Custom Training ~ Training that Transfers to the Workplace

Each of these generational groups has a different value system and way of experiencing the world and the workplace. Different doesn’t have to mean wrong. This course is tailored to fit your Department\'s unique needs and provides the participant the information that leads to a deeper understanding of all the generational perspectives. It also provides the communication skills to bridge the "generation gap." This is an enlightening course that delivers more than it promises: it brings understanding, appreciation, and insight. It is interesting and timely material. This course should be mandatory.

“The opposite gender is speaking a foreign language and I don’t know the rules!” How many feel this way? There are communication differences between the genders, but differences don’t have to get in the way of productive work relationships. In this course, learners define their own gender’s communication style and gain skills and practice in speaking to the opposite gender with enhanced information; this course spotlights methods for speaking and listening to the opposite sex at work with more insight, effectiveness, and skill! The result? Easier communication. These skills are also transferable to communications practices at home!

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Cell Extraction Techniques is designed to give the custodial officer a better understanding on how to tactically and safely extract a non-compliant inmate from a cell. The training encompasses proficiency in the areas of policy and legal implications, camera operation, chemical agent application, baton, self defense, and tactical approaches necessary in a forced cell move.

This course provides necessary skills to identify several mental illnesses. Participants explore difficulties associated with communicating with the mentally ill and learn how to use “tactical communication,” a necessary skill to effectively communicate. In addition, participants learn and practice how to speak with and listen to family members/caregivers of this population. Strategies for working with the physically or verbally mentally ill are covered in great detail. Finally, staff learn treatment and intervention strategies for the mentally ill.

Deputies and Custody Assistants examine their communication skills, both speaking and listening. At the same time, they learn how to use behavior modification techniques that support safe and positive interactions with the incarcerated population. This is a communication nuts-and-bolts course designed to support deputies with updated communication skills to perform professionally, safely, and efficiently. This is a great course and staff get a chance to practice their skills.

Motivating employees can be a daunting task. When employees are not motivated, office productivity suffers and negative morale can infect everyone. Effective performance-based evaluations are a tool designed to motivate and encourage an employee. The relationship an evaluator creates with the employee should motivate them. Meant to be non-punitive and instructional, the professional drafting and completion of these evaluations have one desired outcome: motivation. Our course shows participants how to use the tools we teach to effectively conduct a motivational evaluation. Employee evaluations of this nature are helpful to the employee, and they help to establish, create, and sustain accountability within the organization.

TThis course addresses unmanaged conflicts that can be potentially dangerous. Instruction is provided on how when one person loses their temper everyone around him/her can be affected. Participants discuss unresolved workplace conflicts that often have disastrous consequences: increased anxiety, anger, intimidation, blame, resentment, and, loss of productivity. Our instructors provide the tools to manage conflict in a positive way, turning a conflict that was once a liability into an asset. This course addresses a variety of situations from the most mundane procedural conflict to high tension and potentially explosive confrontations. This class is for all staff, from those whose first instinct is to react with anger in a difficult situation to those who avoid conflict so much they are paralyzed.

What are the root causes of stress in your work life? Participants examine stressors that lower productivity, job satisfaction, and impact their health and relationships, both on the job and at home. Stress is a fact of life for all law enforcement personnel. Recent research indicates increases in stress-related diseases that are caused by lifestyles saturated with stress and tension. Burnout, heart attacks, ulcers, decreased productivity; relationship problems, depression, loneliness, poor diet, substance use, and cynicism are frequent symptoms of chronic stress that adversely affect us personally, professionally, and physically. This class imparts techniques to lower your overall stress level. Participants learn to deal effectively with stressful people and situations and examine past lifestyle choices. Exposure to and practice with relaxation exercises is highlighted as is drafting a plan to make more drastic lifestyle choices. This course demands honest scrutiny of physical fitness and eating choices as well as ineffective communication strategies that may be causing unnecessary stress.

