Law Enforcement Pre-Service Training

[ryjay7887]

I cam across this on the maine criminal justice academy website and it sounds pretty intresting. Has anyone gone through this and how did they like it and how was the curriculum. I am in the coast guard and am getting out in dec 2010 to go back down to florida to be a LEO. I will not be a LEO in Maine while I'm here, I just figure the training will be good to have for my career in the future. any pros or cons? thanks

[fyrdog]

Ryjay,

This training is the minimum standard for anyone who wishes to carry a fire arm and be authorized to make arrests in the line of duty in the State of Maine. As such it is used as the state mandated training for reserve officers, and many smaller agencies require that new hires have this level of training so that they can work util they go to the full 18 week academy. Any officers that hire in from out of state, who receive a waiver for the full academy also have to go through this program.

I think any recognized and certified training is a good thing, so I don't see any con's with you taking this course. However unless things have changed you need to find an agency to sponsor you. They don't pay for the class, but they do the background check, ect. I would recomend that you check with your law enforcement laison on base and see if they can put you in touch with the local PD.


The course is changing next year and it will no longer be strictly a classroom type program. They will now require 80 hours of ride time starting next year, which is also where your sponsoring agency comes in.

I can't think of any con's in you sucessfully completing this program. Having said that I'm sure there is some agency out there that only wants people trained its way.

Stay Safe

Fyr

[RR_Security]

I completed it in Dec. 2006, and I think we were the first class to take it via Interactive Television (ITV). We had to go to the academy in Vassalboro for MARC (Mechanics of Arrest, Restraint and Control) training, but other than that, there was way less commuting required for most of us. My county's S.O. was my sponsor, but they just did fingerprinting, etc.; I paid for the course.

The ITV "feed" was from UMaine Fort Kent, sometimes from UMaine Presque Isle. I took it at an area high school that had the setup to receive ITV, plus phones to call in with questions/other participation. One night, I had to go to another nearby city because of a parent-teacher conference or something at the high school. Then there were two of us in a classroom, instead of just me.

I think even if you don't stay in Maine, it would be a good intro/refresher on subjects that apply in any state: ethics, Constitutional law, etc. Could look good on a resume, too.

[ryjay7887]

thank you very much for your input. now its just up to finding a department to sponsor me.. the fees for the training are no big deal (one good part of being in the military...tuition assistance!)

But its all classroom training? I was looking at the class schedule and it seemed like there would be some more "hands on" type items. Mabye being a reserve officer in the summer time wouldn't be such a bad idea while I'm here

[RR_Security]

As Fyr said, it's the bare minimum. You may have seen some news articles about how there was a big outcry not long ago about the training for reserve officers only being "100 hours." We were given just a rudimentary "show and tell" on gun safety for the firearms class, because the basic handgun qualification is separate, presumably after someone is hired by an agency. (That information didn't appear anywhere in any stories I read. The people who wanted to pick it all apart didn't know, or didn't care.) ITV wouldn't be a good method for firearms familiarization, even if the instructor was watching the student(s) by video link. Like you, I at least had the advantage of my military firearms training. After not being on a range for awhile, I completed Tactical Handgun I (the basic MCJA qual) last year, and it was "just like old times."
Other than MARC, I don't think there were really a lot of hands-on things we needed to know that could have been shoehorned into the allotted time. There is a Yahoo Group for the Maine Law Officers Bulletin, and they announce upcoming classes such as EVOC, etc.

Maine motor vehicle law says "If the accident results in serious bodily injury or death of any person, the investigation must be conducted by an officer who has met the training standards of a full-time law enforcement officer."
Some of the towns in my county may have a reserve officer working solo on a shift, but they can always get assistance from a trooper or a full-time deputy, and/or call out their chief or another full-timer from their dept. for a bad crash.

Since I completed the "100-hour course," I've also been to Expandable Baton/OC/Handcuffing/CQC training, Verbal Judo, and TASER certification on "my own dime and time." Ya gotta do a certain amount of mandatory training and electives annually anyway, so there are lots of chances for hands-on stuff.

Where in Maine are you now? If you happen to be at Boothbay Hahbah, I may be able to offer some suggestions for sponsorship. You can PM me if you wish.

[ryjay7887]

Thank you very much for the info. I realize that they will be trying to cram all of the info that they can into us in the 100 hours. I was refering by "hands on" by defensive tactics and/or the driving portion on a closed course. Im sure that they probally will save those things for the actual academy. as a reserve officer, what law enforcement authority do you actually have? I imagine that if you only complete the 100 hour course, you will be pretty much limited to parking enforcement or dispach. It sounds like a good coarse for up-and-commers to get under their belt like myself for future law enforcement positions. I think I am going to aim for the class over at hussen college. Im stationed in southwest harbor (near bar harbor) and that seemes like the closest.

[RR_Security]

I was refering by "hands on" by defensive tactics and/or the driving portion on a closed course. Im sure that they probally will save those things for the actual academy.

