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As budget issues cut even more deeply into the law enforcement community, funding for training is disappearing. Without frequent training, officers are deprived of opportunities to strengthen their skills and sharpen their focus. Where can we find affordable training during these tough economic times? Routine debriefing is a simple, effective and free training tool. During every shift, somebody responds to a call that can be discussed and critiqued.
Tap into the collective experience and expertise within your department. Whether the incident you discuss is an uneventful traffic stop or the call from hell, sharing information in invaluable. As a field sergeant, I used debriefing as a tool to promote team building and an avenue for mentoring.
Sometimes, I used a dry erase board or a piece of paper during roll call and other times the hood of a patrol car was our classroom. I carved out fifteen minute chunks of time and established a "safe zone" of communication where people could admit mistakes without making excuses for them, critiques could be expressed and opinions were valued.
This environment promoted interaction and honest, sometimes fiery, dialogue among officers, which is exactly what I was hoping for. With increased interaction comes learning and knowledge. If time ran short, we continued the debrief on another day.
After these sessions, I had an assessment of learning and knew what areas of improvement my team needed. Whether you are a line officer or a supervisor, take the initiative and debrief your experiences, encourage interaction, which is necessary for learning to take place.
This backyard training familiarizes personnel with department policies that apply to issues unique to your agency. Equip each other with knowledge. Debriefing is an affordable means of promoting continuous training and developing officers' confidence and improved team operations.
Timothy Long is a sergeant and 19-year California law enforcement veteran. He is a California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Master Instructor. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites        
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