MEETING DATE
6/25/2015 |
BUREAU SUBMITTING THIS REPORT
Basic Training Bureau |
RESEARCHED BY (PRINT NAME)
Scott Loggins |
REVIEWED BY (PRINT NAME)
Alan Deal |
REPORT DATE
05/14/2015 |
APPROVED BY
Robert A. Stresak |
DATE APPROVED
06/03/15 |
PURPOSE
Information Only |
FINANCIAL IMPACT
No
|
| ISSUE: |
| This is an informational report on the review of mental health training for law enforcement, and POST's efforts to identify potential gaps in basic training, in-service training, and the Field Training Program. |
| BACKGROUND: |
| In January 2014, an officer involved shooting that involved a person diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) occurred in the Sacramento Region. In July 2014, an incident in the Los Angeles area involving an officer and a person with mental illness occurred. These and other incidents involving persons with disabilities resulted in extensive media coverage and community inquires regarding the law enforcement response to mental health issues and the training standards for handling mental health incidents. |
| ANALYSIS: |
Staff met with Senator Beall and his staff to collaborate on an analysis of existing law enforcement training and to identify any unmet training need or gaps in existing training.
Staff also convened a meeting with representatives of the California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA), the California State Sheriffs’ Association (CSSA), the California Peace Officers Association (CPOA) and the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC) to discuss the issues related to mental health training in law enforcement. The participants were in favor of POST conducting an analysis to identify additional training needs for the Regular Basic Course (RBC) and for in-service training. The consensus of the group was mental health training should not be based on hours but on specified content targeting the learning need and experience level of trainees. The group was also not in favor of a standardized curriculum since each jurisdiction has different needs, processes, policies, and resources.
On March 3-5, 2015 Basic Training Bureau hosted the first meeting in Sacramento to review the Training and Testing Specifications (TTS) of LD 37 (Persons with Disabilities). The group consisted of SME's such as basic academy directors, academy instructors, mental health advocates, a psychologist, and representatives from National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the California Institute for Behavioral Health Services and a member of Senator Beall’s staff. The mission of the group was to review existing subject matter to identify any gaps in basic training and to refine the existing curriculum.
A second meeting of the group was held April 21-23, 2015 in Sacramento to conduct further work on the TTS and to start work on any needed basic training Student Workbook revisions. An additional member representing Disability Rights of California was added to the group.
As with any group of SME’s from a variety of disciplines, the participants had spirited discussions in coming to consensus. They worked with purpose to find common ground through their shared interest in public safety and achieved significant results.
The group's analysis of the existing LD 37 content revealed the curriculum is sound, yet the SME’s identified areas in need of change (See Attachment A). The changes are minor. They involve adding more learning activities that they believe will increase the quality of the curriculum and trainee interaction with the resources and techniques available to de-escalate conflict with persons experiencing crisis. Staff is assessing whether the recommendations can be incorporated into the framework of existing basic training without adversely impacting other critical learning areas.
The next meeting is scheduled for July 28-30, 2015. The group will address issues involving in-service training and the Field Training Program (FTP), the Field Training Officer (FTO) course, and the FTO Update course to determine whether there are additional competencies that should be added to reinforce mental health training.
Staff has pursued the effort to identify gaps in mental health training for the purpose of informing the author of SB 11 and 29 and offering well-reasoned alternative bill language that focuses on competencies in place of the large number of unspecified training hours required in these bills. In the event SB 11 and 29 are enacted in their current form, it will be necessary for staff to revisit work already completed.
Staff anticipates presenting revised training to the Commission at its February 2016 meeting. |
| RECOMMENDATION: |
| This report is presented for information only. No action is required. |
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