Indiana Conservation Officers have initiated a new training concept to prepare rookie officers for their service to the public.  Research shows among the complaints against law enforcement agencies are the lack of proper skills of an officer to interact with a diverse public.

“Interpersonal communication skills are often overlooked by law enforcement agencies when training new officers”, said Officer Dennis Talley.  “Electronic communication devices have created an environment that makes face-to-face communication a difficult obstacle for these officers to overcome.  This training will address these concerns.”

On January 5, 2015, ICO rookie officers reported to Meadowood Health Pavilion, an assisted living complex in Bloomington, and were tasked with engaging in a one-hour conversation with a resident.  Throughout the conversations, the new officers concentrated on their speaking skills as well as their active listening skills.  On January 7, the new officers will be giving a verbal presentation to the training staff explaining their experience and identifying their weaknesses and strengths.

“This training concept is challenging to this generation of officers”, said Captain Zach Mathews, Training Section Commander.  “This will give us an opportunity to work on weaknesses and enhance their ability to build positive community relationships with the citizens they will be serving.”

“Public relations are a high priority for our agency”, said DNR Law Enforcement Director Danny L. East.  “This ground breaking training concept provides our new officers with confidence and understanding on effective ways to interact with their diverse communities.”

Marilyn Odendahl for www.theindianalawyer.com

The Indiana Supreme Court is preparing to test the viability of allowing certain offenders to be released pretrial without having to pay a bail.

Ten counties are interested in participating in the pilot project that will test the effectiveness of a risk assessment tool, according to a just-released December status report from the Indiana Supreme Court Committee to Study Evidence-Based Pretrial Release. The project will use the tool to identify the defendants mostly likely to flee if released before their trials.

Teams from the interested counties – Allen, Bartholomew, Hamilton, Hendricks, Jefferson, Monroe, Porter, St. Joseph, Starke and Tipton – were introduced to the evidence-based pretrial released system during a workshop in November.

The pilot project will use the Indiana Risk Assessment System – Pretrial Assessment Tool to determine the offenders who can be released pretrial and the conditions of their release. No date for starting the project has been set but the committee has been tasked with drafting the guidelines for the study and will make a status report to the court by Feb. 19.

Justice Brent Dickson has been the leading advocate for using alternatives to cash and surety bonds. He has said keeping people in jailbecause they cannot afford to post bail is unfair.

While he was chief justice, he assembled the committee to take a closer look at the issue of pretrial release.

The committee, chaired by Allen Superior Judge John Surbeck, has partnered with the National Institute of Corrections to develop the pilot project. In addition to the committee overseeing the project, the Indiana Judicial Center and NIC will provide assistance.