In 2015, the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) began the National Certification Program for law enforcement continuing education. In partnership with 36 states, IADLEST employs more than 200 experts to review and validate proposed law enforcement training. With certification standards that exceed individual state requirements, IADLEST-certified training has been recognized in all 50 states.
Dr. Bill Lewinski, Executive Director of Force Science, describes Force Science’s commitment to providing the most effective and validated police training: “When we develop training, one of our last steps is to submit our course for independent review. IADLEST provides a uniform standard for police and corrections education so agencies can feel confident they are getting high-quality continuing education from Force Science.”
National Certification
Joe D’Amico, Director of Training at Force Science, ensured that his division prioritized IADLEST National Certification. Thanks to Joe’s leadership and the hard work of top content developers, six Force Science courses already boast IADLEST National Certification. These courses include:
- Introduction to Human Dynamics and Conflict Resolution
- Fundamentals of Realistic De-Escalation
- Realistic De-Escalation for Corrections Professionals
- Realistic De-Escalation Instructor Course
- Advanced Force Science Specialist Course, and
- Body-Worn Cameras: Agency Development and Implementation
Today, Force Science is proud to announce that the Methods of Instruction – Training Practical Professional Policing Skills course has passed IADLEST’s rigorous independent review process. Methods of Instruction is now the seventh Force Science course to achieve IADLEST’s National Certification Program Seal of Excellence.
Dr. Lewinski shared his enthusiasm for this new course, “Regardless of the subject being taught, we wanted trainers to understand how knowledge and skills are effectively transferred, retained, and available for performance. Our latest Methods of Instruction course is led by Senior Force Science Instructor Chris Butler and promises to significantly advance how police teach. We are already seeing excellent feedback on this course and are proud to have achieved this national certification.”
International Recognition
The Methods of Instruction Course was designed to bring the science of learning into the classroom, and Force Science was honored to receive IADLEST’s national certification. But beyond their recent national certification, Force Science research and education is also enjoying international recognition.
In Frontline Training: Handbook for Education and Training Frontline Employees, Dutch author Erik Hein has included Dr. Lewinski as a contributing author and counted him among the “best and most experienced experts” training frontline emergency response professionals.
In the chapter, The Pressing Need to Improve Police Pre-Service Training: Force Science’s Suggested Directions for Change, Dr. Lewinski makes the case, “Although law enforcement is not typically associated with ‘clinical’ practices, the observations/assessments, decisions, and corresponding actions of officers ‘on the street’ align directly with the assessment, diagnosis, and subsequent ‘treatment’ of individuals in the ‘real-world’—the very definition of clinical.
If that is true, then the most effective pre-service training should reflect the interdisciplinary, integrated, and clinical nature of police work. Beyond law and basic skills training, the best programs will teach officers expert analysis, flexible and creative decision-making, and, most importantly, the integration of interpersonal, tactical, and technical skills. The best training will have evolved from an overreliance on academia-inspired lectures and a trade school format for skills development and instead will reflect a more sophisticated integration of clinical skill development and decision-making.”
Continued Focus on Training
For the last decade, the move toward scientific, evidence-based training practices has been and will continue to be a priority for Force Science. Force Science’s Director of Learning and Development, Michael Musengo, highlights where modern police training is headed, “To support improvements in Law Enforcement training, we needed to set our sights on something rarely discussed. The trainers!” Musengo continued, “The best police trainers are highly skilled in their specific subjects. They are enthusiastic, empathetic, and have an amazing ability to communicate with others. Our goal now is to ensure these trainers understand how cognitive and psychomotor skills are most effectively transferred for use in real-world, open skill environments. I’m excited to join instructors Joe D’Amico, Kenneth Tassie, and Chris Butler as we facilitate learning through the Methods of Instruction Course.”
Past Training Articles
Past Force Science News articles have detailed much of the research and knowledge that form the foundation of our Methods of Instruction Course. Readers can review past articles and the Force Science Top 10 Training Observations below.
- Police Officer Training | 4-Part Series
- The Effectiveness of Academy Training – A Three Country Study
- Block Training in the Academy – Efficiency & Effectiveness Are Not The Same
- “Clinical” Law Enforcement
- Keys to Training Excellence