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TacticalDebriefs.com operates under the auspices of Training and Consulting [TAC] Team, LLC. In addition to managing and facilitating its two web sites, TAC Team provides training and services related to law enforcement and the tactical community. TAC Team retains and utilizes the services and expertise of highly respected law enforcement and law enforcement-related individuals with various tactical and K9 backgrounds to assist its efforts and works both independently and in conjunction with other businesses and agencies to provide a variety of tactical and K9-related training, services and consulting for its clients. The following training courses and services are provided through Training and Consulting Team;
Training
We know law enforcement training budgets today are tight, restricted, and many are being cut. However, updated and ongoing training must continue, particularly perishable skills and critical tactical tasks. Attorney Martin J. Mayer sent a client memo to police chiefs and sheriffs in California addressing the obligation to provide training to law enforcement officers even when there is a cut back to training funds;
"The duty to train officers is unaffected by reimbursement sources. The lack of funding from outside sources does not, in any way, relieve a department of its obligation to train its officers. The decision to eliminate training programs or reduce the amount of training, based upon the lack of reimbursement sources, would most likely be viewed, by a court, as deliberate indifference to the rights of others."
TAC Team provides contemporary training geared to not only make the job safer, more efficient and to limit liability, but we also provide training that is affordable and reasonable. Be sure to check the sections below regarding "On-Site Training" and "Customized Courses" for additional information.
"Things that go wrong in life are predictable and predictable is preventable."
- Gordon Graham
Photo by Phil Geisler (TAC Team Instructor)
"High Risk K9 Deployments"
This 2-day class is recommended for K9 handlers and "backup personnel" (patrol officers and SWAT operators) from a single agency (closed registration) who want to incorporate more proficient and safer tactical movements into their high risk entries using a police service dog within a tactical environment with patrol and/or tactical teams. The class will focus on the four critical phases of an operation using a police dog; training, mindset, planning, and deployment. Participants will attend a 3-hour classroom session on the first day followed by practical and scenario-based exercises with and without their police dog.
Learning objectives include;
¡ K9 team and patrol (or tactical) personnel will work together to locate a hidden suspect during a high risk deployment, demonstrate coordinated team movement, and take a suspect into custody using proper officer safety techniques.
¡ Participants will learn the tactics and mindset needed to safely enter a room to search for and arrest a high risk suspect with or without a police dog.
n Planning the mission
n Scouting the location
n Cover team responsibilities
n Communications
n Tactical liability
n Training
n Long line deployment
n Unintentional bites
n Team movement
n Approaches, entries and clearings
n Arrest techniques
n "Angles and attitudes"
n Covert & dynamic movement
Contact Bill Lewis II at
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for more information.
"High Risk Warrant Service"
All entries into a person's residence or business contain many unknowns and are inherently dangerous. There have been a number of law enforcement and civilian deaths involving high risk warrant services and entries over the past few years. Many of these deaths may have been prevented if alternative warrant service options had been used based on impartial assessments of the "risk versus benefit" and/or the proper training provided for the respective missions.
Course Description: This class is recommended for non-SWAT personnel and prepares detectives, warrant service teams, fugitive apprehension teams, and specialty unit investigators to plan and serve a moderate to high risk warrant service. The first part of the course on day one is classroom followed by practical field exercises and a warrant service scenario. Participants must be in good physical condition. It is highly recommended that a sergeant or supervisor attend as a member of the agency team. This class will include;
- Warrant service policies
- "Risk versus benefit"
- Warrant service options
- Scouting and diagramming
- Assignments/responsibilities
- Operational planning
- Briefings and debriefings
- Entries, searching, clearing
- Team and cell movement
- Warrant checklist/risk matrix
This class can be presented to a single agency team for 6 to 8 participants or as an open enrollment class limited to three (3) agency teams. For more information or request hosting requirements, contact Bill Lewis II at
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NEW COURSE
"High Risk Warrant Service - Working with a K9 Team"
Suspects and other persons have often failed to exit locations upon request and have been missed during preliminary searches during high risk warrant services and those persons can pose a risk to the initial clearing team or investigators conducting an evidence search later. Using a police dog to search a location can minimize the risk to entry team members and investigators. However, if warrant service teams and fugitive apprehension teams have not trained together with their K9 teams, they should not be searching together in a real-world high risk environment!
This 2-day class is recommended for non-SWAT personnel who serve high risk warrants and prepares detectives, warrant service teams, fugitive apprehension teams, and specialty unit investigators to work with their patrol K9 team(s) to search for a hidden suspect or other persons who may pose a potential safety threat by remaining inside a location and failing to exit following a surround-and-callout, breach-and-hold or limited penetration entry.
The class will teach members of a warrant service team how to work together with a K9 team and be safer and more efficient during a clearing of a location prior to the actual evidence search if it is believed or the potential exists that a suspect or other persons may still be inside a location. Minimal time in the classroom will be followed by work in the field to place K9 teams into familiarization exercises and tactical deployment scenarios with their respective warrant service team.