All aspects of courtroom testimony are explored in depth as participants identify and retain the needed behaviors to establish themselves as a competent witness both in and out of the courtroom. Deputies learn to establish credibility and believability. They are able to easily identify courtroom personnel and their roles as well as list key considerations for preparing for court. They learn the legal terminology used as well as the importance of dress, speech, and demeanor.

“Crystal” is now the illegal drug of choice nationwide. Physiology and pharmacology of the drug in its various forms is the foundation of this class. However, it also addresses identifiable symptoms of use/abuse/dependence. Use and impact of other drugs in concert with “crystal” is covered as is treatment, relapse, and inmate management issues. Participants learn current methods used in intervention and the possible dangers to deputies.

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Engaging participants in the learning process and creating transfer learning takes more than a good presenter and quality content! In this course, course designers learn to meet the needs of the sponsoring department with clearly defined learning outcomes. Participants learn how to choose materials and activities that create a dynamic learning environment. This requires the understanding of different learning styles, learner motivation, and time use. Participants are invited to bring a course idea and leave with that idea turned into a well-designed course. This is a great experience if training units and content area experts want to shorten their training skills learning curve!

This class explores both the skills needed to achieve customer service excellence as well as the impact of interpersonal staff relationships that affect that process. Participants evaluate areas that work as well as those areas that need improvement. The thrust of the course is skill building in the areas of identified weakness. The overall mission of the department is reviewed and the place that customer service plays in carrying out the mission is examined. Phone, e-mail, and verbal communication skills are practiced. Also reinforced is the concept that customers are both internal to the department as well as external. Currently a four-hour course, Customer Service Excellence is easily an eight-hour course.

In this advanced customer service skills course, participants are shown that all internal and external contacts are customers, from clients to managers to professional support staff. Emphasis is on communication and identifying personal communication style and its role in miscommunication. Participants focus on changing and monitoring their own behavior and communication patterns to create solution-based problem solving. Heavy emphasis is paid on telephone communication with both internal and external “customers.” In addition, face-to-face de-escalation techniques are taught and practiced. Participants learn how to handle a variety of reception area problems as well angry clients. As well, emphasis will be on productive, healthy communication strategies between line staff and supervisors.

Sheriff Department staff learn both ethics fundamentals as well as the ethical standards within their own organization. The importance of proper conduct and decision making is stressed, as is the importance of instilling a code of professionalism. The art and science of becoming an ethical role model is underscored as is the reinforcement of each professional’s commitment to being the “best” they can be. This course inspires authentic reflection.

This course explores the impact of personal value systems, socialization, media, and generational affiliation on individual attitudes about other people: the learners identify historical changes that impact the experience of diversity here in this culture. While there is a discussion of gender, cultural, racial, and societal issues, the focus of this discussion is not what one might expect. Difference itself is generally the issue that divides people, more than skin color, cultural background, class, religion, or gender. The course allows participants to engage in dialogue that leads to greater appreciation and understanding of difference while, at the same time, hones communication skills.

This course presents a simple, standardized process for giving writers feedback on a document. The writer is able to improve his/her ability to make corrections and address documents with a clear idea of what is expected. Supervisors practice on actual sample documents and take away a sample of a standardized way to edit.

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This comprehensive, two-day course educates the participant on intimate partner abuse, and both family and juvenile domestic violence. The progressive nature of domestic violence (DV) is discussed and explored: the “cycle of violence” is examined. Participants learn about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other potential long-term psychological effects of DV on victims and those who witness the abuse and violence. Participants learn the current response from law enforcement, penal code sections, court orders, and the processes and pitfalls of prosecution. Further discussion centers on the impact domestic violence has on children in addition to DPO supervision issues including treatment for victims, perpetrators and their families. The second day affords a dynamic opportunity to meet and network with representatives from local service agencies who share information and resources. Connections are made. There is a short question and answer period. This is a very productive, time efficient course.

This leadership course is powerful! In it, probation personnel get the opportunity and guidelines to learn the processes needed to redefine and/or create new programs, policies, and procedures. Learners practice the communication skills necessary to move forward with new ideas and create a framework for implementing a cultural change in any organization. From problem to idea, this course helps your organization facilitate change.

Participants learn to be great “executives” regardless of their title by increasing their personal effectiveness through learning to prioritize and organize. Staff increase skill level by using effective “win-win” communication techniques and practice stress-management techniques for better results in all work situations. High-energy and participant-centered, this course combines direct instruction with collaborative learning and role-play. Our course workbook, journaling, small-group discussion, and team-building activities are used to reinforce content and skills that transfer to the workplace. Participant Action Plan acts as “follow-through” takeaway resource as does the Getting Control of Your Workday workbook.

Handling Change in Law Enforcement: Changing Times and Changing Lives teaches sheriff department staff understanding and coping strategies to deal with rapid change in both their own lives and in the professional environment of Corrections. The focus is on the dynamics of change and resistance to it. Participants learn ways to stay both focused and productive. Line staff and supervisors also learn techniques to cope with the fear, loss, and the stress that accompanies change. At the conclusion of the course, using the techniques learned, participants are better able to proactively embrace the rapid changes taking place in both Corrections and their personal lives.

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This course is designed for law enforcement officers, warrant service teams, tactical teams, narcotics officers, probation officers, gang units, or military operators who work in an environment where a dynamic entry, whether planned or hasty, is required. The course begins with detailed classroom time covering intelligence gathering, operation planning, equipment selection and other essentials. Following the classroom presentation portion, participants receive practical application of this material. Participants experience hands-on training, working on and improving their approaches, breaking-and-entry drills, officer safety tactics/techniques and various types of room entries (stealth, wall flood, penetration flood, dynamic, warrant, etc.). This is an excellent, hands-on course with a highly specialized, experienced instructor.

Creating effective written messages can be one of the toughest challenges for non-native English speakers. This course reviews the smallest building blocks of written English with focused grammar review and sentence and paragraph construction. This course conquers “tricky” contractions and possessive nouns! Practice writing concise, complete sentences with appropriate punctuation. Many resources are shared, so that the participant leaves with a road map to enhancing their own personal learning plan outside the classroom.

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Improvised Explosive Devices covers the basics of IEDs and booby trap recognition and teaches participants the difference between high and low explosives and their components. The training includes obvious and non-obvious dangers to first responders, terrorist use of explosives, booby-trap awareness (indoors & outdoors), bomb description(s), improvised trip devices, military trip devices, recognition of basic components of IEDs, threat assessment, and overall team and individual safety. Comprehensive yet specific, this course covers a great deal of information in a short period of time.

Negativity in the workplace is a phenomenon that, in some organizations, has become a cultural norm. Negative thinking and behavior is a choice. Learners explore their own experience of negativity and assess its impact. The instructor helps the participants identify the sources of negativity: the “clients,” the department or division, co-workers, and/or themselves. Through group and individual activities, staff acquires many survival skills and communication strategies to limit and manage personal and others’ toxic, negative behavior. Negativity is a choice: this course helps participants understand the reasons they choose negative thoughts and actions. At the end of the day, individuals and groups create Action Plans and anti-negativity materials to take back to their workplace(s) and home(s).

Confrontation doesn’t have to mean "getting in someone’s face." Verbal skills are a safe and viable alternative to force, when you know how to use them. Designed for those who have the ability to use force but want only to use it as a last resort, Positive Confrontation defuses escalation and provides a safer environment for the officers and people with whom they interact. Use of Force can create personal and organizational liability, injury, and mountains of paperwork. This is a great course with powerful tools.

This course helps to create clarity about the characteristics of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It explores the elements of stress-related and traumatic incidents, including occupational stress. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder sheds light on the symptom constellations in stress disorders and teaches intervention strategies. The final module of the course explains how specifically to manage a person diagnosed with this mental disorder.

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High quality presentation skills are critical; this course teaches the “basics of group process” and explains how to use those “basics” to keep learners engaged and activities alive and enjoyable. This course teaches the best ways to overcome resistance for mandated training and deal with disruptive/difficult participants. Presentation and Training Skills reveals the secrets of getting participants back from breaks on time, mixing up groups, and “reading your audience.” This course takes the participant to the next level. Each person receives feedback on their presentation style and a chance to practice their skills.

