Perishable Skills Training for Police Officers

The increasingly diverse challenges and changing service demands confronting law enforcement require that the content and instructional methodologies of peace officer training be regularly evaluated and updated.

Apex Officer's police and law enforcement training program is designed to assist law enforcement agencies in keeping personnel current with Continued Professional Training (CPT) and State and California POST mandates for Perishable Skills Training.

Perishable Skills Training History

In January 2002 California POST implemented the Perishable Skills Program (PSP). This training requires all law enforcement personnel to complete a minimum of 14 hours of specific training within a 24 month period. PSP is comprised of 4 areas of training:

• Tactical Firearms 4 hour minimum
• Arrest & Control 4 hour minimum
• Driver Training & Awareness 4 hour minimum
• Tactical / Interpersonal Communication 2 hour minimum

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Perishable Skills for Police Officers

Tactical Firearms Training

• Judgment and Decision Making Exercise(s)
• Student Evaluation and Testing
• Safety Guidelines/Orientation
• Sight Alignment, Trigger Control, Accuracy
• Target Recognition and Analysis
• Weapons Clearing
• Simulation Tactical Training
• Policies and/or Legal Issues
• Use of Force Considerations
• Moral Obligations

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Arrest and Control Training

• Safety Orientation and Warm Up(s)
• Class Exercises/Student Evaluation/Testing
• Search - In Exercise(s)
• Control/Take Down - In Exercise(s)
• Equipment/Restraint Device(s)
• Verbal Commands - In Exercise(s)
• Use of Force Considerations
• Body Physics and Dynamics (suspects response to force)
• Body balance/stance/movement patterns - In Exercise(s)
• Policies and Legal Issues
• Recovery/First Aid (as applicable)

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Tactical Communication Skills Training

• Tactical Communications - Officer to Officer/Suspect/Citizen/Victim
• Officer Safety
• Communications Elements
• Questioning Techniques
• Intentional/Unintentional Contact Escalation vs. De-Escalation
• Inappropriate Language
• Class Exercises/Student Evaluation/Testing

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Interpersonal Communication Skills Training

• Interpersonal Communications - Officer to Officer/Suspect/Citizen/Victim
• Communications Elements
• Listening Skills
• Dealing with Difficult/Dominating People
• Persuasion
• Inappropriate Communication
• Class Exercises/Student Evaluation/Testing

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Continued Professional Training (CPT) Topics:

• New Laws
• Recent Court Decisions and/or Search and Seizure Refresher
• Officer Survival Techniques
• New Concepts, Procedures, Technology
• Discretionary Decision Making (Practical Field Problems)
• Civil Liability‑Causing Subjects
• Ethics

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Frequently Asked Questions

What training is available for law enforcement training managers?

POST’s Training Administrators Course (TAC) is designed for newly assigned training administrators and administrative staff who coordinate the certification and presentation of POST courses via the POST Electronic Data Interchange System (EDI). To submit a request to attend the TAC course, you can access the resource on POST's Training Administrators Course page.

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Where can I check my Perishable Skills (PS) training status?

All California Law Enforcement personnel with an active POST appointment may now instantly check their POST Continuing Professional Training (CPT) and Perishable Skills (PS) training status by visiting the Compliance Dashboard.

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Where can I find information on Law Enforcement Dispatcher training?

You can find frequently asked questions on how to become a dispatcher or information on the Public Safety Dispatcher Certificate, Basic Course, or Selection Standards by visiting the link below. You can also locate upcoming Dispatch courses or use the Dispatch Center on the Learning Portal.

Source: California Public Safety Dispatchers Hub

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Where can I find information on training for investigators and detectives?

You can find required training and training resources available for investigators and detectives by visiting the Robert Presley Institute of Criminal Investigation (ICI) page. On this page you can look up course dates and presenters for more information and/or complete the ICI Certificate Application Form.

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Do you offer a Driving Simulator?

Yes. Our virtual reality police driving simulator, Apex Officer Drive, was designed around California POST's driving requirements and standards.

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