Final Survey Correspondence

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COPS Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey

Final Survey Correspondence

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Survey Deployment Correspondence

for the

Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs

Assessment Project

(National Training Needs Assessment and

Training Validation Project)

October 20, 2010

Prepared by CRA, Inc.

for the

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

U.S. Department of Justice

and the

Rural Policing Institute

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Survey Deployment Correspondence

In fall 2010, CRA, Inc. will conduct the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Project Survey (National Training Needs Assessment and Training Validation Project). The survey will assess the training needs of law enforcement personnel in rural jurisdictions and Indian Country (related to their law enforcement and emergency response functions). CRA manages the project for the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

On August 18, 2010, CRA submitted to the COPS Office and the RPI/FLETC the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey Deployment Plan. The plan included the strategies for disseminating the survey: (1) directly to Chief Executive Officers (CEOs): CEO Survey, (2) via the CEOs to their field-level staff: Field Officer Survey, (3) directly to the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and State and Local Training Academy Directors: POST and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey, and (4) via the POST organizations and training academies to field-level staff attending their in-service training during a specific 2‑week period: Field Officer Survey.

The COPS Office and RPI/FLETC staff approved the Survey Deployment Plan, requesting minor changes to the survey instruments at the end of August 2010, and we developed a series of correspondence (and associated materials, as appropriate) in support of the survey (promotion, distribution, and administration).

Survey Correspondence

We developed the following correspondence and materials, draft versions of which appear in the Appendices, as noted below:

Survey Announcement E-mail to Key Stakeholder Organizations: We will distribute this e-mail to key national law enforcement organization stakeholders, sending an “Adaptable E-mail Blast” about the survey for distribution to their constituents/members. We will disseminate this e-mail to the stakeholder organizations 1 week before distributing the “Introductory” correspondence (see below). See Appendices A and B.

Introductory e-mails about the survey: We will distribute these e-mails to the sample selected for the CEO Survey (two e-mails: one for non-State and non-State special jurisdiction agencies, and one for State and State special jurisdiction agencies) and the POST and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey, approximately 1 week before survey deployment. See Appendices C to E.

Survey transmittal e-mails: We will distribute this e-mail to the sample selected for the CEO Survey and the POST and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey on the designated survey distribution date. In the CEO Survey transmittal e-mail, we provide them with language they can use to forward the Field Officer survey to their staff (this will prevent them forwarding their e-mail, and their staff from inadvertently accessing the CEO survey via the embedded link). See Appendices F to H.

E-mail to POST/Academy Directors Regarding Administration of the Field Officer Survey: We will distribute the e-mail and survey materials (Field Officer Survey and Survey Administration Guidance) to those selected to administer the Field Officer Survey to rural law enforcement professionals participating in their in-service training during a designated 2-week period. The CRA Project Director will call the directors of the POST/Academies that are not selected to administer the survey; she will thank them for their interest, explain how the sample was selected, and encourage them to complete the POST/Training Academy Director Survey. See Appendices I to J.

Thank-you messages: The Web system (online surveys) or the project team (paper copy surveys) will distribute the thank-you messages upon receipt of a completed survey from the CEOs and the POST and State and Local Training Academy Directors (pop-up message for those who complete the survey online, and e-mails/mail for those who complete the survey on paper copy. Field-level personnel who complete the survey online will receive a pop-up screen “thank you,” and the field officers who complete the survey on paper copy will receive our appreciation via the thank-you message to their CEOs. See Appendices K to N.

Follow-up/reminder correspondence: We will distribute the first reminder e‑mail/mailing to the CEOs and POST and State and Local Training Academy Directors within 1 week of the initial survey due date. We will disseminate a second reminder e‑mail/mailing to them 2 weeks after the initial survey due date. See Appendices O to R.

An Updated Project Fact Sheet: We updated the answers to the frequently asked questions about the survey to reflect the current status of the survey design/deployment processes. See Appendix S.

Please note that we will make adjustments to the proposed survey correspondence and associated materials during survey implementation, as needed. For example, we are working to add a printable PDF version of the surveys to the site; once we do so, we will revise the correspondence to reflect that invited survey respondents may print a paper copy survey off the Web platform.

Appendix A

Survey Announcement E-mail

Sending the “Adaptable E-mail Blast Text” to

Select National Law Enforcement Stakeholder Organizations

Dear [CRA will enter the name of the agency’s contact person]:

Thank you for contributing your ideas to the development of the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey being conducted by CRA, Inc. for the Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). We have finalized the survey instruments, selected the survey sample, and plan to disseminate introductory information about the survey to the invited respondents on [CRA will enter the date].

We appreciate your organization’s willingness to distribute correspondence to your members/constituents encouraging them to participate in the survey, as invited. To that end, we have attached draft text that you may adapt, as appropriate, for use by your organization.

We would appreciate your distributing the survey announcement this week, and copying the CRA Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Project at [email protected].

