Boca Raton Police Services Department Training PDF

BOCA RATON POLICE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Departmental Standards Directive 33.100 TRAINING Revised: July 1, 2021 I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this departmental standards directive is to establish the responsibility and authority for the training and career development of law enforcement officers (LEOs)...

BOCA RATON POLICE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Departmental Standards Directive 33.100 TRAINING Revised: July 1, 2021 I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this departmental standards directive is to establish the responsibility and authority for the training and career development of law enforcement officers (LEOs) and civilian employees within the Boca Raton Police Services Department. II. POLICY: It is the policy of the Department to provide a training program for both LEOs and civilian employees consisting of initial, in-service, and ongoing training. III. PROCEDURE: A. POLICE RECRUIT TRAINING: 1. TRAINING PROGRAMS: a. The FDLE’s CJSTC is responsible for curriculum design, examination development, training school certification, and instructor certification of police academies for recruits and certified LEOs. 2. ACADEMY ATTENDANCE: a. The Department requires all newly hired police recruits to attend a police academy to meet the requirements for certification established by the FDLE’s CJSTC. b. The Department may send police recruits to either the Palm Beach State College Police Academy or the Broward College Police Academy, based on the training and/or personnel needs of the Department. c. Police academy training must take place before any routine assignment in any capacity in which the LEO is allowed to carry a firearm or is in a position to make an arrest. d. If the newly hired recruit is a certified law enforcement officer in the State of Florida and his/her certificate has not lapsed, no academy training is required. Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: July 1, 2021 Training Directive No. 33.100 Page 1 of 12 e. If the certificate has lapsed or the recruit has comparative compliance from another state, the officer is required to take either the appropriate refresher or compliance course as prescribed by the FDLE’s CJSTC 3. RECRUIT COURSES: a. The Broward and Palm Beach Police Academies provide orientation handbooks for all recruits. b. Both police academies' recruit courses meet or exceed all the requirements of job task training and evaluation of their skills, knowledge, and abilities as provided by FDLE’s CJSTC. c. The Training Unit supervisor or his/her designee maintains open communications with each academy’s staff to monitor recruit progress. 4. RESPONSIBILITIES: a. In his/her relationship and/or dealings with police academies, Department employees will be guided by the following principles: i. FSS 943.13, the legal basis for participation in the academy, requires academy attendance. ii. The Training Unit supervisor or his/her designee will be the liaison between the Department and the academies. iii. The liaison provides an avenue for Department input to the academy program as well as a means of monitoring participant progress. b. In providing resources to the academy, such as staff or instructors, the Department will be guided by FSS 943.12. c. Financial and legal obligations of the Department to police academies include the following: i. The Department, as provided in FSS 943.16, will pay any costs of tuition for academy attendance. ii. Recruits attending the academy are considered on-duty, and, as such, any liability incurred during the legal performance of his/her duties at the academy may be the responsibility of the Department, unless it is the result of negligence on the part of the academy or the recruit. d. Recruits attending the academy are responsible for following the written directives pertaining to the academy and the Department that apply at the time. Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: July 1, 2021 Training Directive No. 33.100 Page 2 of 12 5. NEW HIRE ASSIGNMENT: a. Police recruits who have been hired but have not yet completed the basic academy training certification course, may be used in certain assignments which do not require carrying a weapon, enforcing laws, or making arrests. 6. DEPARTMENT ORIENTATION: a. Newly hired police recruits shall be provided an orientation after successful completion of the academy and before assignment to regular duty. b. Law enforcement officers who are already certified shall be provided with orientation after hire and before assignment to regular duty. c. The Training Unit shall be responsible for coordinating and documenting orientation training. Orientation topics shall be based on the current needs of the Department. B. CIVILIAN TRAINING: 1. EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION: a. Civilian employees shall receive training specific to his/her job responsibilities to include, working with the public. b. Upon employment, civilian employees shall complete the following tasks during orientation: i. A tour of the facility to include introductions to other employees ii. Receive his/her photo identification card iii. Receive information regarding the accreditation process. iv. Obtain access to the Department’s Written Directives Manual v. Review the duties and responsibilities of his/her position vi. Field Training Manual, if available for the position vii. Receive information regarding the organization, the chain of command and the Department’s relationship to other City departments viii. Receive information about the responsibilities and rights as indicated in the Employee Handbook - City of Boca Raton ix. Receive specific information from his/her supervisor regarding work schedule. Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: July 1, 2021 Training Directive No. 33.100 Page 3 of 12 c. Supervisors shall check-off completed orientation topics on the Orientation Checklist and submit it to the Professional Standards Bureau administrative assistant. 2. ADDITIONAL TRAINING: a. Civilian employees may receive additional training opportunities in the following areas: i. New job/task requirements. ii. Updates of departmental standards directives and standard operating procedures. C. iii. New or updated software. iv. Rights and benefit changes and updates. v. CPR and first responder training, if applicable. IN-SERVICE TRAINING: 1. In-service training shall be an integral part of the career development program. 2. The in-service training curriculum shall follow the recommendations of the Training Unit supervisor, command staff, and/or the chief of police. 3. LEOs will receive a minimum of forty (40) hours of mandatory training every four years, as required by Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)/Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC). a. Eight hours of mandatory re-training will focus on firearms proficiency training and the remaining 32 hours will be based on the needs of the Department and employees and will include legal updates. b. LEOs shall receive first aid training at least once every two years. 10.13 c. LEOs may complete part of the mandatory training through the Department’s in-service training program and part through training programs administered outside the Department. D. ROLL CALL TRAINING: 1. Through roll call training, the Department shall provide a systematic program to keep employees updated on new or changing laws, ordinances, and procedures. 2. Approximately once a week, 15 to 20 minutes of the daily roll call briefing will be devoted to training. Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: July 1, 2021 Training Directive No. 33.100 Page 4 of 12 3. Supervisors are responsible for planning and organizing the training to meet the needs of his/her assigned personnel. 4. It will be the responsibility of the watch commanders and section commanders to track roll-call training, ensure that the designated topics are being covered, and that documentation is being forwarded to the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB). 5. Sergeants will assign employees to conduct training on a rotating basis to give them the opportunity to research and present training material to his/her squads. 6. Roll call training may consist of the following: a. Material from state statutes, city ordinances, or Department policies and procedures with emphasis placed on high risk/critical tasks. b. Discussion and review of Department memorandums, legal bulletins, enforcement techniques, or departmental standards directives and standard operating procedures. c. Lectures, demonstrations, videos, incident debriefings (internal or external), or information from other sources that will benefit employees in the performance of his/her assignments. 7. Documentation of roll call training shall consist of the following: a. Supervisors will document training via the electronic Shift Report and on the electronic Roll Call Training Report. b. Documentation maintained will record the date, instructor, topic covered, and names of personnel in attendance. c. A copy of all outside material used to conduct roll call training, with the exception of state statutes, city ordinances, and departmental standards directives and standard operating procedures, shall be attached to the electronic Roll Call Training Report form. d. Roll call is available to the Professional Standards Bureau for review by the Training Unit supervisor and electronic filing in the Department’s training software. e. The Training Unit supervisor will review roll call training to ensure that training topics are meeting the needs of the Department. 8. High Risk/Critical Tasks shall be conducted as follows: a. On a minimum biweekly basis, the Department’s high risk/critical task policies will be the topic of the roll call training. Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: July 1, 2021 Training Directive No. 33.100 Page 5 of 12 b. Training will be conducted at the direction of the supervisor in charge of training for the Department or other staff members with particular emphasis being placed on, but not limited to, the following: E. i. Pursuit ii. Use of force iii. Arrest iv. Search v. Seizure vi. Domestic violence vii. Transportation and restraint of prisoners viii. Harassment in the workplace ix. Citizen complaints x. Internal affairs xi. Communicable diseases xii. Training xiii. EAP/Mental health SUPERVISOR TRAINING: 10.12 1. Newly promoted employees shall complete relevant job-related training within one year of promotion. Training may come from the following sources: a. On-the-job training b. In-house supervision instruction to include performance evaluation, career counseling and/or other supervisory programs recognized as being suitable by the Department. c. Supervision classes offered through outside entities 2. Once a month, section and watch commanders shall conduct a table-top training scenario with their first line supervisors using the incident command platform. This training will be documented on the roll call training form. Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: July 1, 2021 Training Directive No. 33.100 Page 6 of 12 F. SPECIALIZED ASSIGNMENT TRAINING:10.11 1. Employees working in specialized assignments, teams, or with special skills will attend training to receive certification or training in the following areas: a. Detectives b. Field Training Officers (FTO) c. Community Engagement Officers d. Traffic Enforcement Officers e. Canine Officers f. Crisis Negotiators g. SWAT Team Members h. Bomb/Explosive Technicians i. Divers j. Polygraphists k. Traffic Homicide Investigators l. Community Service Officers m. Biological Processing Laboratory Technicians n. Evidence Custodians o. Crime Scene Technicians p. Real Time Command Center Technicians q. Radar/Laser Operator r. Intoxilyzer 8000 Operator s. DUI/Standardized Field Sobriety Testing t. Armorer u. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certification v. Motorcycle Operators w. Marine Operators Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: July 1, 2021 Training Directive No. 33.100 Page 7 of 12 x. Bicycle Officers y. Instructor training/certification for any assignment based on the needs of the Department z. 2. Other positions as designated High Liability Certification Training: a. All high liability certification training must be taught by a specialist certified in the respective high liability area, e.g., firearms, defensive tactics, vehicle operations, and first aid. b. All applicable high liability training programs must be coordinated through the Training Unit and be in conformance with the criteria established for the specific course by the CJSTC. 3. A list of the skills and training needed for each specialized assignment shall be maintained in each employee’s HCM Oracle module and is available for supervisors to view. 4. The following provisions have been established for specialized training: a. Employees newly assigned to a specialized area will receive supervised on-the-job training after assignment. b. If Department employees cannot sufficiently cover the training, the employee shall receive specialized training from approved outside agencies. c. If the specialization requires state certification or licensing, the employee will attend the state certification course before engaging in the specialty area. G. EXTERNAL TRAINING: 1. SEMINAR REQUESTS: a. The Department encourages employees to locate viable seminars and courses as offered by public and private entities and apply for approval to attend. b. All requests to attend schools, seminars, courses, or training activities must be submitted via the attendee's chain of command for approval. c. Employees must submit all training requests on the current Request for Training form with a copy of the course announcement. d. Before approving a training request, supervisors should investigate the merits of the particular course to be assured that the training will be valuable to the employee and the Department. Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: July 1, 2021 Training Directive No. 33.100 Page 8 of 12 e. Supervisors will return training requests that are not approved to the employee with the reason the particular courses were not approved. f. Approved requests will be forwarded to the administrative assistant responsible for travel and training and the attendee will be notified, in writing, of approval. 2. PALM BEACH STATE COLLEGE AND BROWARD COLLEGE: a. Basic recruit training, specialized training, and career development training are held at Palm Beach State College and Broward College. b. Mandatory courses taken during the recruit academy training may be applied toward college credit, after the employee completes the appropriate college forms. c. Advanced and career development training may be applied to mandatory retraining credit or state salary incentive programs, where applicable. 3. COOPERATIVE TRAINING/CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES: a. Department employees are encouraged to apply for training programs offered by other criminal justice agencies. b. Intra-agency courses increase effectiveness, improve coordination, and promote better understanding among agencies. c. Courses/seminars offered by other agencies will be posted on the intranet. d. Interested employees may apply, following the established procedure. e. Department conducted training programs may be offered to employees of other agencies when the content is appropriate and space permits. 