FDLE CJSTC Defensive Tactics Update Course

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 1, 2008 The Florida Department of Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission requires that all certifed police, corrections and corrections probation basic recruit students be instructed in the new CMSII Basic Recruit Curriculum... Go here to see the new curriculum

Question and Answers About the New Curriculum

>RRB SYSTEMS DEFENSIVE TACTICS UPDATE COURSE

Can this course be funded with trust fund dollars?

Yes.

>FLORIDA BASIC RECRUIT TRAINING PROGRAM

When will the curriculum be issued to training academies?

FDLE is currently distributing copies of the Instructor Guides to the Training School Directors by mail and email. The publisher is distributing the textbooks.The 2008.4 BRTP curricula will be on the FDLE Internet by March 24, 2008. A
limited number of Instructor packets, including all student and instructormaterials, should be sent to the Training School Directors by April 15, 2008, fordistribution or reproduction as required.

Why wasn’t the curriculum field tested as done previously?

FDLE is eager for all recruits to take advantage of this enhanced training.Through full implementation, we are able to make a more accurate assessmentand make changes annually as needed. This will also allow us to maintain oneexam applicable to the revised curriculum.

What student materials are required in the new curriculum?

In accordance with the CJSTC Rules effective June 2008, a training school isrequired to provide a paper copy of the current curriculum to each student.Additionally, the training center shall ensure that the student is taught from andhas printed class materials to include the current copy of the Florida Statutes,handbook on criminal jury instructions, and Course Summary (syllabus).

> CMS INSTRUCTOR UPDATE SPECIALIZED COURSES

Can instructors who attend one of the Instructor Update Workshops train other instructors?

Yes. However, to ensure that students receive the correct information, schools are encouraged to use their primary instructors who attended the FDLE training.

Can someone attend an Instructor Update Workshop outside his/her training area?

Yes. Instructors can register for the workshop in any location.

How does one get his/her certificate of participation for this Instructor Update Workshop?

Certificates will be mailed to the school where you attended training. If you attend training at a school other than your own, please advise Julie Johnson, FDLE, at juliejohnson@fdle.state.fl.us, where your certificate should be mailed.



How can I provide feedback about one of these workshops or the new curriculum?

Send an email to your training center director or coordinator, or email FDLE at curriculum@fdle.state.fl.us.

Is the Instructor Update Workshop mandatory like the CMS Transition courses?

The Instructor Update Workshops are not mandated; however, it is recommendedfor instructors who will teach the new material. Check with your training academy as some schools are requiring the training.

> INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION

Are instructors required to hold a law topics certification to instruct the legal
portions of the basic recruit curricula?

Individuals who hold a CJSTC law topics certification are authorized to instruct LE law topics, but a law topics certification is not required for LE basic recruit training. However, a law topics certification is required for CO and CPO basic recruit training.

Does this Instructor Update Workshop count for my instructor recertification?

CJSTC Rules effective June 2008 state: For maintenance of General Instructor Certification, an individual shall instruct in a Commission-approved Basic Recruit Training Program Course, Advanced Training Program Course, or Specialized Training Program Course delivered at a training school, or in-service training course delivered at an agency, once during their four-year cycle.

> FIREARMS

Does the new long-gun qualification also change the state-mandated recertification
with a firearm?

Rule 11B-27.00212 states that beginning July 1, 2006, a law enforcement officer shall be required to qualify on the Commission’s approved course of fire with the proficiency skills documented on the Law Enforcement Officer Firearms Qualification Standard,form CJSTC-86A. There have been no revisions to the proficiency skills required on the CJSTC-86A form.

Can the course of fire be conducted in reverse order?

No. Instructors must follow the stages of fire as provided in the course of fire instructions in the Firearms Course Instructor Guide.

> OTHER PROGRAMS

When will the FTO program be revised to coincide with the new curriculum?

An update of the FTO Advanced Course is on the 2008-09 Work Plan.



Which version of the curriculum should be used for Equivalency of Training?

Individuals who have qualified for an exemption from basic recruit training pursuant to 11B-35.009, are required to demonstrate proficiency in the high liability proficiencies and pass the State Officer Certification Examination for the discipline. Equivalency students should be provided with the current version of the curriculum for the discipline for which they are seeking certification so they can prepare for the State Officer Certification Examination.

When will the Instructor Techniques Course be revised? Will it emphasize role-play
scenarios?

The CMS General Instructor Techniques Course is being revised and is scheduled for approval at the August 2008 Commission meeting with an effective date of October 1, 2008. The revised course will provide up-to-date training for instructors to include techniques for conducting role-play.

When will exam questions change?

Changes in the 2008.4 Florida CMS Law Enforcement Basic Recruit Training Program were significant enough to require the development of a new certification exam. The new Florida CMS Law Enforcement State Officer Certification Examination will be implemented in conjunction with the new curriculum. All individuals graduating from an LE BRTP that commences on or after April 1, 2008, will take the new Florida CMS LE SOCE.