Thanks again for your input on and support for this important study. Please feel free to call me at 703-535-5205 if you have questions or need additional information.

Paula Seidman

Director of Federal Training

CRA, Inc.

Appendix B

Draft “Adaptable E-mail Blast Text”

for Distribution by Select

National Law Enforcement Stakeholder Organizations

Dear [enter type of member]:

The [enter name of organization] is pleased to announce its support for the national training needs assessment of law enforcement personnel serving rural communities that is being conducted by the Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). CRA, Inc., a Washington, DC, metropolitan area-based management consulting firm led by a retired law enforcement professional, is managing the survey for the RPI/FLETC and the COPS Office.

This national-scope study will survey law enforcement personnel in rural jurisdictions and Indian Country regarding their specific training needs. The study’s success, of course, will be dependent on [enter as appropriate to your membership type: e.g., State, local, Tribal, or campus] law enforcement personnel completing and returning the survey. We therefore encourage our members to participate in the study, as invited.

By responding to the survey, you will support the Federal Government in determining the type of training needed by rural law enforcement professionals. The RPI will then be able to allocate resources for training that will best meet the needs of those professionals across the Nation. For more information on current RPI training, please visit the agency’s web site.

The study team plans to distribute the survey to invited participants during the week of [CRA will enter the date], so watch your e-mail and mailboxes. You may complete the survey online (Web-based) or request a paper copy—whichever you prefer.

The [enter the name of your organization] looks forward to supporting the RPI/FLETC and the COPS Office as they move forward with this important study. The agencies anticipate posting the survey results in the summer of 2011, and we will keep you posted about when those findings become available.

[enter standard signature box]

Appendix C

CEO Survey [Non-State or Non-State Special Jurisdiction Agency]

Introductory E-mail Correspondence

[CRA will enter the name]:

The Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), are pleased to announce that we are conducting a national training needs assessment of law enforcement personnel serving rural communities and Indian Country. CRA, Inc., a Washington, DC, metropolitan area-based management consulting firm led by a retired law enforcement professional, is managing the survey for the RPI/FLETC and the COPS Office.

Your agency has been selected to participate in the survey, which will support the RPI in addressing the training needs of law enforcement personnel in rural jurisdictions. The RPI was established by Congress to design and deliver training that complements courses currently offered to the rural law enforcement community. If you are not familiar with the training available through the RPI, you may read more on the agency’s web site.

We will ask you to complete a survey for Chief Executive Officers and to encourage all of your sworn agency staff who perform law enforcement field officer functions to complete a Field Officer Survey. We anticipate distributing the links to the Web-based versions of both surveys to you the week of [CRA will enter the date].

If you prefer to receive paper copies of either survey, you may call the CRA Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Project at [CRA will enter the 800 number] between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST.

In the interim, you and your staff may link to the survey site now to read more about the study. On the site, we provide a general description of the study and answers to a series of frequently asked questions. The site also lists the national law enforcement stakeholder organizations with which the RPI and the COPS Office consulted in planning for and designing the survey.

The survey is voluntary and confidential, and we will share the results in aggregate form only. Watch for a summary of the survey findings on our Web sites in the summer of 2011.

We look forward to your participation in this important study.

Charles L. Daenzer, Chief

Rural Policing Institute

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

1131 Chapel Crossing Road

Glynco, GA 31524

Dr. Sandra Webb, Deputy Director

Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services

U.S. Department of Justice

1100 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530

Appendix D

CEO Survey [State or State Special Jurisdiction Agency]

Introductory E-mail Correspondence

[CRA will enter the name]:

We will ask you to complete a survey for Chief Executive Officers and to encourage all of your sworn agency staff who perform law enforcement field officer functions in rural areas to complete a Field Officer Survey. We anticipate distributing the links to the Web-based versions of both surveys to you the week of [CRA will enter the date].

The survey is voluntary and confidential, and we will share the results in aggregate form only. Watch for a summary of the survey findings on our Web sites in the summer of 2011.

We look forward to your participation in this important study.

Charles L. Daenzer, Chief

Rural Policing Institute

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

1131 Chapel Crossing Road

Glynco, GA 31524

Dr. Sandra Webb, Deputy Director

Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services

U.S. Department of Justice

1100 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530

Appendix E

POST and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey

Introductory E-mail Correspondence

[CRA will enter the name]:

As you may know, the Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), are conducting a national training needs assessment of law enforcement personnel serving rural communities and Indian Country. CRA, Inc., a Washington, DC, metropolitan area-based management consulting firm led by a retired law enforcement professional, is managing the survey for the RPI/FLETC and the COPS Office.

You have been selected to participate in the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey, which will support the RPI in addressing the training needs of law enforcement personnel in rural jurisdictions. The RPI was established by Congress to design and deliver training that complements courses currently offered to the rural law enforcement community. If you are not familiar with the training available through the RPI, you may read more on the agency’s web site.

