HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 156 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 22-156
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council October 18, 2022
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*a SUBJECT: POLICE RECRUIT TRAINING ON CIVIL RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY
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The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) mandates specific training hours for a Basic Police Officers
License in the State of Texas. This informal report responds to a City Council request by providing information about
the mandated training hours, a brief course description of training related to civil rights and diversity, and additional
courses of instruction related to these important topics. This report also includes additional FWPD training hours,
non-traditional training hours to enhance and strengthen community relationships, and minimum qualifications to
instruct at the Academy.
What is TCOLE?
The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement is the regulatory state agency that establishes and enforces standards to
ensure the people of Texas are served by highly trained and ethical law enforcement,corrections, and
telecommunications personnel. TCOLE establishes minimum standards relating to competence and reliability,
including education,training,physical,mental,and moral standards,for licensing as an officer,county jailer,or
public security officer. TCOLE mandates and dictates 720 hours to obtain a Basic Peace Officers License in the
State of Texas.
TCOLE Mandated Training
The FWPD Academy is currently a 40-week program with 720 hours of education dictated by TCOLE. Our Police
Department and Academy staff are committed to ensuring that our recruits are properly trained and equipped prior to
becoming commissioned police officers. Therefore, to produce well-versed, professional officers, our Academy
expands on most training topics that are required by TCOLE, resulting in more training time than required for each
topic. Our Academy provides approximately 800 additional hours above the TCOLE standards, for a combined total
of 1520 training hours.
Listed below are the TCOLE-mandated training courses that are most pertinent to the topic of civil rights, diversity
and procedural justice.Most of these classes are taught to recruits in the first phase of their training.
• Professionalism and Ethics(12 hours,FWPD 2 hours): Covers such topics as the concepts and characteristics
of professionalism as it applies to law enforcement along with the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics,
dilemmas in law enforcement and the differences between physical and moral courage.
• Professional Policing (12 hours, FWPD 0.5 hour): Discusses historical events that influenced policing in the
United States, historical development of police service models or styles, the evolution of police service
models such as the traditional service model and the community-policing model. Class will also cover state
licensing requirements.
• Multiculturalism and Human Relations (8 hours): Defines key concepts and origins of prejudice and
discrimination along with the value of and sensitivity to the feelings and needs of others, the public's
perceptions of and attitudes toward peace officers and cross-cultural communication and its tie to conflict
resolution.
• Racial Profiling (4 hours): Explains the legal, ethical, and moral responsibilities against racial profiling and
identifies logical and social arguments against racial profiling. Identifies elements of typical racially
motivated traffic stops and the elements of legal contact with drivers and occupants of vehicles. Covers the
legislative requirements placed upon law enforcement agencies regarding racial profiling and explains
Supreme Court decisions and other court decisions regarding traffic stops and prohibited racial profiling.
• United States and Texas Constitution, Bill of Rights and Criminal Justice System (10 hours, FWPD 0.5
hour): Course focuses on Amendments 1-10 and 14. Discusses the provisions of the US Constitution,Bill of
Rights,the Texas Constitution, and the rights set out in Chapter I of the CCP. Explains the structure and role
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 22-156
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council October 18, 2022
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*a SUBJECT: POLICE RECRUIT TRAINING ON CIVIL RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY
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of the Criminal Justice System and identifies the differences between civil/criminal law, civil/criminal courts
and their jurisdiction.
• Arrest. Search and Seizure (40 hours, FWPD 40 hours): Discusses legal authorities as they pertain to the role
of the peace officer and the rights of citizens regarding arrest. Topics include mere suspicion, reasonable
suspicion, probable cause, various terminology and definitions regarding arrest, warrantless search criteria,
arrest warrant criteria and bail procedures.
• Force Options Theory (28 hours, FWPD 1 hour): Defines and analyzes the various terms relating to use of
force, explains the legal authorities and justifications for the use of force, along with deciding factors in
affecting an arrest,communication strategies,and tools for redirecting behavior.
