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AGENDA ITEM REPORT

Title: Report on the Museum of Tolerance, Tools for Tolerance, Racial Profiling Update and Racial Profiling Train-The-Trainer Course
REPORT PROFILE
MEETING DATE
6/25/2015		 BUREAU SUBMITTING THIS REPORT
Training Program Services Bureau
RESEARCHED BY (PRINT NAME)
Charles Evans		 REVIEWED BY (PRINT NAME)
Robert Ziglar
REPORT DATE
05/19/2015		 APPROVED BY
Robert A. Stresak		 DATE APPROVED
06/09/15
PURPOSE
Information Only		 FINANCIAL IMPACT
No

ISSUE:
This is an informational report on the Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance and Tools for Tolerance for Law Enforcement training courses. 
BACKGROUND:
At the February 2015 meeting the Commission directed POST staff to evaluate the curricula and programs presented by the Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance (MOT) to determine if they are relevant, contemporary and meet the current needs of law enforcement.  POST staff completed research on the history of the MOT and an analysis on the Tools for Tolerance for Law Enforcement Program. 

In 1993 The Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance was developed in Los Angeles, California.  At that time the State Legislature demonstrated it's support by appropriating $10 million from the General Fund to contribute to the $50 million construction cost.

The MOT is designed to enhance the examination of racism and prejudice around the world, with a strong focus on the history of the Holocaust, human rights atrocities worldwide, issues related to bullying, hate crimes, implied bias, biased based; fair and impartial policing (racial profiling), and police legitimacy. The museum’s extensive integration and utilization of multimedia applications in its exhibits, curriculum design development and presentation methodologies, facilitate experiential learning outcomes and training effectiveness. The MOT’s philosophy is consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/ )

In 1994, MOT, collaborated with the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, and designed a 6-hour cultural diversity experiential training course for law enforcement. Using the museum as a training platform, a program was created to heighten awareness of issues of intolerance in the world generally, and in our society specifically. The experience allowed officers to reflect on their personal values and biases and to consider how those values and biases impact their role as police officers. In response to the positive law enforcement impact of the program, the MOT decided to pursue funding to make the training available to law enforcement agencies statewide.

In January 1996, Governmental Advocates Inc. a Sacramento-based lobbying organization representing the MOT, met with POST's Executive Director and proposed the idea of seeking a legislative initiative for $1 to $2 million of General Fund revenue to be earmarked to provide statewide law enforcement training presented through the MOT. The initiative would request continuous supplemental funding from the General Fund to appear as a line item in POST's annual budget. 

POST staff attended the existing Tools for Tolerance course, experienced the interactive exhibits, and prepared a report for Commission.

At the April 1996  meeting the Commission approved staff''s recommendation to support legislation that would appropriate $2 million from the General Fund to POST to facilitate the MOT law enforcement training.

In July 1997, Senate Bill 366, (Hughes), was passed and appropriated money for this training.  The bill directed the Commission to provide stewardship for the presentation of MOT training which was supported by a $2 million annual legislative line item appropriation earmarked to provide an 8-hour experiential training program for approximately 7,000 law enforcement officers.  The funds were allocated as $1,556,000 for the MOT for training costs and $444,000 to be retained by POST to utilize for reimbursement to agencies for student travel and per diem to Los Angeles.  This allocation amount has remained the same to date even though several courses have been added over the years.

As the funds are designated in a line item in the POST budget they cannot be transferred to another project, program or contract.  Any unspent funds revert to the POST reserves.

To increase or decrease this amount, after Commission approval, would require a Budget Change Proposal (BCP) to be submitted to the Department of Finance. 

During Fiscal Year 1997-98, the Legislature modified the act to allow police chiefs and sheriffs to designate non-sworn employees who would benefit from the training to also attend the Tools for Tolerance program.

During 1998-1999, an evaluation report of the effectiveness of the Tools for Tolerance training was conducted by the American Institutes for Research. The five-month effort generated recommendations for modifications and enhancements to the program. Those recommendations were subsequently implemented and the MOT began to develop additional courses that were certified by POST and presented under contract. 

In September 2000, Senate Bill 1102, (Murray), was chaptered amending 13519.4 of the California Penal Code, which mandated the Commission to develop a training course on racial profiling, and required every law enforcement officer in California to complete the training by the end of January 2002. The bill also mandated a refresher or update course every five years. 

POST staff collaborated with subject matter experts, staff from the MOT and the Governor's appointed Panel on Racial Profiling to develop the 5-hour mandated training course for in-service peace officers.  This course and a subsequent 24-hour Train-the- Trainer course was added to the existing contract and presented through MOT statewide.