We anticipate distributing the link to the Web-based version of the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey to you the week of [CRA will enter the date]. If you prefer to receive a paper copy survey, please simply reply to this e-mail and note your preferences by checking the boxes that appear below our signature line (be sure to check all that apply and to provide any requested information).

In addition, your training organization may also be invited to administer the Field Officer Survey to sworn law enforcement personnel (who serve rural jurisdictions or Indian Country) during their participation in your in-service training program during the weeks of [CRA will enter the date]. Through this process, we hope to reach an additional number of law enforcement field officers regarding their training needs.

The Field Officer Survey is brief and will take participants about 10 minutes to complete. Your role will be to identify the in-service training sessions, give the instructors of those classes the survey instruments and Survey Administration Guidance that we send to you, and collect and return the surveys to us in the self-addressed, stamped envelope that we will provide to you.

If your organization is offering in-service training during the designated weeks and you are interested in participating in this component of the survey, please reply to this e-mail and provide the following information in the space provided below our signature line: (1) your name, (2) your training organization name and telephone number, and (3) the number of in‑service training classes scheduled for the weeks noted above.

We will pull a random sample of the training provider organizations that indicate a willingness to participate in this component of the survey. If your organization is selected, we will send you additional information.

In the interim, you may link to the survey site now to read more about the study. On the site, we provide a general description of the study and answers to a series of frequently asked questions. The site also lists the national law enforcement stakeholder organizations with which the RPI and the COPS Office consulted in planning for and designing the survey. Please also feel free to call Paula Seidman, CRA Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Project, at [CRA will enter the 800 number] between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST, for more information about the survey.

All of the surveys are voluntary and confidential, and we will share the results in aggregate form only. Watch for a summary of the survey findings on our Web sites in the summer of 2011.

We look forward to your participation in this important study.

Charles L. Daenzer, Chief

Rural Policing Institute

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

1131 Chapel Crossing Road

Glynco, GA 31524

Dr. Sandra Webb, Deputy Director

Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services

U.S. Department of Justice

1100 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530

Yes, my training organization wants to support the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey:

I would prefer to complete the POST and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey on paper copy. Please forward a copy of the survey to me at [please enter your preferred mailing address]:

My organization agrees to administer the Field Officer Survey to eligible participants at our trainings held during the designated training weeks:

Name: ____________________

Organization Name: _________________________

Telephone Number: ___________________________

Number of In-service Trainings: _________________

(Classes scheduled for the designated weeks)

Appendix F

CEO Survey [Non-State or Non-State Special Jurisdiction Agency]

Transmittal E-mail Correspondence

[CRA will enter the name]:

We are pleased to invite your agency to participate in a national survey about the training needs of law enforcement personnel serving rural areas and Indian Country. You and your sworn law enforcement personnel who perform command and field officer functions have been selected to share your perspectives about your current training needs.

The survey is being conducted by the Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in conjunction with the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

CRA, Inc., a Washington, DC, metropolitan area-based management consulting firm led by a retired law enforcement professional, is managing the survey for the RPI/FLETC and the COPS Office.

We know that law enforcement personnel in rural jurisdictions often face unique challenges and therefore may have special training needs. By participating in the survey, you and your staff will help the RPI to more effectively allocate resources to meet your agency’s current training needs, and those of your fellow law enforcement professionals across the country.

We would appreciate it if you would complete the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Survey, which should take you about 15–20 minutes to complete. Simply click on the CEO Survey link to get started.

Please also ask your sworn field officer personnel to complete the Field Officer Survey, which should take about 10 minutes to complete. We have attached text for an e-mail that you may use to distribute the survey to your staff. They may then click on the Field Officer Survey link in that e-mail to get started. (Please do not forward this e-mail because it contains the unique link for your access to the CEO Survey.)

Once on the survey site, you and your staff will be able to access more information about the study and easy directions for completing the survey. If either you or your field officers would prefer to complete a paper copy of the survey or need assistance accessing the Web-based survey, you may call the CRA Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Project at [CRA will enter the 800 number] between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST.

We would appreciate it if you and your staff would complete (and return if completed on paper copy) the surveys by [CRA will enter date 1 week from date of distribution]. The survey is voluntary and confidential, and we will share the results in aggregate form only. Watch for a summary of the survey findings on our Web sites in the summer of 2011.

Thank you in advance for your agency’s participation in this important study.

Charles L. Daenzer, Chief

Rural Policing Institute

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

1131 Chapel Crossing Road

Glynco, GA 31524

Dr. Sandra Webb, Deputy Director

Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services

U.S. Department of Justice

1100 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530

Draft text for distributing the Field Officer Survey link to your staff:

[enter standard staff salutation]:

Our agency has been invited to participate in a national survey about the training needs of law enforcement personnel serving rural areas and Indian Country. The survey is being conducted by the Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in conjunction with the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

We are being asked to share our current training needs. I will be completing the survey for Chief Executive Officers and you will be able to participate in the survey of Field Officers. While the surveys are voluntary (and confidential), I encourage you to participate. By completing the surveys, we will help the RPI to consider our current training needs when allocating its training resources. The COPS Office and the RPI will share the study results on their Web sites in the summer of 2011.

