Training: Page 7

Do You Want to Win or Just Survive?

It's crucial for law enforcement officers to understand the power of words. It is not just semantics. It is often the difference between programming your subconscious for success or for failure. In some cases, it can be the difference between life and death.

Your Subconscious Mind

In order for law enforcement professionals to effectively use the skills, tactics and equipment provided to them, they must first prepare and condition their minds.

Photo via Flickr.com (onkel_wart).

A Message For FTOs: Prepare For the Worst

How many calls do you respond to that could become an armed confrontation? I think of alarms-in-progress, domestic disputes, bar calls and gang contacts. These need to receive the once over or brief intros during the first week.

Train With Imagination and Emotion

If you truly want to fight the way you train, then you need to train with imagination and emotion. Training with imagination and emotion means YOU need to make training real for you every time you train.

Pol Defensivetactics 1

BART Verdict: Consider a Weak-Hand TASER Draw

It is essential that trainers put officers through their paces with training that is dynamic, stress-inducing, and requires officers to make force-options decisions that truly test the officer's ability to be ready for stressful encounters on the street.

Photo via Euro-police.noblogs.org.

The Training Curve

I used to work with a precinct captain who believed "mandatory" training was an order from The Almighty. It needed to be done right then and there! As much as it drove me up the wall to deal with his reign of madness, it made sense.

Advice to the Newest FTO

Set the learning and work standards and stick to them. None of the "good enough for government work" crap. Teach your recruits to work, train, and earn their keep.

Your Best FTO

If you want a super cop hero in your life, go rent a movie. If you want a real cop in your life, your academy cadre and FTOs are there to teach you today and for the rest of your career.

FTO: Mentor or Monster

This column is directed to the FTO or the future FTO. You are the most critical link between academy training and education and real world application. So, let's not waste such an opportunity.

The Honor of Being an FTO

No supervisor worth his stripes would ever select a non-performer to become an FTO.

Age Differences in Training

One recruit had retired from the military and was of the mindset that the only person who could train him was someone chronologically older than he was. This created a problem.

Tactical Verbalization

You should be thinking to yourself as you approach any call for perceived dangers. For example, when I park the patrol car I should not park directly in front of the building. You should take critical microseconds to gain a tactical advantage that places you in an advantageous position to observe and respond.

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