Academy

FOREWORD FOR FIELD TRAINING OFFICERS

EXERCISE 1: ESTABLISHING AND HOLDING A PERIMETER

EXERCISE 2: WEAPONS, FIREARMS, TOOLS & TACTICS

EXERCISE 3: USE OF FORCE / C.O.I.

EXERCISE 4: COMMUNICATION AND RADIO ETIQUETTE

EXERCISE 5: CAD-MDT, DETAINMENT & ARRESTS

EXERCISE 6: PATROL VEHICLE STANDARDS & RADAR

EXERCISE 7: CONDUCTING TRAFFIC STOPS & CODE 5

EXERCISE 8: VEHICULAR PURSUITS & INTERVENTION

EXERCISE 9: INVESTIGATING CRIMES & STATEMENTS

FOREWORD FOR FIELD TRAINING OFFICERS

Hello!  This workshop is a complete redesign inspired by the "Level 1 Training Workshop", the first edition of which I wrote several years ago when I was a Field Training Captain myself.  I have written this workshop to be as simple to understand and teach as possible, for you - the Field Training Officer - to use as a guide to create educational, interactive, and enjoyable training scenarios.  Training doesn't need to be boring!  In fact, people tend to learn more when they're having fun and staying engaged, and we want you to be just as engaged.  Of course, every FTO is different, and the way you implement this guide or spice things up is entirely up to you.  Good luck, the future of Leon County rests in your hands.

-- Sheriff Jeff.

This academic workshop will consist of mock scenarios, and applying law enforcement concepts into hands-on practice.  95% of training should be in-game.  This document is NOT meant to be read or shown to Cadets, it is intended for you -- the FTO -- to read, understand, verbally teach, and set up mock demonstrations to show Cadets how things are done.

This workshop is meant to be executed at the training grounds on Fort Zancudo Joint Airbase.

EXERCISE 1: ESTABLISHING AND HOLDING A PERIMETER

As a deputy sheriff on patrol, you must be aware of existing threats and risks at every moment on the job.  Knowing the ins and outs of perimeter security is one of the most important aspects of keeping people safe and secure on a scene, especially when risk is high, or a tactical team like SERT is operating inside the perimeter.  Establishing a perimeter is the first thing deputies should always do when responding to a high-risk scene, or investigating a crime scene.  Today, we're going to teach you perimeter techniques and tactics that are commonly used in the United States military, and police departments throughout the country.  Overall, we can break down perimeter security into five points:

1. Know The Area & Establish Protocols

2. Evaluate, Update, & Communicate

3. Maintain Visibility

4. Practice Constant Vigilance

5. Use Your Tools, Like Barriers, Drones, and Vehicles

EXAMPLE 1: Use one of these bunkers as a mock house.  If the scene is in the house, that means the inside of the house and the close area around the house are the "inner perimeter".  The red line is the perimeter that needs to be held; outside of that perimeter is referred to as the "outer perimeter". 

EXAMPLE 2: Your mock house is a square building with four sides.  The front side is always "Alpha Side", going clockwise to "Bravo Side" on the left, "Charlie Side" on the rear, "Delta Side" on the right. 

1. Know The Area & Establish Protocols:

First and foremost, you must familiarize yourself with the perimeter, including entry and exit points, vulnerable areas, and potential hazards.  Knowing the surrounding area's geography will also allow you to more accurately assess potential threats, formulate better plans, and carry out activities with minimal disturbances or delay.

Use Example 1 to the right to teach Cadets about how to visually assess and establish the perimeter.  

Example 2 can be used to teach Cadets how to further communicate about the perimeter.

With those two examples in mind, you can ask the Cadets to answer some questions by physically showing you:

• If I were to say "Suspicious person approaching Delta Side outer perimeter", where is that suspicious person going to be? (Answer: approaching from the right side.)

• If I were to say "Suspicious person is trying to break window Charlie side inner perimeter", where would you go?  (Answer: against the rear of the house)

• Since there's only one way in and out of the house, and if there are only two deputies outside of the house patrolling the perimeter, what's the best way to deter people from coming inside?  (Answer: one deputy holding the entry on Alpha side, the other deputy patrolling around the rest of the perimeter.)