You may simply click on this Field Officer Survey link to get started. The site provides more information and instructions and it should only take you about 10 minutes to complete. We have been asked to complete the surveys by [CRA will enter date 1 week from date of distribution].

Thank you in advance for supporting this important study.

[enter CEO name]

Appendix G

CEO Survey [State or Special Jurisdiction Agency]

Transmittal E-mail Correspondence

[CRA will enter the name]:

CRA, Inc., a Washington, DC, metropolitan area-based management consulting firm led by a retired law enforcement professional, is managing the survey for the RPI/FLETC and the COPS Office.

We would appreciate it if you would complete the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Survey, which should take you about 15–20 minutes to complete. Simply click on the CEO Survey link to get started.

Please also ask your sworn field officer personnel who perform law enforcement field officer functions in rural areas to complete the Field Officer Survey. It should take about 10 minutes to complete. We have attached text for an e-mail that you may use to distribute the survey to your staff. They may then click on the Field Officer Survey link in that e-mail to get started. (Please do not forward this e-mail because it contains the unique link for your access to the CEO Survey.)

Thank you in advance for your agency’s participation in this important study.

Charles L. Daenzer, Chief

Rural Policing Institute

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

1131 Chapel Crossing Road

Glynco, GA 31524

Dr. Sandra Webb, Deputy Director

Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services

U.S. Department of Justice

1100 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530

Draft text for distributing the Field Officer Survey link to your staff:

[enter standard staff salutation]:

We are being asked to share our current training needs. I will be completing the survey for Chief Executive Officers and you will be able to participate in the survey of Field Officers if you serve a rural area. While the surveys are voluntary (and confidential), I encourage you to participate. By completing the surveys, we will help the RPI to consider our current training needs when allocating its training resources. The COPS Office and the RPI will share the study results on their Web sites in the summer of 2011.

You may simply click on this Field Officer Survey link to get started. The site provides more information and instructions, and it should only take you about 10 minutes to complete the survey. We have been asked to complete the surveys by [CRA will enter date 1 week from date of distribution].

Thank you in advance for supporting this important study.

[enter CEO name]

Appendix H

POST and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey

Transmittal E-mail Correspondence

[CRA will enter the name]:

We are pleased to invite you to participate in a national survey about the training needs of law enforcement personnel serving rural areas and Indian Country. You have been selected to share information on the training provided by your organization and your organization’s perspective on the training needs of the command and field officer personnel in the jurisdiction that you serve.

CRA, Inc., a Washington, DC, metropolitan area-based management consulting firm led by a retired law enforcement professional, is managing the survey for the RPI/FLETC and the COPS Office.

We know that law enforcement personnel in rural jurisdictions often face unique challenges and therefore may have special training needs. By participating in the survey, you will help the RPI to more effectively allocate resources to meet the current training needs of law enforcement professionals across the country—without duplicating the training offered by major law enforcement training organizations such as yours.

The Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey should take you about 20–30 minutes to complete. Simply click on the POST and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey link to get started. Once on the site, you will be able to access more information about the study and easy directions for completing the survey. If you prefer to complete the survey on paper copy or need assistance accessing the Web‑based survey, you may call the CRA Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Project at [CRA will enter the 800 number] between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST.

We would appreciate it if you would complete the survey by [CRA will enter date 1 week from date of distribution]. The survey is voluntary and confidential, and we will share the results in aggregate form only. Watch for a summary of the survey findings on our Web sites in the summer of 2011.

Thank you in advance for participating in this important study.

Charles L. Daenzer, Chief

Rural Policing Institute

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

1131 Chapel Crossing Road

Glynco, GA 31524

Dr. Sandra Webb, Deputy Director

Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services

U.S. Department of Justice

1100 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530

Appendix I

Transmittal Correspondence to the

POST and State and Local Training Academy Directors

Selected to Administer the Field Officer Survey

During In-service Training at Their Academy

During a Designated 2-Week Period

[CRA will enter the name]:

Thank you for agreeing to administer the Field Officer Survey component of the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment to rural and Indian Country law enforcement personnel during their participation in your organization’s in-service training during the weeks of [CRA will enter the date/weeks]. CRA, Inc. is conducting the survey on behalf of the Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

We have enclosed the following materials to support your training instructors in administering the survey:

Survey Administration Guidance

[CRA will enter the number of copies on the basis of the information they submitted] paper copies of the Field Officer Survey.

A manila envelope for each training class in which your instructors will administer the Field Officer Survey.

A pre-paid Federal Express box with a pre-addressed label that you may use to return the completed surveys.

Please return the completed surveys to me no later than [CRA will enter the date].

Thank you in advance for your willingness to support this important study. Feel free to call me at [CRA will enter the 800 number] if you have questions.

Paula Seidman

Director of Federal Training

CRA, Inc.

