Christopher Pfannkuche is an experienced 43-yr trial attorney, former 31-yr criminal prosecutor in Chicago (Felony Trial Division / Trial Supervisor) (Capital Litigation / Death Penalty Certified), IADLEST Nationally & Internationally Certified Law Enforcement Training Instructor (INCI & IICI), NAFTO Nationally Certified Police Field Training Officer (F.T.O.), NAFTO Certified in Managing the F.T.O. Unit, Certified Forensic Crime Scene Technician, ILEETA 6-yr Staff Training Instructor 2019-2024, LETOA-WI Staff Training Instructor 2024. He is a published legal author, having written and published a book on writing search warrants, co-authored a second book, published a number of legal articles, and has lectured extensively. He has prepped over 10,000 police officers to testify, has read over 100,000 police reports, litigated over 2000 criminal court cases with live officer testimony in court on the witness stand, and knows the issues that often “trip up officers” in court. He has trained police officers, prosecutors, and defense attorneys.

This course is about playing “Devil’s Advocate”, by thinking like an Attorney and learning to anticipate issues, including how an Attorney might attack their D.O.R.s, to write “Rock-Solid” Daily Observation Reports (D.O.R.s) that meet an agency’s objective standards by improving detailed writing skills and abilities to protect yourself and your agency against potential litigation from attorneys. Field Training Programs (F.T.P.s), F.T.O. Supervisors, Field Training Officers (F.T.O.s), training agencies, and D.O.R.s have become subject to increased legal scrutiny, based on subsequent instances of misconduct or excessive force. There are a growing number of legal considerations that every F.T.O. must keep in mind while training and evaluating Probationary Police Officers (P.P.O.s). The preparation of properly detailed D.O.R.s is key to this process.

As BOTH an attorney and a NAFTO Nationally Certified F.T.O., myself, this is the unique and insightful perspective that I teach from. A Field Training Program (F.T.P.) is about both the need to “truly train” as well as bringing a Probationary Police Officer (P.P.O.) up to a department’s “First Day Solo Capable” agency standards. Any training imparted must be strictly measured against that objective standard. F.T.O.s must clearly document in the D.O.R. not just the P.P.O.’s performance progress, but the actual training that took place, in “Key Relevant Detail”, and how that training met those agency objective standards. A good Field Training Program must teach and evaluate simultaneously, a goal which has its own inherent challenges. The key to ensuring a successful F.T.P. is to emphasize that BOTH the F.T.O. and the F.T.O. Supervisor ensure that training is actually occurring, and not just evaluating the training.

Further, the actual training must be well-documented in the D.O.R.s. As the adage goes: “If it is not documented, it did NOT happen!” Ultimately, the documentation in the D.O.R.s must properly and accurately represent the agency’s objective standards in the overall evaluation matrix and how that P.P.O.’s training specifically met those standards. Personal expectations, or simply where the officer is at in the training, is not the point. Agency standards (AKA: “FIRST DAY SOLO CAPABLE”) do not change. They are OBJECTIVE, not SUBJECTIVE standards. Everything must be measured against these agency objective standards. Foresight, not hindsight, is critical.

As you write your D.O.R.s, play “Devil’s Advocate” and think about how an attorney might subsequently attack your D.O.R.s as reflecting inadequate or negligent training, not measuring up to your agency’s objective standards. Whatever you were about to leave out of your D.O.R. that is pertinent to that agency’s objective standards MUST now be included and detailed in the D.O.R. In the process, attendees will examine sample D.O.R.s. and identify potential issues.

Through lecture, PowerPoint, and class discussion, attendees will identify necessary “Key Relevant Details”, a critical step, to properly include in D.O.R.s, in a way that the D.O.R.s properly “paint the picture” of not just the P.P.O.’s training progress, but the actual training that took place. This course will include handouts containing concepts and ideas and will be engaging and interactive hands-on training that F.T.O.s can immediately put to use. The end goal is to write your D.O.R.s from a “Devil’s Advocate” perspective and your D.O.R.s will be “Rock-Solid”! “Course Completion Certificates” will be issued.