2. Evaluate, Update, & Communicate:

Real-time updates, communication, and the ability to adapt to new information are vital in an emergency situation.  Deputies should constantly patrol and assess the effectiveness of their perimeter control measures and making the necessary changes to improve security before an intrusion happens, so that their team will be better prepared to handle a possible breach.  Sharing up to date information with other deputies, dispatchers, and supervisors is necessary to coordinate a rapid response.

3. Maintain Visibility:

Maintaining a clear light of sight of both the inner and outer perimeter is incredibly important for safety.  This ensures that any disturbances near the site can be spotted immediately and dealt with speedily, making it easier to stop potential threats from getting close or entering the premises.  Having eyes on the inside of the perimeter also allows for quicker response if something were to go wrong and increases the likelihood of quelling any issues before they become significant.

4. Practice Constant Vigilance:

It is critical to be aware of your surroundings at all times when holding a perimeter.  Things can quickly turn dangerous if an intruder catches you with your guard down..  By listening for footsteps, rustling noises, or other suspicious activity, you can increase the odds of catching a perp before they escape.

5. Use Your Tools, Like Barriers, Drones, & Vehicles:

If you're in an urban environment where you're worried multiple people could try to cause problems or breach the perimeter, set up physical barricades including repositioning your patrol vehicle to assist.  If you're undermanned or holding a large perimeter, use a police drone to constantly surveil the area.  If it's an extreme large zone, use drones as well as your patrol vehicle or an ATV to rove around the area.  Don't be afraid to think outside of the box to get the job done.  Demonstrate how to use these tools.

Perimeter Exercise:

With all of this taught, it's time to run the Cadets through a full-on perimeter scenario.  Set these up how you see fit, and participate as an actor.

• SCENARIO 1: Active shooter inside of the house.

• SCENARIO 2: Detectives investigating inside of the house, multiple suspicious/nosy people in the area.

• SCENARIO 3: Only one deputy able to hold perimeter, multiple nosy people around the area.

EXAMPLE 1: Use one of these bunkers as a mock house.  If the scene is in the house, that means the inside of the house and the close area around the house are the "inner perimeter".  The red line is the perimeter that needs to be held; outside of that perimeter is referred to as the "outer perimeter".

EXAMPLE 2: Your mock house is a square building with four sides.  The front side is always "Alpha Side", going clockwise to "Bravo Side" on the left, "Charlie Side" on the rear, "Delta Side" on the right.

EXERCISE 2: WEAPONS, FIREARMS, TOOLS & TACTICS

1. Hand to Hand Combat & Controls:

After this module, we're go over Use of Force and COI.  First, it's important to learn how to use hard controls and weapon usage.  We'll start with Hand to Hand Combat, or Hard Controls.

• Demonstrate kicks/punches, tackling and grappling against a suspect who is fighting and resisting.

2. Less-Lethal Weapons:

Less-lethal weapons are used against suspects trying to cause bodily harm without capability or intent to kill you.  Teach your cadets:

• How to effectively use a baton

• How to effectively use a taser (Yell "taser, taser" first) against both a stationary and moving target.

• How to effectively use a beanbag shotgun against both a stationary and moving target.

• If cadet & FTO have access to BolaWrap, demonstrate its use.

3. Firearms:

Lethal weapons are used against suspects with capability and intent to serious injure or kill you.  Firearms should only be pointed at something you intend to destroy: PAY ATTENTION TO WHATS AROUND AND BEHIND YOUR TARGET.  Never point it at innocents or other officers.  Teach your cadets:  

• How to effectively use a Combat Pistol against a stationary target, a moving target, a stationary target shooting at you, a moving target shooting at you, and a target behind cover.

• How to effectively use a Pump Shotgun against a stationary target, a moving target, a stationary target shooting at you, a moving target shooting at you, and a target behind cover.

• How to effectively use a Rifle against a stationary target, a moving target, a stationary target shooting at you, a moving target shooting at you, and a target behind cover.

  • • How to use safety by pressing K on their keyboard.

    • Basic Command to sling their rifle to their chest (/sling 1)

    • How to change the rate of fire by pressing X. (ALWAYS use Burst or Semi-Auto)

ALL SHOOTING TECHNIQUES SHOULD USE THE "Sneak" BUTTON TO MOVE INTO A TACTICAL MOVEMENT POSITION.  It diminishes your silhouette and makes sure you're in full control of your weapon at a moment's notice even while running.

