DRAFT REPORT OF THE CITY OF SPOKANE USE ... - Samuel Walker

Mr. Earl F. Martin
RE: REPORT TO USE OF FORCE COMMISSION
December 3, 2012
Page 33
staff. Likewise, with regard to an annual training plan as required by the SPD policy, Academy
Training Staff members were unable to identify a formalized annual training plan that had been
approved for any year in the past. It should be noted that this something that I find to be commonly
the case with agencies that are Lexipol subscribers. Nonetheless it must be addressed or the policy
revised. To their credit the Academy Training Staff was immediately responsive to this issue and
although the SPD had performed the function of assessing training needs and planning for in-service
training every year for SPD, the staff recognized and appreciated the benefit of a more formalized
process in accomplishing the same goal. Working with the training staff, a memorandum entitled
"Spokane Police Department Memorandum to All SPD Personnel from Lt. Drollinger re: 2013
Training Needs Assessment" was created with regard to the 2013 Training Needs Assessment.
Additionally, Lt. Drollinger prepared an e-mail entitled "Spokane Police Department 2013 Training
Needs Assessment and In-Service Training Plan" that details the preparation of the training needs
assessment. (See Exhibit "J") Lt. Drollinger has been extremely responsive and receptive to
suggestions, and he and the other members of the training staff have moved forward and addressed
this concern, as well as many of the other areas discussed herein.
Finally, with regard to the training requirements identified throughout SPD policy and
training materials, it needs to be clearly defined in each block of training what "successfully
complete" actually means and what provisions are set forth for remediation when an individual fails.
Additionally, it should be clearly defined what the ramifications are when an individual is unable,
even after remediation, to "successfully complete" any particular block of training. These may seem
like small concerns; however, if an officer or another employee must "successfully complete" a task
to perform their job or must be provided "remediation" and then still cannot "successfully complete"
that task - an employer must be able to articulate what those terms mean.
Summary of Recommendations for Consideration:
- Foster and support a cultural environment that promotes excellence in the SPD from
the executive and management levels that is reinforced by supervision and peer group leaders such
as in-house subject matter experts/instructors and Academy Training Staff and FTOs as it pertains
to training of personnel and the professional services provided to the community;
- Conduct prompt review, revision and adoption of policy updates to SPD policy and
transmission and incorporation of such changes as appropriate in operations, training and training
materials in a systematic fashion which is documented;