2013-Annual-Report-SMALL

APDACADEMYJoe WolfDirectorThe APD Academy iscomprised of four units- BasicTraining, Advanced Training,Firearms Training, andRecruiting/Background.“The mission of the APDTraining Division is toprovide officers and civilianemployees with the knowledge,skills and abilities toeffectively and efficientlymeet the Department`s publicsafety, community serviceand homeland securityobligations.”The APD Academy/Training Divisionhosted the NorthwesternUniversity School of Police Staffand Command. The program is agraduate-level training programfor emerging police leaders. The8-week course of instruction includedmanagement science, personnelissues, financial management, andother aspects of police science andsupervision.Academy staff established andconvened the APD Sergeants’Leadership Forum. The group wasestablished to give APD sergeantsa forum to discuss and reviewmatters of mutual concern andprovide a feedback mechanismto communicate its findings to theDepartment’s leadership.Staff established a workingrelationship with the City PublicService University, leveragingunused capacity and providing forthe creation and operation of theAPD Academy Online.Academy staff recruited and hiredthe first APD Instructional SystemsSpecialist. A professional educatorwas hired to review, validate, andmodernize all APD training curriculafrom an educational scienceperspective.Staff helped develop APD’s programon procedural justice. The programprovides a practical, commonsense approach to dealing withdisadvantaged or dissatisfiedresidents and provides strategiesfor improving relationships andoutcomes.In 2013, staff published the firstelectronic APD training newsletter,distributed monthly to the entiredepartment. The TEN-Codeannounced training opportunities,provided bulletins and alerts, anddescribed trends in law enforcementtraining, along with a host of other22topics to inform the workforce of theactivities of the Training Division.Staff collaborated with APD todevelop the Police Service Aid(PSA) Training Program at theAPS Career Enrichment Center(CEC). The initiative coordinates thedelivery of the classroom portion ofthe PSA program directly to regionalhigh school seniors, likely creatinga new recruiting pool for future APDofficers.Staff established a formal workingrelationship with the UNM Schoolof Public Administration with threegoals in mind. To develop a formalprogram for development of APDleaders; to provide graduateleveleducational opportunities foremerging leaders; and to explorethe potential for launching afellows program for highly qualifiedcandidates.Academy staff worked to establishthe Police Recruit EducationProgram (PREP). The initiativeprovides for the immediate hiringof police recruit candidates andprovides them with a preparatoryclassroom.Staff implemented a Verbal Defenseand Influence instructor trainingprogram which provided theopportunity to prepare Academyinstructors to deliver advancedtraining on critical interpersonalcommunications skills, conflictmanagement, and de-escalation.Staff expanded APD Academyoperations to the Dwyer PoliceSubstation. The Training Divisionestablished an extension campus inthe under utilized substation. Thefacility provides additional classroomspace and a much-needed, secure,practical exercise venue for basicand advanced law enforcementscenario-based training.