Appendix J

Survey Administration Guidance

For POST/Academy Instructors

Administering the Rural Law Enforcement

Training Needs Assessment Field Officer Survey

During In-service Training the Weeks of

[CRA will enter the weeks/date]

[CRA will enter the name]:

Thank you for agreeing to support the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey by administering the Field Officer Survey to participants in your training courses/classes during the weeks of [CRA will enter the date]. The survey is being conducted by the Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). CRA, Inc., a Washington, DC, metropolitan area-based management consulting firm led by a retired law enforcement professional, is managing the survey for the RPI/FLETC and the COPS Office.

The overall purpose of the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey is to identify the training needs of command and field-level law enforcement personnel serving rural areas and Indian Country. You will be administering the Field Officer component of the survey, which is also being administered by law enforcement agencies and other select Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) organizations and training academies across the country. (Other components of the survey are being completed by law enforcement Chief Executive Officers and POST/Training Academy Directors.)

Administering the Field Officer Survey

Below we provide guidance for administering the Field Officer Survey that is presented in a “frequently asked questions (FAQs)” format. The answers to the FAQs should provide you with all the information you need to administer the survey on behalf of the RPI and the COPS Office. If you need further assistance, please call Paula Seidman, CRA Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Project, at [CRA will enter the 800 number] between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST.

How long will it take participants to complete the Field Officer Survey?

The Field Officer Survey should take no longer than 10 minutes for field-level personnel to complete.

In what format will I administer the survey?

We have provided your POST organization or training academy with a sufficient number of paper copies of the survey instrument for each training class in which you will administer the survey. You should provide a paper copy to each training participant who is eligible to participate in the survey.

Who is eligible to complete the survey?

The Field Officer Survey is designed to gather the input of experienced, sworn field-level law enforcement personnel working for agencies that serve rural areas and Indian Country. You will administer the survey to personnel at your training classes who meet the following criteria:

Field Officers attending in-service training only (not recruits attending basic training)

Officers/deputies/troopers/investigators who work in the field (not personnel assigned strictly to administrative or support duties)

Sworn officers (not civilian staff)

Field-level personnel (not mid- or higher-level managers)

Field officers who work for agencies serving rural areas (i.e., non-urban areas)

How is the study team defining a rural area?

For the purposes of the survey, we are using the following RPI definition of rural:

Rural is defined as any area outside of a metropolitan area or any jurisdiction inside of a metropolitan area located in a county, borough, parish, or land under the jurisdiction of an Indian Tribe with a population of no more than 50,000.

How will I ensure that only the appropriate personnel complete the survey?

Simply review the above criteria with the participants in your training class and ask them to determine whether they are eligible to participate in the survey.

What instructions should I provide to potential survey participants?

Please use the following steps when administering the survey.

At the beginning of the training class:

Tell training participants about the survey at the beginning of each selected training class, including that:

The Rural Policing Institute (RPI) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) is conducting the survey to identify the training needs of law enforcement personnel who serve rural areas and Indian Country.

One component of the survey targets field-level personnel and, if they serve a rural community or Indian Country, they will be invited at the end of the course/class to participate in the Field Officer Survey.

The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete.

The survey is voluntary—no one has to complete the survey and there is no penalty for declining to participate.

The survey is confidential—they will not be asked to provide their names or the name of their agency.

Share the value of participating in the survey, including that the RPI will be using the results to determine how to most effectively allocate future training resources. In other words, their input will help to guide the type of training that the RPI will make available to law enforcement professionals serving rural areas and Indian Country.

Explain that the survey is intended for sworn field-level law enforcement personnel who work for agencies that serve rural (i.e., non-urban) jurisdictions—and that this includes most of the law enforcement agencies in the country.

Encourage training participants to complete the survey unless they are sure that their agency is not rural by the RPI’s definition (i.e., a rural agency is located outside a metropolitan statistical area or within a metropolitan area with a population of 50,000 or less).

Ten minutes before the end of the training class:

Remind training participants that you are going to administer the survey that you told them about at the beginning of class.

Encourage people to participate, as appropriate—reminding them of the target survey audience: sworn field-level law enforcement personnel who work for agencies that serve rural areas and Indian Country, and explaining the value of providing input into how RPI training resources for rural law enforcement personnel will be allocated.

Distribute the paper copy survey to all eligible training class members except those who decline to participate.

Ask those who agree to complete the survey to follow the instructions on the survey and to respond to all of the survey questions.

Collect the completed surveys and immediately place them in the envelope provided (to help ensure that each individual’s responses are kept confidential). Note on the outside of the envelope your name (instructor) and the name and date of the training class during which you administered the survey.

Return the used and unused surveys to the POST/Academy Director (or the POST/academy staff person who requested that you administer the survey).

The POST/academy staff person responsible will then mail all of the completed surveys (in their unique course/class envelopes) to the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Project using the self-addressed, stamped envelope provided to them by CRA.

