New Releases: Coach Officer Training and Counterfeit Travel and Identity Documents - July 9, 2010

CPKN released two new courses this week: Coach Officer Training and Counterfeit Travel and Identity Documents.

Coach Officer Training was developed in collaboration with the Ontario Police College. This two hour course is designed to prepare coach officers to assist their trainees to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during basic training to the reality of policing. This course covers key elements of training, including setting goals, identifying relevant training activities, performance assessment, and remediation strategies, together with essential coaching techniques designed to develop police officer trainees. For more information, please see the course description at www.cpkn.ca/course_detail/coach_officer_e.html.

Counterfeit Travel and Identity Documents was developed by the RCMP and is being shared with the wider police community via CPKN. This 2.5 hour course instructs on the basic skills required to recognize genuine travel or identity documents and provides techniques to determine whether a document is genuine or fraudulent. In addition to identifying the difference between counterfeit and altered documents, it introduces learners to a number of different security features as well as the criminal law, policy, and procedures that apply when fraudulent documentation is discovered. A full course description is available at www.cpkn.ca/course_detail/counterfeit_travel_identity_documents_e.html.

Other recent releases at CPKN include a free Learning & Evaluation event for Preventing Officer Involved Collisions and the Calgary Police Service's Excited Delirium Syndrome. Other scheduled releases for this summer include Critical Incident Stress Management (August) and Police Information Portal (September). Both of these offerings will be funded by the Police Sector Council and will be released as free Learning & Evaluation events.

Peacekeepers Adopt Blended Learning - July 6, 2010  

Recently, the RCMP's International Peace Operations Branch (IPOB) initiated the transition of its Peacekeeper Pre-Deployment Training program to a blended learning model. This summer, Canadian police officers selected to participate in a UN mission to Sudan will be the first to participate in this new learning approach.

In 2008, in response to a United Nations request for contributing countries to meet specific training standards, the RCMP's Learning and Development (L&D) Branch conducted an in-depth analysis of IPOB's training needs. Based on that study, a number of recommendations were made to make pre-deployment training more effective and efficient. One of the recommendations involved adapting certain elements of the training into online modules.

Earlier this year, the RCMP worked with CPKN to develop A Strategic Level Overview of Peacekeeping and The Establishment and Functioning of Peacekeeping Operations, two of the four identified online modules that will be used for pre-deployment training. During this collaboration, the RCMP developed training content while CPKN contributed its expertise to create engaging learning environments and experiences for learners. Throughout July and August, a contingent of twenty-five officers scheduled to deploy to Sudan in September will complete these modules as pre-requisites to the classroom component of the pre-deployment program. While RCMP members will access the modules via the RCMP's internal AGORA system, officers from municipal, provincial and regional police forces will complete the training via a designated IPOB portal on CPKN's Learning Management System. The two remaining modules, Effective Mandate Implementation and Standards, Values, and Safety of Peacekeeping Personnel will be implemented at a later time.

In addition to allowing mission applicants to complete a portion of the mandatory training according to their own pace and schedules, the introduction of an online training component will reduce the conventional program by more than a day. While this is a new model for IPOB, it has been a highly successfully approach, generating benefits at both learner and organizational levels for other police training initiatives that incorporate theory and hands-on elements. On an annual basis, approximately 200 officers will complete the blended pre-deployment training.

Free Learning Event: Preventing Officer Involved Collisions - July 5, 2010  

Until October 31st, all Canadian law enforcement personnel are offered free access to Preventing Officer Involved Collisions, an e-learning course developed in collaboration with the Ontario Provincial Police.

While driving may be considered routine among police officers, it is actually one of the riskiest tasks they undertake on a daily basis. In fact, recent statistics indicate the collision rate of police officers is four times higher than among civilians. More officers die in vehicle collisions than all other workplace-related incidents combined. Preventing Officer Involved Collisions focuses on risk management techniques, human factors, managing distractions, and improving self-awareness and is designed to help officers improve their ability to make good decisions while driving.

This free Learning & Evaluation event is funded by the Government of Canada's Sector Council Program through the Police Sector Council. This is the ninth course to be developed as part of PSC's national e-learning initiative which responds to national training priorities as indicated by the Canadian police community. The evaluation component of this initiative gathers data, by way of mandatory Learner Feedback Surveys, on learners' experiences and collects input on ways to enhance online training initiatives within the Canadian policing sector. Information collected from learners is kept strictly anonymous and is used to improve online training initiatives for the sector at large.