4. REIMBURSEMENT FOR OUTSIDE TRAINING PROGRAMS: a. The Department will pay the cost for all approved seminar/career development programs. b. The travel and training administrative assistant will notify the employee in writing about the status of his/her attendance application and any arrangements made. c. Attendance at seminars/career development courses will be considered on duty. d. The Department will participate in the State's salary incentive program for full-time LEOs as indicated in FSS 943.22. Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: July 1, 2021 Training Directive No. 33.100 Page 9 of 12 e. The City also offers a College Tuition Assistance Program: See City of Boca Raton Personnel Policy and Procedures and the Agreement between the City of Boca Raton and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 35. H. EMPLOYEE ATTENDANCE: 10.01 1. Any absence from scheduled training shall require the approval of the employee’s supervisor and notification to the Training Unit supervisor or his/her designee. 10.04 a. Excused absences include the following: i. Prior supervisory approval ii. Required court or deposition attendance iii. Unplanned medical issues or family emergencies b. Should any absences occur when an employee is scheduled for training at an off-site location, the employee shall immediately notify his/her supervisor and the instructor. c. It shall be the responsibility of the employee to make arrangements to make up any time missed from scheduled training. 2. REMEDIAL TRAINING: 10.04 a. The Department’s training unit will provide remedial training to employees in the following situations: i. An employee has failed to demonstrate the minimum skill levels in training programs ii. An administrative or inspection process has revealed the need for an employee to receive remedial training. b. Remedial training will be scheduled at the earliest possible date. c. Instructors will not assign a passing score to an employee assigned to remedial training until the employee has acquired the minimum skill levels that are required by the Department. d. An employee’s failure to achieve minimum skill levels in remedial training shall be reported to the chief of police or his/her designee. 3. COURSE EVALUATIONS: a. All employees are encouraged to participate in the evaluation phase to assist with determining the effectiveness of the Department’s training programs. Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: July 1, 2021 Training Directive No. 33.100 Page 10 of 12 b. The Training Unit supervisor will review the course evaluations on an ongoing basis after each training session and make any necessary changes to training programs based upon legitimate feedback received. c. The reviewing and updating of training material shall be an ongoing process. I. HOSTING EXTERNAL TRAINING COURSES: 1. The decision to host external training will be based on factors including but not limited to: a. Costs associated with hosting the training. b. Resources and employees required for hosting the training. c. Potential training benefits for the Department. d. Safety considerations for employees attending the event. 2. All requests to host external training shall be submitted by employees to the Training Unit supervisor via chain of command. 3. J. Final approval shall be given by the chief of police or his/her designee. TESTING AND EVALUATION: 1. All requests for testing and evaluating uniforms, uniform accessories, weapons, and weapon accessories shall be submitted to the Training Unit supervisor for approval via the employee’s chain of command. 2. SWAT, Bomb Squad, CNT, USRT, UAS, and Honor Guard employees may test and evaluate equipment during team training and operations with the approval of his/her team commander. K. COLLEGE AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT COURSES: 1. Department approval for the tuition reimbursement program will be governed by the City’s College Tuition Assistance Program: City of Boca Raton Personnel Policy and Procedures Memorandum IV-5, the Agreement between the City of Boca Raton and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 35, and any subsequent updates thereof. Tuition reimbursement forms for full time employees are available from the Human Resources Department. 2. A full-time employee who desires to enroll in a college course or career development class and it will conflict with his/her current work schedule, he/she must send a memorandum to his/her division commander, through the chain of command, requesting permission to attend. The memorandum shall include the title of the course, where it will be held, and the course times. Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: July 1, 2021 Training Directive No. 33.100 Page 11 of 12 a. Consideration for change of a work assignment, the granting of time off, or annual or compensatory time, will be based on the needs of the Department as determined by the division commander. b. If the requested time off is for college classes, the decision will be also based on if the employee is a degree seeking student and the type of degree sought. Approved: Michele Miuccio Chief of Police Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: July 1, 2021 Date: Training Directive No. 33.100 Page 12 of 12