Risk Management

Disagreements in the workplace will occur. A key to successful workplace culture is to resolve disagreements in a beneficial way. This training is designed to help identify behaviors that cause unhealthy conflict in the workplace as well as how to modify those behaviors to work out differences. It will also address the distinctions between harassment, bullying, and uncivil behaviors. Employees will review the role of a bystander and the importance of taking action. Course discussions include the encouragement of personal empowerment to increase workplace ownership and positive workplace cultures.

This training is intended for full-time and part-time employees at all levels, including senior management. 2 hours

(Members are strongly encouraged to take 30 minutes at the end of the presentation to cover their policy, reporting procedures, and organizational expectations.)

Confined spaces present many hazards to public employees. Employees might not recognize the dangers and take precautions necessary for safety. Knowing the hazards is one of the steps to being safe, along with understanding roles, carrying out a proper procedure, communication, and using the right tools and equipment. Confined Space Awareness will inform and motivate employees to utilize safety standards and determine appropriate steps.

 What Will Participants Learn

• Are you entering a confined space?
• What makes it a confined space?
• What makes a confined space dangerous and the what are the hazards?
• What is your assigned role and the crew’s responsibilities?
• How a checklist helps you
• Communication – O.A.T.H. method
• Best practices for entry including:
  • Atmospheric monitoring
  • Purging and ventilation
  • Thorough documentation
  • Personal protective equipment
  • The right tools for the job

 Who Should Attend?

Confined Space Awareness is designed to provide awareness for any employee directly or indirectly involved in confined space operations. The course is also valuable for any employee who needs to understand the dangers of confined spaces, even if they are not involved in such operations.

By providing fresh perspectives and interactive learning opportunities, TMLIRP training can benefit employees of cities and other entities throughout Texas.

Officers must prepare for critical incidents and evaluate critical thinking, crisis intervention, communications, and tactics. De-escalation for Law Enforcement provides first responding police officers with the tools, skills, and options they need to defuse a range of critical incidents successfully and safely. It designed for situations involving persons who are unarmed or are armed with weapons other than firearms, and who may be experiencing a mental health or other crisis.  This program is based on the Police Executive Research Foundation’s ICAT training.

Goals and objectives:

• Describe the key principles of the Critical Decision-Making Model (CDM).
• Explain each of the five steps of the CDM.
• Articulate the benefits of the CDM.
• Use the CDM to describe the actions of a police officer handling a critical incident, through a video case study.
• Successfully identify behaviors associated with a person experiencing behavioral crisis.
• Recognize principles and best practices for effectively responding to a person in behavioral crisis.
• Use some common tips and techniques for engaging and making a connection with a person in behavioral crisis.
• Describe and recognize the value of the emotional–rational thinking scale.
• Use a range of communications skills to their tactical advantage.
• Explain the concepts and importance of active listening and demonstrate the use of key active listening skills.
• Explain how non-verbal communications affect interactions with others and demonstrate the use of key non-verbal communications skills.
• Demonstrate key verbal communications skills that are critical to defusing tense situations and gaining voluntary compliance.
• Develop and use a variety of alternatives to hostile-sounding phrases.
• Demonstrate critical pre-response and response requirements for critical incidents.
• Explain use of the Critical Decision-Making Model (CDM) in responding to and managing a critical incident.
• Demonstrate and explain key tactical expectations and roles when responding to a critical incident as a team.
• Explain concepts such as “tactical pause,” “distance + cover = time,” and “tactical repositioning.”
• Participate in an effective after-action review (AAR) of a critical incident.
• Use the CDM to explain key post-response expectations following a critical incident.
• Discuss the use of the Critical Decision-Making Model (CDM) in managing and resolving a critical incident.
• Demonstrate their ability to put concepts into practice through successful completion of scenario-based training exercises.

Who Should Attend?

De-escalation for Law Enforcement is designed to educate and challenge police. Risk managers and public safety communicators will also benefit.

Note: This course is eligible for TCOLE# 1849. Participants must provide TCOLE PID number at registration or at the class.

Public works and utilities employees keep the city working, whether treating and distributing drinking water, collecting and treating wastewater, repairing streets and utility lines, mowing, maintaining parks, or whatever job needs to be done. Field Operations Safety will provide information and discussion about not just keeping the city going, but more importantly, workers going home safe. Expect to review safety leadership and how everyone comes together. Safety success will improve your entity’s overall success.