In today’s climate of rapid change, early retirement, and faster promotions, many supervisors need more methods to manage their workloads. The stress of needing to hold staff accountable while keeping good working relationships is both time and energy consuming. This course focuses on creating a personal system to know how time is currently spent and ways to pre-plan time use. Participants learn stress-reducing techniques enabling them to be more efficient and better at prioritizing. They learn the dynamics of procrastination and use this information to better handle the increasing demands on their time and energy. Time is a finite component of the workday; this class enables all learners to assess how their time is spent and what activities and behaviors are not productive.

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This course presents the tactics and information necessary to deal with an active shooter in a school environment or in other public areas where the suspect(s) are mobile. Violence in the workplace, as in our schools, is becoming more and more prevalent. You may be the first one on scene at one of these incidents. If it is up to you to makes things happen and make a plan, you need to know what to do. Initiating a plan, being efficient, and acting quickly are all skills needed when you are a first responder. Included in this course is information and training from equipment selection, to setting up a hasty command post, to post-incident actions and responsibilities.

Sexual harassment and discrimination law, including Title VII, are detailed and reviewed. Definitions of sexual harassment and the establishment of an effective sexual harassment policy are reviewed. Retaliation and adverse employment examples are discussed and participants examine mediation and investigation techniques. Case studies and scenarios are examined and scrutinized. This course demystifies the laws and creates a clear picture of legal vs. illegal behavior in the workplace.

Much of what staff learn, they learn on the job from years of experience doing the job well. This priceless experience should be transferred to new staff. Everyone can be a trainer on the job if they are given specific concrete skills and strategies. The participant receives the skills and strategies as well as the needed confidence to train peers to be more effective and confident. This is a valuable course!

With a trainer gifted at addressing sensitive issues in the classroom, this course allows work teams to identify the challenges in getting projects done effectively and on time. With the aid of team-focused learning instruments, groups self-assess and are able to give and receive feedback on their experience of team cohesion. Teams set goals and create Action Plans to move forward, and increase productivity while interacting in healthier, more positive and productive ways. Using advanced communication skills, individuals increase their communication competency and learn how to give feedback on ideas and processes. The result: growth in work relationships and increased productivity and morale.

This course scrutinizes obstacles to preventing suicide in jails and offers the facts behind many of the myths that surround this cause of death. Experience shows that almost all jail suicides are preventable; facts and prevention strategies are the focused emphasis. Defining the elements of jail life that are conducive to suicide as well as pre-disposing factors of suicidal behavior, this course is thoughtful, practical, and applicable. This is an extremely worthwhile and timely topic for all jail staff.

Team Building facilitates all levels of staff to unite and reflect on how they work together as a team. Organizational Mission Statements drive programs and define ways that staff interact with inmates and with each other; focused discussion time compares your department’s Mission Statement with the individual staff member’s Personal Mission Statement. Activities guide and facilitate participants to practice engaging in more open communication, increasing their ability to resolve conflict and to give effective feedback to coworkers. Teams analyze their problem-solving dynamics and draft Action Plans which address concrete ways to improve project execution.

This era of rapid change, early retirement, and faster promotions leaves many supervisors and managers without the needed skills to handle common challenges. This course identifies problem employees, develops a personal survival plan, and teaches concrete strategies to address problem situations. The common situations that are addressed include: supervising a “friend,” supervising someone who was passed over for a promotion, people who “go behind your back;” older, or, much younger employees; employees who constantly bicker; and employees with serious personal problems. Managers can also be a challenge. This course teaches strategies for dealing with managers who avoid conflict, micromanage, and/or throw temper tantrums. This course offers the participant a strategy to get a handle on “rumor control” and a strategy to foster inter-department cooperation. Great leadership course!

