TOPICS:  This course   is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the various aspects and management issues relating to when an officer commits misconduct, internal affairs investigations, the Police Officer/Correctional Officer Bill of Rights and the discipline process. An effective internal affairs/professional standards investigative process requires a credible investigation conducted without bias and in accordance with professional practices, agency policy, and current laws. Using a combination of lecture and case studies, this course delivers useful information for evaluating agency policies and procedures, as well as for defining the role of the agency chief executive, the internal affairs investigator, police unions, current statutory updates and the reporting requirements of the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJS&T) in the discipline process.

 

Concepts such as causes of officer misconduct, administration of positive (corrective rather than punitive) discipline, the impact of labor laws and the role of police unions, the impact of recent court decisions and Attorney General opinions on the discipline process, management of internal affairs investigations, reporting requirements of the CJS&T Commission, and the entire process from when an agency receives a complaint of misconduct through the CJS&T Commission process, and statutory updates and rules. This course is not presented from a union or management point of view but that of what is acceptable under FS. 112, F.A.C. 11B-27 and current case law.

INSTRUCTOR:    George F. Hachigian was with the Broward County Florida Sheriff's Office for over 11 years and is now the General Counsel's Chief of Staff for the Florida State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council. His duties include representing law enforcement officers in all non-criminal related matters such as, chief negotiator for contract negotiations, internal affairs representation, grievance hearings, disciplinary hearings, arbitration hearings, reviewing all shooting related incidents and critical incident responses. Mr. Hachigian has handled over 300 officer involved shootings in his career and has represented law enforcement officers for over 25 years and has handled well over a 1,000 administrative cases. He has extensive expertise and knowledge with regards to the Law Enforcement  / Correctional Officer Bill of Rights and the CJS&T Commission Officer Decertification process.

 

TARGET AUDIENCE: All members of the criminal justice community (sworn or non-sworn).  Training is especially valuable for agency heads, administrators, investigators, supervisors and internal affairs personnel.