DOCJT News
DOCJT Makes Improvements in Physical Training
DOCJT Physical Skills Training Supervisor Jarad Northern debuts upgrades to the Weber Gym mat room. Advancements include safer flooring, new technology and more. (Photo by Kelly Foreman)
Upgrades to the mat room training facility inside the Department of Criminal Justice Training’s Weber Gym are providing a safer, healthier environment for recruits while simultaneously advancing training.
Work is nearly complete and officers in training are already reaping the benefits, said Physical Skills Training Supervisor Jarad Northern. The mat room is used for a range of physical and defensive skills training, including edged-weapon defense, handcuffing techniques and ground fighting recovery. DOCJT Tactical Training Branch Manager Rob Ramsey said roughly 99% of altercations end up on the ground.
To protect recruits, a new floor made from specialty foam was installed, Northern said.
“It’s a progressive-style foam so the top part is a little softer, but if you were to impact it with your head or elbow, it basically stops the force in a progressive style,” Northern said.
Additionally, the floor’s design protects against the spread of illness by eliminating mat seams where bacteria previously lurked. A cleaning system designed to further prevent illnesses also was purchased and is used by every recruit class immediately after utilizing the space.
“Anytime you can give a recruit a safer, healthier and advanced training environment, then you’ve hit all three goals,” Northern said.
Two of the mat room’s four walls are comprised primarily of windows. Northern said the training staff discussed that recruits who would work third shift after basic training were at a disservice because they were receiving training in daylight, but would be performing critical tasks during dark hours. As part of the upgrades, all the windows were covered with solid black vinyl to simulate a nighttime environment.
A series of LED lights were installed to replicate the flashing of a cruiser light bar. A new computer system allows instructors to incorporate a multitude of sounds and activities to raise the level of training (see video below).
“Some of your flaws and the best training come out when you add a little bit of stress. Not just the lights, now it’s dark, you have screaming, sirens, gunshots and a dog barking,” Northern said. “That is probably one of the most important things we have done and the recruits absolutely love it.”
Two smart screens accompany the computer system, which has transitioned the mat room into a fully-operational classroom. Heavy bags were installed on a rail system, replacing the old “Bob” punching dummies that often leaked and were difficult to move.
“It is a top-notch mat room,” Northern added. “It’s going to be hard to find anything like that around here.”
(Photo by Kelly Foreman)
(Photo by Kelly Foreman)
(Photo by Kelly Foreman)
DOCJT Graduates First Compliance Officer Certification Class
(Photo by Michael Moore)
The Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training completed its first School Compliance Officer Certification course last week.
The course is designed to train those individuals in charge of completing school assessments based on state-mandated compliance as spelled out in the School Safety and Resiliency Act.
The inaugural class included 41 professionals dedicated to keeping Kentucky Schools safe. On the final day, class members heard from Jason Holt and Secret Holt and Brian Cope and Teresa Cope, parents who lost their 15-year-old children, Bailey Holt and Preston Cope, during the 2018 Marshall County High School shooting. The parents gave powerful, moving statements that left many members in tears.
“As a mom, when you send your children to school, you expect them to come home that day,” Secret Holt told the group. “This (certification course) is a big deal. Thank you for your time and commitment, and hold your children extra tight because you just never know.”
State Security Marshall Ben Wilcox said the story the parents shared only supported the need and importance of the mission.
“The presentation by the Cope and Holt families reinforced the importance of the School Safety and Resiliency Act and the State School Safety Marshal’s Office,” Wilcox said. “The tragedy that happened in Marshall County will serve as a catalyst for our resolve in making sure that schools across the Commonwealth of Kentucky have the means to protect our most important resources – our children.”
Basic Training Class No. 507 Graduates
(Photo by Jim Robertson)
Thirty-three law enforcement officers from agencies across the state graduated Thursday, January 23, 2020 from basic training at the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training.
The graduates of Class 507 completed 20 weeks of training, which consisted of 800 hours of recruit-level instruction. Major training areas included law offenses and procedures, vehicle operations, firearms, investigations, first aid and CPR, patrol procedures, orientation for new law enforcement families and the mechanics of arrest, restraint and control.
Basic training is mandatory for Kentucky law enforcement officers to comply with the state’s Peace Officer Professional Standards Act of 1998. The Department of Criminal Justice Training provides basic training for city and county police officers, sheriffs’ deputies, university police, airport police and others.
DOCJT Course Critiques Move Online
DOCJT in-service training is moving away from paper course-critique forms. Upon completion of DOCJT law enforcement, Certified Court Security Officer or dispatch classroom training, students now will receive an email to complete an online course critique.
DOCJT course critiques benefit the agency, and ultimately the clients, in a multitude of ways. They provide instructors feedback about the course content and quality of teaching, for example. The critiques also provide DOCJT with information about client needs and what they want to see in future training.
Students attending classroom training will be asked by the class coordinator to provide an individual, unique email where they wish to receive the survey. This email should not be directed to training directors or generic agency email addresses. Preferably, students should submit the address they use for their ACADIS student portal account.
Course critique responses will continue to be recorded anonymously as always. Students will receive the email survey to complete the critique three days after the conclusion of their training.
This procedural change began in January 2020. Any questions should be directed to DOCJT.elearning@ky.gov.