Hackers Underworld 2: Forbidden Knowledge/Hackers Underworld 2: Forbidden Knowledge.iso/LEGAL/STRIPES.P16

Text File | 1991-06-03 | 14KB | 282 lines

May 1991


                      HONOLULU'S STRIPES:
                    TRAINING FOR SERGEANTS

                              By

                      Robert D. Prasser
                           Captain
             Honolulu, Hawaii, Police Department


     In today's legal climate, it is imperative that police
sergeants be prepared not only to face the challenges of
crime in their districts but also to manage their personnel
more effectively.  All too often, newly promoted sergeants
receive only an orientation and a review of departmental
regulations before they are placed in their new assignments
to either "sink or swim." (1)  In police departments throughout
the country, this is often wryly referred to as "Holy Ghost"
training--somehow they will get the job done with minimum damage
to the department and few lawsuits.

     While not discounting divine intervention, the Honolulu,
Hawaii, Police Department realized that recently appointed
sergeants require additional training to rise to an increased
level of professionalism, in view of today's ever-litigious
society.  Department officials recognized that sergeants on
today's police forces need basic skills in management and
supervision, counseling, public relations, and other areas that
were previously delegated to mid-level managers and above. (2)
With these issues in mind, they developed a new training program
for sergeants.  This article discusses how that training
program--STRIPES (Supervisory Training Regimen In the
Preparation and Education of Sergeants)--was developed and
implemented.

TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

     The first step in developing the new program was to form a
committee of top supervisors and managers from various divisions
within the department to assess the needs of a sergeant training
program.  This committee had a "blank slate" to plan a program
that would produce highly trained sergeants, who were recently
promoted to that rank, and eliminate those officers who were
ill-suited for the position.

     After reviewing the existing sergeants training program,
committee members devised a survey to determine current training
needs.  This survey, which was sent to all executive and
mid-management personnel, requested feedback on potential topics
to be included in the program, as well as any other relevant
comments or ideas.  The committee members then formulated
recommendations and goals, developed specific class titles and
practical exercise concepts, and estimated the number of hours
needed for each area of training.

     In their recommendations to the chief, the committee
proposed that the new program:

     *  Provide basic information and develop skills needed by
        sergeants to become effective supervisors

     *  Demonstrate a commitment by the department to this type
        of training

     *  Require a serious commitment from the trainees

     The committee also recommended that the number of sergeants
promoted at any one time be kept to a manageable number.
Although some of the available classrooms seat 60 officers, the
committee recommended that, for learning purposes, classes be
limited to 30 officers.

THE STRIPES PROGRAM

     The STRIPES Program lasts approximately 20 days and
includes a variety of training tools that both challenge and
stimulate the trainees, including classroom instruction and
lectures, mock scenarios, and written examinations.  In order to
make the program as professional as possible, instructors from
within the department who are expert in particular fields
augment the existing training staff.

     STRIPES is significantly different from the previous
training program.  The STRIPES curriculum includes eight areas
of concentration.

     Officers are graded on a pass/fail basis, with a penalty of
demotion for failing the program.  This system not only
motivates the officers to learn but also identifies those
officers who should be removed from the program because they
have not mastered fundamental supervisory skills.

     The program is designed to help sergeants succeed.  There
are two comprehensive exams given throughout the training that
provide a foundation for each officer's evaluation.  However, in
addition to the exams, performance during practical exercises is
also considered.  The decision to pass or fail officers is based
on their overall performance.

     In the past, most sergeant training was done in the
classroom.  However, because police officers tend to be
practical, task-oriented individuals who need more than
classroom lectures to keep their interest, practical exercises,
such as mock scenarios, were incorporated into the STRIPES
Program.

MOCK SCENARIOS

     Mock scenarios are highly structured exercises that expose
the officers to a variety of difficult situations that require
them to use their acquired skills and knowledge, as well as
their experience, in order to resolve the incident successfully.
For example, in one mock scenario, sergeants are required to
manage their personnel and resources at a difficult crime scene,
such as a felony assault with arrests at a crowded bar.
Participants in the scenario are given specific instructions on
how to perform, and the sergeant trainees must quickly develop
an understanding of how to deal with difficult people, including
witnesses, the media, and even department personnel.  Other mock
scenarios might include counseling an employee for chronic
absenteeism, marginal performance, or substance abuse, or
handling an internal affairs investigation that deals with
citizen complaints.

     Mock scenarios are also used to complement classroom
lectures.  For example, in conjunction with the classroom
lecture on disciplinary procedures, officers conduct a mock
internal investigation that requires a considerable time
commitment, possibly even some of the officers' off-duty
time.  This exercise is extremely valuable to newly promoted
sergeants because it allows them to assemble a complex,
often-litigated report before they are required to complete
such an investigation in the field.

     All mock scenarios take place in a realistic setting in a
mock crime scene building.  A panel of evaluators with expertise
in various areas, such as homicide or internal affairs
investigations, observes the scenarios behind one-way glass. The
exercises are graded, and the results are placed in each
officer's portfolio for feedback and documentation purposes.

     Every effort has been made to make the STRIPES Program as
complete and effective as possible.  However, important to every
program is an evaluation phase that provides valuable feedback
from its participants.

PROGRAM EVALUATION

     To determine whether the goals of the training program are
being met, the training staff developed an extensive evaluation
form to be completed by the sergeants in the STRIPES Program.
This 16-page evaluation form lists each course in the
curriculum, with a separate evaluation for each instructor.
This allows the training staff to isolate problems with either
courses or instructors and also allows them to evaluate the
overall effectiveness of the program.

     The evaluation form is given to the sergeants at the
beginning of the training so they can record their comments and
ideas as the course progresses.  This way, sergeants have
adequate time to make written comments while their assessments
of both the course content and instructors are fresh.  Because
they are not under time constraints to complete the evaluations,
they are more likely to give specific written suggestions and
comments for improvement.

     To supplement the evaluation of the newly promoted
se