Basic Internal Affairs Investigation - Manchester, NH ($275)

• Cost is $275 per student for the two day course.     ($225 per officer for 5 or more officers from the same agency)  
  • Once registered, an email will be sent to you with payment instructions. 
  • Registration may be paid by check, credit card or ACH. 

      

Course Overview:

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This class is designed for officers, first line supervisors and personnel who are responsible for conducting internal affairs (IA) investigations. This course will provide comprehensive instruction on how to receive, investigate and resolve internal affairs investigations. Internal affairs investigations are integral in organizational transparency, accountability, public trust, community support and mitigating liability to the organization. Public safety organizations are often criticized for how they handle and investigate complaints made against its officers and employees. Departments must ensure that they are modeling best practices in upholding the highest ethical and professional standards. This course will focus on police ethics, acceptance and classification of complaints, the investigative process, subject employee's union protections and drafting the final investigative report. 

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Course Goals:

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• Students will learn the importance of ethical standards for supervisors or staff assigned to conduct internal investigations and core values associated with the proper handling of all internal investigations. 
• Students will learn the difference between performance issues, policy violations and serious misconduct and the investigator's role in handling such incidents. 
• Students will understand the importance of an open, objective and responsive complaint intake process and their impact on the process. 
• Students will learn the different phases of investigating complaints and the objectives of personnel investigations. 
• Students will learn the differences in interviewing civilians, witness officers/staff and subject officers. The differences between interview and interrogation will also be discussed. 
• Students will learn the steps required in preparing a report along with making findings and recommendations for further review by supervisors/management. 
• Students will learn the importance of understanding the exposure and liability involved for failing to effectively manage and investigate personnel complaints. 
• Students will learn the constitutional limitations of taking compelled statements from personnel and in conducting work-place searches in both administrative and criminal investigations. 
• Students will learn the application of Garrity procedures, Loudermill requirements and Weingarten rules. 
• Students will understand issues surrounding free speech and social media. 
• Students will learn the role of the subject employee's labor union and labor union representatives, along with the impact of Collective Bargaining Agreements, on the IA and disciplinary process. 
• Students will be taught when to consider informing administration of developments that occur during the investigative process and the differences in investigating officers and staff who remain on full duty and those who are placed on Administrative Leave. 
• Students will learn about Early Warning and Performance Management Systems. 
• The "Law Enforcement Officer's Bill of Rights" may be discussed depending on the location of the class (Currently 14 states have a LE/Police Officer Bill of Rights) . 

Instructors:

Chief Richard Mello has over 25 years of law enforcement experience in both small town and big city policing. Over the course of his career, Chief Mello has risen through the ranks and experienced every level of supervisory responsibility and leadership. He has served as a Patrol Officer, Detective, Prosecutor along with commanding patrol and detective divisions and serving as an Executive Officer.  Chief Mello served 12 years in the United States Navy, 8 of which in the Navy Intelligence Community.  Chief Mello has successfully merged his law enforcement and military experience with his leadership and management expertise. Chief Mello has instructed police officers on various topics for the last 15 years and is an Adjunct Instructor at New England College in Henniker, NH and Norwich University in Vermont.  He opened Mello Consulting & Training in 2017 as a way to give back to the profession by mentoring those who come behind him. He currently serves as the Chief of Police for the Lebanon, New Hampshire Police Department and holds a Master's Degree in Criminology from Florida State University. 

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Lieutenant Ronald Mello (Retired) spent 28 years as a police officer, rising through the ranks and commanding several units. Lt. Mello spent over 20 years with the City of Manchester, New Hampshire Police Department and served as a patrol officer and  Detective before being promoted to the rank of Sergeant. As a Sergeant, Lt. Mello served in the patrol division before serving as the Officer in Charge of the Domestic Violence Unit and Sex Offender Compliance Unit in addition to being in charge of the Hostage Negotiators. Upon being promoted to Lieutenant, he was the Commander of the Juvenile Unit and later assigned to the Legal Division.  Lt. Mello is a certified Hostage Negotiator and an Instructor, and Former Team Leader, of the Crisis Intervention Team. Lt. Mello has extensive experience in police operations and internal investigations. After retiring, Lt. Mello was hired as an Investigator for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service based in Jacksonville, Florida. 

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Who should attend:

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This course is for officers, supervisors and staff who are assigned to receive initial complaints, investigate formal and informal complaints and conduct full internal affairs investigations. This course is also beneficial for corporate and private sector employees assigned to conduct workplace inquiries and investigations. 

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Course Length:

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The Basic Internal Affairs Investigation Course is a 2 day course.  This can be modified depending on client needs, scheduling and budget. Contact us for a personalized proposal.