100% of survey complete.

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* 1. Based on the POST requirements and on your knowledge, observations and experiences, how beneficial do you think it would be for officers to exceed the mandatory perishable skills training requirements described below in one setting?

POST Regulation 1005(d)(4)(A) specifies that all Peace Officers receive twelve hours of perishable skills training every two years in Arrest and Control, Driver Training/Awareness or Driving Simulator and Tactical Firearms or Force Options Simulator. POST Regulation 1005(d)(4)(B) specifies that all Peace Officers receive a minimum of two hours of tactical or interpersonal communications training in the same period. This proposed training course exceeds these requirements by providing 32 hours of training to officers and field supervisors.

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* 2. Based on your knowledge, observations and experiences, how beneficial do you think it would be to the goal of increased training outcomes to provide officers with the opportunity to experience training in both the use of force and emergency vehicle operations in one setting where these areas are blended into a single course?

Perishable skills training has traditionally been offered in settings where one area, or skill, is covered and others are excluded. This traditional teaching method fails to leverage similarities in the subject matter that will produce significant performance improvement when the subjects are combined. In addition, the skills in these areas are typically not used independently in the “real world.” For example, when an officer pursues a suspect in an emergency vehicle the officer may have to exit his vehicle at the end of the pursuit and fight with the suspect before taking him into custody. The mindset and considerations an officer uses to make decisions regarding the use of force are similar to those he uses when deciding whether to initiate and continue a pursuit. This proposed course will allow officers to experience training in one setting in which the perishable skill areas concerning the use of force and emergency vehicle operations are blended together. This is projected to have the effect of increased training outcomes in that officer performance and safety will be enhanced while the need to interrupt officer’s duty cycles for training will be minimized.

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* 3. Based on your knowledge, observations and experience, do you feel training presented utilizing adult centered learning concepts would contribute to a reduction in the number of officers killed and injured due to driving related incidents and assaults?

The number of officer injuries and fatalities attributed to driving related incidents and assaults has continued to rise every year for over a decade. Perishable skills training has traditionally been presented utilizing lectures (often utilizing power point presentations) and instructor demonstration. This proposed training course will make extensive use of case studies woven into adult centered learning activities during which the students understanding of the relevance of the training to their jobs will be improved, the students will be involved in the learning experience, the students will experience discovery through participation in small groups, the students will profit from the experience of other officers in the class and the students will have the opportunity to model desirable behaviors and skills in a safe environment for learning. This training will maximize the emotional involvement of the students as a method to obtain commitment not only to learn but to implement the knowledge and skills learned beyond the classroom.

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* 4. Based on the definitions below, as well as your knowledge, observations, and experiences with use of force and use of force incidents, please rate the level of sufficiency of training currently provided to officers and field supervisors in each area.

Use of force training involves competencies in five different areas:
• Arrest and Control/Defensive Tactics (Handcuffing, control holds, ground fighting)
• The fundamentals of human performance (Perception/reaction time, OODA Loops, speed of officer and suspect behaviors, pre-assaultive behaviors)
• The biomechanics of high stress encounters (Selective attention, auditory exclusion, slips and capture, vision effects, memory, parasympathetic backlash, breath and adrenaline control)
• Tactical and/or interpersonal communications
• Legal issues (Constitutional law, criminal law, case law, agency policy)

  Too Much Just Right Not Enough Don't Know
Arrest and Control/Defensive Tactics
Fundamentals of Human Performance
Biomechanics of High Stress Encounters
Tactical/Interpersonal Communications
Legal Issues

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* 5. Based on the definitions below, as well as your knowledge, observations, and experiences with emergency vehicle driving and driving incidents, please rate the sufficiency of training currently provided to officers and field supervisors in each area.

Emergency vehicle operations training involves competencies in five different areas:
• Legal issues (Vehicle code and agency response and pursuit policies)
• Decision making (Intersection clearing, Code 3 operations, driving in inclement conditions, balance test - taught using a law enforcement driving simulator (LEDS))
• Vehicle dynamics and control techniques (Perception/reaction time, spring force, friction force, controlling understeer and oversteer, straight line braking, shuffle steering)
• Behind the wheel training (Slow speed maneuvers, collision avoidance, cornering, pursuit driving)
• High risk vehicle stop tactics

  Too Much Just Right Not Enough Don't Know
Legal Issues
Decision Making (LEDS)
Vehicle Dynamics and Control Techniques
Behind the Wheel Training
High Risk Vehicle Stop Tactics

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* 6. Regarding use of force and force options, what specific information and instruction do you feel might best serve to develop knowledge in, and enhance the skills of, officers and field supervisors that will improve their safety?

