G.O. 9.03 - Training Instructors

Document Overview

• Document Type: General Order (G.O.)
• Department: Norwich Police Department (NPD)
• Identifier: G.O. 9.03 – “Training Instructors”
• Distribution: All Personnel
• Section: 9 – TRAINING
• Original Issue Date: 03/13/2023 (formatted in the source as MM/DD/YY03/13/2023)
• Accreditation Reference: Connecticut Police Officer Standards & Training Council (POSTC) Standard 3.9.3
• Authority: Chief of Police Patrick J. Daley (signatory)
• Rescission / Supersession: None noted (no prior order cited)
• Legal Disclaimer:
  • For departmental use only; not intended for use in civil/criminal proceedings.
  • Does not create a higher legal duty of care for third-party claims.
  • Violations ≠ automatic civil/criminal liability; instead, may trigger administrative sanctions internally.
  • Civil or criminal penalties arise only through recognized judicial processes if laws are violated.

Purpose

• Establishes a written directive that clearly outlines how NPD manages, selects, and utilizes training instructors (both internal and external).
• Ensures procedural consistency and quality control across all training programs delivered or sponsored by NPD.

Policy Statement

• NPD commits to high standards for every instructor engaged in departmental training.
• Instructors may be:
  • Internal (NPD personnel) with Chief of Police or designee approval.
  • External when in-house expertise is insufficient.
• State-mandated training must be taught only by POSTC-certified instructors for the specific subject area.

Procedure

A. Training Instructors

1. Functional Responsibility

• Training Unit oversees the entire NPD training program.
• Training Sergeant acts as the program coordinator:
  • Approves and manages all in-house instructors.
  • Receives status reports and instructional plans from every assigned instructor, regardless of their rank or primary assignment.

2. Instructors – General Requirements

• Mandatory completion of an Instructor Development Course (IDC) approved by Connecticut POSTC (or similar course) plus subject-specific training.
• Exception: Personnel with recognized expertise in a topic may become instructors without IDC completion on a case-by-case basis.
• IDC Core Content (aligns with POSTC 3.9.3 a–e):
  • Lesson plan development
  • Performance objective development
  • Instructional techniques & learning theory
  • Testing & evaluation methods
  • Resource identification, availability, and usage

3. Instructor Qualifications & Selection Criteria

• Employees chosen for certification programs are evaluated on:
  • Job performance proficiency – documented in performance evaluations and/or direct supervisor recommendations.
  • Job interest / career goals – shown in evaluation objectives and the employee’s career development plan.
  • Relevant job skills – evidenced by prior courses, seminars, or specialized training.
  • Willingness & availability – includes readiness to create lesson plans, handouts, tests, etc.
• Tenure Rules:
  • Instructor status continues only while required certificates remain current.
  • Lapse of certification ⇒ automatic termination of instructor status in that discipline.
  • All instructors “serve at the pleasure of the Chief of Police,” meaning appointment can be revoked at any time.

4. Outside Instructors / Schools

• Used when specialized knowledge or instructional quality cannot be met internally.
• Selection factors:
  • Demonstrated expertise in the subject matter.
  • Strong professional reputation and proven instructional effectiveness.
  • Relevance of curriculum to NPD needs.
  • Formal academic credentials relating to the topic.
• Compensation is individually negotiated per instructor or institution.

Accreditation & Compliance References

• All five IDC content requirements map directly to POSTC Standard 3.9.3 a–e.
• Adherence supports ongoing departmental compliance during state accreditation audits.

Ethical & Practical Implications

• Maintaining certified, well-qualified instructors protects NPD from liability by ensuring up-to-date, legally sound training.
• Transparent criteria for instructor selection promote fairness and merit-based advancement within the department.
• Clear revocation rules (certificate lapses, Chief’s discretion) help preserve instructional integrity and mitigate risks of outdated or sub-standard training.

Connections to Broader Training Framework

• This order dovetails with other NPD policies governing:
  • Curriculum development (e.g., lesson plan approval, testing standards).
  • Annual in-service and mandatory state training (firearms, use of force, de-escalation, etc.).
  • Evaluation & record-keeping (training attendance logs, certificate tracking).
• Serves as a foundation document; specialized training (e.g., crisis intervention, tactical operations) will reference these instructor standards in their own directives.

Key Takeaways / Quick-Reference Checklist

• Verify POSTC certification before assigning anyone to state-mandated topics.
• Confirm IDC completion OR document recognized expertise for every new instructor.
• Keep certificates current; monitor expiration dates and schedule re-certification proactively.
• Use the Training Sergeant as the single point of coordination for all instructor activities, lesson plans, and materials.
• For external resources, document credentials, reputation, relevance, and negotiated compensation in the training file.

Numerical / Statistical / Formulaic Content

• None explicitly provided in the transcript; no equations or statistics to record. $\text{N/A}$