• Civilian Interaction Training(2 hours): Discusses the Community Safety Education Act(SB 30, 85'Regular
Session) and its required law enforcement training requirements. This course also covers the Seven Step
Violator Contact method, identifies expectations of officer demeanor on traffic stops, explains how
uncertainty and ignorance may lead to unnecessary tension during traffic stops, explains how civilians are
being taught to act on traffic stops and describes visual or audio recording of traffic stops.
• Verbal Communication / Public Interaction (16 hours, FWPD 1 hour): Explores effective techniques of
utilizing verbal communication. This course discusses the critical nature of effective verbal communication
and the crucial components of paralinguistic, kinesics, and empathetic techniques. Defines active listening,
paraphrasing, empathy and emotional intelligence. Identifies the principles of persuasion and discusses why
most arrests are made without physical force.
• De-escalation Strategy (8 hours): Explains the purpose and focus of de-escalation training: to improve the
response of officers to incidents that involve persons in crisis,who are behaving erratically,emphasizing that
public and officer safety are at the heart of this training process. Discusses the importance of communication
skills,active listening and non-verbal communication to attempt to reach voluntary compliance.
In addition to the TCOLE mandated training,FWPD also facilitates training on the following topics:
• LGBTQ+(2 hours)
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing(4 hours)
• Traumatic Brain Injury and Dementia(2 hours)
• Agitated Chaotic Event(2 hours)
• Crisis Intervention(40 hours)
The Office of the Police Oversight Monitor also provides one hour of classroom instruction on their history,purpose
and initiatives,along with important topics like body-worn camera use,de-escalation,and cultural sensitivity with an
emphasis on racial profiling.
Beyond the Classroom
Outside of classroom instruction, we also include activities to encourage recruits to engage with the community,
improve their communication skills, and begin to immerse themselves in various cultures. To list a few recent
examples, recruits participated in the Opal Lee Freedom Walk, Parade of Lights, July 4'Celebration, helped restore
a house in the community that was destroyed in a fire, and built a fence for a family whose child was attacked by a
dog. hi addition, we created a two-part series titled Community Conversations / Policing in Fort Worth, where
community members visit the class and speak to the recruits in a panel forum. The objective is to show the recruits
the importance of building legitimacy with the communities we serve and help mend strained relationships. The
second part of the series occurs towards the end of the academy, when the recruits leave campus and visit the
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 22-156
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council October 18, 2022
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*a SUBJECT: POLICE RECRUIT TRAINING ON CIVIL RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY
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communities discussed in part one. Most recently, recruits visited Cafe Azul, the Stockyards, Como Rec Center,
House of Fades Barbershop, and Artes de la Rosa.
In-Service Training for Officers
Every commissioned officer must complete continuing education training to maintain a state license. The required
course topics vary depending on the level of license held(Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Master). Each legislative
session,the City's Law Department builds a training course titled"Legislative Updates"which covers changes made
to state law and which all officers are required to attend. Recently, Law and Police created a two-hour course titled
"First Amendment Auditors" taught by Law. This course is mandatory training for all officers and covers topics on
freedom of speech,video recording of law enforcement,and definitions of interference with public duties.
Future Training Opportunities
The Police Department will continue working with the Law Department,Diversity and Inclusion,and OPOM to
build future training opportunities that relate to civil rights and diversity.
Classes are Taught by TCOLE-Certified/Licensed Instructors
Each instructor at the Academy is a Fort Worth officer selected based on their appointment as a certified TCOLE
instructor or their experience as a Subject Matter Expert(SME).To qualify as an SME,an applicant for an instructor
proficiency certificate must meet all proficiency requirements,and must have substantial experience in teaching or in
the special field or subject area to be taught,to include two years' experience as a peace officer,telecommunicator,
or jailer; or a bachelor's degree and two years of teaching experience; or a graduate degree.
If you have any questions or concerns,please contact Assistant Police Chief Julie Swearingin at
Julie.Swearinginkfortworthtexas.gov or 817-392-4247.
David Cooke
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS