4 out of 4 stars
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Training Law Enforcement Officers by Rick Giovengo is written to instructors and intending instructors. It provides a comprehensive coverage of all aspects of training law enforcement officers.
The book begins by defining key elements such as training, law enforcement, and law enforcement officer. The foundation of training is established – the Three Prong Test. The components of the test are Validity, Reliability, and Relevance of training. The author highlights the importance of transition of training to fit collaborative, experiential, and online learning. The learning process is described as non-formal, informal, and formal learning (70:20:10 training). The training aspects of Human Performance Technology (HPT) are explored. Factors that influence performance, such as training experience and attitude, are discussed. The book then goes on to strongly emphasize the need for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and scenario-based trainings. Finally, the two models for field training are examined.
The book expresses that the goal of training is to learn, utilize, and develop skills and knowledge. Training helps to advance the vision of the officer’s agency in accomplishing its goals. However, there are root problems (such as poor management and the lack of tools essential to execution of the job) that can lead to second-rate performance. Training may not help in such instances. Furthermore, the book emphasizes the need for law enforcement agents to prioritize the people in society over policing duties.
Many of the strategies in the book can be applied to several other disciplines. For instance, the author states that most training curriculums are built on the industry standard, the ADDIE process. ADDIE is defined as Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. All of the aspects of the ADDIE process can be used to develop a curriculum for training arms of business organizations. Additionally, strategies for overcoming training failures are explored. An entire chapter is dedicated to discussing the brain and its importance for developing strategies to increase memory and retention.
I appreciate the many illustrations and tables present in the book. They embellish and summarize points explicitly. The statistics in the book are based on properly referenced research. The difference between learning and performance is explained. Performance is linked to a behavior or an act, while learning can be just a mental activity. The job of a law enforcement officer is performance related. An outstanding glossary, that defines all terms used, is inserted at the end of the book.
However, the book has a few grammatical errors. There are a few instances of incorrect use of commas. Notwithstanding, I give the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The quantity and quality of information contained in the book warrants reading the book several times over. I believe this a must-read for any law enforcement officer/intending officer and instructor.
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Training Law Enforcement Officers
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