We did one day of the MARC class, in the gym at the academy; handcuffing, firearm retention, etc. That is really something that requires more than one day to become "second nature," and should be recurring training anyway. Not enough of us, myself included, continue to practice it.
EVOC is another class that should probably be done at least annually. I've been through at least one AVOC (ambulance) course in my time, and done EVOC with fire apparatus, but haven't done any of that for a few years now, and never a pursuit-driving kind of course.

as a reserve officer, what law enforcement authority do you actually have? I imagine that if you only complete the 100 hour course, you will be pretty much limited to parking enforcement or dispach.

As far as I know, a reserve can do pretty much everything except be primary officer on a bad car crash, as I mentioned above. (Title 29-A, §2251. Accident reports.) But that's for a reserve who has only been through the "100-hour course." There are full-time officers on two of the departments in my county who are reserve deputies. There are also full-time deputies, including one patrol sergeant and one detective, who are reserve officers for one of the PDs. I guess they could investigate a fatal/serious PI crash while working as a reserve for another agency, but the case might be handed off to that agency's chief, or the shift supervisor if it was the S.O.

I know of one town in my county that has/had parking enforcement officers, and I don't believe they were appointed or trained as reserve officers. Likewise for one city in an adjacent county, where the PEO has an assigned marked vehicle, but a different uniform from the patrol officers, and no sidearm.
Some dispatchers I worked with were reserve deputies/officers, but there was also a police chief (formerly a full-time deputy) who was a reserve dispatcher. He's now the sheriff, so I don't think he works dispatch anymore. I can think of one reserve dispatcher who is also a reserve deputy, but I think he only does civil process now.
Dispatch has become a whole separate learning experience anyhow, with mandatory Emergency Medical Dispatch training on top of the week (last I knew, anyway) at the academy for METRO/NCIC computer certification.

It sounds like a good coarse for up-and-commers to get under their belt like myself for future law enforcement positions.

One other thing about reserves is the definition under Title 25, §2801-A:
"7. Part-time law enforcement officer. 'Part-time law enforcement officer' means a person who is employed as a law enforcement officer with a reasonable expectation of working no more than 1,040 hours in any one calendar year for performing law enforcement officer duties."
That and the bad crash thing are the only restrictions I know of.
As you said, it might be a good part-time gig for now, and it does give you a little idea of the subjects in the BLETP. (Anyone who can't pass the LEPSC should reconsider whether they really want to get into the BLETP.)

I think I am going to aim for the class over at hussen college. Im stationed in southwest harbor (near bar harbor) and that seemes like the closest.

That could work. I think Husson and maybe one or two others that do "in person" (rather than "distance"/ITV) classes and have a gym available might also do the MARC class on-campus, so that would reduce the need to travel, too. I'm not sure how that's set up, now.

[Corporal7]

Thank you very much for the info. I realize that they will be trying to cram all of the info that they can into us in the 100 hours. I was refering by "hands on" by defensive tactics and/or the driving portion on a closed course. Im sure that they probally will save those things for the actual academy. as a reserve officer, what law enforcement authority do you actually have? I imagine that if you only complete the 100 hour course, you will be pretty much limited to parking enforcement or dispach. It sounds like a good coarse for up-and-commers to get under their belt like myself for future law enforcement positions. I think I am going to aim for the class over at hussen college. Im stationed in southwest harbor (near bar harbor) and that seemes like the closest.

A reserve officer in Maine who has attended the 100hr course, can do everything a fulltime law enforcement officer can with the exception of INVESTIGATING A PERSONAL INJURY/FATAL CAR CRASH, INVESTIGATING A DEATH, AND A HIGH SPEED VEHICLE CHASE.

Investigating a death also refers to any seemingly non-suspicious death.

Hope that helps!

[ryjay7887]

wow, I was not aware of that. But I am assumeing that you will need to go through some sort of training(s) for handcuffing, firearms, batton ect...does the station that you would work for being a reserve officer, offer you that training or is that something on your own time and dime? thnaks

[RR_Security]

Handcuffing is part of the MARC class. We did some blocks, strikes, and kicks on padded shields. We also used some "blue guns" for handgun retention/takeaway practical training. Some of us did one-on-one with the instructor playing the "arrestee," and offering various levels of resistance to demonstrate "force continuum." (Ramp up step-by-step, or jump right to what is appropriate for the resistance/aggression posed by the suspect.)

Once you are offered employment by an agency, they will probably want you qualified on the department-issued weapon, so they will schedule that. Some agencies have their own firearms instructors, others might send you to a course like the one I took through MPSTC.
I'm not 100% sure on the terminology here, but I believe once MCJA gets a notice of employment, then you are a "certified" reserve officer. That is when the requirement for in-service training will kick in, too.

The Verbal Judo and the classes I took from MPSTC were just because I wanted the training. An employing agency should spring for any training they want you to have, either with in-house or regional classes with other agencies, or by paying for your course fees, etc. One would hope they'd pay a reserve officer for any day(s) the officer attended training; I imagine most if not all of them do so.