2011 Massachusetts VIPS Training Conference
Officer Safety Class Descriptions
These classes (listed an alphabetical order) are available for you to choose from at four
different times during the Conference. You must register for each class you are planning
to attend. Space is limited, and you may need to choose another class in the timeslot
selected.
Active Shooter Threat (Sunday) - This class will be led by Lt. Fred Leland from the Walpole Police
Department.
An active shootings can take place in any environment—in the streets, as in the case of gang related
violence or cornered criminals in an effort to gain the advantage; at the workplace, often by a disgruntled
employee; at a shopping mall, perhaps by a kid who lost his girlfriend or job,; even in nursing
homes, hospitals and neighborhoods.
We are witness to a worldwide evolving threat from highly trained active shooters. Terrorists have used
small arms and small unit swarming tactics at luxury hotels, restaurants, train stations, community
centers, cinemas, police headquarters and other public locations. Recent examples include the
coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India and the premeditated shootings at Fort Hood, Texas and the gangs
and narco-terrorists on the Mexican border.
The North Hollywood shooting in 1997 is yet another example of a conventional crime turned
unconventional, when an armed confrontation between two heavily-armed bank robbers and the LAPD. It
started when the robbers were engaged while leaving the bank they just robbed by LAPD patrol officers.
Some had a difficult time describing the Beslan Russia school siege and massacre in 2004. It was a
siege, a hostage situation, a terrorist act and an active shooting situation. It is also underscored how an
adversary can use a combination of tactics in an effort to disrupt our response and delay our actions.
How should we handle adversaries who use small arms, small unit tactics and multiple
techniques converging on multiple targets from numerous directions in a single incident? The answer lies
in our dedication and discipline to prepare and train for these incidents.
It is imperative that we use our capabilities to the fullest: awareness, strength of character, information
and intelligence gathering, decision making abilities and tactical skills are essential to successfully
combating any active shooting situation. It is critical that we penetrate the decision making cycle of an
adversary to soften his resolve, disorient his mental images, disrupt his operations, and overload his
system so he either stops his actions and complies or is disrupted by the terms of law enforcement.
Tactics are about how to think…not what to think! Learn about the evolving threats and how to create
and nurture frontline decision making in this workshop.
Defensive Tactics (Saturday and Sunday)- The training will be led by MPTC Defensive Tactics
Instructors.
These sessions will consist of both classroom and hands on training.
The classroom portion on Saturday morning will discuss the latest court rulings in the use of force and
will also cover field use of force situations and the related outcomes from a lessons learned perspective.
Some time will also be spent for familiarization of T.A.S.E.R. and working an incident when T.A.S.E.R.
has been deployed. While this very informative session is highly recommended it is not a pre-requisite to
the hands-on sessions.
The hands-on sessions will be conducted in the gym and will consist of skills development including hand,
baton and cuffing techniques.
Bring the following equipment that you may have with you to the hands-on session: Duty Belt, Baton,
Handcuffs, and Red Gun. DO NOT BRING FIREARMS, AMMO OR OC SPRAY. You will be required to
sign a release of liability form.
Firearms Skill Development (Saturday and Sunday) - This training is under the direction of Senior
MPTC Firearms Instructors.
Pre-Requisite: This class is only open to officers who are currently authorized on-duty
carry by their departments.
This session will consist of both classroom and hands on training. The classroom training will review the
new firearms training program for reserve / intermittent officers, as well as shooting and skill development
techniques for the officer. The range portion of the training will consist of live fire range sequences of skill
development exercises.
You must bring your duty belt with holster, firearm, ballistic vest, eye and ear protection and 150 rounds
of ammunition. You will be required to sign a release of liability form.
Gang and Drug Activity Update (Saturday) - This class will be led by Massachusetts State Police
Sgt. Gregg Nadeau, a member of the State Police Gang Unit.
This class will bring you current information on gang activity in Massachusetts, as well as provide you with
an awareness of gang culture. Sgt. Nadeau will provide a hard-hitting presentation which examines all
facets of the local gang subculture, and provides insight into gang membership. The class will also bring
you current information on recent trends in drug activity in the Commonwealth.
Officer Created Jeopardy (Saturday) - This class will be led by Lt. Fred Leland from the Walpole
Police Department.
Officer Created Jeopardy is failure to adapt to changing conditions, due to a false sense of urgency,
complacency, emotions, habit, or attributes that stifle insight and innovation. Officer Created Jeopardy
stems from lack of knowledge and/or the ability to apply knowledge in a strategic and tactical way to the
changing conditions. Considering the factors of Time and Risk!
Policies and procedures and checklist driven law enforcement organizations are teaching cops what to
think, instead of how to think, and this is dangerous. Dangerous in the sense that the types of
circumstances cops handle are dynamic, rapidly changing, complex situations that require walking,
talking, thinking cops. To be effective on the street, one must be able to process information under
pressure quickly and deliberately.
How to apply a strategic and tactical mindset and sound operational art is learned in this workshop.
Use of Force Simulator (MILO / Range 3000) (Saturday and Sunday) - The class will be led by
MPTC instructors.
This session will allow participants to experience incidents requiring judgment and applied knowledge in
the use of force. Participants will have the opportunity to think and perform under realistic conditions.
Available simulated equipment includes firearms, OC, Flashlight and baton.
There will be approximately one hour of simulation time available to students, out of the three hour period.
A rotation will be established at the beginning of the session. During the down time you will be able to
watch officer safety videos and network with other officers.
Verbal Judo (AKA Tactical Communication) (Sunday) - This class will be led by Chief Paul
Shastany from the Stoughton Police Department.
Verbal Judo, or Tactical Communications, is the gentle art of persuasion that redirects others behavior
with words and generates voluntary compliance. Verbal Judo is a trademarked system of 'tactical
communication' developed by Dr. George J. Thompson, based on his work as a law enforcement officer.
Verbal Judo teaches practitioners to use active listening, win-win strategies and other techniques of
communication to avoid having to use physical violence. Dr. Thompson named the system "verbal judo"
because it uses words to unbalance the other person to achieve the desired result, much like a judo
expert physically unbalances an opponent.