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This course is designed for all officers involved in terrorism prevention and counter terrorist (CT) operations. The focus of the course underscores current domestic operations but will briefly cover international CT operations. Course includes human intelligence, open sources, clandestine sources, operative actions, cover surveillance, electronic surveillance, covert video technology, electronic tracking technology, computer intelligence and security, intelligence management, principles of investigation, undercover investigation, and CT operations information gathering.

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Terrorism Preparedness: Information Briefing provides basic education in terrorist attacks and methodologies. Designed for first responders, administrators, and decision makers, this course creates an enhanced awareness of targets within your departments jurisdictions and how to make accurate threat assessments. Topics covered include individual, unit, and departmental equipment selection, counter terrorism training methods, and the rise of anti-globalization and eco-terrorism. In addition, participants become “date conscious” and more knowledgeable about mega-terrorism. Participants increase their understanding of Islamic extremists as well the domestic and foreign terrorist with a particular emphasis on detecting terrorist operatives. Bomb awareness and blast survival are covered as is cyber terrorism.

Criminal research shows that criminal behavior might be a result of experiences that begin early in life. The Criminal Personality explores how the family unit can produce a criminal, and what that family might look like. Using case studies, participants identify negative parenting practices and discuss a host of factors that result in antisocial behavior. The impact of nature vs. nurture is underscored, and, using behavior modification techniques, a variety of ways to work with these clients is presented. "Thinking Errors" that are particular to the antisocial personality disordered provide a context for understanding. Aggression, violence, and drug/alcohol abuse and/or dependence are explored as factors. Case studies of typical probationers on a caseload as well as well-known criminals are used to identify and apply key concepts.

This course is built and delivered for those working in the training function, and managers, supervisors, and staff who need to train others either “on the job” or in the classroom. The following topics are covered: principles of adult learning, the “how and why” of doing activities (and what doesn’t work), special equipment (how to use the overhead, visual aids, etc.), learning aids, and a review of the fundamentals of “group process” and “reading your audience.” This course covers all the do’s and don’ts. We tell you all the secrets and shorten the learning curve for you!

Some of the most challenging clients are those who are mentally disordered, many of whom also use illegal drugs and alcohol. This survey course covers mental disorders, symptomatic behaviors, and the danger level to the officer. How to speak to this population is also a central focus of this course. Mentally disordered people often mix psychotropic (drugs prescribed for mental disorders and psychoactive drugs (those that get you “high”). This course provides the opportunity to become familiar with both types of drugs. Many times confidentiality keeps officers from knowing mental illness diagnoses, but when you know about prescription drugs, and noticeable, observed symptoms, you can usually get a sense of the inferred diagnosis. Understanding and Coping with the Mentally Disordered helps line staff sort out client behaviors.

Conflict is normal and healthy in human relationships; however, it doesn’t have to end up in a win—lose situation. We teach participants how to have those “hard conversations” that get them what they want without making others angry or getting them defensive. Learners explore how to control a conversation through listening (rather than talking). Participants are armed with powerful phrases that lead to solutions, and begin to take control through orchestrating a mutual “win” situation. This is a great class that explores new skills and encourages participants to put them into practice the same day.

Research indicates that, generally speaking, women experience the world relationally. Life for women is about relationships. The good news is women tend to be peacemakers, consensus builders, and collaborators. The bad news is sometimes they don’t set firm limits with others and may take others’ feedback personally. Women may have a hard time “letting go” of resentments. This course allows participants to self-assess their own communication style and gain and practice skills to be more effective at work. The Women: Communication and Cooperation workbook is a resource to help learners put these new skills into practice as they work on their Action Plans.

This course allows the participant to self-assess his/her individual skill level in the areas of basic grammar, sentence construction, punctuation and paragraph construction. With the self-assessment as feedback, individuals can focus on self-identified areas that need skill building. The practice materials will come from "real life" Incident/Offense Reports, using terms and language that pertain to your job.

