Mobilizing DOCJT for the Future

The Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT) is dedicated to meeting the needs of officers and dispatchers by making positive changes that enhance training and support those who serve the commonwealth.

“One of my first tasks as Commissioner was to evaluate DOCJT’s organization,” Commissioner Nicolai Jilek said. “DOCJT staff worked tirelessly for months to find better ways to serve our clients and support each individual in their pursuit of a thriving and healthy career. We worked together to create an organizational structure that helps accomplish those goals.”

In April 2020, DOCJT personnel responded to an employee survey requesting their input regarding the agency’s organizational structure. In addition, employee focus groups identified ways to restructure the agency for better efficiency and productivity, while maintaining good stewardship of the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund.

The primary improvements are:

• Reducing the number of branches and sections within the Training Operations Division.

• Transforming the Law Enforcement Professional Development and Wellness (LEPDW) Branch into a section.

• Bringing back the Instructional Design Section.

• Realigning the Administrative Support Section by moving the reporting function of administrative specialists back under the training sections they serve.

Looking Toward the Future

During the review process, focus groups indicated the need for streamlined operations with several recommendations, including:

• Simplifying names of branches and sections and making responsibilities easy to identify for both clients and internal personnel.

• Streamlining agency structure by deleting branches and sections from both divisions.

• Moving the Policy, Accreditation and Development Section to the Office of the Commissioner and reverting its name to the Staff Services and Planning Section.

• Placing the Communication Branch under the Office of the Commissioner and renaming it the Public Relations Section.

“I was so impressed by the thoroughness and thoughtfulness with which our staff took on this project and provided meaningful feedback,” said DOCJT Training Director Frank Kubala. “The forward thinking and steps taken to continually build upon DOCJT’s tradition of excellence in training are inspiring.”

KYPCIS

Under the previous organizational chart, the LEPDW Branch housed the Kentucky Post-Critical Incident Seminar (KYPCIS) section. Resiliency training will be expanded, and new relationships are being developed with experts in the fields of both psychology and workplace stress to enhance DOCJT’s wellness programs.

“Anyone who has known me as a police officer knows that one of the major issues and concerns that I have had for many years is officer wellness, resiliency and mental health,” Jilek stated during agency testimony during the Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary in Frankfort on July 7. “That is something I was very active with in the FOP prior to becoming commissioner, and it certainly, absolutely, continues to be a priority.”

Jilek recognized that the concepts of mental health and resiliency are integral to officer wellness and success and will have great impact on individual sessions and classes. DOCJT has identified that expanding mental health is essential to training to best protect and serve those who wear the badge of honor for all Kentuckians.

KYPCIS is growing from five classes offered in previous years to include a sixth this year, which will allow the department to reach more officers throughout the year. The sixth class, which will be the first offered in Western Kentucky, has been tentatively scheduled for fall 2021.

Moreover, this expansion allows for DOCJT’s mental health professional to be elevated and incorporates the knowledge and expertise into all training courses.

Instructional Design Section

Bringing back the Instructional Design Section ensures the highest quality of training and instructional staff at DOCJT.

The Instructional Design Section will provide support to the Training Operations Division in the following phases:

• Analysis – Assist in determining specific courses training needs to ensure the training will be valuable and necessary for DOCJT’s clients. Additionally, it includes information about the course that will help clients increase their safety, learn techniques to perform their duties better and obtain the necessary skills and knowledge to serve the state’s diverse communities.

• Design – Assist instructors in curriculum creation and course planning that better meets identified training needs.

• Development – Assist in the creation of quality lessons, assessments and training materials. This could include creation and use of PowerPoint presentations, videos, handouts, etc.

• Implementation – Monitor courses taught and provide feedback for improvement on a regular basis.

• Evaluation – Assist instructors in creating quality assessments and evaluating student feedback to measure student learning and improve the quality of future training.

The reorganization was accomplished under guidelines established in KRS 12.028 and KRS 12.040 and provides DOCJT a strengthened foundation from which to grow.