SLI is a program designed to stimulate personal growth, leadership, and ethical decision-making in California law enforcement front-line supervisors. Designed and implemented in 1988 through the efforts of California law enforcement professionals and top educators and trainers, SLI is an intense program based on experiential learning techniques. Students are challenged to learn new ways to resolve issues through group and individual work.
Correctional Sergeants do not fall under POST, and instead fall under the purview of the Board of State and Community Corrections.
Below are considerations for the Commission to consider in opening SLI to Correctional Sergeants.
Advantages:
Correctional Sergeants would benefit from the leadership training.
Correctional Sergeants work with general law enforcement peace officers and dispatch personnel, and the interaction could be mutually beneficial and complementary to each each discipline.
Many Sheriff's Offices, all of which are POST participating agencies, employ Correctional Officers. The increased level of leadership training for Correctional Supervisors could benefit POST's stakeholder agencies.
Challenges:
SLI is a highly sought after legacy course offered by POST. There are two open enrollment periods per year when an agency can submit applications for sergeant/dispatch supervisor candidates. Each open enrollment period yields approximately 400 candidates for the potential of 800 students. Yearly, 400-500 students graduate from the SLI program, leaving roughly 300 candidates on the waiting list for the following year.
Commission Regulation 1014 addresses reimbursement for correctional personnel. This regulation does not allow POST law enforcement agencies to receive reimbursement or State aid for training of correctional personnel. Therefore, individual Sheriff's Offices would be required to fully fund their personnel, independent of POST. Currently, the training cost for SLI instruction is roughly $1,925 per student per session. This figure is not inclusive of travel, per diem, and lodging costs associated with the eight (8) month SLI program.
Correctional Sergeants are not required to attend the POST Supervisory Course, and are not eligible for the POST Supervisory Certificate, both of which are prerequisites for SLI.
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