At present, the English version of this course is available to learners -- the French language version will be released at a later date. For more information, or to register, please visit www.cpkn.ca/course_detail/preventing_officer_involved_collisions_e.html or contact CPKN at 1-866-357-2756.

2011/2012 e-Learning Course Selection Process Underway - June 10, 2010  

As part of the Police Sector Council's national e-learning initiative, CPKN is requesting proposals from the Canadian policing sector that identify priority training issues for online delivery.

Each year, the Police Sector Council collaborates with CPKN to fund the development of four to five e-learning courses for the national police community. On release, each course is offered for free during an introductory Learning & Evaluation period. This not only provides police services with no-cost access to essential, high quality training but is also an important component of CPKN's research examining ways to improve and advance online learning for police.

Any policing organization or any agency affiliated with police training in Canada is eligible to submit a topic for consideration. This includes Police Services, Police Academies, Solicitor General Offices, and other agencies such as Canada Border Services Agency and Corrections Canada. Proposed course topics are reviewed and voted on by the community at large as part of CPKN's annual Stanhope Conference. Based on voting results, selected topics will be added to CPKN's 2011/2012 development schedule.

This national e-learning initiative is an important component of PSC's mandate to implement innovative, practical solutions to human resource planning and management challenges. To date, PSC has funded the development of eight courses; an additional seven courses will be released later this year.

For more information on the Course Selection Process (including mandatory criteria and a proposal form), please visit the Stanhope Conference website at www.cpkn.ca/stanhope10/course_selection.html. The deadline for submissions is September 10, 2010.

Silver Lining to Server Failure - June 2, 2010  

Seeing the positive side of a failure isn't always easy, but when CPKN recently experienced a critical failure of its production server, we eventually saw a silver lining.

This past Sunday evening, staff at CPKN were notified by a client that its server was down and courses could not be accessed on CPKN's Learning Management System. CPKN's technical support staff were immediately called in to resolve the issue.

On further investigation, staff discovered that as a result of the recent surge of training for G20 security personnel, there was a ten-fold increase in demand on the system using up all available space on the hard drive. Once it reached capacity, the server shut down.

"We take this type of situation very seriously," says Brian Fleming, CPKN's Manager of IT Systems and Support. "The system is closely monitored and managed by CPKN, but when a lapse does occur we respond at once. In this case, the system was back up and running within an hour of learning about the problem."

Though CPKN regrets any event that causes inconvenience to our clients, we believe there is a good news story in all of this. Firstly, in nearly six years of operation, this is only the second time that there has been a significant disruption to access - with more than 65,000 learners registered to hundreds of thousands of course, video, and exam events across six portals, we believe that to be a pretty good track record. Secondly, on learning about the issue, CPKN's response was immediate and effective. We think this speaks volumes about our team's commitment to service. Lastly, the fact that our client contacted one of our staff people at home demonstrates just how close our working relationship with the policing community is - there's not many national organizations that establish that type of connection with its clients.

So in the end, though it's a problem we will make every effort to avoid in future, it's still a lesson we can learn from. And at CPKN, we're all about learning.

CPKN Hosts G20 Online Training Portal - May 21, 2010  

Frontline officers assigned to general police duties during the G20 Summit will complete a portion of their specialized training online via a secure CPKN learning portal.

In advance of the Summit, police personnel assigned to general frontline duties will undergo an intense curriculum. Depending on a member's assignment, a range of online and practical training sessions will be available. An online training portal, which will be hosted on CPKN's Learning Management System and managed by Toronto Police Service's Training College, will be used to deliver a selection of training courses to officers throughout Ontario and across Canada.

The G20 Summit, which will take place on June 26 and 27 in Toronto, will host a forum for world leaders to work together to stabilize the financial system, coordinate national economic policies, and take action to build a future of sustainable and balanced economic growth. Due the nature of the discussions, the G20 Summit is a highly controversial event that attracts tens of thousands of protesters and demonstrators. As such, security is a critical and extremely complex component of the conference. A highly trained force of law enforcement professionals is essential for success.

In the weeks leading up to the Toronto event, the online training model will significantly streamline the delivery of training for security operations. This is a fundamental aspect of security preparations that will underpin the ability of frontline personnel to create a safe environment for all during the G20 Summit.

New Directors Join CPKN Board - May 14, 2010  

Chief Superintendent Cal Corley, Director General of the Canadian Police College, and Chief Andy McGrogan of the Medicine Hat Police Service were recently welcomed as the newest members of CPKN's Board of Directors.

