News from ILEETA: Train your troops with Federal stimulus funds

Although it is always held in the Chicagoland area, the ILEETA conference is uniquely international. I have met trainers and venders from Canada, England, Australia, Germany, Spain, France, and Hong Kong to name just a few! All of us from the P1TV crew covering ILEETA have also been struck by some thing else; Police1 and Calibre Press are having a huge impact on the law enforcement community.

Everywhere we went, people wanted to talk to us about our articles, our video training segments, our virtual tradeshows, and the Street Survival Seminar.

Calibre Press Operations Manager Lisa Gitchell, who staffed the Calibre Press booth in the ILEETA vender hall, said of this phenomenon, “The impact that Police1 and Calibre Press has on law enforcement worldwide is so evident at an event like ILEETA. Hundreds of police trainers approached me at the booth, wanting to talk about their experiences at the Street Survival Seminar and how books like Chuck Remsburg’s Blood Lessons have changed the way they train. Its humbling and gratifying for all of us involved.”

Thursday’s P1TV shoots included a great interview with the remarkable Valerie Van Brocklin, former prosecutor turned law enforcement trainer. Val gave Dave Smith insight into the correct way to approach your testimony in court and come out a winner. Too often our ego and our good intentions get in the way of the real goal, which is to prove to the judge or jury that we are true “finders of fact.” This is what the prosecutor needs to put together a winning case.

I got the chance to interview Kate O’Donnell of Police Grants and Training Initiatives reassured us all that federal stimulus money flowing to the law enforcement community can be applied toward training. According to Kate, who has more than 25 years in the police training business, it has been years since departments have seen this kind of federal assistance. However, the opportunities may seem overwhelming. Kate advises training officers and managers to be acutely aware of what their department is seeking through grants and to make sure everyone in the organization communicates. For example, there may be an opening to add training to an equipment grant, you just have to know the provisions and requirements. There is no “one size fits all” grant, and creativity along with persistence will pay dividends. You can also go to www.policegrantshelp.com for additional ideas and information.

The fourth day of training at ILEETA 2009 did not end until after eight o’clock in the evening, and yet it was obvious attendees were reluctant to part. The exchange of information flows abundantly, and the informal training continues long after the classrooms go dark.