4. Tools:

Teach your cadets how to practically apply the use of the following tools:

• Tacker - Can equip them from a police armory.

• ALPR Tablet (/tablet)

5. Tactics:

All deputies need to know how to move, shoot, and clear areas using basic tactics.  When clearing a building or area it's imperative to know your surroundings.

1. A tight perimeter should be formed around the area first before the area is cleared out.

2. Deputies should quickly assess how many suspects they might be dealing with, and what the threat is.

When making entry into a building, suspects inside will always have the advantage as you have to be the aggressor.  Ensure that Cadets are taught doorway clearing tactics like "Slicing the Pie" to clear rooms safely.  All suspects should be detained in place until the building/area is clear.  When there is no further threat, suspects can be hauled outside to be searched and processed.

EXERCISE 3: USE OF FORCE / C.O.I.

1. COI - Capability, Opportunity, Intent:

Before we even go into the UOF Continuum, it is important that deputies understand the concept of COI -- which stands for Capability, Opportunity, Intent.  COI is how you assess a threat.

• Capability means someone has the physical means to conduct an attack.  Maybe they seem really angry, or have a weapon on their person.  This gives them the capability to attack you.  

• Opportunity means someone has the opportunity to attack you.  Maybe they're getting too close to you, maybe they're holding a weapon or firearm and can quickly aim it at you.

• Intent (or Motive) means they are displaying the intent to attack you.  Maybe they're charging at you, or are aiming a weapon at you or firing a gun at you.

The best way to think about COI is like a triangle.  If one side of the triangle is removed, then the risk is minimized.  See Example 1 to the right.  Depending on the threat that you're facing, your approach will need to be assessed on the spot.  This is where the Use of Force Continuum comes into play with how you handle any threat.

2. Use of Force Continuum:

The Use of Force Continuum is an extremely important concept all LEOs should abide by at all times.  This standard governs how deputies should use force, when they should use it, and under what circumstances they may use lethal or deadly force.

1. LEVEL ONE:  Officer Presence.  If the subject is complying with you, your mere presence as a LEO is enough.  You should be calm and professional.

2. LEVEL TWO:  Verbal Commands.  If the subject is passively resisting you or refusing to comply, you will issue clearly stated verbal commands with or without accompanying consequences depending on whether they continue to not comply.

3. LEVEL THREE:  Soft / Hard Controls.  If the subject continues to resist without the serious threat of violence against you, soft hand controls include grabbing them or using restraints like handcuffs.  If they're getting physically violent with you by tackling or hitting you, hard hand controls include punching, kicking, or using pepper spray against the subject.

4. LEVEL FOUR:  Non-Lethal Weapons.  If a subject is demonstrating the COI to cause you or others bodily harm with their body or a melee weapon, you may deploy a baton, taser, or beanbag shotgun to incapacitate the subject.

5. LEVEL FIVE: Deadly Force.  If a subject is demonstrating the COI to cause you or other serious harm or death with their body or a weapon, you may deploy your firearm to stop the threat.  This is always the last-case scenario when nothing else can be done.  Sometimes you'll need to make a split-second decision to jump to Level 5 if the situation is extreme.  All situations involving the use of firearms will require an Officer Involved Shooting (OIS) report.

Exercise:

With all of this taught, it's time to run the Cadets through some scenarios.  Set these up how you see fit, and participate as an actor.

• SCENARIO 1: You're responding to a call about an active shooter, but there are also innocents in the same area.

• SCENARIO 2: You're responding to a domestic disturbance call, the perp is apparently drunk, belligerent, and resistive.

• SCENARIO 3: You're responding to a call where someone is smashing windows with a baseball bat.

• SCENARIO 4: Someone made a call because they're spooked by someone open-carrying a firearm.

• SCENARIO 5: You're responding to a noise complaint about a husband and wife arguing loudly.

EXERCISE 4: COMMUNICATION AND RADIO ETIQUETTE

Communication, in-person or over the radio, is vital during emergency situations.  The more simply and effectively you can communicate, the better.  Let's start by getting the Cadets set up in the radio.

• Hit F9 (default keybind) to bring up the Radio.  It's highly advised to re-bind your radio to Caps Lock.

• BCSO uses frequency 7/8.  Cadets can join frequency 911 for training.

