The NJ Police Chief Magazine Volume 26, Number 5 | Page 9

The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | January 2020
2019 NJSACOP Advanced Professional Policing Practices Course
Mitchell C. Sklar, NJSACOP Executive Director
The NJSACOP has a well-earned reputation for offering our members and other stakeholders cutting-edge
professional development opportunities and fresh perspectives on contemporary issues. One of our Association’s key
strategies in delivering such opportunities is looking beyond the traditional topics, presenters, venues, and methods
of continuing professional development for law enforcement professionals. Although there are a variety of definitions
given to the term “Continuing Professional Development,” the one I find most on point in the policing context is that
given by the College of Policing: “A range of learning activities through which you can maintain or enhance your
capacity to practice legally, safely, ethically and effectively.” i
The 18 police professionals that attended the 2019 NJSACOP Advanced
Professional Policing Practices Course did just that, and much more.
The program, conducted with the assistance of very generous colleagues
at the London Metropolitan Police Service (“The Met”), was conducted
December 09 – 15, at various sites in London as well as at the Met’s
Specialist Training Centre in Gravesend, Kent. In putting together the
agenda for the program, we were able to take advantage of the close
links we’ve forged over the past several years with police executives and
police agencies in the United Kingdom. The result was a diverse agenda
with a mix of experiences and learning and networking opportunities.
The limited registration for this course served to maximize the interactive
nature of the learning experience. The agenda was broken down into
multiple units, which included discussions and presentations at the Central
Criminal Court (“The Old Bailey”), New Scotland Yard (headquarters of the
Metropolitan Police), SCO19 (the Met’s Counter-Terror Specialist Firearms
unit), and the security centre at the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club
stadium in North London. The specific information provided on plans,
tactics, strategies, mistakes, successes, and the like were interesting and
useful, even more importantly was the chance for our attendees to look at
these topics from another perspective and to challenge their own thoughts
and assumptions.
The agenda also included a full afternoon at the U.S. Embassy in
London, where the delegation was hosted by the Legal Attachés (or
“Legats”) of the multiple Federal law enforcement agencies in
residence there, as well as by the legal advisor from the US
Department of Justice. The Legats at the Embassy in London are
responsible for working with the host country agencies to jointly
investigate crimes affecting US citizens and interests throughout
United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales),
Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands (Guernsey, Jersey). They also
work with US domestic policing agencies (local, state, and Federal)
as required due to the increasingly international nature of the crime
and terrorism related threats. The discussions and interaction with
our London-based US law enforcement colleagues was one of the
highlights of the program.
Another program highlight was the visit to the aforementioned training facility in
Gravesend. The full day included presentations and discussions, as well as an
opportunity to watch a full-scale training exercise (being conducted as a part of a
professional accreditation process for a command officer). The officers at the
Metropolitan Police Specialist Training Centre practice various forms of public disorder
and firearm use and training is intended to prepare them for real-life dangerous
situations. Our delegation was given a front-row seat for the exercise.
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