Issue link: http://lawandordermag.epubxp.com/i/74973
ON THE JOB NEWS EYE ON EDUCATION DISCIPLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING JUST HANDED DOWN MISSION CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS Southern Police Institute cont. cials. Financial and operational accountability is emphasized as participants learn how to create an outline model for a per- formance management system for their agencies. Topics include understanding budgets and financial perfor- mance; achieving value with a budget that is linked to opera- tional performance; evaluation; identifying and responding to problems; and evaluating resource expenditures to meet com- munity needs. The course is appropriate for mid- and upper- level police managers. The certificate program in Personnel Development, Assess- ment and Liability is a 40-hour course at $675 tuition. It ana- lyzes tasks, skills and qualities involved in staff recruitment, selection, retention and development of personnel effective- ness. The topics include job analysis, selection procedures, per- formance evaluation, staff retention, and management. The Organizational Management certificate program is for middle and senior managers and focuses on planning, manage- ment, coordination and leadership for team building, motiva- tion, and communication skills. Any law enforcement agency can host the program in its locale, but a minimum enrollment of 25 is required. (The host agency or agencies must offer the course in a geographic region that is served by a commercial airline.) The 40-hour course has a current tuition of $675. The curriculum introduces participants to strategic manage- ment as it relates to agency effectiveness, staff, emergency and contingency planning, leadership, problem solving, data col- lection, accountability, and managerial success. The program includes 40-hour training sessions (each at $675 tuition) in Stra- tegic Management, Organizational Leadership and Problem Solving, Managing Within Your Budget, Personnel Develop- ment, Assessment and Liability. SPI offers Specialized Skills courses designed to enhance professional development of law enforcement practitioners through educational and career development courses that in- clude current trends, technical tools, problem solving, commu- nication skills, administrative law, and investigative practices. The current offerings include the following courses: the Background Investigation course prepares students to conduct legally defensible, job-related police background investiga- tions. The 16-hour course has a current tuition of $400. Top- ics include the process of background investigations, conflicts and responsibilities for investigators, job-related inquiries, personal history statements, documentation, confidentiality, review of the Americans With Disabilities Act, websites of as- sistance, and case discussions. The Homicide Investigation course runs 80 hours and has 12 LAW and ORDER I July 2012 a current tuition of $1,195. It focuses on the advanced knowl- edge, skills and abilities necessary for the successful resolution of accidental, suicidal and homicidal death investigations. In- struction, case studies and problem solving methods are used. Areas of instruction include legal aspects, behavior, the role of the crime laboratory, DNA, identification and collection of biological evidence, blood stain and physical evidence, force impact, profiling and investigation techniques. A 40-hour, $675 tuition course in Sex Crimes Investigation contains information intended to aid in the successful inves- tigation and resolution of crimes, response and procedures, legal requirements associated with evidence, identification, collection, preservation and transportation of evidence, foren- sics, and profiling. Similarly, a 16-hour training hour course at a current $400 tuition gives a comprehensive study of Child Sex Crime In- vestigations including investigation, interview, Internet crime, pornography, forensics, and community prevention programs. Trends and Techniques in Internal Affairs is a 40-hour course at $675 tuition for training in the role and function of internal investigations, proactive and passive methodologies, administrative and criminal investigative processes through various techniques, case law, policy, and practices of proper selection of personnel. The SPI's National Police Training Officer Academy informs police agencies about the benefits of implementing the PTO program training model. Following that, agencies are assisted by SPI in agency efforts toward transitioning to the model through high-quality training and technical assistance. The Mounted Police Training Academy is the only accred- ited mounted police training school in the U.S. Geiser Equine, Inc. developed the program in 1989. The focus is on under- standing the dynamics of the partnership between rider and horse to create a competent and confident policing team. Courses are fully insured and held nationwide, and can be scheduled locally to suit such needs as basic mounted-patrol officer instruction, advanced mounted-patrol officer instruc- tion, instructor training, mounted posse, and refresher courses. Registration is through the link on the SPI website, or directly at the academy website. LaO Post your comments on this story by visiting www.lawandordermag.com