"These individuals are valuable additions to our Board, "says Sandy Sweet, President of CPKN. "Their experience and knowledge on police training and the broader needs of the police community will be genuine assets as CPKN expands and evolves. We're extremely pleased to have them involved."

During his 35 years with the RCMP, C/Supt. Corley has gained extensive experience as a police officer, senior manager, and executive in areas such as criminal intelligence, national security, drug enforcement, human resources, and change management. As Director General of the Canadian Police College, he oversees the College's role in police leadership and management development, as well as advanced and specialized police training with emphasis in the areas of organized and multi-jurisdictional crime.

Chief McGrogan is a 30 year veteran of the Medicine Hat Police Service and has worked in a wide variety of positions including general Patrol Duties, Communications, Canine, Tactical Team Member and Commander, Criminal Investigations, Professional Standards and Development. After serving as an Inspector of both Support and Operational services, he was promoted to Deputy Chief of Police in September of 2007 and then to Chief of Police in November of 2008.

Chaired by Commissioner Julian Fantino, CPKN's Board of Directors is comprised of twelve members who are primarily senior level policing professionals representing various elements and regions of the Canadian police community. With the support of CPKN staff, the Board oversees the strategic, financial, and operational sustainability of the organization.

For more information on CPKN's Board of Directors, please visit www.cpkn.ca/board_e.html.

Calgary Shares Excited Delirium Training - April 13, 2010  

The Calgary Police Service (CPS) is sharing its course on Excited Delirium Syndrome with the broader Canadian police community. All members of the police community can now access this one hour training course via CPKN.

Every year, there are more than 200 sudden and unexpected deaths following police restraint. Excited Delirium Syndrome (ExDS), a condition identified by medical experts, accounts for the majority of custody-related deaths. With the ever-increasing use of crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and other central nervous system stimulants, as well as the increased number of persons with emotional disturbances amongst the general population, officers can anticipate encountering subjects suffering from ExDS more frequently. Increased awareness of the condition by police officers can result in earlier recognition and treatment.

Developed by CPS as part of its Use of Force training program, Excited Delirium Syndrome is designed to increase officer awareness about signs and symptoms of ExDS and explores the factors and issues that must be considered when responding to, or managing, an ExDS incident.

For more information or to register, see the course description page at www.cpkn.ca/course_detail/excited_delirium_e.html

INTERPOL to Launch Online Firearms Identification Training - March 26, 2010  

This spring, INTERPOL will launch the Firearms Identification for Law Enforcement (FILE) e-course to law enforcement agencies around the globe as part of its online training programme.

This course is an adaptation of Firearms Identification for Public Agents which was originally developed by CPKN in 2008 in collaboration with the RCMP's Canadian Firearms Program. Designed to instruct law enforcement personnel on the language of firearms identification and how to identify most firearms, CPKN has worked with INTERPOL to customize this course to train personnel in the effective use of the INTERPOL Firearms Reference Table (IFRT), a web-based system that helps investigators identify and trace the origins of firearms used in criminal activity. The course will be offered in English, French, and Spanish.

Headquartered in Lyon, France, INTERPOL is the world's largest international police organization. With 188 member countries, it facilitates cross-border police co-operation, and supports and assists all organizations, authorities and services in their mission to prevent and combat international crime.

In 2009, INTERPOL launched the INTERPOL Global Learning Centre (IGLC), a web-based learning platform that allows member countries to share knowledge, expertise, best practices, and training (including e-learning). FILE will be added to the IGLC e-learning catalogue to provide foundational knowledge for gathering firearms intelligence to prevent and solve firearms related crimes.

Licensed for a five year term, FILE will be available to all INTERPOL National Central Bureaus via I-24/7, INTERPOL's secure global police communications system.

OPVTA Web Online! - March 1, 2010  

Today, the Ontario Police Video Training Alliance launched its exclusive online portal via CPKN. Members of OPVTA can now access select video resources from OPVTA's back catalogue as well as new releases on 'OPVTA Web'. Currently featured videos are:

• Foot Pursuit (Vol. 095)
• Suspect Apprehension Pursuits (Vol. 038)
• Building Searches (Vol. 115)
• Domestic Violence - 2007 (Vol. 104)
• Invisible Threat: Communicable Diseases (Vol. 106)
• Foundations of Warrantless Search (Vol. 118)
• Prescription Drug Enforcement (Vol. 110)
• Guaranteed Safe Arrival (Vol. 055)

Additional titles will be added in the coming months.

