Diversity training remains an important priority for the Commission on Peace Officer Standards & Training (POST). The past year has been spent designing racial profiling training to meet the mandate of Senate Bill 1102. POST continues to partner with the Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance to offer a variety of Tools for Tolerance programs designed for all levels of law enforcement personnel. Additionally, entry-level law enforcement trainees receive 24 hours of Cultural Diversity (Learning Domain 42) and 8 hours of Law Enforcement Awareness of Disabilities, (Learning Domain 37) training in all POST basic academies.

Several POST courses, covering these topics, are available for in-service training:

• Tools for Tolerance for Law Enforcement helps law enforcement professionals explore the evolving role of law enforcement in a rapidly changing, increasingly diverse and complex society.
   
  
• Tools for Tolerance for Command Staff focuses on the unique challenges facing command-level personnel and policy makers in an increasingly democratic and diverse society.
  
  
• Racial Profiling: Issues and Impact is a five-hour mandated training that provides students with an understanding of the conceptual and legal definitions of racial profiling. The course also supports law enforcements continued effort to maintain a relationship of trust and respect with the communities they serve.
   
  
• Police Response to Persons with Mental and Developmental Disabilities curriculum, released in 2002, is designed to provide law enforcement with an insight into recognizing different developmental and mental disabilities. It focuses on providing officers with valuable tools to safely managing critical incidents, as well as, enhance positive interaction with persons who have these special needs.
  
  
• Hate Crimes Training, designed for the first responder, provides insight into identifying and investigating hate-motivated crimes.
  
  
• Hate Crimes Investigation, designed for the investigator, uses hands-on experiential learning techniques for developing the skills needed to effectively interview, interrogate, and investigate hate-motivated crimes.
  

Train-the-Trainer courses are also available for some of the diversity courses:

• Train-the-Trainer for Racial Profiling is mandated for presenters of the Racial Profiling: Issues and Impact course. This 24 hour course provides an in-depth analysis of the student course and facilitation skills to assist in leading discussions, and presenting the course material.
  
  
• Train-the-Trainer for Law Enforcement Awareness of Disabilities prepares presenters to instruct officers on the importance of law enforcement to meet the needs of persons with disabilities whether they are victims or suspects.

The Train-the-Trainer for Cultural Diversity will be redesigned using the updated Learning Domain 42 and should be available in 2003.

POST has produced guidelines and several telecourses on diversity-related topics:

      Guidelines:

• Guidelines for Law Enforcement's Design of Hate Crimes Policy and Training 2000
• Sexual Orientation Training Course for Law Enforcement
• Guidelines for Law Enforcement Design of Cultural Awareness Training Programs Feburary 1992

      Telecourses:

• Domestic Violence: A Matter of Culture
• Cultural Competency
• Hate Crimes: A Proactive Approach
• Law Enforcement Awareness of Disabilities
• Managing Contacts with the Developmentally Disabled and the Mentally Ill
• Recognizing Mental Illness: A Proactive Approach

POST continues to provide courses that are relevant and supports the evolving role of law enforcement providing professional service to a diverse population. 

For more information about POST diversity training, please contact Jan.Bullard@post.ca.gov. Additional information and ordering instructions about specific Guidelines and Telecourses are available on POST Publication List and the CPTN Video Programs web pages.