Topics to be covered will include risk assessment, K9 deployment criteria, covert movement, working with the police service dog in a tactical environment, planning the deployment, teamwork and responsibilities, tactical approaches and clearings, apprehensions and arrest techniques, tactical outs, and long line deployment. Attendees must be in good physical condition.
Prerequisite: It is recommended that warrant team participants have previously completed a "High Risk Warrant Service" class or equivalent. If not, one additional day will be added to this class to familiarize participants with tactics, planning, and teamwork associated with warrant services. K9 teams should have at least six months minimum of street work as a team and must exhibit control and a good ability to work well in clearings and close quarters situations with and in close proximity of other team members.
This class does not teach, advocate or recommend using a K9 team to participate first-hand with a dynamic-speed warrant service except on a perimeter or containment position.
Course restricted to law enforcement personnel on a first-come basis. This class can be presented to a single agency team or as an open enrollment class limited to three (3) agency teams. An agency team consists minimally of six (6) participants or eight (8) maximum with one or two K9 teams. It is recommended that two K9 teams participate to address future operational needs should one team be unavailable. It is further recommended that a supervisor attend this training as a member of the warrant service team. Each agency team will be required to provide a minimum of one decoy or participants will be required to share time as a suspect-decoy.
For more information, contact Bill Lewis II at
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Pictured above: Tactical operators and K9 handler coordinate lifting the police dog to the roof to begin a search deployment using a long line during a "Tactical K9 Deployments with SWAT" training scenario.
"Tactical K9 Deployments for SWAT" (SKIDDS/CATS)
SKIDDS and CATS are training courses for K9 handlers, patrol personnel and tactical teams who want to incorporate and plan more proficient and safer tactical movements into their K9-related deployments. SKIDDS is "SWAT & K9 Integrating During Deployment School" and CATS is "CAnine Tactical School." These classes will teach tactical (SWAT) operators, patrol officers and K9 teams how to work together and be more efficient during operations and field deployments. Minimal time in the classroom will be followed by practical application work in the field to place K9 teams into tactical deployment scenarios with support personnel.
The class will include covert movement, working with the police service dog in a tactical environment, planning the deployment, teamwork and responsibilities, tactical approaches and clearings, apprehensions and arrest techniques, and long line deployment.
Contact Brad Smith at Canine Tactical Operations for course dates, hosting opportunties and to learn more about SKIDDS/CATS at www.skidds.com or
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SWAT/K9 Training Videos Now Appearing on PoliceOne.com
You can view two short video clips produced by PoliceOne.com with TacticalDebriefs.com facilitator and SKIDDS/CATS instructor Bill Lewis II discussing 1) how to integrate your K9 team with your SWAT team and what to consider when determining the placement of your K9 in your formation, and 2) how to work with your dog using a long line and voice inflections. You can access the videos by clicking on the links below;
http://www.policeone.com/policeonetv/videos/4563139-k9tacops-integrating-teams/
http://www.policeone.com/policeonetv/videos/4882284-k9-tactical-operations-working-with-dogs/
"Canine Liability 360"
Being consistent, making good decisions and keeping proper documentation will limit your liability and justify the retention of your K9 Unit. Canine Liability 360 is the most comprehensive one-day liability seminar you can attend.
This class is the most comprehensive one-day liability seminar now being offered. It serves as an essential phase for the K9 handler and K9 supervisor to assist in preparing for their potential “legal defense” and prevailing in the event of a lawsuit by examining TAC Team's “360 Degrees of Responsibility” involving a police service dog assigned to patrol and/or a tactical team. Information shared will also assist to justify the retention of your K9 program during budget "cutback" considerations in these tough economic times. Handlers, K9 supervisors, managers, patrol supervisors and SWAT supervisors (who deploy with K9 teams) from the same agency are encouraged to attend together so that everyone involved with the police dog program can learn information and hear recommendations simultaneously so everyone leaves with a better understanding of each other's duties and responsibilities. The class will include information and discussions about case law, department policy, operational manual, use of force, selection/retention, training, documentation, statistics, deployments, debriefs, evidence collection/retention, report writing, and discipline. The instructor is Sergeant Bill Lewis II (Retired) who previously served as a K9 handler for four years and later supervised his department's K9 unit for over eight years. He also served over 25 years on SWAT with 18 years as a Team Leader.
Contact Bill Lewis II at
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to request more information or go to http://tacticalk9usa.com/canine-liability-360
Previous classes held in Oxnard (CA), Cape Coral (FL), West Covina (CA), South Euclid (OH), Buena Park (CA), Chicago (IL), Corona (CA), Norwalk (CT), Payson (AZ), Modesto (CA), Henderson (NV), Flagstaff (AZ), Paso Robles (CA), Whittier (CA), Breckenridge (CO), Carlsbad (CA), Bend (OR), Santa Rosa (CA), Vancouver (WA), Fontana (CA), Muskogee (OK) and Antioch (CA).
Your agency, organization, association or K9 Unit can earn a limited number of free tuitions when serving as host for this class based on the registrations. Contact Bill Lewis II at
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for more information and options.