OPVTA's portal will reside on CPKN's Learning Management System but will only be accessible to OPVTA's member organizations. Users will be registered using CPKN's standard registration process. Once registered, OPVTA Web users will have access to all available titles. OPVTA Web, which is offered concurrently with DVD distribution, is available free to all OPVTA member agencies.

For more information, please contact Jamie Saunders, OPVTA Executive Director or CPKN's Support Desk at 1-866-357-2756.

RADAR Refresher Training: Free Learning Event - February 25, 2010  

RADAR Refresher Training is the latest in a series of free Learning & Evaluation events to be funded by the Police Sector Council's national e-learning program.

Developed by CPKN in collaboration with York Regional Police, this four hour course is a refresher for the experienced RADAR operator. Delivered in eleven modules, it reviews the principles of speed management, the theory and technology behind RADAR, court preparation, as well as health and safety issues. Like past L&E events, RADAR Refresher Training will be offered at no cost to all members of the Canadian police and law enforcement communities for a four month period (until June 30th).

Similar to the recent CFRO offering, this event includes several features that contribute to CPKN's research on course effectiveness and learner satisfaction. In addition to the standard mandatory Learner Feedback survey, the course includes pre- and post-course testing, a voluntary follow-up survey, and a focus group session. Though designed as short learner exercises, these direct measures of training impact help CPKN to continually improve course design and delivery methods.

RADAR Refresher Training is currently offered in English; the French language version will be released later this Spring.

Update (April 2010): Stationary and Stationary/Moving versions of RADAR Refresher Training are now available.

Also available: Forensic DNA Evidence is also offered as a free Learning & Evaluation event until June 15, 2010. This 3.5 hour course provides officers involved in the investigation of criminal offences, including serious violent crimes, sexual crimes, and other major crimes in which forensic DNA evidence may be utilized, with a comprehensive understanding of the DNA warrant provisions of the Criminal Code, case law, and evidence collection issues. Content for this course has been provided by the Justice Institute of BC.

New Releases at CPKN - February 22, 2010  

CPKN has recently launched three new essential police training courses, including a new free Learning & Evaluation event.

Forensic DNA Evidence is the most recent free Learning & Evaluation event to be sponsored by the Police Sector Council. This 3.5 hour course provides officers involved in the investigation of criminal offences, including serious violent crimes, sexual crimes, and other major crimes in which forensic DNA evidence may be utilized, with a comprehensive understanding of the DNA warrant provisions of the Criminal Code, case law, and evidence collection issues. Content for this course has been provided by the Justice Institute of BC. Free access will remain open to all Canadian police and law enforcement personnel until June 15, 2010.

Introduction to Human Sources focuses on basic best practices and procedures, as well as the recommended policy and guidelines, for handling human sources. Learners are introduced to fundamental report writing and note taking procedures as well as the applicable Canadian case law governing the use and handling of these investigative tools. Using a problem-based approach, this course will simulate many of the complexities, conflicts, and diverse issues raised during actual investigations involving human sources. Content for this course is provided by the RCMP's Covert Operations Branch.

Threats to School Safety was developed by the Toronto Police Service and focuses on the key issues to understanding and investigating Threats to School Safety. In addition to instructing officers on the information and techniques relevant to the investigation of a school related shooting and an Active Attacker, this course prepares officers to respond to and deal with threats in a school environment, communicate information to specialized police investigators, and increase their safety in interactions with a threat. This course also reviews the dynamics of an Active Attacker and the tactical solutions to be utilized during high risk situations at schools.

For full course details, click on the course titles above.

London Hosts e-Learning Workshop - February 1, 2010  

Recently, more than twenty five representatives from sixteen southern Ontario police services gathered to discuss e-learning in police training.

"More than ever, police services are tasked with doing more with less," said Chief Murray Faulkner of the London Police Service, host agency for the workshop. "Growing operational demands place increased pressure on already strained budgets - often pushing training needs to the back burner. Under these circumstances, we need to be more efficient with the limited dollars that we have available."

Throughout the Canadian police community, e-learning is proving to be an effective and economically sound solution. But apart from the fiscal benefits, the logistics of introducing organizational e-learning can sometimes seem a daunting endeavor.

