Course Summary
Overall General Course Goal(s):
1. Review law enforcement processes to highlight areas of improvement.
2. Review core policing concepts to reduce and mitigate liability.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand emotional and cognitive management concepts needed to properly function as a police officer, including:
2. Review policing dynamics needed for professionalism, including emotional intelligence, de-escalation, bias and implicit bias.
3. Understand constitutional policing. This course, taken and retaken regularly, is a great refresher for all officers.
SUMMARY
Law enforcement is under a microscope. Law enforcement immunity has been removed. In the U.S., the profession is the most litigated against and pays out the most settlements. These circumstances make 360 Degree Policing in 2020-2021 an important refresher for law enforcement professionals.
Officers sometimes make mistakes, citizens bait them into making mistakes, and citizens make mistakes. In every case, it is a good bet that a lawsuit will follow. Lawsuits against police are ruining careers and are costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars annually. In New York City alone, taxpayers paid out $175.9 million in civil judgments and claims for police-related lawsuits.
In today’s very politically charged environment, a professional law enforcement officer must keep “at the ready” key emotional and cognitive management concepts and techniques such as:
- Emotional Intelligence- Think rationally not emotionally. Learn tips to help keep your emotions from controlling your professional actions.
- Bias and Implicit Bias- Word choices and responses to people of color or of other nationalities can trigger an issue. Think this through daily.
- Non-escalation or “De-escalation”- Work at not inciting or ramping up the tempers of citizens or your own temper. Try to de-escalate an individual’s perception of your actions, their anger, and non-compliance to have a more peaceful outcome, if possible. Call for back-up. Don’t try to be the hero.
- Physical Fitness- An officer must be in top physical shape. Confrontations can bring exertion within 60 to 90 seconds. You must be up to the task!
- Proper (and Legal) Self-Defense Control Procedures/Techniques- Learn and regularly practice permitted and safe self-defense control techniques such as proper handcuffing, takedowns, and physical compliance self-defense techniques. Remember, they take consistent practice!
- Constitutional Policing- What are your Constitutional duties? What are citizens’ Constitutional rights? Remember, some individuals may know the law better than you do, so be sensitive to such individuals. Ask for clarity from senior staff to avoid being “baited” or not following the proper Constitutional and local agency policy’s guidelines.
This course, taken and retaken regularly, is a great refresher for all officers.
Course Syllabus
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Module 1 - Introduction to 360 Degrees of Policing in Today's Culture
- Course Goals and Objectives
- Introduction By Randy Means J.D.
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Module 2 - Bias-Free Policing
- Introduction By Randy Means J.D.
- Discriminatory Policing
- Implicit Bias
- Implicit Bias Continued
- Criminal Sources
- Module Assessment
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Module 3 - De-escalation
- Introduction by Randy Means
- Verbal and Non-verbal Communication Skills
- Listening
- Mindful Listening
- Visualization
- Interpersonal Response
- Mental Illness
- Module Assessment
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Module 4 - Emotional Intelligence
- Introduction
- Introduction Continued
- Roots of Emotional Intelligence
- The Triune Brain
- Module Assessment
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Module 5 - Constitutional Considerations on Use of Force
- Introduction to Graham v Connor: The Facts of the Case
- Graham v Connor: The U.S. Supreme Court's View
- Introduction to SARF
- SARF - Continued
- Module Assessment
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Module 6 - Final Assessment
- Final Assessment