Use of force classroom help

[Grouse870]

A little background and then my question. I am currently one of three firearms instructors at my department (If it matters I work in corrections 100+ officers of that probably 50+ are actually armed we do quite a bit out in the community with, work crews, hospital transports, chain buses to other facility etc). We are tasked with doing the lethal force policy training which we do every year. Now at this point most of the officers know the major case law for use of force (Tennessee vs Garner, Graham vs Conner, City of Canton vs Harris, Poppow vs Margate, etc) I'm trying to do something different than the standard death by power point type. I'd like to do some scenario type stuff (this is a class room setting) so video is about my only option. I know and have used Active self protection, Blu tube, any others I should look at? or particular videos that are useful? I'm just trying to engage everybody without getting the glazed over eye look and while I find case law fascinating and something that needs to be understood I realize a lot of people aren't like that (Much like a lot of people look at dryfire and actually practicing with a gun as something they need to paid to do)

[Sherman A. House DDS]

Paging @jlw


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[willie]

Having thought for 30 years, I suggest that if you wish to depart from a lecture style, then you must open up the session to some degree of collaborative learning which is another name for using groups. Depending on student numbers, physical dimensions of the room, and furniture, you can then plan. You might have packets with canned activities. A packet might consist of one sheet per scenario or topic. It would present information and invite response within the small groups. However, you need to be active in presenting and discussing. You will need to decide content and depth of coverage. Already you know what specific information is required. Now start your search for pertinent high interest material. Think ahead on how class progress might get hung up on too many what if questions. At he end, summarize and restate how the various concepts interrelate. Emphasize the importance of employees' tasks. Teachers have used this style of teaching to take up time and keep students busy. Here the limitation for you is that you can't present as much information as you would if you were blowing through a power point session used to satisfy training requirements. This old thing of blowing through in order to meet requirements is the main reason that "students" equate training with bullshit regardless of the field.

[Grouse870]

I like that it gives me some stuff to think about. I like to do discussions after the powerpoint stuff is done as its generally over pretty quick and aside from a few people the discussion typically is over pretty quick as most people just want to get the class over with so they can leave (this is generally what happens in all of the classroom training sessions) Another issue that I failed to mention is this has to be used by the other instructors as well as I cover two squads and the other instructors cover a squad each. We try to keep everything consistent between squads as much as we can. I appreciate the help here.

[jlw]

A little background and then my question. I am currently one of three firearms instructors at my department (If it matters I work in corrections 100+ officers of that probably 50+ are actually armed we do quite a bit out in the community with, work crews, hospital transports, chain buses to other facility etc). We are tasked with doing the lethal force policy training which we do every year. Now at this point most of the officers know the major case law for use of force (Tennessee vs Garner, Graham vs Conner, City of Canton vs Harris, Poppow vs Margate, etc) I'm trying to do something different than the standard death by power point type. I'd like to do some scenario type stuff (this is a class room setting) so video is about my only option. I know and have used Active self protection, Blu tube, any others I should look at? or particular videos that are useful? I'm just trying to engage everybody without getting the glazed over eye look and while I find case law fascinating and something that needs to be understood I realize a lot of people aren't like that (Much like a lot of people look at dryfire and actually practicing with a gun as something they need to paid to do)

If you are eligible to attend, I strongly recommend the Use of Force Instructor Training Program at FLETC. The program covers running scenarios among other useful building blocks.

[ST911]

Depending on number of students and time allowed:

As students arrive, assign an aspect of use of force policy or case law to small groups for teach-backs. Student groups must incorporate a demonstration or modeled scenario as part of their presentation. Bonus points if it's highly interactive with the class.

Do you have access to a MILO or TI force simulator? Take scenarios off the system and play them in the classroom. Have students write UoF reports based on the scenario paths you chose. Consider having some small groups argue in support of an outcome, and others must argue against. Link arguments specifically to policy and law.

Take some of the research studies from FSI and set up demonstrations based on them. Make them as participatory as time/space allows. Have students write relevant portions of UoF reports justifying actions in the demonstration. Have others argue against them.

Take Andrew Branca's material on the 5 elements of self defense and teach them those instead of the LE model. Link them to relevant on duty concepts. Most will never have seen it, you'll get more of their attention, and you'll (hopefully) make smarter off-duty folks.

I'm trying to do something different than the standard death by power point type

Good for you. Those that rely on the traditional powerpoint in-service model should just distribute a hand-out and cancel class. They'll waste less time, get a wee bit more student attention, and have largely the same outcome and retention.

[Lon]

One of the things our state academy is doing right is getting more into the “student centered learning” stuff. The state lesson plan includes quite a few written scenarios. I divide the class up into groups and assign each group a scenario. Then I give them time to discuss it and come up with a answer to the question which includes the legal justification to support their answer. Then I have them present their scenario and answers to the rest of the class.

At our in service last month I did something similar. I used real cases I researched. I’ve also shown videos and have groups or individuals write reports covering the use of force in the video or just done group discussions on the legality of the force used.

Corrections is unique since you also have 8th and 14th Amendment issues that can add twists that non corrections doesn’t deal with. I have a copy of our state corrections UoF lesson plan at work. If you want I can send it to ya this weekend when I get back. Just PM me if you’re interested.

[Lon]

Another thing to think about is doing a block on how to write the report itself. I’ve read a lot of UoF reports over the years and many of them just flat out sucked because no one had really taught them HOW to write it.

[John Hearne]

A second plug for the Use of Force instructor class at FLETC. As a bridge between all lecture and active hands-on, I have recorded videos of simulated use of force incidents. The students watch them and then have to make a decision about whether the use of force was appropriate. Kind of like a FATS but no simulated weapons. I did it several years ago using just our body cameras and some cheap editing software and it came out pretty good.

[jnc36rcpd]

Some excellent suggestions here. I would sometimes pose scenarios (though video or a simulator might spice things up) of various use of force issues and ask for opinions on legality and tactics. For instance, a suspect shoots your partner, throws down the gun, and runs. Can you shoot? Suppose he stabs your partner and runs. What if he still has the knife?

Some of this gets into perception and politics, but that's the real world. Better that officers think these issues through in the classroom than next weekend in the parking lot of the Dew Drop Inn.