What will participants discuss?

• Importance of tailgate meetings
• Knowing your job site’s hazards
• Reviewing safety issues common for public works and utilities
• Work zone basics
• Hazards of working alone
• Back injury prevention
• Are you surrounded by natural hazards?
• Knowing your mower’s limitations

People and careers are harmed by harassment. An organization’s supervisors make a difference in culture. How they respond to inappropriate and unlawful conduct involves preparation. This training is designed to assist supervisors in understanding the differences between inappropriate conduct versus unlawful conduct. Supervisors will learn the impact that bullying and harassment have on employees and how to proactively address the related problematic behavior before it becomes unlawful. This course will also provide education on relevant state and federal harassment laws. Course discussions include the supervisor’s role in creating a respectful positive work environment. This training is intended for employees in a supervisory capacity at any level within the organization. 2 hours

(Members are strongly encouraged to take 30 minutes at the end of the presentation to cover their policy, reporting procedures, and organizational expectations.)

To protect the public, laws and proper procedures must be followed to safely load and transport equipment. This course will focus on the selection of the proper truck and trailer, correct grade of chains and binders, and state and federal laws to remember.

What are the learning goals?

• Select proper equipment
• Apply principles of load weight transfer
• Review height and width restrictions
• Discuss common issues in safely transporting equipment

This course is a combination of a classroom segment and hands-on onsite training exercise. Participants will inspect a trailer and vehicle as well as load and tie down a piece of equipment.

Requirements for this class is one truck and trailer normal and frequently transported piece of equipment per entity attending. Examples: one 10-12 yard dump truck with haul trailer or a one-ton pickup plus gooseneck trailer.

Participants must bring appropriate personal protective equipment, including safety vest, work boots, gloves, safety glasses, and hard hat.

This class is recommended as an afternoon session, paired with the Heavy Machinery Preventative Maintenance for Public Works and Utilities class in the morning.

Who Should Attend?

Loading and Transporting of Equipment is designed to educate, entertain, and challenge any employee expected to transport machinery and equipment, including streets, water, wastewater, gas, electric, and other utilities personnel.

By providing fresh perspectives and interactive learning opportunities, TMLIRP training can benefit employees of cities and other entities throughout Texas.

Moving Right of Bang: Critical Incident Early Intervention Strategies educates leaders in public safety departments on how to create and conduct an early and effective intervention after a critical incident. The goal is to address potential risks to employees before they become issues for the individual, their personal lives, and the department. This interactive program includes scenarios and role-playing to strengthen your department’s response to a critical incident.

Learning Objectives:

• Using a scenario, respond to a model critical incident
• Identify stress responses to a traumatic event
• Define trauma, critical incident, and crisis intervention
• Apply tools your department has available
• Describe and apply components of a Critical Incident Early Intervention Strategy
• Evaluate strengths and identify areas of improvement for your department’s intervention strategy

Who Should Attend?

Police, fire, and emergency services leaders who will be involved with interventions associated with public safety employees after a critical event. Chaplains and other counselors who work with public safety departments on emotional resiliency would also benefit from this program. While the program is not specifically designed for city leaders, human resources, and risk management personnel, they will have a much better understanding of critical incident intervention by attending this program.

Notes:

Maximum class size is 30. TCOLE credit hours available (TCOLE #3871)

(Program is intended for Non-Sworn & Not Civil Service)

Addressing performance issues and knowing how and when to utilize disciplinary action is key for those in a supervisory role. Supervisors need to understand the importance of effective performance management and discipline, identify issues, and know when to partner with their Human Resources representative and/or legal counsel. In this workshop, supervisors will review the importance of job descriptions and that performance appraisals (evaluations) are a part of effective performance management. They will also list effective steps to disciplinary action, and understand when to start the disciplinary process, including performance improvement plans and terminations, as well as the importance of good documentation.

After attending this training session, participants will be able to:

• Identify personnel issues and know when to partner with HR
• Discuss the importance of job descriptions and accurately complete performance evaluations
• Review effective steps to disciplinary action and understand when to start the disciplinary process
• Apply the importance of GOOD documentation

Additionally, those in supervisory roles will gain knowledge that organizational culture is reflected in performance management and any disciplinary actions. Workplace culture is a living organism that will create itself and grow. Creating and sustaining a culture that is just not alive, but breathes life into others takes intentional effort and is a journey for the whole organization.