1. Radio Traffic Etiquette:

Different departments have different standards when it comes to speaking over the radio.  Some departments prefer using 10 codes, while more and more departments are starting to ditch 10 codes in favor of speaking plainly.  In BCSO, it is no longer a requirement to use 10 codes.  However, there are some golden rules everyone needs to follow:

• Radio Check - When joining a frequency, always ask for a radio check to make sure you're broadcasting clearly.  When responding to a radio check, you can say "Loud & Clear" or "Weak & Unclear".  Some people might say "10-2" which means loud & clear.

• Clarity - Your voice should be clear and easy to understand.  Speak in a normal tone, do not shout.

• Simplicity - Keep your message short and simple enough for listeners to understand quickly

• Brevity - Be precise and to the point.  Don't stutter or broadcast entire sentences.  Aim to keep your transmissions between 1-5 seconds.  Hold three seconds between each callout.

• Security - Do not transmit confidential information that everyone isn't privy to.  If you need to transmit private information to specific people, ask them to move frequencies temporarily.

• Break Break Break - Do not interrupt other people.  If your message needs to take priority, say "break break break" before transmitting to give others the chance to halt traffic.

2. Radio Traffic Terminology:

In the field, you'll hear a lot of officers who have developed bad habits such as saying "be advised", "at this time", calling the radio "RTO" (Radio Traffic Only).  You may have even learned these bad habits yourself in the past.  Here are some correct terms when talking about or using the radio:

• Net - The radio.  People mistakenly call it "RTO."  Saying that you're "in net" tells others that you're in the channel.

• <me> to <you>, come in - State your callsign, to, the callsign of the person you're trying to reach, then say come in.  This is to speak directly to a specific individual.

• Copy / Roger / 10-4 - Message received and understood.

• Wilco - Means "I will comply."

• Say Again - To ask someone to retransmit their last message.

• Over - End your transmission with "over".

• Out - Your conversation with a direct person is finished, channel is clear for others to use.

• Stand-by - You acknowledge the other party but are unable to respond immediately.

• In Service - Used when first going on shift, and when notifying that you're on patrol and available after a scene.

• Out of Service - When you're no longer available for patrol.  This should always be followed with a reason and time frame, such as "Out of service, meal break, 10 minutes" or "Out of service, end of shift."

It is also standard practice to transmit using the NATO Alphabet or North American LEO Alphabet when reading off a license plate or name over the net.  You can find the latter in the BCSO Discord's information channel.

3. PATROL CODES:

There are five codes used by all law enforcement in San Andreas.  They are as follows:

• Code 1 - Responding to a call or pulling up to assist without lights and sirens.  Used for low-priority calls.  For example, "Responding to assist traffic stop at 2048, Code 1." 

• Code 2 - Responding to a call or pulling up to assist with your lights on but no sirens.  Used for moderate priority calls.  For example, "Responding to domestic disturbance call at 4018, Code 2."

• Code 3 - Responding to a high priority call or request with lights and sirens on.  For example, "Responding to major vehicular accident reported at 1000, Code 3."

• Code 4 - Situation normal, all clear.  Code 4 means all units on scene can stand down and resume patrol.  For example, "Traffic stop at 2048 is Code 4, back in-service."

• Code 5 - Requesting additional deputies for a felony traffic or pedestrian stop with guns drawn.  We'll cover this topic in another module.  

Exercise:

With all of this in mind, let's do some scenarios.  Have Cadets respond to different scenarios and call out their responses over the net, communicate additional information as necessary, from beginning to end.  The scenario should be quick and simple for the sake of practicing radio transmissions.

EXERCISE 5: CAD-MDT, DETAINMENT & ARRESTS

1. CAD-MDT:
CAD stands for Computer Assisted Database; your MDT (Mobile Data Terminal) is the laptop in your patrol vehicle, which you access CAD from.  CAD is a state-wide database that contains information on all citizens.  Each deputy is required to register themselves as an officer to conduct daily patrol duties.  To register as an officer working under BCSO, you must have a valid driver's license and a clean record.  If any cadet lacks a clean record they must create a new citizen to work under BCSO.

Instruct the cadets on how to use the Officer dashboard in CAD including searching names and plates.