This high-energy, fun-filled class detention facility staff and other line staff update their professional writing skills. This course invites the learner to self-assess his/her own individual skill level in the areas of basic grammar, sentence construction, punctuation and paragraph construction. With a self-assessment as direct feedback, individuals focus on self-identified areas that may need improvement. The practice materials are taken from “real life” reports and use terms and language that pertain to the job. There are a number of writing opportunities that include examples with which to compare your writing. Each participant receives a Writing Resource Guide and a Community Resource Guide.

Writing it Right for Management is designed to hone the skills of management while clarifying expectations for writing performance using guidelines and models. Focus is on clarity, conciseness, structure, handout and “talking points” formats. Particular emphasis is on shorter one-page documents, whenever possible. Numerous examples of excellent writing are provided. Your department or organization is invited to outline the exact reports, letters, and memo formats that are the focus of this solid, no-nonsense writing course. If desired, managers are encouraged to bring their executive secretaries. This is a powerful course that “gets down to business.” Executive secretaries are encouraged to attend with thier managers for maximum follow through and communication support.

Supervisors get to experience the curriculum line staff experience in the Writing it Right course as well as have the opportunity to review. They are in the position, then, to hold their staff accountable for learning. Each participant receives a Writing Resource Guide and a Community Resource Guide.

Crime Reports and Incident Reports are taught in this course that uses department-approved checklists that define and crystallize your department’s standard for the contents and ordering of information in both. A step-by-step approach is taught and practiced. The course uses excellent models of competent performance and successfully teaches deputies and custody assistants the skills to verbalize and assess the component parts of both Crime Reports and Incident Reports. Department expectations are made very clear. This course is perfect for veteran staff as well as new staff. It’s a great refresher as well as an ideal system-wide course designed to put your entire Department is on the same page.

Crime and Incident Report writing is perfected in this course. Phase Two is a follow-up to the system-wide writing course and supports participants writing the department-approved, standardized report coherently, chronologically, and without error (every time). This course emphasizes writing the report in an efficient way: chronology, wording, structure, person, voice, and tense. Staff is given the opportunity to identify their skill level and practice their weak areas, and this course highlights areas in the department that still need to improve. Common writing mistakes and grammar review are covered. The writing building blocks and checklist are reviewed. Unique training techniques are used and participants take their workplace writing skills to the next level.

Incident Report writing is perfected in this course. Writing it Right in Institutions: Phase Two is a follow up to the system-wide Incident Report writing course and supports participants writing the department-approved, standardized Incident Report coherently, chronologically, and without error. The course emphasizes writing the report in a consistent way: chronology, wording, structure, person, voice, and tense. Staff are given the opportunity to identify their skill level and practice their weak areas, and this course highlights areas in the department that still need to improve.

Staff learn to write clearly and quickly as well as accurately. Common writing mistakes and grammar review are covered. The Incident Report writing building blocks and checklist are reviewed. Unique training techniques are used and participants take their workplace writing skills to the next level.

This course is designed for the learner who is either identified or wants individualized writing instruction and practice. A smaller class, it is also available for all staff by self-referral. After diagnostic self-assessment, the learner focuses on the particular area of skill deficit he has identified. The instructor helps the learner create additional strategies to improve writing skills, if necessary. An Action Plan helps the learner implement improvement goals; further, many examples of outside resources help the participant discover what kinds of materials best suit his/her learning style and goals. Individualized help is the main focus of this course.

This course design mirrors that of Writing for Management and adds a component of grammar review as well as extensive proofreading strategies. Executive secretaries thrive in the review of the “anatomy” of excellent samples of written work; they gain the language they need to discuss a writing project at any point. Extensive department examples reinforce learning and help participants retain new skills. Resource materials are provided and executive secretaries are encouraged to add to their course binder examples of quality, signature-ready documents. This is an awesome course and could effectively be two days. The secretaries love this class!

This course offers participants the opportunity to build skills in the mechanics of workplace writing. Participants will learn how to identify and correct grammatical/mechanical errors, focus on the comma splice and construct powerful compound sentences. This course ensures participants leave with the ability to write with directness and clarity. Also indroduced are six formulas for structured memos, strategies for bulleting, outlining, numbering, and “talking points.”