I'm the first one to acknowledge that we are doing a great job of improving our training. In general, today's cops are probably the best trained and outfitted than at any other time in our history. If the previous generations of cops could somehow get a glimpse at law enforcement today, they would truly be astonished. Not only would they be surprised at the type of training that we receive, but also the frequency of it as well. Twenty five years ago, any idea such as qualifying with your weapon on a quarterly basis would have been thought to be impossible. Today, that's the standard for many agencies and departments.
But in my travels around the country, and in conversations with friends in both big and small departments, I find that there are still places where they are not able to provide all of the necessary training for their officers. Allow me to illustrate.
I was recently out on my daily run when I came across Jim Shelhorse and his equine partner. Jim is a police officer with the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia. He was about to mount his steed to patrol the running path that parallels the canal where I like to run. I was particularly drawn to Jim for several reasons. First, Jim is in his 60's and in fine physical shape. I had to compliment him on that fact. There is nothing quite as impressive as a fit, confident cop astride his police horse. Next, he was alone - no partner to patrol with, especially in some remote areas. Once I began talking with him though, it was obvious that he knew his job well; it was evident that he was quite comfortable and confident in his abilities.
I discovered that Jim was the sole member of the Fredericksburg PD Mounted Unit. In fact, the horse that Jim rides on patrol is his own. I asked him, "Jim, how do you and your horse train when you are the only mounted officer in your department?" He told me that he has several resources that he utilizes to maintain his proficiency on horseback.
First, the mere fact that he works in tandem with his horse every day is training in and of itself. He regularly competes in NAPEC (North American Police Equestrian Competition) where he picks up on new tactics and techniques through both observation and discussions with his fellow competitors. He is also in constant contact with the U.S. Park Police Mounted Unit, and interacts with them on a regular basis. He travels up to Washington, D.C. with his horse, and trains along side of them whenever he can. Jim has also trained with the RCMP, which he says are probably the finest trained police equestrians anywhere. Although they are mostly ceremonial, their training and riding skills are among the best in the world.
Jim tells me that his Chief, David Nye, is fully supportive of his resourceful ingenuity with regard to his continued training. Without that support, his proficiency on horseback would certainly be far below what it is now. "It's no different than anything else," said Jim. "As cops, we need to train on a regular basis, to maintain our skills - whether it's firearms or anything else. The horse needs that regular training as well."
Sage words from a man in his 60s that represents his city exceedingly well, and who after over a quarter century of police work still loves training. The point of sharing Jim's story with you is this: even though your department may not be able to deliver the training that you need, it doesn't mean that you should be apathetic and not pursue it. Sometimes we run into situations where budgets are slashed, contracts are modified, feuds erupt among city planners, and cops get put in the middle of it all. It happens. When it does happen, don't go down to the "Pity Pond" and say woe is me, I guess I won't be able to train. While I recognize that there is a small percentage of officers out there that could care less if they ever attended any training again, most cops look forward to every training opportunity. In fact, if you are reading this article now you've already demonstrated that you thirst for more.
So how do you get what you need? Be resourceful like Jim. Check with neighboring agencies and find out what their training calendar looks like. Do they have any reciprocity agreements that will allow you to attend a training session of theirs. Use the barter system - trade your skills to them for the ability to get some training of theirs. If you are an instructor, that's even better. You can offer to put on a class for their people, even if it has to be on one of your days off, so that you or some of your colleagues can avail yourself of one of their offerings. Get smart through technology - there are websites that offer courses on line, podcasts, and all kinds of opportunities that will enable you to stay current.
The bottom line is to stay hungry, stay aggressive, don't take no for an answer. Stay after the Chief, or program manager, or whoever it is that controls the training in your job. The message will eventually find its way to someone that will listen and understand. Training is what keeps us alive folks. If you don't get it, you don't get it.
Stay safe brothers and sisters!