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* 7. Regarding emergency vehicle operations training, what specific information and instruction do you feel might best serve to develop knowledge in, and enhance the skills of, officers and field supervisors that will improve their safety?

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* 8. Statistics show that a large percentage of officers who perished due to assaults and vehicle related incidents were not wearing seat belts or ballistic vests. What training subjects and/or techniques do you feel might best serve to improve performance in these two important officer safety areas?

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* 9. Do you know an officer whose public safety career or life was prematurely ended because of a vehicle related incident or an assault? (If you mark Yes, please provide information in the comments section about the incident, whether you thought the incident was preventable and why).

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* 10. Are officers and field supervisors adequately knowledgeable about the physics concepts related to vehicle stability and control to avoid placing a car in situations in which the car will skid?

Factors such as the speed of a car, the weight of a car, how large a radius is used to turn a car and what the friction force is between the car tires and the roadway can all be used with scientific (physics) concepts to explain why a car will or will not skid.

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* 11. An officer is standing over a suspect who is prone, face down on the ground with a gun beneath him in his waistband. The officer has his gun drawn and it is aimed at the suspect. The officer is aware that the suspect is armed. Recent scientifically based research shows that the average reaction time of an officer in this situation if the suspect draws a weapon is:

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* 12. Based on recent court decisions, is it acceptable to use pepper spray or a Taser to gain suspect compliance when the suspect is not actively resisting or is not a threat to an officer’s safety?

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* 13. The following are knowledge areas and skills that could potentially be included in the course on use of force. The final list will be determined based on feedback obtained from this survey and validation by Subject Matter Experts. Please rate the value of each area.

* Means the choice is mandated by POST
**Means either Tactical or Interpersonal Communications are mandated by POST
***Means the subjects are taught as part of an arrest and control/defensive tactics curriculum that is mandated by POST

  Very Valuable Valuable Somewhat Valuable Not Valuable Not Sure
Constitutional, Criminal and Case Law/Agency Policy*
Tactical Communications**
Interpersonal Communications**
Perception/Reaction Time/OODA Loops
Speed of Officer/Suspect Behaviors
Scanning Patterns
Pre-assaultive Behaviors
Selective Attention/Inattentional Blindness
Auditory Exclusion
Vision Effects
Memory
Parasympathetic Backlash
Warrior Mentality
Handcuffing***
Control Holds***
Ground Fighting***
Gun Retention***
Gun Takeaway***
Carotid Neck Restraint***

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* 14. The following are knowledge areas and skills that could potentially be included in the course on emergency vehicle operations. The final list will be determined based on feedback obtained from this survey and validation by Subject Matter Experts. Please rate the value of each area.

* Means the subject is mandated by POST
** Means the subject is taught as part of a curriculum in a law enforcement driving simulator (LEDS) that is mandated by POST
*** Means the subject is taught as part of a curriculum of behind the wheel emergency vehicle operations (EVOC) that is mandated by POST

  Very Valuable Valuable Somewhat Valuable Not Valuable Not Sure
Vehicle Code and Agency Policy*
Lane by Lane Intersection Clearing**
Fouled Intersections**
Code 3 Operations**
Balance Test**
Driving at Night and in Inclement Conditions**
Perception Reaction Time/Following Distances
Spring Forces and How to Control Them
Force Required to Turn/Friction Force
Understeer Skids***
Oversteer Skids***
Straight Line Braking***
Shuffle Steering
Seatbelt Use/Quick Exit Technique
Slow Speed Maneuvering***
Collision Avoidance***
Cornering***
Pursuit Driving***
High Risk Vehicle Stop Tactics
Below 100 Initiative

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* 15. What is your rank or position?

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* 16. How many years have you been in law enforcement?

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* 17. How many years of training experience do you have?

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* 18. Approximately how many sworn employees are at your agency?

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* 19. Approximately how many employees at your agency would benefit from this type of training?

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* 20. Is your agency/facility located inside or outside of California?

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