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🚨 PTO - Train the Trainer 🚨
Instructor Certification
Police Problem-Based Learning (PBL)
July 7 – 18, 2025
Saturday & Sunday July 12 & 13, 2025 – off
8:30 AM to Finish (varies daily)
PTO – Train the Trainer
Build Societal Trust through Adaptive Policing
Problem solving in partnership with your community stake holders
Develop a PTO Program – PTO 2.0 Update
The Police Training Officer program is a new model for post-academy field training in law enforcement. In this model recruits use problem-based learning to address neighborhood problems in partnership with the communities they serve. Problem-based learning is a recent development in police education and this program is the first time it has been used in such a fashion.
Become PBL certified and a trainer for the PTO field-training program
Learn ”Police PBL” – the new version of PBL crafted specially for police educators by the instructors of this course. It is the basis of the US Department of Justice field training method – the Police Training Officer (PTO) program – which the instructor of this course co-created. You will be taught by the originators of this program not only how to teach and develop Police Training Officers, but how to incorporate PBL into all your police training from academy to advanced in-service.
A new standard in excellence for 21st Century teaching
In this course you will learn how to teach through a dynamic, and unique, new form of training – Problem-Based Learning (PBL). PBL is a state-of-the-art educational approach originally developed in medical schools. It is student-based and uses real-life problems to help students learn to solve problems and think in creative ways. PBL is emerging as the most dynamic and engaging form of learning for students of all types. This one of a kind, 10-day course is intensive, hands-on, and has been described as the most challenging, and satisfying, course in policing today.
Skill you will learn:
- Forming strategic alliances that promote and sustain community based problem-solving.
- How to use PBL to help students self-discover course material, take ownership of their own learning, enhance teaching and facilitation skills
- How to teach the Police Training Officer course and develop the new PTO.
- How to use the tools of Police PBL: the ill-structured problem, the cohort learning group, tutoring, and mentoring, emotional intelligence, and the evaluation rubric.
- Improve mental health by developing emotional intelligence and resiliency in your training.
- Learn about the childhood and lifelong trauma effects of ACEs, improve the ability to respond to persons in crisis, de-escalate situations, and build trust within communities.
- How to help police recruits become confident, safe and ethical officers.
Skill you will learn:
- Academic instructors, educators and managers in criminal justice and policing.
- Field training officers and patrol supervisors
- Stake holders in community-oriented policing.
On successful completion of the course, candidates will become qualified to teach the PTO course, to create additional courses using PBL and teach other PBL designed police courses, and utilize best practices of adult education in law enforcement training.
This course will be a two-week session held at The Mickelson Criminal Justice Center in Pierre, South Dakota. The sessions will consist of 10 full days, with group assignments and work required of participants during evening hours. There is also an on-line pre-course assignment and a field exercise required prior to arrival at the course. Successful candidates will be certified PBL instructors joining an elite group of police educators centered at the Police Society for Problem-Based Learning.
As part of their in-class assignments, course candidates are asked to bring a copy of course curricula and training manuals for other police courses they already teach or have taken. Candidates will complete the pre-course assignment prior to the on-site course. They will present it during the first day of class.
Register now to become a certified trainer and help build the next generation of law enforcement that embraces problem-solving, accountability, and community collaboration!
Location:
George S. Mickelson Criminal Justice Center, Law Enforcement Training 1302 Highway 14 East, Ste 5 Pierre, SD 57501
Cost:
$3,500.00 USD
No charge for in-state law enforcement.
APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT AND RELATED STAKE HOLDERS.
Dormitory lodging and weekday cafeteria meals included in course fee.
Course includes materials, mentoring, academy lodging, weekday meals, and subsequent certification with the Police Society for Problem-Based Learning.
