Return to flip book view
Fraternal Order of Police Educational Services Newsletter July 2020 Law Enforcement www fop net 2019 National Fraternal Order of Police
The Case for More Effective Law Enforcement Leadership Training By Erik Fritsvold PhD Law enforcement is often compared to the military But when it comes to promotions and training especially for leadership roles there is one very significant difference In the military you receive the training before you assume the position however in law enforcement very often there is no training for new supervisors or managers or the training comes after you ve already taken on the role In fact the law enforcement profession has created its own failing point with agencies across the country plagued by lack of supervisory preparation according to a Police Magazine article by William Harvey a Georgia police chief In most agencies the training of an entry level supervisor comes after their promotion You are flying by the seat of your pants for months if not years The lack of thorough proactive police management training looms even larger as many older experienced officers are heading into retirement this has created upper level vacancies that are often filled by officers with little to no formal leadership and management training Commenting about law enforcement leadership in Police Magazine Gatesville Texas Patrol Sgt G M Cleverley contrasted the thorough training typically offered in the military with the inadequate training protocols that often characterize the field of law enforcement I was in the military for many years prior to becoming a police officer he said Comparing the two careers I see the military spends a lot of effort training supervisors Each time you get promoted you receive more leadership training In the military each person receives weeks to months of training at each promotion while in policing a new supervisor is lucky to get a two to three day class I see the military leaders as far more prepared for leadership positions than new police supervisors Continued on next page www fop net
More Effective Law Enforcement Leadership Continued Police Leadership Training Lessons Learned from the Military Approach In a PoliceOne com article examining lessons to be learned from a military approach to law enforcement leadership training Wes Doss Ph D an author and experienced military and civilian criminal justice training instructor explains that in contrast with law enforcement the military philosophy of training is to emphasize a uniformly applied finely detailed and comprehensive program of leadership and individual development Military organizations take leadership training so seriously he said that it is often considered an organization s primary responsibility when not at war and is mandatory regardless of season weather heat cold or sleep Doss points out that the military places far more emphasis on advanced training and leadership development early in one s career than is typical in law enforcement For example he reports that while most police officers won t get a chance to go to the FBI National Academy until they are a lieutenant or higher or sit through something longer than a 24 to 40 hour management seminar military first line supervisors must go to school to attain their rank Doss also contends that while it is not uncommon to see civilian law enforcement supervisors competing with subordinates for credit on accomplishments In the military a supervisor is not judged based on his or her own accomplishments but rather from the achievements of those he or she leads The supervisor s role is the mission as much as it is the development of his or her people to move up and eventually take his or her place Law Enforcement Leadership Training Why Soft Skills Are Essential Leading a law enforcement agency is an extremely challenging job that also requires mastery of what are often referred to as soft skills such as communication team building problem solving and conflict resolution Only rarely does someone naturally excel in these skills without some formal training combined with years of practice Continued on next page www fop net
More Effective Law Enforcement Leadership Continued Still many law enforcement agencies make promotional decisions based largely on an officer s tactical skills without providing training in these all important soft skills Communication The connection between outstanding communications skills and effective police leadership cannot be understated since it is essential in almost every aspect of the job Law enforcement leaders must possess the interpersonal skills to effectively communicate with fellow officers subordinates higher ups community members governmental officials other departments and jurisdictions the court systems and the media The best law enforcement leaders understand how to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds often under unpredictable conditions They understand how to use communication to build trust create transparency and foster an atmosphere of mutual respect and empathy be it at the station on the streets or in the courtroom Team Building When team members are invested in their roles and contributions you have the highest probability for a successful outcome This critically important observation regarding law enforcement team building is offered in a PoliceOne com article titled Lessons in Leadership How Real Police Leaders Empower Teams The article follows up with three core recommendations for effective police team building Empower your team with a sense of ownership Don t hijack your team s opportunity to provide solutions Make everything a learning opportunity Problem Solving Essential elements in law enforcement problem solving include A strong focus on proactive prevention Gaining a complete view of the problem based on multiple sources of information Continued on next page www fop net
