TSO Classes—They Set The Bar High

LMCIT's Public Safety Coordinator Rob Boe
wraps up the TSO training in Medina after.

The Medina Police Department recently hosted two League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT) Training Safety Officer (TSO) courses for the public safety responders in their region. This program has been successful in reducing training injuries in both fire and police departments without watering down good aggressive training, and it received the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) national award in 2015.

Firefighters and police officers from eight departments participated in each of the three-hour courses. I use the word “participated” since the training included the responders working in teams of two to apply the steps of the TSO program to one of their own training sessions.

As I walked around the room, I was impressed with the level of discussion between team members as they worked to develop a safety briefing that one of them would be presenting to the class. It is a bit of the “hear it, see it, do it” idea as they also view photos of training sessions throughout the class. Our experience has found that this adult learning exercise really helps drive the program home.

The League's safety vest.

Well, in Medina they set the bar high. We know it can be a bit intimidating to stand in front of a room of peers and present your ideas off the course worksheet, but the first person that presented their briefing nailed it. Each presenter built on the previous briefing, and they were all impressive. The police officers taking the course earn three continuing education POST credits, and those who presented their briefing received a LMCIT safety vest. If you would like to know more about this program, contact me at rboe@lmc.org.

I thank Medina Police Chief Ed Belland for hosting these courses, providing their training room, and providing some snacks!

Up next: Minnesota's Law Enforcement Memorial

Stay safe,
Rob