Who should attend? Supervisors, managers, and human resources staff. Note that this class is broadly applied to local government functions and is not specific for law enforcement or civil service roles.

(Employers are strongly encouraged to take 30 minutes at the end of the presentation to cover their policy, reporting procedures, and organizational expectations.)

Heavy machinery and equipment demand regular maintenance to ensure safety and reliability. This course covers the basic knowledge and understanding of heavy machinery/mobile equipment. Examples include backhoe, skid steer, rubber tire loader, and 10-12 yard dump truck.

What are the learning goals?

• Discuss the importance of pre- and post-trip inspections and complete examples
• Apply basic care for your machine
• Review manufacturer’s recommendations
• Know your equipment

This course is a combination of classroom and hands-on onsite training. Each entity should provide one of its commonly used pieces of equipment as an example for review and to maximize application of the instruction.

Participants must bring appropriate personal protective equipment, including safety vest, work boots, gloves, safety glasses, and hard hat.

This class is recommended as a morning session, paired with the Loading and Transporting of Heavy Equipment class in the afternoon.

Who Should Attend?

Preventative Maintenance for Heavy Machinery is designed to educate, entertain, and challenge any employee expected to operate and maintain equipment, including streets, water, wastewater, gas, electric, and other utilities personnel.

By providing fresh perspectives and interactive learning opportunities, TMLIRP training can benefit employees of cities and other entities throughout Texas.

As a public sector employee, you set the example on Texas roadways. No matter your job title or experience level, when you get behind the wheel, you are responsible for travelling through your city safely.

This classroom-based course reviews information related to common driving situations faced by public employees.

What are the learning goals?

• Be aware of potential road rage incidents and how to avoid the danger
• Achieve backing safety on and off the job
• Use vehicles as protective barriers in work zones
• Discuss walkaround pre- and post-trip inspections
• Speed and how it affects braking
• Driver distractions
• Fatigue and knowing the signs

Who Should Attend?

Professional Driving for Public Entities is designed to educate any employee assigned to operate a government vehicle, including public works, utilities, gas, electric, parks and recreation, and other personnel.

By providing fresh perspectives and interactive learning opportunities, TMLIRP training can benefit employees of cities and other entities throughout Texas.

As a public sector employee, you set the example on Texas roadways. No matter your job title or experience level, when you get behind the wheel, you are responsible for travelling through your city safely.

This classroom-based course reviews information related to common driving situations faced by public works and utilities personnel

What are the learning goals?

• Be aware of potential road rage incidents and how to avoid the danger
• Achieve backing safety on and off the job
• Use vehicles as protective barriers in work zones
• Discuss walkaround pre- and post-trip inspections

Who Should Attend?

Professional Driving for Public Works and Utilities is designed to educate, entertain, and challenge any employee assigned to operate a city vehicle, including streets, water, wastewater, gas, electric, and other utilities personnel.

By providing fresh perspectives and interactive learning opportunities, TMLIRP training can benefit employees of cities and other entities throughout Texas.

(Program is intended for Non-Sworn & Not Civil Service)

Supervisors and managers have responsibilities both to the care and efficacy of our organizations as well as the engagement and growth of our organization’s most valuable resources — our employees. It is vital that they are equipped with basic human resources knowledge so they can identify opportunities and know when to partner with their Human Resources representative and/or legal counsel. In this workshop, those with supervisory responsibilities will better be able to identify their roles in recruiting and onboarding. Additionally, they will understand the importance of job descriptions, interview notes, reference checks, and pre-employment screenings. They will also learn interview techniques and keys to a successful and intentional onboarding process. Effective performance management begins with effective recruiting.

After attending this training session, participants will be able to:

• Explain how the information on job descriptions is relevant to a performance appraisal.
• Know the steps involved in the recruiting process and the respective roles of Human Resources and the hiring manager within that process.
• Demonstrate an understanding of what a protected class is and how to plan and conduct a hiring and selection process that is consistent, fair, and designed to hire the best qualified candidate.
• Learn how to develop and ask behavior-based interview questions and how to assess candidates against an objective rating scale.

Additionally, those in supervisory roles will gain knowledge that organizational culture is reflected in recruiting and onboarding. Workplace culture is a living organism that will create itself and grow. However, creating and sustaining a culture that is just not alive, but breathes life into others takes intentional effort and is a journey for the whole organization.