More Effective Law Enforcement Leadership Continued Involving affected parties in each stage of the problem solving process Use of a structured problem solving process such as SARA scanning analysis response assessment Ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of problem solving procedures Analysis of the root causes of recurring problems to aid preventative in efforts Conflict Resolution Collaboration ethics and emotional intelligence are three key aspects of conflict resolution for law enforcement leaders Collaboration refers to investing all of the affected parties in efforts to develop a win win strategy to resolve the issue Emotional intelligence suggests exercising the capacity to be aware of control and express one s emotions for example bringing a calm but firm demeanor to the process as well as handling the issues and personalities involved in a judicious and empathetic manner A strong sense of ethical considerations including personal and professional integrity is also considered essential when navigating contentious issues and developing and executing effective positive resolutions Law Enforcement Leadership Skills The Value of Advanced Education Many law enforcement leaders seeking to further develop their skills in these essential aspects of law enforcement leadership do so by pursuing a master s degree For example programs like University of San Diego s innovative online Master of Science in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership include entire graduate level courses on topics such as Conflict Resolution and Decision Making and Communication for Law Enforcement Leaders Developed in collaboration with a wide range of law enforcement agencies and taught by instructors with diverse law Continued on next page www fop net
COVID 19 SURVEY The National Fraternal Order of Police is committed to listening to the voices of our members In recent months the COVID 19 pandemic has affected the working conditions of law enforcement officers across this country and the world Because we recognize this impact we ask that members share their experiences in the following survey of Police Officer Experiences During the COVID 19 Pandemic We hope that this brief survey will help us further understand your experiences during the pandemic and will enable us to find avenues for providing support to our members https www surveymonkey com r FOPCOVID 19
More Effective Law Enforcement Leadership Continued enforcement backgrounds and experience the USD program helps participants develop many of the most important skills needed by police and law enforcement leaders For example Organizational leadership Constitutional law and how it shapes law enforcement policy Budget finance and resource allocation Collective bargaining and contract negotiation Interpersonal and written communication skills Report and grant writing Media and community relations Techniques for successful community engagement Dispute and conflict resolution skills Research methods for conducting community and organizational assessments Analytical procedures for evaluating crime trends Ethics personal and professional integrity Technology Jennifer Tejada who earned her master s degree through the USD program and is now chief of police in Emeryville Calif found the police executive leadership training she received at USD to be extremely valuable There s experiential learning and there s academic learning and I think we need both she said noting that such training is sorely needed because police leaders moving up the ranks tend to receive leadership training on the fly Advanced education focused on leadership training can be invaluable for police leaders in several ways First the comprehensive training found in quality master s degree programs is designed to expand the knowledge and sharpen the skill sets of law enforcement supervisors and executives In an era where it is challenging to provide internal training opportunities for new supervisors and managers creating a departmental culture that values and supports outside educational opportunities for aspiring leaders in the form of tuition assistance scheduling flexibility etc is an important strategy for police Continued on next page www fop net
More Effective Law Enforcement Leadership Continued executives looking to develop their best and brightest officers into effective supervisors managers and future leaders And a college education doesn t just make officers better prepared for promotion research has shown it also makes them more effective in their current role A 2010 study published in the journal Police Quarterly found that college educated officers were 12 percent less likely to use force than colleagues without a college education Capt Brian Goldberg an instructor in the USD program and a longtime San Diego Police Department officer who currently supervises 125 personnel in the department s Eastern Division emphasized the importance of lifelong learning for those who work in law enforcement noting that because the nature of law enforcement is constantly evolving leadership is a perishable skill According to Goldberg one outstanding feature of the USD master s degree program is that you re learning not only about yourself but also from fellow students from different agencies across the country The esprit de corps that develops between the law enforcement professionals participating in the 20 month program he noted is part of what makes it a life changing experience Erik Fritsvold PhD Academic Director M S Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership Erik Fritsvold is the Academic Director for the Master of Science in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership and an Associate Professor of Sociology Crime Justice Law Society Concentration CJLS His areas of expertise include Criminology Law Society the politics of law and crime management social theory and research methods www fop net
Empowerment through education Continued Because of the many restrictions for the health and safety of our members as well as State Conferences being rescheduled for the Fall because of COVID 19 a few of the training opportunities we have envisioned have been put on hold until next year We are in collaboration with the Labor and Officer Wellness Committees in scheduling training events and have so far scheduled Officer Wellness Feb 6 9 2021 in Nashville TN Leadership Matters Feb 11 13 2021 in Nashville TN Labor Summit March 16 17 2021 in Las Vegas NV Legal Counselors Seminar March 18 19 2021 in Las Vegas NV We intend to roll out another training opportunity entitled Advanced Leadership Matters to be held in Nashville in the Fall of 2021 All the before mentioned committees are offering local or regional training that must be scheduled through the respective committee chairman Feel free to contact any of your National Leadership with educational needs this is your organization and we proudly serve our members www fop net
