Developing or Updating the SOPP Manual

This course will save agencies hundreds of hours and related costs involved in developing an agency operational manual, or to bring a current manual up-to-date and in line with current issues.  Over 400 separate model standards, policies and procedures are included.  The instructor will: explain why specific high-profile policies and procedures are included in the manual (such as: Use of Force, Fraternization, Productivity, Use of Tasers, Discipline, Termination and more) and their content and wording; provide instructions for editing and customizing the  model manual for use in an agency; provide effective and easy methods for publishing and disseminating the manual for agency personnel; suggestions for keeping the manual up-to-date. 6hrs.

Management’s Rights

This is a command level program for those within the agency with the authority and responsibility for developing, implementing, and enforcing organizational change.  This is a “How to” course that addresses the controversial issue of “management’s rights” in the employment relationship. While much is being said about employees’ rights, not enough is being said about what management must do to protect and enforce those rights. This course will provide a four-step program that will ensure management has the authority to direct and control its workforce and case law that,supports “management’s rights”. 8 hrs

Controlling Sick Leave Abuse:

Absenteeism Control and Tracking System (ACTS): This course takes the position that the majority of courts and arbiters still support management's right to require employees to attend work on a regular and predictable basis, provided they have a set of reasonable standards in place and follow fair enforcement procedures. Major employment laws and arbiter cases that support this position are reviewed. Attendees will know how to: support their rights under relevant labor and personnel laws, to enforce and hold employees accountable for their absenteeism problems, objectively measure and evaluate employee absenteeism, use the model policy and forms presented in class to control absenteeism.  Students receive class outline, computer disk containing a model absenteeism policy, related forms to record absenteeism, a free copy of the Absenteeism Control & Tracking System.  6hrs.

First-Line Supervision: 

This course teaches more practical supervisory skills in one day than most courses do in three days.  Supervisors learn how to use proven motivation, leadership and problem-management techniques that will improve and increase their day-to-day subordinate interactions.  Students will be able to:  explain supervisory legal and fiduciary responsibilities; apply basic principles of employee motivation, leadership and performance management in day-to-day supervisory situations; complete a Critical Incident Report that documents an employee’s performance problem; and conduct a Problem–Solving Conference and document a plan for performance improvement.    Students will receive class handouts and a certificate of attendance. 8hrs

Quota-Free Police Productivity System:

Agencies that have tried to develop fair and defensible productivity standards are repeatedly challenged as running a “quota” system by the very employees who are the least productive.  This program teaches how management can establish and enforce (without establishing a quota-system, or violating state anti-quota laws) objective and fair productivity standards to ensure that every employee contributes his/her fair share of work productivity.  Attendees will receive all forms and instruments  needed to implement a Fair-Day’s Work standards in their agency to include a computerized productivity data tracking program and a certificate of attendance. 8hrs. 

Performance Improvement Program (PIP):

Experts agree that the ultimate purpose of all discipline and performance evaluation systems is to improve employee performance.  However, due to the PUNITIVEnature of traditional DISCIPLINE systems and SUBJECTIVE nature of traditional EVALUATION systems, few actually improve performance, and fewer still could with a serious legal challenge.  PIP training material cites numerous civil and labor laws to support its operating principles.  This course will enable managers and supervisors to combine the concepts of Constructive  Discipline with Critical-Incident Evaluations; PIP affords employers a uniform, consistent, effective and less litigious approach to improving employee performance.  8hrs.

Discipline and Termination-Rules, Policies and Procedures:

This course examines U.S. Constitutional due process issues as they apply to employee discipline and termination cases.  This course will also provide the agency with the necessary rules, forms and policies to establish an effective disciplinary and termination system. Topics will include: the fundamental theories and principles of progressive discipline and termination, the proper disciplinary or termination action when faced with handling a problem employee, how to properly document the discipline and termination process, how to conduct appropriate disciplinary  and termination interviews and the seven just cause principles arbiters commonly refer to when cases end in arbitration. Each department will receive a complete set of disciplinary rules, model disciplinary forms, and a discipline and termination policy suitable for use within the agency. Students will receive a certificate of attendance. 8hrs

Applied Leadership Principles:

A major crisis facing public safety organizations today is a shortage of practical leaders.  This course will develop the participant's core leader-competencies and the ability to apply them when responding to day-to-day situations.  Topics of discussion are: accepting the legal and moral responsibility to assume a leader's role, recognizing day-to-day situations that call for a leader's intervention; applying core leader-competencies required of every leadership situation--articulate communications, problem-solving, decision-making, gaining commitment, motivation and endurance.  Students receive class manual, handouts, and certificate. 8hrs

Specialized Skills Development

Due Process-Internal and Internal Affairs Investigations:

Internal investigations are complex and require a conceptual understanding of the laws and practices that govern the investigative process. The objectives of this course are to develop a fundamental understanding of important civil and labor relations laws (examples: Garrity, Gardner, Weingarten, Laudermill) and to provide a systematic procedure for receiving and documenting investigative cases. The class is targeted for the supervisor who occasionally is called on to conduct an internal or internal affairs investigation. Others who would benefit from attending are regular investigators with no recent training, supervisors with complaint  handling responsibilities and labor representatives. This course would have minimum value to persons assigned to a large internal affairs function that trains regularly.  Each person in attendance will receive a class manual, an algorithm for making investigative decisions, model forms, and a training certificate.  8hrs.

Writing Well: Back to the Basics:

This course is taught by a 37 year veteran, Lt., who is presently the commander of the patrol officer division in a sheriff’s department.  He teaches the first-person concept eliminating unnecessary and distracting police jargon that adds nothing to the quality of the report.  He emphasis’s writing a report for the audience that will use the information it contains (e.g., prosecutors, courts, arbitrators, civil officials outside of law enforcement.). Students will learn how to write in a systematic way and report and interpret the facts of each case. This class in an interactive course with individual and group exercises.  8hrs.

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