Thank you!

Appendix K

Thank-You Message for CEOs

Who Complete the CEO Survey Online
(Via Pop-up Message) or on Paper Copy (Via E-mail)

[CRA will enter name when the message is sent via e-mail or paper copy upon receipt of a completed paper copy survey.]

[Please note that the font/size (Arial, which is the preferred Web site font) will be used for the thank-you messages that appear in the pop-up messages. We will convert the messages to the standard Times Roman 12 font for the e-mail or paper correspondence.]

Thank you for completing the Chief Executive Officer component of the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey. We greatly appreciate your contributions to our efforts to identify the training needs of law enforcement personnel serving rural areas and Indian Country. Please also extend our appreciation to your staff who completed the Field Officer component of the survey.

Be sure to watch our Web sites for the survey results, which should be posted in the summer of 2011.

Rural Policing Institute: http://www.fletc.gov/state-and-local/rpi

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/

The RPI will review the study results as it plans how to most effectively allocate future training resources for rural law enforcement personnel.

Thank you again for taking the time to participate in this important study.

Charles L. Daenzer, Chief

Rural Policing Institute

Federal Law Enforcement Training
Center

1131 Chapel Crossing Road

Glynco, GA 31524

Dr. Sandra Webb, Deputy Director

Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services

U.S. Department of Justice

1100 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530

Appendix L

Pop-up Thank-You Message for

Field Officers Completing the Survey

(Online Only)

Thank you for completing the Field Officer component of the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey. We greatly appreciate your contributions to our efforts to identify the training needs of law enforcement personnel serving rural areas and Indian Country.

Please watch our Web sites for the survey results, which should be posted in the summer of 2011.

Rural Policing Institute: http://www.fletc.gov/state-and-local/rpi

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/

The RPI will review the study results as it plans how to most effectively allocate future training resources for rural law enforcement personnel.

Thank you again for taking the time to participate in this important study.

Charles L. Daenzer, Chief

Rural Policing Institute

Federal Law Enforcement Training
Center

1131 Chapel Crossing Road

Glynco, GA 31524

Dr. Sandra Webb, Deputy Director

Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services

U.S. Department of Justice

1100 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530

Appendix M

Thank-You Message for the POST/Training Academy Directors

Who Complete the POST/Academy Survey

Online (Via Pop-up Message) or on Paper Copy (Via E-mail/Paper Copy Correspondence)

(For those who do not administer the

Field Officer Survey During Training)

[CRA will enter name when the message is sent via e-mail or paper copy upon receipt of a completed paper copy survey.]

Thank you for completing the POST and State and Local Training Academy component of the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey. We greatly appreciate your contributions to our efforts to identify the training needs of law enforcement personnel serving rural areas and Indian Country.

Be sure to watch our Web sites for the survey results, which should be posted in the summer of 2011.

Rural Policing Institute: http://www.fletc.gov/state-and-local/rpi

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/

The RPI will review the study results as it plans how to most effectively allocate future training resources for rural law enforcement personnel, while supporting—but not duplicating—the efforts of key training provider organizations such as yours.

Thank you again for taking the time to participate in this important study.

Charles L. Daenzer, Chief

Rural Policing Institute

Federal Law Enforcement Training
Center

1131 Chapel Crossing Road

Glynco, GA 31524

Dr. Sandra Webb, Deputy Director

Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services

U.S. Department of Justice

1100 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530

Appendix N

Thank-You Message for the POST/Training Academy Directors

Who Complete the POST/Academy Survey

Online (Via Pop-up Message) or on Paper Copy (Via E-mail)

and Who Administer the

Field Officer Survey During Training

[CRA will enter name when the message is sent via e-mail or paper copy upon receipt of a completed paper copy survey.]

Thank you for completing the POST and State and Local Training Academy component of the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey. We also greatly appreciate your willingness to administer the Field Officer component of the survey to participants in your training during the specified 2-week period.

Through both actions, you have made significant contributions to our efforts to identify the training needs of law enforcement personnel serving rural areas and Indian Country. Please extend our appreciation to your instructors who engaged field-level rural law enforcement professionals in completing the survey during their training deliveries.

Be sure to watch our Web sites for the survey results, which should be posted in the summer of 2011.

Rural Policing Institute: http://www.fletc.gov/state-and-local/rpi

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/

Thank you again for taking the time to participate in this important study.

Charles L. Daenzer, Chief

Rural Policing Institute

Federal Law Enforcement Training
Center

1131 Chapel Crossing Road

Glynco, GA 31524

Dr. Sandra Webb, Deputy Director

Office of Community Oriented Policing
Services

U.S. Department of Justice

1100 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530

Appendix O

First Reminder Correspondence

Chief Executive Officer Survey

[Includes a Reminder about the Field Officer Survey]

[CRA will enter name when the message is sent in paper-copy correspondence.]

We are writing to follow up on the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Chief Executive Officer Survey that we sent to you on behalf of the Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). CRA, Inc., a consulting firm led by a former law enforcement professional, is managing the survey.