www fop net
Education Services 701 Marriott Dr Nashville TN 37214 615 399 0900 or 800 451 2711 Fax 615 399 0400 National Executive Board Patrick Yoes President Joe Gamaldi Vice President Jimmy Holderfield Secretary Tom Penoza Treasurer Les Neri 2nd Vice President Keith Turney Sgt at Arms Rob Pride Chairman of Trustees Education Services Committee Ron Bartmier OK Chairirman Bill Splawn WA Richard Boyd OK Bruce Bialorucki IL Daren Mcneil WV John Marasco MI The Education Services Committee is charged with setting the agendas for the annual Leadership Matters in Nashville and the educational breakouts during our Biennial Conferences We oversee the vetting and maintain the relationships of online colleges who are members of the consortium known as the NFOPU We are responsible for approving requests for scholarships from members to attend one of the many educational opportunities that are available through the Grand Lodge The scholarships are in the form of the waiver of registration fees for the classes These are specifically for members of lodges that are having financial issues but still need the training We continue to approve reimbursement scholarships for 500 for members who have completed semesters in one of the accredited colleges in our consortium John Dipietro OH Ron Bartmier rlbart188 aol com Toby Deaton IN Chairman Education Services Committee www fop net
Since 1857 Upper Iowa University has been preparing students to succeed in the classroom and in the world That rich history coupled with a student centered mission has created a springboard for UIU to become a recognized innovator in offering accredited quality programs through flexible multiple delivery systems including online and self paced study From our Fayette Campus to our U S Centers our International Centers to our Military Centers UIU has the people in place to help you succeed Through our student success stories you ll learn how others have benefited from a UIU education and you ll begin to understand the significant advantages a UIU education can bring to your life and ultimately to the lives of your family members Learn more about UIU through our fast facts If you have more specific questions our directory will help you find the people who have the answers Please follow this link for more information www uiu edu
www fop net
www fop net
www fop net
American Military University AMU was founded in 1991 to address the many issues associated to trying to go to school while on active duty This learning model has been perfected for public safety personnel as well as working adults from all walks of life who seek flexible affordable and quality educational opportunities to help further their careers As a matter of fact AMU has been the number one provider of off duty education to the US military for years Built specifically for working adults with demanding and uncertain schedules AMU serves a variety of students by offering a diverse set of programs from six academic schools Arts Humanities Business Education Health Sciences STEM Security Global Studies Top programs include homeland security intelligence studies cybersecurity and emergency and disaster management AMU has been a member of the National FOP University Consortium since 2007 and serves law enforcement officers and their family members across North America As an FOP member you and your family members rate certain benefits at AMU including reduced tuition and fee waivers saving you more than 100 per course No SAT ACT or GRE required Courses are 100 online and asynchronous No specific log in times students must meet weekly commitments Courses start the first Monday of every month Undergraduate textbooks provided at no cost No cost for transfer credit applied to your degree Career services office is available to alumni for life Please visit www amuonline com fop to find out more We are also cognizant that many FOP members may have family members or acquaintances who have had their college journey interrupted by the COVID 19 pandemic Students who are enrolled in a primarily campus based program may be eligible for the Momentum 2020 Scholarship offered by our sister school American Public University APU The Momentum 2020 scholarship affords these students the opportunity to take two courses at APU for half of the normal tuition cost To take advantage of this 50 tuition grant students must take courses starting in June July or August 2020 For more information about the Momentum 2020 scholarship please visit www APUMomentum com Not applicable to doctoral courses Undergraduate book grant is for students enrolled in courses earning academic credit www fop net
www fop net
FOP Benefits Now it s YOUR turn to be protected www fop net
Training Education Scholarship The Education Services Committee recognizes the need and benefit of training and educational opportunities for the members of the Fraternal Order of Police The committee also recognizes that a member a local lodge or a state lodge may not be in a financial position to obtain training or educational experiences The Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police will provide assistance in the form of scholarships in certain and limited cases to members local lodges or state lodges so that they may obtain training or educational experiences that have a real and direct benefit to FOP members local lodges or state lodges The total scholarship award amount shall not be more than 500 per individual local or state lodge per training event Tuition Reimbursement Scholarship The Education Services Committee recognizes the need and benefit of education for the members of the Fraternal Order of Police The committee also recognizes that a member may not be in a financial position to attend a college or a university and the member s agency employer may not have a tuition reimbursement program The Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police will provide assistance in the form of an education tuition reimbursement scholarship to eligible members so that they may be able to obtain an education degree The member must be a student with one of the NFOPU affiliated schools to receive this scholarship The scholarship awarded is for up to 500 for tuition reimbursement and can only be received once within the same year www fop net
www fop net
www fop net
www fop net
Electronic Newsletters Fraternal Order of Police Click covers to open July 2020 Editions