, you are a professional speaker.  Once you can accept that ask yourself the following questions:

What are you doing to enhance your stage presence, your story telling abilities and platform skills?

What are you doing to enhance your PowerPoint presentations and other visual aides?

What are you doing to enhance your knowledge and skills with the technology you are using in your presentations?

What are you reading and listening to in order to enhance your knowledge of the speaking business?

During the Below 100 presentations we use a quote from Paul Capitelli “We have too much tolerance for negligent driving in our profession.” We need to fix this as it is costing lives.

I believe we also have too much tolerance for poor presentations and we need to fix this as it is diminishing the effectiveness of training. We all need to continue to work at mastering our presentation skills. We owe it to the officers we train to provide them with the best learning experience possible. The better the training the more likely the officers will retain it. The better the training the more officers will look forward to going to training. This takes work, it takes time, and it takes practice, but it is worth the investment.

Study those who have mastered the art of professional speaking, but be yourself when you are in front of an audience (just be a more professional version of your current self).

Here are some books that are great resources:

Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery by Garr Reynolds

Slide:ology: The Art of Creating Great Presentations By Nancy Duarte

Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience by Carmen Gallo

The Police Instructor Handbook By Richard H. Neil (available at www.leotrainer.com)

Take care. 

Brian Willis

If you are interested in booking Brian Willis for a presentation, keynote or course contact him at winningmind@mac.com. You can visit our website at www.winningmindtraining.com for a list of presentations and courses Brian can offer your organization, staff training function or conference.

Registration is now available for the 2012 Legacy of Excellence Conference. 

W.I.N. 1: Critical Issues in Training and Leading Warriors, W.I.N. 2: Insights Into Training and leading Warriors, If I Knew Then: Life Lessons From Cops on the Street and W.I.N. 2: Warrior Reflections are now all available in e-book format for your iPad and your favorite e-book reader. For print versions go to www.warriorspiritbooks.com.