Operational Expertise and its Influence Within the Training Environment
Prior to setting up my own training and development company I had a long career in Cheshire Police, working as a detective in a proactive burglary unit, and in a more reactive team investigating physical and sexual assaults, robberies and other complex cases. I spent time as a Family Liaison Officer and on the Level 2 Organised Crime Team investigating large-scale drug supply chains, serious armed robbery offences and other linked serious crimes.
I then made the move to the Crime Training Department as a designated crime trainer, completing my degree in Organisational Development in Police Services. I also obtained some training and development qualifications. Within the training department I had responsibility for the training of all Detectives and also the Vulnerable and Intimidated Witness interview programme. As a result I began to take a more focussed interest in vulnerability more widely trying to improve my understanding around this complex area of Police work.
Since setting up my own training and development company, I have worked with several independent training companies, and I have also supported the College of Police as an Associate Trainer. I have had opportunities to work in Rwanda, Indonesia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Nigeria and most recently Chile. I have been involved in the design and delivery of the College of Police’s Vulnerability and Risk Workshop and with Barnardo’s Children’s Charity providing Trauma Informed Policing training across Police Wales.
I continue to be involved with a wide range of investigation and vulnerability related training and have most recently designed and delivered the Public Protection element of the Direct Entry training programme for Police Officers entering policing at the rank of Inspector and Superintendent.
Building Expertise Through Experience
During my time in the police I developed a range of skills and knowledge across a broad spectrum of investigation related subject areas. I carried out central roles within major investigations and had completed virtually all of the available training courses open to a Detective. In effect, and probably quite unknowingly, I had become an expert in investigation.
Having some 22 years policing experience at the point of moving into the training environment meant that there was in reality very little that I had not dealt with and areas where I may have had a somewhat more superficial knowledge and experience, i.e. child abuse investigations, were covered by my partner who had come from that area of policing. Probably what that experience gave me more than anything, and it took a while to realise this, was confidence. Delegates taking the training accepted me as an experienced Officer, I was more than happy to be challenged and I would be more than happy to challenge the delegates around any area of the criminal investigation process.
The Value of Operational Expertise
What experience and expertise provides is the ability to provide context to the training. In other words, it’s about having the ability to relate the training that is being provided to a real-life scenario or using the knowledge and experience in the room to encourage and facilitate a learning atmosphere.
It can be quite daunting walking into a room full or strangers, and training in a policing context can sometimes be a challenge. I have found though that after the introductions I have shown the delegates that I have to some extent “walked in their shoes”, I understand the challenges that they face and that it is now my job to provide them with some information which will assist them in their roles. Police Officers are by their very nature very pragmatic people – if the training or the trainer is not going to help them do their job better or make it easier then they tend to disengage.
Having an operational expert involved in the design stages of a training programme is also key to its eventual success. Whilst case feeds and group task work should be tailored to the needs and work of the engaging organisation the expert can provide additional operational context to bring those studies to light.
I have delivered Family Liaison awareness training on several occasions to a variety of groups including those actually being deployed (FLOs) and also those responsible for their deployment and welfare.
The case study that was prepared related directly to one of my deployments involving an attempted murder within a domestic violence situation. Having been directly involved in this situation I was able to provide an insight into how challenging it was to establish and maintain a relationship with the victim’s family some of whom did want to engage with the Police and some of whom didn’t, while also managing the risk that was now posed to the victim. Without this knowledge and experience such an input would be ineffective.
The organisational benefits of using a facilitator who has operational expertise means that the training can be directly targeted at what the organisation wants to achieve. The delegates will appreciate the engagement of an operational expert who can deal with specific issues and challenges that they may face operationally and assist in how to develop appropriate strategies to overcome those challenges before they arise.
The methodology has 4 key focus areas when planning and engaging in a training programme.
- Expert
- Tailored
- Engaging
- The “Golden Thread” of personal and organisational “Values” being embedded through every stage of the process.
Transforming My Own Training Practices
I participated and graduated from the first online cohort of trainees to complete the Train the Trainer Award. During this period as a cohort we completed several training sessions which looked at each element of the process and how they combine to ensure that training is fit for purpose and can have maximum impact. We have also observed numerous remotely delivered training sessions facilitated by Taye’s established training team.
This process has enabled me to reflect on how my own training is both designed and delivered. Whilst I have always set myself high ethical standards, I recognised that the values of the organisation that I was providing training on behalf of should have been embedded more generally throughout the course and referred to when delegates had to make sometimes difficult decisions. I have also sought to use the skills, knowledge and experience of the delegates and facilitate a debate around operational challenges that are faced for example by asking: what do other people/areas do or how do they work? Is there a simple solution to the problem? The most effective learning takes place when delegates reflect on their own experience and compare it with others within the training session and it is the trainer’s responsibility to facilitate this process. Having an operational expert who can also encourage delegates to engage with the training is key to this process.
Key to the success of a training programme is also to ensure that the training has been designed in such a way as to make it specific to that particular organisation, ensuring that the terminology is correct, that the systems and process referred to are right and that examples and case studies are relevant and realistic. By adopting this process you will ensure that the delegates will be engaged throughout. An “off the shelf” training package delivered by a trainer with no operational experience and knowledge of the relevant subject matter will have little impact on the efficiency or capacity of your organisation.
Adopting the Training 4 Influence methodology will ensure that your training is tailored to the specific needs of your organisation and therefore its impact will be felt more directly on the operational competence and confidence of your staff.