2. Arrests & Detainment Policies:

First and foremost, cadets need to be taught the difference between Reasonable Suspicion and Probable Cause.  Reasonable suspicion is the first step, where it appears that a crime might have been committed.  The situation escalates to probable cause when it become clear that a crime has most likely been committed.  Reasonable suspicion is enough to detain or hold someone & pat them down, but only Probable Cause is enough to arrest someone or search them/their vehicle in-depth.  You don't necessarily need to handcuff someone to detain or hold them.

• For instance, if you get a call about someone trespassing but no description, and you show up to see one or more people outside of the building walking around the area, there's reasonable suspicion to question those people until you have more information.

• For instance, if you're driving and you visibly see someone blow through a stop sign, you have probable cause to stop them and issue a citation because you witnessed them commit the crime.

If you have probable cause, you can search them prior to placing them under arrest.  If they have anything illegal or incriminating on them, you can add that to their charges.  Suspects MUST BE READ THEIR MIRANDA RIGHTS prior to being asked incriminating questions or prior to being formally arrested.

In the event the suspect requires or requests medical attention, deputies are bound by law to provide it to the best of their ability.  If EMS needs to transport the suspect for treatment, a deputy is required to ride in the ambulance for any violent offenders, or follow the ambulance to the hospital for non-violent offenders to complete the booking process when the suspect is treated.

3. Arrest Reports & Citations:

Arrests and citations should be clear and precise.  Deputies must establish and prove clear probable cause or outright evidence a crime has been committed before taking action beyond simple questioning.  Any case taken to the DOJ can be thrown out with an improper report or mistaken statement.

Filling out CAD reports is a relatively simple process.  The officer must either use the Create Arrest Report/Ticket button in the LEO dashboard or search the suspect's name using Name Search and select the options at the bottom of their file.  Once the report is properly and clearly filled out, the deputy must read the charges and jail time to the arrestee.  No arrestees should be held for longer than 5 IRL minutes.  Once fines are tallied and read, the arrestee has the option to pay those fines immediately, deputies should use /fine to complete that process and mark the fines paid on the arrestee's file.

Exercise:

Have the cadets stop and detain an individual in a situation of your choosing.  If it escalates to an arrest, they should be able to demonstrate the entire arrest process.  Use one of the Hangars at Fort Zancudo as a mock prison to transport the suspect to.

EXERCISE 6: PATROL VEHICLE STANDARDS & RADAR

EXERCISE 7: CONDUCTING TRAFFIC STOPS & CODE 5

1. Conducting Traffic Stops:

A traffic stop is a temporary detention of a vehicle's driver by police to investigate possible crime or violation of law.  Every traffic stop is different, and Cadets should be prepared to face a large number of different possible violations and interactions.  Examples of common scenarios you'll face on a traffic stop include speeding, reckless driving, intoxicated drivers, driving without a license/registration, street racing, hit and runs, and drug smuggling to name a few.  The list never ends, which is why traffic stops are a large part of our daily operations.

No matter the traffic stop, there are some basic rules that you, the deputy, will need to abide by to keep yourself safe and make sure you're conducting the stop lawfully:

2.  Code 5 Felony Stops:

A Code 5 stop is a high priority traffic stop.  This is used when you or another deputy has pulled over someone that is extremely non-compliant, has warrants, or is otherwise wanted for a crime and is considered potentially armed and dangerous.  The goal is to get them out of the vehicle with their hands up, and back up slowly to the sound of your voice until they can be safely detained and arrested.

CODE 5 STOPS:  Angle your vehicle like normal, and keep your door open as a shield when you step out.  Draw your weapon and call out for the driver to turn off the engine and step out of the vehicle 

PIT MANEUVERS:  Align the front of your vehicle with the rear passenger side of their vehicle, then swing into the rear corner of their vehicle to spin them out. 

Exercise:

Have your Cadets perform some mock traffic stops.  Pretend to be the driver of the vehicle they're pulling over and see how they perform.  Don't give them vehicle pursuits yet -- that's the next module -- but otherwise, flavor the traffic stop differently every time.  Be nice on a stop, or be aggravated and non-compliant.  Listen to the callouts over radio and how the cadet conducts themselves with the suspect from beginning to end.  Ask the Cadets how they feel they did after the scenario, and coach them accordingly.

