Disconnected Training
by Brad Fawcett
The ascendance of online law enforcement training appears to be associated with
the economics of policing and the (seemingly monthly) calls for more training to
better meet the concerns of identified special
needs groups, which typically originate from
coroners inquests or public inquiries.
The development of provincial policing
standards requires that remote agencies be
able to access training without incurring a
disproportionate financial burden. Online
training might be appealing in that it may
mitigate “instructor drift” and differing
training materials and delivery modalities
across agencies, a concern expressed about
conducted energy weapons training, for
example.
Commissioner Thomas Braidwood
noted that “there is a troubling lack of consistency in provincial law enforcement agencies’ training materials respecting conducted
energy weapon use” (Braidwood, 2009).
Online training appears to offer at least a
partial solution to these issues; however,

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there are some concerns.
Online training assumes that if participants demonstrate knowledge in some
context, then it should be available in all
contexts (Nicholson, 2005). In other words,
agencies assume that an officer demonstrating some knowledge by meeting the

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minimum standard on an online course and
accompanying exam will be able demonstrate that knowledge in the field. The difficulty is that officers acquire the knowledge
entirely out of context with the reality in
which they’re expected to apply it.
Also of concern is the issue of inert
knowledge in which isolated facts are disconnected from how they can be used to accomplish some purpose (Nicholson, 2005).
Knowledge, though seemingly available (the
agency “trained” the officer and the officer
passed the exam), is often not used to solve
problems (Renkle, 1996). One of the reasons
the knowledge required is not accessible
may be that it was learned out of context
with the operational reality in which it is
expected to be used. The officer acquired
the information in a sterile, safe environment by watching, reading and viewing a
computer screen where the only threat is to
ego (officers might be embarrassed if they
fail the online exam), which is contrasted
with real-world consequences they confront.
An assumption apparently supporting
the move towards online training is that officers will recognise and use data present in
the environment once they have been trained
what to look for. Unfortunately, numerous
human error studies have demonstrated that
training in data recognition and a person’s
ability to recognise and act on it is not
supported in the field. This can be seen in
“fail to pull” fatalities in which experienced
parachutists fall to their deaths even though
they have received extensive training on
recognising problems and their remedies
(typically, using their reserve parachute).
One explanation may be that the parachutist “learned” the skills in a controlled,
non-threatening environment (on the
ground) and was unable to access the knowledge because it was required in an entirely
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different environment (plummeting through
the air) (Leach, 2011).
Research on state-dependent learning
suggests that knowledge acquisition should
take place in environments similar to which
one expects it to be recalled (Weingartner,
1977). Simply stated, state-dependent
learning/retrieval refers to impairment in
performance when there is a mismatch
between physical or mental states at learning and retrieval (Swihart, 1999). Officers
acquiring knowledge through online courses
in controlled environments without consequences may not be able to access it when
it’s required during operational activities
due to the mismatch between the physical
environment where they learned it and the
chaotic and uncertain environment in which
retrieval is expected.
Online training in areas such as crisis
intervention, de-escalation and use of force
decision making may not provide knowledge that is accessible to officers when it
is most needed. They acquire it while in
the comfort and relative security of their
department, or worse – their home, with a
near-to-resting heart rate and little concern
that a wrong decision will result in significant consequences. The environment where
they’re expected to retrieve the knowledge
relative to crisis intervention, de-escalation
and use of force decision making stands in
stark contrast.
Online training may mitigate concerns
regarding instructor drift, access, cost and
training standards; however, it should not
be expected to provide accessible knowledge and skills that police officers can use
in the field. Employing a blended model of
knowledge acquisition, one where online
information is reinforced and built on in
face-to-face training, may mitigate some of
the concerns. Agencies should not assume
that online training increases public, officer
and subject safety, nor does it necessarily
provide liability protection due to the incongruity that exists between the emotional,
physical and tactical environments of knowledge acquisition and retrieval.

Uniform policy to include hijab option
The Edmonton Police Service
has approved the option for female
officers of Muslim faith to wear a
police-issued hijab headscarf while
in uniform.
The traditional hijab is worn by
some Muslim women as an outward
expression of religious and cultural
identity. It covers the head and
neck, but not the face. While there
are different interpretations on the
meaning and practice of hijab, the
EPS respects a Muslim woman’s
choice to wear the headscarf.
The EPS does not currently
have any members or applicants requesting to wear
the hijab. However, to be proactive the EPS uniform
guidelines have been updated to better reflect the
changing diversity in the community and to accommodate the growing interest in policing careers from
Edmonton’s Muslim community.
The EPS Equity, Diversity and Human Rights
Unit (EDHRU) and the Chief’s Muslim Community
Liaison Committee conducted community consultation
and research into how police can be more inclusive
and representative in this manner without impacting
service.
As there were no police-issued hijabs readily
available, the EDHRU, with the EPS Tactics Training
Unit developed a prototype with the assistance of a
hijab tailor. The headscarf was designed to be simple,
unobtrusive and easily removed. After rigorous testing,

it was determined that the headscarf
did not pose any risk to the officer
wearing it, reduce officer effectiveness, nor interfere with police duties
or public interactions.
The hijab prototype met the
requirements of Occupational Health
and Safety and the professional
standards of EPS Dress and Deportment. The EPS Chief’s Committee
approved the police-issued hijab and
the necessary uniform policy changes, which have also been supported
by members of Edmonton’s Muslim
community.
The Edmonton Police Service continues to
change with the times, as have a number of police,
justice and military organizations in western nations
that have already modified their uniforms to accommodate the hijab.
As protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights
and Freedoms, the EPS considers any special religious or cultural requests by officers or the community,
to determine if they meet reasonable accommodation
requirements. The EPS responds with a fair, consistent
and respectful approach to try to meet these diverse
needs wherever possible.
Regardless of race, culture, religion, or sexual
orientation, it is important that anyone who has a
calling to serve and protect Edmontonians and passes
the rigorous recruitment and police training standards,
feel welcome and included in the EPS.

Braidwood, T. (2009). Restoring Public Confidence: Restricting the Use of Conducted Energy Weapons. Victoria:
Province of British Columbia. Leach, J. (2011). Survival
Psychology: The Want to Live. The Psychologist, 26-29.
Nicholson, S. S. (2005). Exploring Myths about Online
Education in Information Systems. Informing Science
Journal, 55-73. Renkle, A. H. (1996). Inert knowledge:
Analyses and remedies. Educational Psychologist, 115121. Swihart, G. Y. (1999). The Role of State-Dependent
Memory in “Red-Outs”. International Journal of Law and
Psychology, 199-212. Weingartner, H. M. (1977). MoodState-Dependent Retrieval of Verbal Associations. Journal
of Abnormal Psychology, 276-284.
Sgt. Brad Fawcett is a 24 year veteran of the Vancouver
Police Department (VPD) and a seconded instructor at the
Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC). He is a past
contributor to Blue Line and is a court qualified expert in
use of force and police training. The views expressed are
his own and do not represent those of the VPD or JIBC.

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JANUARY 2014