We have not received your survey and hope that you will be able to complete the survey online via the Web link to the survey site that we provided to you: [CRA will enter the appropriate URL for this person]. We would appreciate your doing so by [CRA will enter a new due date]. We also invited you to engage your field-level personnel (who serve rural areas) in completing the Field Officer Survey and hope that they were able to access and complete the survey through the Web link that we provided: [CRA will enter URL for FOs]; please note that all of your Field Officers may enter the Field Officer Survey site via this link.

If you or your field officers would prefer to receive a paper copy of the survey, you may call the CRA Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Project at [CRA will enter the 800 number] between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST.

We know that law enforcement personnel in rural jurisdictions often face unique challenges and therefore may have special training needs. By participating in the survey, you will help the RPI to more effectively allocate resources to meet the current training needs of rural law enforcement professionals across the country.

Thank you in advance for your support of the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey.

Paula Seidman

Director of Federal Training

CRA, Inc.

Appendix P

Second Reminder E-mail

Chief Executive Officer Survey

[Includes a Reminder About the Field Officer Survey]

[CRA will enter name when the message is sent in paper-copy correspondence.]

Just a reminder that you have been invited to complete the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Survey, which is a component of the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey. CRA, Inc. is conducting the survey on behalf of the Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

We hope that you will be able to complete the CEO Survey online via the Web link to the survey site that we provided to you: [CRA will enter the appropriate URL for this person] and would appreciate your doing so by [CRA will enter a new due date]. We would also appreciate it if you would encourage your field-level personnel (who serve rural areas) to complete the Field Officer Survey via the Web link that we provided: [CRA will enter URL for FOs]; please note that all of your Field Officers may enter the Field Officer Survey site via this link.

Thank you in advance for your support of the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey. Please feel free to call me at [CRA will enter the 800 number] between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST if you have questions or need assistance in completing the survey.

Paula Seidman

Director of Federal Training

CRA, Inc.

Appendix Q

First Reminder E-mail

POST and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey

[CRA will enter name when the message is sent in paper-copy correspondence.]

We are writing to follow up on the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey that we sent to you on behalf of the Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). CRA, Inc., a consulting firm led by a former law enforcement professional, is managing the survey.

We have not received your survey and hope that you will be able to complete the survey online via the Web link to the survey site that we provided to you: [CRA will enter the appropriate URL for this person]. We would appreciate your doing so by [CRA will enter a new due date]. [CRA will enter only for those selected to administer the FO Survey—if they did not submit the completed surveys: We also invited you to administer the Field Officer Survey to rural and Indian Country field-level sworn law enforcement personnel participating in your organization’s training during a designated 2-week period. We look forward to receiving those completed surveys from you.

If you would prefer to receive a paper copy of the POST and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey, you may call the CRA Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Project at [CRA will enter the 800 number] between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST.

Thank you in advance for your support of the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey.

Paula Seidman

Director of Federal Training

CRA, Inc.

Appendix R

Second Reminder E-mail

POST and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey

[Note: Please note that we will not send a second reminder to the POST organizations/training academies that agreed to administer the Field Officer Survey during their training. If we do not receive a response from them after the first reminder is distributed, the Project Director will call them.]

[CRA will enter name when the message is sent in paper-copy correspondence.]

Just a reminder that you have been invited to complete the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey, which is a component of the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey. CRA, Inc. is conducting the survey on behalf of the Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

We hope that you will be able to complete the POST and State and Local Training Academy Director Survey online via the Web link to the survey site that we provided to you: [CRA will enter the appropriate URL for this person] and would appreciate your doing so by [CRA will enter a new due date].

Thank you in advance for your support of the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Survey. Please feel free to call me at [CRA will enter the 800 number] if you have questions or need assistance in completing the survey.

Paula Seidman

Director of Federal Training

CRA, Inc.

Appendix S

Fact Sheet on the

Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Project

Fall 2010

What is the Rural Law Enforcement Training Needs Assessment Project?

The project is supporting the Rural Policing Institute (RPI), Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), in assessing the training needs of law enforcement personnel in rural jurisdictions and Indian Country (related to both their law enforcement and emergency response functions).

The project team is conducting a national-scope training needs assessment survey of law enforcement personnel operating in rural areas and Indian Country, collecting information on the training currently available to them, and reporting on the identified training needs and gaps that may be addressed by the RPI.

Why was the RPI established?

The RPI was established to address the training needs of law enforcement personnel serving rural areas and Indian Country without duplicating currently offered training. The RPI concept was introduced to the FLETC’s State and Local Training Advisory Committee (SALTAC) in 2006, and on August 3, 2007, the U.S. Congress enacted legislation that called upon the Secretary of DHS to establish the RPI at the FLETC. Resources for implementing the RPI were provided via passage of the Fiscal Year 2009 DHS Appropriations Act. The RPI conducts the following: training needs assessment, training development, training delivery, and outreach. For more information on the training available through the RPI, please visit the agency’s web site.

