Is Training Certification Useful?

The idea that once we “certify” someone, we are somehow guaranteeing their competency is a subtext that runs throughout the law enforcement profession. But that's not the case.

How often have you used the word "certified" during your law enforcement career? We typically start out by getting certified in a police academy, and we know what that means. Almost universally, it means that we have completed a course of study in basic law enforcement, and have graduated. The academy his "certified" us.

But does that mean that they guarantee our future performance, or even our current level of knowledge? How long is the warranty for?

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