1. Vehicular Pursuit Protocols:

A vehicular pursuit is an event involving one or more LEOs attempting to apprehend a suspect, who is attempting to avoid arrest while operating a motor vehicle by using high-speed driving or other evasive tactics, or driving in a legal manner but willfully failing to yield to a deputy's signal to stop.

Deciding whether to pursue a motor vehicle is a critical decision that must be made quickly and under difficult and unpredictable circumstances.  Vehicle pursuits are dangerous; pursuits will only be tolerated if the deputy can reasonably judge that the suspect is a danger to others or to the public.  Deputies who are not trained in BCSO's Speed Enforcement Program may not pursue a vehicle at speeds greater than 100 MPH.

Deputies SHOULD use their Plate Lock to grab the suspect's license plate number.  Pursuits in excess of 101 MPH should be terminated, and deputies should place a BOLO for the suspect's vehicle including the plate number, make and model, and color of the vehicle.

• Deputies should communicate direction of travel of the pursuit.  Deputies in the forward area should stop and lay down spike strips or checkpoints to try and disable the pursuit.  Deputies should NEVER leave spike strips unattended, and need to pick them up when finished.

• Deputies should be extremely attentive to their driving to avoid accidents.  If a deputy crashes their vehicle, they are out of service and should have their vehicle towed back to station.  Attempting to drive a crashed vehicle puts the deputy and the public in danger.

2. Pursuit Intervention Techniques & Tools

Pursuit Intervention Techniques (PITs) are maneuvers in which, under safe road conditions, the deputy can ram the rear passenger-side corner of the suspect's vehicle in order to cause the vehicle to lose traction and spin out to a stop.  

• Deputies attempting a PIT must have a vehicle equipped with a ram bar.

• PIT policies can be found in the SOP and should be followed at all times.

• Motorcycles should NEVER have a PIT attempted against them, as it will kill the driver.

If the deputy has access, they can equip certain vehicles with a Grappler.  A grappler device can be deployed to wrap a tether around a fleeing vehicle's rear tire, bringing it to a halt against the torque of the deputy's vehicle.

Deputies not actively engaged in the pursuit can deploy spike strips in the road to blow a fleeing vehicle's tires, which will also bring them to a slow-down and eventual halt.  Spike strips can be deployed using the F10 menu.

Exercise:

Use the air strip on Fort Zancudo to simulate a vehicular pursuit.  Have your entire team of Cadets participate at the same time to stop you.  Unless the primary has a partner in the vehicle, the secondary should take over majority of radio callouts.  They should practice using a PIT maneuver to stop your vehicle, as well as anticipating where you're going to set up spike strips.  If they have access to a Grappler, they may use it.  Pay attention to how cadets use their knowledge and callouts to work together and stop the pursuit.

EXERCISE 9: INVESTIGATING CRIMES & STATEMENTS

When responding to a 911 call in which there is no threat, or after the threat has been neutralized, all deputies need to put in a little bit of work to ensure we are exercising our resources as LEOs.  This helps ensure the quality of our RP is high; shooting criminals and then leaving the scene without following up WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

• Be aware of your surroundings when responding to passive 911's.  If it's a crime scene, ensure a perimeter stays locked down and the area secure.

• Speak to witnesses on scene and question them for details about what happened.  Make sure to get their name and date of birth for their statement.  Ask them questions such as, "What happened from your point of view?" "Can you tell me what they looked like?" "Can you describe the vehicle they were driving?" "How many of them are there?" etc.  Gather as much relevant information as you can.

• Check if the building or area has CCTV footage using /gme to review any potential footage of the crime.  If checking CCTV, make sure you hit hard points such as license plates, facial recognition, etc.

After taking statements, do a basic investigation of the crime scene if applicable.  Use /gme and make sure that you're careful not to move or tamper with evidence in the event you need to escalate the investigation to CID.  Get with your other deputies on scene and discuss all of the information and evidence you've collected to determine the best course of action.  If you are unable to resolve the crime scene yourself, call a Detective to the scene or forward all collected information to CID so detectives can conduct a follow-up investigation.

Exercise:

Set up a mock scenario using several actors.  It could be a store robbery, or a murder.  Whatever the scenario is, cadets should be using what they've learned to gather as much information as possible to thoroughly investigate the scene and determine whether or not to forward it to CID at the end.