"Keeping pace with advances and options in police training is challenging," said Supt. Brent Shea of the London Police Service, lead workshop organizer. "This workshop is an opportunity for decision-makers to better understand e-learning technologies, consider how they can be effectively incorporated, and learn from the experiences of other agencies that have already set out on that path."

This half-day workshop was a forum for open discussion and questions about how police services can integrate and maximize e-learning within in-service training programs. CPKN was on hand to offer up the latest information on online technologies, research, and implementation options, including an e-Learning 101 session that reviewed the basics of online learning. Case studies on how e-learning is currently being used within various Ontario police services and the Ontario Police College were presented. Discussions also defined the challenges that organizations experience when introducing e-learning and the service-specific approaches employed to overcome those challenges.

"This type of focused, small-scale event is an ideal opportunity for members of the police community to cut straight to the issues that directly impact them," said Chief Faulkner. "While some of the particulars may vary, the services represented here today are discovering alot of common ground on their training dilemmas. I think we all agree that e-learning is clearly part of the solution."

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Other districts or regions interested in hosting similar events are encouraged to contact Bill Gibson at bill.gibson@cpkn.ca or 902-629-4276.

CACP Endorses Police Ethics & Accountability - January 14, 2010  

CPKN's Police Ethics & Accountability is the first course to receive approval under the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police's e-Learning Endorsement Process. Based on a recommendation from the CACP HR Committee, CACP's Board of Directors granted its support for the course earlier this month.

Introduced in January 2009, CACP's Endorsement Process is designed to validate e-learning design and development procedures and add a consistent, structured national perspective to quality assurance. Under the process, the CACP HR Committee audits all documentation pertaining to the selection, design, and development of an e-learning course. This includes rationales on topic selection and the identification of content provider agencies and subject matter experts (SME), as well as documents related to content development, SME and peer reviews, and learner pilots. The various elements of the course development process are evaluated against an approved methodology for building online police training. Based on its findings, the HR Committee makes a recommendation to the CACP Board of Directors.

While all CPKN courses are developed in collaboration with experts from the Canadian police community, this exercise ensures that training programs meet rigorous quality standards for a national police audience.

Additional courses from CPKN's catalogue will be submitted to the CACP HR Committee for review on a regular basis.

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Related Story: CACP and CPKN Announce e-Learning Endorsement Process (November 3, 2008)

OPVTA To Launch Online Delivery Portal - December 22, 2009  

In January, the Ontario Police Video Training Alliance will launch a new online portal hosted by CPKN. OPVTA members will now be able to access, at no additional cost, OPVTA video training resources via the Internet. This is in addition to their traditional deliverable DVD format.

"Moving from a DVD to online model is a natural step in our evolution," says Jamie Saunders, Production Manager of the Video Unit at Niagara Regional Police Service which produces all OPVTA programming. "This new portal will give OPVTA's membership 24/7 access to our catalogue in a secure online learning environment. Moreover, it will provide additional features such as content review, learner tracking, and reporting mechanisms. "

OPVTA's portal will reside on CPKN's Learning Management System but will only be accessible to OPVTA's member organizations. Each OPVTA member agency will initially register their personnel through CPKN, but thereafter will have the option to assign an administrator to the portal to manage their service's registrations to individual courses, monitor in-service training events, and run learner progress reports.

"Creating an exclusive portal on CPKN's infrastructure is an extremely cost effective option for OPVTA," says Michael Knight, Chair of OPVTA. "We not only bypass the expense of purchasing and managing an independent LMS, but also benefit from CPKN's experience in making our programs ready for online delivery. We believe this portal will yield a real advantage for our membership and the organization as a whole." At launch, the portal will feature a preliminary selection of videos, including Search Without Warrant, Guaranteed Safe Arrival, Domestic Violence, Communicable Diseases, Prescription Drug Enforcement, Building Searches, and Psychosis. OPVTA will continue to work with CPKN's Design and Development team to transition existing videos to an online format.

The portal is expected to launch in late January. OPVTA members may contact either their Executive, or CPKN's Support Desk at 1-866-357-2756/support@cpkn.ca for more information. Outside agencies wishing to learn more about becoming a member of OPVTA in order to access these programs may contact either Michael Knight or Jamie Saunders. Contact information may be found at www.opvta.com.

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OPVTA is a non-profit member driven organization that provides professional, high-quality video training resources to member police services throughout Ontario's Law Enforcement Community and beyond. First established in 1996, OPVTA currently provides video programs to over 90 member services, representing 24,000 police officers.