A Racial Profiling Update course was developed to meet the requirement of the legislation and POST Regulation 1081, and is also currently available at the MOT.      
ANALYSIS:
The MOT Tools for Tolerance for Law Enforcement program consist of eleven courses that explore the evolving role of law enforcement in a rapidly changing, increasingly diverse society. The courses are tailored to meet the needs of command staff, supervisors, line and civilian staff as well as train-the-trainer requirements.

The Tools for Tolerance program is comprised of the following:
  • Tools for Tolerance Tools-Changing Role of Law Enforcement (8-hour course)
  • Tools for Tolerance Tools-Supervising Line Staff (8-hour course)
  • Tools for tolerance for Command Staff (16-hours course)
  • Advance Leadership Development for Command Staff (16-hour course)
  • Beyond Diversity-Integrity as a Tool for Building Trust with Communities (8-hour course)
  • Sherman Block, Supervisory Leadership Institute (SLI) at the Museum of Tolerance (16-hour course)
  • Racial Profiling Update Training (4-hour course)
  • Racial Profiling-Train-the-Trainer (24-hour course)
  • Hate Crimes Investigations for First Responders (8-hour course)
  • Facilitator Update Training (16-hour course)
  • Cultural Diversity Train the Trainer Workshop (pilot) (24-hour course)
The most recent course, Cultural Diversity Train -the-Trainer, was developed in 2014 to assist instructors of the Regular Basic Course with the delivery of Learning Domain 42, Cultural Diversity content.

The Tools for Tolerance training program is presented 230 times annually to approximately 5,000 California peace officers and non-sworn public safety personnel.

Law enforcement personnel from state agencies (e.g. Department of Justice, California Highway Patrol, and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation) may also attend any Tools for Tolerance course tuition free when space permits. 

These courses are experiential and learner centered. They integrate a combination of innovative learning technologies, guest speakers, workshop formats, and advanced curricula to ensure participants realize personal and professional growth in a results-oriented group process. The program relies upon the skills and expertise of specialized instructors, facilitators and speakers; each selected and trained to meet POST and MOT standards.

The data reflects that the student numbers have stayed consistent. A seven-year attendance history was developed:                 
Year    Students

2009 

1802

 2010

 2603

 2011

 3693

 2012

 4523

 2013

 4151

 2014

 3999

 2015

 4111

Over the 14 years POST has supported the MOT, 101,850 law enforcement personnel have attended the courses.

In response to the request of the Commission, staff audited multiple racial profiling courses from March until May 2015.  The intended focus of the audits was to measure the consistency of the Racial Profiling curriculum design, delivery, and outcomes, with the actual presentations and compliance with POST regulations, and the overall effectiveness of the Tools for Tolerance training program.

The audit revealed that within the last five years, the Racial Profiling Update class has been presented 128 times to 14,779 law enforcement personnel.  During the same period, the Train the Trainer for Racial Profiling course has been presented 12 times to a total of 266 training facilitators. POST Regulation 1070 requires all instructors of racial profiling curriculum complete train the trainer instruction.

Although the title of the courses have remained Racial Profiling to meet compliance with the legislation, the more contemporary terms and philosophies of Fair and Impartial Policing and Implicit Bias are prevalent.

The courses were presented by skilled sworn law enforcement and non-law enforcement facilitators. They stimulated critical thinking dialogues regarding the various challenges and problem solving strategies that communities and law enforcement agencies face regarding racial profiling issues.  The courses seamlessly integrated racial profiling core competencies with the fundamental principles inherent in discourse regarding community policing, procedural justice, biased based policing, fair and impartial policing and implicit bias.  Each course complied with the legislative mandate (Penal Code 13519.4), POST Regulation 1070, requirements of Learning Domain 42, and the Training and Testing Specifications for the Regular Basic Course.

Student evaluations from the courses, overwhelmingly affirmed the positive impact that the class dialogues had on their personal and professional understanding of the legal, moral, and ethical nuances surrounding controversial issues related to racial profiling.  This assessment was consistent with the review of three years of student evaluations from the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute (SLI) program participants.

During the sixth session of  SLI, law enforcement supervisors spend 3 days at the MOT  discussing the application of leadership, respect and ethics needed to serve today’s diverse communities.

A recent survey of the basic Tools for Tolerance course revealed that 95% of the students think or speak about the training and the MOT experience six months after attendance.

The MOT has been recognized nationally and internationally. It's nomination was  recommended by the Commission Advisory Committee as the POST Training in Excellence Organizational Award recipient for 2014, and the nomination was approved by the Commission. 

The audit concluded that the Racial Profiling update course and the Racial Profiling Train-the-Trainer course meet the requirements of legislation and are still viable, contemporary and have a positive impact on the personal and professional lives of the students who attend.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is an informational report only and no action is required by the Commission.
 
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