Who should attend? Supervisors, managers, and human resources staff. Note that this class is broadly applied to local government functions and is not specific for law enforcement or civil service roles.

Resilience Strategies for First Responders – 7 hours

Resilience Strategies for First Responders is designed for police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel operating in today's difficult environment. This course provides a comprehensive examination of the types of stress that first responders face, including intrinsic dangers such as depression, PTSD, and relationship issues, as well as the predictable changes and challenges in a typical public safety environment. Animal control and code enforcement officers would also benefit from this course.

Since these issues impact the individual on a professional, personal, emotional, and physical level, this course focuses on developing a better understanding and learning strategies to regulate them for optimum performance. Particular emphasis is placed on developing survival strategies that allow for a healthy career in public safety and a long and enjoyable retirement.

Topics of Discussion:                   

• Statistics on the toll of a career
• The career "cycle"
• The science behind the trauma (hypervigilance, compensatory efforts)
• Understanding stress
• Specifics of stress for first responders law enforcement (compassion fatigue, PTSI)
• Burnout
• Addressing stress (physical techniques, relaxation response, EMDR, sleep, mental techniques, preventive measures

Who Should Attend?

Any law enforcement officer, firefighter, EMS personnel, animal control officer, and code enforcement officer. Spouses/significant others are welcome.

Notes:

TCOLE credit hours available (TCOLE #3871)

Lunch will be provided.

See a short preview on YouTube

Responding to Social Change: City and Law Enforcement Leaders' Opportunity to Adapt and Thrive

High-profile incidents have led to calls for police reform. While most law enforcement agencies had no direct involvement in those incidents, events affect city leaders in that they must build trust and credibility. They must understand community needs, while accomplishing public safety responsibilities. The challenges are there … how do you respond?

City managers and law enforcement leadership are invited to a day to gain more perspective of the challenges and explore solutions to be better leaders for the communities they serve. How can we be better leaders?

This event will provide realistic discussions about where we are with leadership of cities and police departments, and how leaders can work with staff and citizens so that their communities can adapt and thrive. Participants will explore how city leaders can better understand each other and improve communication with many audiences and constituents.

Who Should Attend?
City managers, assistant city managers, police chiefs, and command staff. It is recommended that a city's leaders attend from the perspective of both management and law enforcement.

More Information
Responding to Social Change June 2023-Brunel (PDF)
TML - Responding to Social Change Jan 2023 (PDF)

Do you want to keep your job? Do you want to stay off the front page? How about not getting in trouble for what your peers or subordinates do? Risk Management for Law Enforcement shines a light on risks that peace officers face that get them fired, suspended, demoted, sued, or incarcerated. In addition, departments and communities experience impacts of poor decisions and failure to address risks appropriately. This course discusses proactive and practical approaches to police risk and how to conduct damage control.

Goals and objectives:

• List the 4 “T’s” of risk management
• Understand what’s getting officers hurt, sued, fired, and prosecuted
• Describe the difference between reactive and proactive approaches to risk management
• Explain the risk/frequency aspects of risk management
• List the 2 keys to managing risk
• List the 5 behavioral factors of risk management
• Explain the mechanical factors of risk management

Who Should Attend?
Risk and Liability Management for Law Enforcement is designed to educate and challenge police. Risk managers and public safety communicators will also benefit. The course is of value to any employee who works in law enforcement to better understand safety and liability concepts, as everyone plays a role in risk management.

Note: This course is eligible for TCOLE 3009. Participants must provide TCOLE PID number at registration or at the class.

Emergency vehicle operation places stress on both the operator and the vehicle. Safe Police Vehicle Operations provides officers with driving situations and how to safely respond.

Vehicle accident exposures are increasing each year with traffic and road conditions changing. Law enforcement is exposed to these hazards continuously throughout their shifts. Vehicle-related accidents are the leading cause of officer injuries. Each year more officers die in vehicle accidents than by any other means. TMLIRP member law enforcement agencies report an average of 1,300 vehicle related claims, accounting for over $7 million in losses each year. Beyond the damage to the police vehicle, a single auto-related incident has the potential to produce employee injuries and liability exposures due to injuries to others and/or damage to vehicles and property.

