Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/116876
Sarasota News Leader March 22, 2013 them] to see if they would be available to Many of those interviewed stated teach at the department or at SCTI at no that there may be some strong anticharge to the depart- Sarasota Police Department feelings within city government. ment.��� Lewis was told the lack of training is troubling to many officers. ���Firearms training, defensive tactics training, driver training and interpersonal actions between police and citizens are constant concerns by a majority of personnel,��� he wrote. ���Very little training has occurred for the last two or three years. Recently the training that is conducted is only the training that is mandated.��� The Lewis Report Page 11 the employees. Therefore there was very little discussion, except that many of the officers felt that the previous promotional process was extremely flawed,��� the report says. The old system ranked the candidates for promotion. When an opening became available, the top-ranked candidate was promoted. ���Most of those interviewed stated that the chief of police should pick the best person for the position, whether that���s through a promotional exam and a list from which the chief could choose, or if the position is exempt, the Chief DiPino says she has already started chief could look at all personnel in the departto make changes. ���I agree with Chief Lewis��� ment and consider the best candidate for that observation about training,��� she wrote in an position,��� Lewis wrote. email to the News Leader while away on a training trip herself. ���A well trained officer Some experiences obviously still rankled peoand police force reduces liability, increases ple with whom Lewis spoke. ���[T]here were morale and officer safety, and benefits the officers who asked to be off the night shift community. I have already increased training prior to the test that was to be given the foland approved upcoming in-service training for lowing morning. For whatever reason, they were denied the time off and were required to our officers,��� she added. work their 12-hour night shift and then take the promotional test that morning when they PROBLEMS WITH PROMOTION got off work,��� the report says. Lewis takes more than two pages to relate what he heard about problems with the SPD Now the department is using a different syspromotion system and its impact on policing tem; the old promotion lists expired Jan. 12. the city. He found the old system widely reDiPino says she will keep her eye on the new viled and its replacement so new virtually nopromotion process. ���I will be observing and body had any experience with it. monitoring the upcoming promotional pro���The old promotion process had been re- cess in order to determine whether this provamped and a new one had been adopted, but cess sufficiently evaluates promotion potenthe new one had not yet been used by any of tial,��� she wrote.