This is a short but great article on Education based Discipline. Its great to see a leading organization such as LASD take the lead on creating and nurturing Cops through lessons learned when mistakes are made instead of the progressive discipline and the zero defect mentality only approach that creates poor morale not only in individual officers who are the subject of discipline but throughout and organization. 

If we allow failure as long as there is a willingness to learn lessons we create better cops instead retired on duty cops. Leaderships role is and has always been to inspire those you work with to be better . In my good friend Don Vandergriff's (Retired United States Army Major) words let’s raise the bar and create and nurture an atmosphere of continued learning in individuals and organizations. They become more able, more adaptable and have a fine tuned awareness and Boyd Cycle that allows them to be most effective on the street and therefore more able to protect and serve.

Stay oriented!

Fred

Education Based Discipline

In May, the 10,000-officer Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department launched an exciting, innovative and potentially productive officer-relations policy that the NYPD should monitor closely and seriously consider instituting here.

It’s called education-based discipline or E.B.D. The program, which is completely voluntary, was gradually implemented in April and established throughout the department at the beginning of May. According to LASD Capt. Michael J. Parker, in the short time it’s been in place “a substantial number of department personnel have chosen E.B.D. over suspension days off. The LASD is the third largest police agency in the nation, after the NYPD and the Chicago PD.

Police union leaders and law enforcement brass agree that only a handful of officers incur disciplinary problems. But what happens when a good cop makes a mistake and gets smacked with serious punishment, like suspension and loss of pay or vacation time? E.B.D. is based on research demonstrating that punitive discipline of this sort creates bitterness, punishes the officer’s family and does little or nothing to improve performance. In fact, it may have a negative effect on the officer’s future performance.Continue reading