Goals and Objectives:

Safe Police Vehicle Operations participants will be able to:

• Understand how to operate emergency vehicles safely and within the scope of their duties according to state law as well as local procedures and policies
• Understand the importance of vehicle maintenance
• Identify common and leading causes of accidents during emergency responses and routine patrol activities
• Understand tactical, emotional, and physical skills essential to preventing accidents
• Review safe and prudent vehicle backing procedures

Who Should Attend?
Any law enforcement officer. The program is important for chiefs, decision making personnel, policy makers, managers, and elected officials who want to gain a better understanding of high-risk issues affecting law enforcement.

Notes: TCOLE Credit Hours available

Whether you feel you were born for a leadership role or you’ve been thrust into a supervisory position and you’re learning on the fly, one concept lies at the heart of successful leadership — serving others. But sometimes that’s easier said than done, and everyone seems to have an opinion on the best way to motivate employees while managing risk for their organizations.

In TMLIRP’s Tony Korioth Supervisor Academy, participants will have the opportunity to explore proven concepts of leadership and practical approaches to common challenges. The Academy is also appropriate for those awaiting appointment to a leadership role and is appropriate for all departments and functions. There is no charge for attendees employed by Risk Pool members.

Day one topics include:

• Laying a framework for organizational values (urgency, alignment, ownership, and integrity)
• Recognizing the importance of employee engagement
• Realizing issues impacting risk management in today’s society
• What Would You Do? A Human Resources Roundtable featuring:
  • Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act
  • Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Plus many other curveballs the workplace may throw your way!

Not understanding the hazards of excavation and trench work is a dangerous mindset. Workers are at risk if they enter an unprotected trench, and the walls collapse. With awareness of proper planning and equipment, workers can complete their responsibilities safely.

What Will Participants Learn?

• The importance of pre-job planning
• Common hazards on trenching and excavation work sites and how to lower exposure
• Best practices for safe trenching and excavation including:
  • Soil type identification
  • Proper sloping and benching
  • Trench protection methods
  • Atmospheric monitoring
  • Personal protective equipment
  • Pedestrian and vehicle traffic control and much more!

Who Should Attend?

Trenching and Excavation Awareness is designed to help any employee directly or indirectly involved in trenching or excavation. The course is also valuable for employees not involved in such operations who need to understand the dangers of trenching and excavation.

By providing fresh perspectives and interactive learning opportunities, TMLIRP training can benefit employees of cities and other entities throughout Texas.

Use of Force in Modern Policing will prepare officers how to communicate, de-escalate and use proper use of force techniques when interacting with non-compliant individuals.

Officers will be engaged with a combination of classroom discussion, lecture, videos, and case law study. Participants will utilize realistic, simulator based training that will include courtroom style role-playing. This will enable officers make reasonably appropriate, practical, and defendable decisions when faced with resistance. Officers will learn how to better maintain their safety and prevent possible exposure to liability that may impact their personal well-being and professional careers.

Goals and Objectives: Use of Force in Modern Policing is designed to enhance officers’ communication, de-escalation, and decision-making abilities. Officers will have several opportunities to enhance de-escalation techniques and use of force options utilizing a scenario-based training simulator.

Participants will be able to:

• Relate particular case law and constitutional provisions to specific response to resistance situations and scenarios
• Demonstrate the four elements of the effective communication process utilizing the sender, channel, receiver, and feedback model
• Recognize and explain excited delirium
• Demonstrate and explain his/her decision-making process during response to resistance scenarios
• Effectively utilize use of force options and exhibit sound officer safety practices

Who should attend? Law enforcement executives, supervisors, training officers, and line officers would benefit by attending this program. City managers and risk managers are encouraged to attend.

Notes: TCOLE Credit Hours available. Lunch is students’ responsibility.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, in 2018 there were over 25,000 crashes in work zones, resulting in 161 fatalities and another 684 serious injuries. By focusing on practical strategies and improving teamwork, Work Zone Safety delivers a foundation for success.

What are the learning goals?

• Identify various causes of work-related accidents in work zones
• Describe and review work zone scenarios — what to do and what not to do
• Explain common traffic issues, including sight distance, blind curves, and high speed
• Define common work zone issues
• List better ways to set up work zones to enhance worker protection
• Describe traffic control and other safety devices
• Identify traffic control plans and why we need them
• Describe flagger safety best practices

Who Should Attend?

Work Zone Safety is designed to educate, entertain, and challenge any employee expected to operate in a work zone, including streets, water, wastewater, gas, electric, and other utilities personnel.

By providing fresh perspectives and interactive learning opportunities, TMLIRP training can benefit employees of cities and other entities throughout Texas.