A student enrolled in a CMS Application-Based LE BRTP or a Cross-Over to CMS Application-Based LE BRTP that begins prior to April 1, 2008, may continue in that program until he/she successfully completes, fails, or withdraws
from the Program. A person who graduates from an LE BRTP has four years from the date he/she began the BRTP to pass the SOCE and gain employment as an officer with a criminal justice agency.

What if I do not pass one of the high liability courses and need to retake it, but can
only retake the new 2008.04 version?

In reviewing the courses that make up the 2007.4 version and 2008.4 version of the LE BRTP, it was determined that only three courses retained the same Department of Education common course number in the 2008.4 version: Firearms, Vehicle Operations, and First Aid. A student who has not successfully passed one of these three courses in the 2007.4 LE BRTP should be able to attend the course as presented in the 2008.4 LE BRTP. Each training school director should ensure that the student is aware that the SOCE that he/she will take will be based on the course as presented in the 2007.4 version and provide the student with a copy to study. Any other 2007.4 course makeup required should be completed in a 2007.4 LE BRTP or coordinated with the training director as a single student course.

> PHYSICAL FITNESS TRAINING

Why aren’t there more mandatory physical fitness standards for recruits at entry
and during the academy?

The new Criminal Justice Officer Physical Fitness Training requires mandatory participation by all students; however, there is no Pass/Fail score in the five assessment areas. The Commission approved the Physical Fitness component in the basic recruit curricula at the request of criminal justice agencies and training schools across the state. FDLE intends to monitor student performance on the Physical Fitness Tests and may recommend student performance standards in the future.

Will the physical fitness training be part of Defensive Tactics?

No. The training center must develop a physical fitness course apart from Defensive Tactics; however, it could be practiced along with DT. Schools should weigh this decision carefully, though, so that students will be able to perform defensive tactics techniques at their maximum performance.

Does the new physical fitness training require special instructors?
No. It is up to the Training School Director to select qualified instructors to lead this component of the academy. PT instructors must be Commission-certified instructors or exempt pursuant to CJSTC rules.

Why are there different PT hours for the three training programs?

The physical fitness hours are based on the overall program training hours. Therefore, the Florida Correctional Probation BRTP is 34 hours, the Correctional BRTP is 40 hours, and the Florida CMS Law enforcement BRTP is 60 hours.

> USE OF FORCE

Without the Recommended Response to Resistance, how can attorneys defend
officers who are accused of excessive use of force?

The CJSTC BRTP instruction in use of force places more emphasis on applying the statutory and case law related to use of force. A decision to use force should incorporate consideration of the totality of circumstances of the specific incident. The courts evaluate a use of force based upon the factors known to the officer or reasonably perceived by the officer at the time of the incident (objective reasonableness) without the benefit of 20/20 hindsight. Local agencies may continue to use the R2R Matrix as a policy tool.

> ROLE-PLAY PRACTICUM

In large classes, will the academy provide additional instructors and extra time to
conduct the role-play scenarios?

Instructors and coordinators should address this at the Academy.

Could instructors incorporate Simunition® training into the role-play scenarios?

It is important that the role-play meet its intent. Training schools may enhance the required role-play as long as the intent and framework of the role-play are maintained. When Simunition® and reality-based training are involved,
instructors must be careful to keep the role-play focused on the desired outcome. For example, in teaching the elements of crimes, instructors should prevent the role-play from becoming a shoot-don’t shoot scenario.

> DEFENSIVE TACTICS

What are the exemptions to completing the Defensive Tactics course in the Law Enforcement Academy? If an officer has previous training with Security Forces in Defensive Tactics could that training be used as an exemption in place of having to take the actual class? There are no courses considered equivalent to the CJSTC-approved defensive tactics course. If you are enrolled in a law enforcement basic recruit training program, the CMS Criminal Justice Defensive Tactics course is the only course that you can take to successfully complete the BRTP and qualify to sit for the State Officer Certification Examination.

> CHEMICAL AGENT CONTAMINATION EXERCISE

Do all recruits have to participate in the chemical agent contamination exercise? Are there any medical exemptions?

Effective with the 2008.4 version of the CJSTC BRTPs, contamination to a chemical agent spray is mandatory for all recruits in all three disciplines. Additionally, with the CJSTC Rules effective June 2008, a medical clearance for chemical agent contamination is part of the application process for entering the training program (Form CJSTC-75B). A permanent medical exemption from chemical agent contamination excludes a person from entering the academy for basic recruit training.

A student may obtain a temporary medical exemption for a condition that would temporarily exclude him/her from participating in the chemical agent exercise, such as eye surgery or pregnancy. However, the student must complete the exercise when cleared of the temporary medical condition in order to pass the Defensive Tactics course and complete the basic recruit training. Failure to complete the exercise will result in failure of the CMS Criminal Justice Defensive Tactics course.

A basic recruit student who has provided the training center director with acceptable documentation of prior chemical agent contamination, which includes chemical agent contamination and working through the effects of chemical agent contamination in a training environment, shall be exempt from this requirement.