What is the purpose of the national training needs assessment survey?

The goal of the national training needs assessment survey is to define further the training needs of law enforcement personnel serving rural and Tribal jurisdictions. The project team is collecting information about rural and Tribal law enforcement training needs (related to their law enforcement and emergency response functions) and the training currently available to those professionals. This information will enable the RPI to identify training needs and gaps and appropriately allocate resources to address them in a manner that complements, rather than duplicates, the training efforts of other Federal agencies and State and local organizations.

Ultimately, the purpose of the project is to ensure that federally sponsored training for law enforcement personnel serving rural and Tribal jurisdictions meets their specific needs.

How will you ensure that the survey is effective in identifying the training needs of law enforcement professionals serving rural and Tribal areas?

The project team reached out to key stakeholders, including law enforcement, Tribal, public policy, and emergency management organizations, by telephone and e-mail to inform them about the study and to invite them to share their perspectives. The team also conducted the following seven focus groups about the survey:

National Stakeholder Focus Group, March 31, 2010

International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) 2010 Regional Meetings, April–May 2010 (5 sessions)

The FLETC-sponsored Tribal Law Enforcement Agency Leadership Summit, May 18, 2010, in Tulsa, Oklahoma

In addition, the project team engaged interested organizations in promoting the survey to ensure achievement of a substantial and high-quality response rate. The team provided additional information about the survey to stakeholder organizations for distribution to their members via mail, e-mail, or their organizational Web sites and newsletters.

Why should law enforcement professionals be interested in participating in the survey?

The RPI currently offers free advanced and specialized training to law enforcement officers and other emergency response providers who operate in rural areas, including Indian Country. The institute is responsible for evaluating the training needs of those personnel and then designing and delivering training to meet their needs; the national training needs assessment survey is one component of that effort. By responding to the survey, as invited, law enforcement professionals will help to ensure that Federal training dollars are appropriately allocated to address their specific training needs.

Who will be invited to participate in the survey?

The primary target audience for the survey is law enforcement personnel serving rural communities and Indian Country. The project team is surveying law enforcement agency Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and field-level staff from the various types of law enforcement agencies in rural and Tribal areas. These will include personnel from State, local, Tribal, campus/school, and State special jurisdiction (e.g., natural resources police, fish and wildlife police) law enforcement agencies. The team is selecting a sample that includes adequate representation of potential respondents across regions.

In addition, the project team will survey the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) organizations and State and local training Academy directors regarding their assessment of the training needs of law enforcement personnel serving rural and Tribal areas, the training they currently provide to address those needs, and the most effective means by which the RPI can support their training efforts.

How will the survey be administered?

The project team will distribute an invitation to participate in the survey by e-mail and mail to the selected survey sample population. The survey instruments will be available in both Web‑based (online) and paper-copy formats, and both versions will provide specific guidance for completing the survey. Invited respondents will be able to select their preferred option for completing the survey; the project team anticipates that most participants will choose the online survey format.

How long will it take to complete the survey?

We recognize the myriad demands on law enforcement professionals’ time, and we made the survey as easy to complete as possible.

We anticipate that it will take front-line law enforcement personnel approximately 10 minutes to complete the survey for field-level personnel.

The CEOs will be able to complete their survey in 15–20 minutes, and POST organization and Training Academy Directors will need approximately 20–30 minutes to complete their surveys.

How will the project team protect the confidentiality of those who respond to the survey?

The project team will assign each potential survey respondent a number for tracking/follow-up purposes only. The list of those numbers will be maintained separately from the master list of potential respondents, and only the study team will have access to both sets of information. Moreover, the survey results will be reported in aggregate form only, and information from individual respondents will not be shared.

When will the national training needs assessment survey be conducted?

The survey is being disseminated in the fall of 2010.

How is the project team collecting information about training currently available to law enforcement personnel serving rural jurisdictions and Indian Country?

The project team is using an array of methods for identifying existing training, including outreach to key stakeholders and training provider organizations. Training providers may submit their training for inclusion in the project team’s analysis of currently available training by completing the project’s Training Information Collection Form. To request a form, please send an e-mail to the project at [email protected].

Who is managing the project and the survey?

The COPS Office is administering the implementation of the project on behalf of the RPI/FLETC. CRA, Inc., a Washington, DC, metropolitan area-based management consulting firm led by a retired law enforcement professional, is managing the project for the RPI/FLETC and the COPS Office in consultation with a highly experienced law enforcement researcher.

Who do I contact for more information on the study?

Interested parties may contact the project by e-mail at [email protected] for more information. Individuals invited to participate in the survey may call the project’s toll-free number for assistance, as needed, at [CRA will enter the 800 number] between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST.

File Type	application/msword
File Title	Appendix ##
Author	CRA
Last Modified By	CRA INC
File Modified	2010-10-20
File Created	2010-10-20