NEW COURSE - "Canine Liability for SWAT"
This course is new and will first be held on June 19 & 20 in Corona, California. The course will be presented in two parts to include "Canine Liability 360" by Bill Lewis II from TAC Team and the presentations "Canine Legal Issues" by Attorney Gene Ramirez and "K9 Integration/Case Studies" by Brad Smith from Canine Tactical Operations (SKIDDS/CATS). This course is recommend for team leaders, supervisors and K9 handlers who are considering K9 integration or currently working with a police dog during real world deployments.
(2010 CAPE Training Seminar logo)
Special Presentation: "Prosecuting Criminals and Defending Officers"
Sergeant Bill Lewis II (Retired) from TAC Team made a presentation in 2010 at the California Association for Property and Evidence (CAPE) annual training conference in Rancho Mirage, California. His presentation addressed the evidence collection and retention issues related to both criminal prosecutions for and civil cases against law enforcement agencies as they pertain to use of force incidents, OIS, K9 deployments, and SWAT operations. If you are interested in a similar 90-minute presentation, contact us at
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.
"Tactical Debriefings"
This 2-hour presentation (also presented as "The Manzanita Drive Incident") takes you full circle with the debriefing (after action review) process in four parts, starting with an overview and the fundamentals involved when participating in and documenting tactical and incident debriefs. Next, it progresses into an actual debrief that reviews "The Manzanita Drive Incident" where a SWAT officer is tragically killed by another SWAT officer during a high risk warrant service. The presentation continues with the lessons learned from the debriefed incident that served as a catalyst for a comprehensive training plan. This incident and the resulting training plan were considered instrumental in assisting to establish the subsequent California POST SWAT Operational Guidelines and Standardized Training Recommendations. The presentation concludes with the benefits of an annual proficiency test to determine the success of the comprehensive training program and evaluate the retention of policies and guidelines by team operators as well as their individual and team-related skills. "Tactical Debriefings" has been presented at Basic SWAT School for new tactical operators, tactical team training, Advanced SWAT Commanders Course, and meetings for SWAT commanders and team leaders. This presentation is conducted by Sergeant Bill Lewis II (Retired) and can be optionally incorporated into the "Tactical K9 Deployments for SWAT" class.
Previous presentations for the Riverside County Law Enforcement Administrators Association’s (RCLEAA) annual POST Chief Executive Regional Workshop in Riverside, CA (2011) and “Advanced SWAT Commander’s Course” in Rialto, CA (2005).
TAC Team Provides On-Site Training
We can provide on-site training with staff and instructors available to travel to an agency or organization to conduct most of its courses. On-site training hosted by an agency or organization typically saves significant money from the training budget by eliminating many of those costs normally associated with travel, lodging and per diem. And, some courses are offered as a "fundraising" opportunity to enable a host agency or organization to make a little extra money for equipment purchase or training fees. Contact us for more information.
TAC Team Provides Customized Courses
We realize every agency does not train the same nor deploy the same as other agencies. The courses offered by TAC Team can be customized and modified to the specifications of an agency with respect to its training standards, policies and deployment procedures. Contact us for more information.
Other Services
Consulting
TAC Team provides consulting services for law enforcement, government entities, private businesses and individuals. We can provide the consultant with the appropriate experience related to law enforcement, tactical teams and operations, field operations, patrol and tactical supervision, and use of force, with a specific emphasis on K9 operations, training, supervision, liability, deployment, policies/procedures, and handler compensation. Additionally, we have extensive experience in labor negotiations, management relations, and employee representation. If we cannot provide the appropriate consultant, we can assist clients in locating one.
Expert Witnesses - Are you in trouble? Need help?
TAC Team can provide expert witnesses and case preparation consultants in civil and criminal cases representing Plaintiffs and Defendants. Areas of expertise include K9 operations and supervision, tactical team operations and supervision, patrol operations, and general law enforcement-related matters involving supervision, employee/management relations, and use of force.
Sergeant Bill Lewis II (Retired) has been a Round Table Groupâ Expert Witness Since 2008
Assessments for SWAT and K9 Units
TAC Team will conduct thorough and comprehensive operational assessments, evaluations and audits for tactical teams and K9 units that will include, but not limited to, a review of policies, procedures, operations, supervision, training, litigation, use of force, documentation, discipline, and standards/certifications. An audit will include interviews and training session observations. The structure and content of the audit as a final audit report or assessment can be determined.
Case Studies and Tactical Reviews
TAC Team will conduct case studies or tactical reviews of critical and significant incidents for patrol-related incidents, tactical team operations, K9 deployments, and specialty unit operations.
Report Reviews and Critiques
TAC Team will review use of force, after action reports and K9 use reports and provide general comments about the incident as well as critiques directed at improving the report writing content and style and address any related training issues if needed. This service is provided with multiple options, including an informal initial consultation provided free of charge based on a single submission from a handler or supervisor from a single agency, based on time available and quantity, or a more formal process where reports are submitted by supervisors as a matter of routine. Confidentiality agreements or notices may be required to accompany reports submitted to address any applicable laws pertaining to distribution of reports as well as potential discovery issues. Contact us for more information.
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