Aurora Police Department Directives Manual - Requests for Travel and Training PDF

AURORA POLICE DEPARTMENT DIRECTIVES MANUAL 07.06 Title: REQUESTS FOR TRAVEL AND TRAINING Approved By: Nick Metz, Chief of Police Effective: 11/03/2006 Revised: 05/26/2015 Associated Policy: References: Review: 7.6 Page 1 of 4 REQUESTS FOR TRAINING The Department relies on outside sources to meet ong...

AURORA POLICE DEPARTMENT DIRECTIVES MANUAL 07.06 Title: REQUESTS FOR TRAVEL AND TRAINING Approved By: Nick Metz, Chief of Police Effective: 11/03/2006 Revised: 05/26/2015 Associated Policy: References: Review: 7.6 Page 1 of 4 REQUESTS FOR TRAINING The Department relies on outside sources to meet ongoing training requirements. The training budget will be utilized to further the goals and objectives of the Department to include staff development. 7.6.1 Skills Training Selection Process The Department recognizes the need for continuous and specialized training for members. Several different issues impact the ability to allow members to attend training. First and foremost is the Department’s ability to fulfill operational objectives in a safe manner. In all cases, staffing requirements must be met before a member is authorized to attend training. A command officer will review staffing requirement issues before training is authorized. Financial constraints also impact the Department’s ability to allow members to attend training. All training that has a cost associated with the training, including training costs reimbursed by an outside entity, will be reviewed by a command officer. Only the appropriate Division/Deputy Chief or designated program manager has the authority to approve a training request with a budgetary impact. Command officers should consider a member’s career path selection and duty performance when approving requests. 7.6.2 Instructor Training Selection Process Members requesting a training course to become certified as instructors for the Department should possess a demonstrated capacity to instruct. Command officers reviewing such requests will include the Training Section staff in the decision making process. At a minimum, command officers reviewing a request from a member to become an instructor should consider the member’s desire to: Commit to provide on-going instruction for the Department Directive Manual (05/26/2015) 07.06 REQUESTS FOR TRAINING Page 2 of 4 Become a member of the Academy Staff Promote within the Department Additionally, command officers should consider the member’s success in completing similar trainings. Members that are already instructors for the Department are responsible for the timely submission of requests to ensure re-certification requirements are maintained. 7.6.3 Travel and Training Authorization Form The Travel and Training Authorization Form (APD 188) is required for all travel requests involving:  Overnight travel  Day trip travel outside of the six county metro area (Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties). The form is also required for training requests involving:  Training that incurs an expense to the Department.  Training that is sponsored by an outside agency. The form is not needed for training offered by the Department and/or the City of Aurora, in-service training or training that does not require travel or cost. The member will open the Travel and Training Authorization Form, available in electronic format only in the Power DMS (Document Management System). The member will complete the form electronically, and save it. The member will print the form, sign it and submit it through the chain of command for review and approval. The request will be submitted no less than one month before the training date to accommodate processing and scheduling. The reviewing supervisor’s signature will ensure the absence of the member during the training session will not adversely impact staffing requirements of the Department. As applicable the following documents will be submitted with the Travel and Training Authorization Form:  Course description from the host agency.  Completed course registration form for all registrations requiring payments.  Completed course registration form or other documentation showing signup for courses not requiring payment. The supervisor will ensure the requesting member has entered the training request in TeleStaff before submitting the request. Directive Manual (05/26/2015) 07.06 REQUESTS FOR TRAINING Page 3 of 4 The supervisor of the member will maintain a copy of the Training Authorization in the member’s working file. The reviewing program manager will ensure adequate funding is available prior to approving a request. The program manager will forward the form through the chain of command to the Chief’s Office for final review and approval. Only the Chief of Police or designee may approve the authorization for travel. 7.6.4 Supervisor Responsibility Supervisors receiving requests for training will review the documentation for completeness and appropriateness. Approval of the request at the supervisory levels indicates that the supervisor confirmed staffing requirements are met for the training time period. The supervisor will annotate on the daily shift roster that member will be in training and unavailable for normal duties. The supervisor will maintain a copy of the documentation in the member’s working file and ensure that a copy is forwarded to the Training Section. The supervisor will note the training activity and member’s performance during training in the member’s Performance Appraisal file. 7.6.5 Command Officer Responsibility Training requests that include travel must be processed through the appropriate Division Chief for final approval. Command officers reviewing requests for training will determine if funding exists for the training. The approving command officer will note the account number responsible for the payment training fees. Training reimbursed by another entity must also be approved. Command officers in the Rank of Captain or above must complete the multiple attendance justification on APD Form 188 when multiple attendees request to attend the same training event. Training requests with no associated costs or reimbursement, and day trip travel within the 7-county Denver area may be approved at the Bureau/Section level, in accordance with approved SOPs. Approved training hours are compensated as paid hours. However, supervisors and employees must ensure that a difference between the training hours and normally scheduled duty hours are accounted for. Each two-week work period must account for 80 paid hours, including normal duty shift hours, training, and approved time off. Members attending a training day when the training hours are less than the scheduled work shift must either work the remaining hours in the normal duty shift, get the supervisor to document a schedule adjustment in TeleStaff or take leave or comp time off to make up the difference. Directive Manual (05/26/2015) 07.06 REQUESTS FOR TRAINING Page 4 of 4 Travel time associated with outside training may also be adjusted in the member’s normal work/training week within the given pay period. 7.6.6 Member Responsibility Each member requesting training will ensure the training request packet is complete with the necessary documents specific to the training. Members permitted to attend training are expected to provide training to other members upon his/her return to duty. A member is required to enter his/her request in TeleStaff. Supervisory staff may recommend training that may be of benefit to specific members, however it is the responsibility of the individual member to conduct the necessary research and submit the request packet. Members attending specialized instructor training are expected to provide training to the department and regularly assist in the training needs of the Department. Approved training is considered a duty assignment. Members not attending an approved training session will report without delay the absence or intended absence to their immediate supervisor. The supervisor will take the appropriate action. Members attending training will provide proof documentation (certificates, licenses, etc.) to their immediate supervisor upon return to normal duty. 7.6.7 Training Records The Training Section is responsible for maintaining documentation of all training for all members. 7.6.8 Short Notice Requests for Training Short notice training will be considered on a case by case basis. Members are cautioned that short notice requests will be scrutinized as the costs for travel and last minute registration tend to increase.