Trainer's Bullpen

Title: EP58 ‘The Transfer Problem with Police Firearms Training’ with Dr. Rob Gray and Dr. Pete Blair

Summary: This episode explores the transfer problem in police training, focusing on how, and why, traditional methods of current firearms training is failing to translate into real-world effectiveness. Human performance researchers Dr. Pete Blair and Dr. Rob Gray discuss innovative training approaches rooted in ecological dynamics, emphasizing variability, representative design, and the importance of adaptive skills for law enforcement. Key Topics: • Current OIS hit rates are a clear indicator that there is an alarming failure of transfer from training. • Transfer of training in law enforcement – what is transfer and why it is critical to understanding learning design • Ecological dynamics is a proven method of skill acquisition coaching • Representative design is a key principle that must guide training development • Training design principles: spacing, interleaving, variability • The critical role of pressure and mistakes and their role in learning • The gap between qualification scores and real-world performance • Doing more of what we have always done in firearms training will continue to yield the same horrible results on the street.

EP57 ‘Breaking the Paper Cage: Making Real Learning Happen’ with Sam Elsner

Summary: In this conversation, Sam Elsner and the host explore the misconceptions surrounding learning styles and the nature of skill acquisition. They discuss the importance of context, the role of discomfort in learning, and the significance of feedback in training. Sam shares his journey from being a successful athlete to a thought leader in motor learning, emphasizing the need for a shift in how we approach training and education. The discussion highlights the ecological dynamics perspective, advocating for a more adaptable and context-rich learning environment. Takeaways • Rethinking traditional beliefs about learning can unlock potential. • Labels like 'visual' or 'kinesthetic learner' can limit growth. • Ecological dynamics offers a new lens for understanding skill acquisition, especially for highly nonlinear domains such as law enforcement. • Context and environment are crucial for effective learning. • Discomfort in training leads to greater adaptability and growth. • How current feedback methods produce learned helplessness. Feedback must empower learners, not create dependency. • Expertise is about perception and experience, not just knowledge. • Why we constantly consume knowledge but don’t know how to use it. • Training should embrace chaos and uncertainty for real-world application. • Learning is a continuous process of adaptation and problem-solving. • Creating a context-rich learning environment at the very beginning of skill acquisition is essential for success. Check out Elsner’s Substack “ATTUNE” for thought-provoking insights on learning for life, here: https://substack.com/@samelsner

EP56 'Civilian Oversight and Police Use of Force in Canada' with Dr. Rick Parent

Summary: In this conversation, Dr. Rick Parent discusses the complexities surrounding police use of force, the role of civilian oversight, and the importance of clear communication in maintaining public trust. He emphasizes the need for context and perspective in understanding police actions, the dangers faced by officers, and the significance of de-escalation techniques. The discussion also highlights the impact of mental health on policing and the necessity for a national approach to civilian oversight to improve accountability and public safety. Takeaways: • The most dangerous moment for a police officer is often routine calls. • Civilian oversight can either strengthen or undermine public trust. • There are several ways in which civilian oversight agencies need to improve their practices to help enhance public confidence. • Canadian police are reluctant users of deadly force compared to the U.S. • Clear communication is essential for public understanding of police actions. • Context is crucial in evaluating police use of force incidents. • The media often vilifies police without understanding the full story. • Timely responses from oversight agencies are critical for public trust. • Policing is an unpredictable and dangerous occupation. • De-escalation techniques are vital but should not compromise officer safety. • Mental health issues significantly impact police interactions with the public.

EP55 ‘Advancing Policing in a Post Truth Era’ with Dr. Nick Carleton and Dr. Craig Bennell

Summary This conversation with two of Canada’s foremost police researchers, Dr. Nick Carleton and Dr. Craig Bennell, delves into the complexities surrounding police use of force, moral injuries to officers and their families, and the impact of context-void media narratives on public perception. The topic of the conversation centers around a recent research paper by Dr. Carleton and colleagues titled “A Contextualized Assessment of Duty-Related Bodily Harm Associated with Canadian Police Officers” published in 2025 by FACETS. This discussion highlights the need for better data and understanding of duty-related bodily harm, comparing police errors to those in healthcare. The speakers emphasize the importance of context in evaluating police actions and the challenges faced in changing the narrative around policing in Canada. This is a clarion call to police leadership and those with influence to shape the role of policing in society to stand up and take action. Takeaways • 51% of the public supported defunding the police in 2020. • Police officers often face moral injury due to public perception. • The media plays a significant role in shaping narratives about policing. • Duty-related bodily harm is defined as harm caused by police while on duty. • Comparative analysis shows police errors during use of force events are significantly lower than healthcare errors. • Public understanding of police use of force is often based on misconceptions. • Media coverage often lacks context, shapes incorrect conclusions and leads to negative perceptions of police. • Police officers are often the last line of defense in social crises. • There is a need for a multi-pronged approach to improve public perception of policing.

EP54 ‘Ecological Dynamics in Coaching’ with Dr. Steve Smith

Summary: Dr. Steve Smith is Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching and Psychology Programme Leader for Sport Coaching and Physical Education and Head of Elite Sport Programme Department of Sport, Exercise and Health at the University of Winchester. Steve’s professional focus is exploring how practice environments shape competitive performance. He is especially passionate about sharing the principles of ecological dynamics with coaches and practitioners. His work spans multiple sports, and he is committed to bridging the gap between theory and applied coaching, helping athletes and coaches better understand the environments that support learning, resilience, and excellence in competition. In this conversation, Steve states that a ‘major reset’ is needed in how coaches and trainers think that people actually learn. He discusses the importance of shifting coaching and training to a nonlinear approach using the ecological dynamics and constraints led methods. Coaches and trainers need to guide intentions and use constraints to create self-organizing, adaptable and agile performers – especially those who must function in highly ambiguous, challenging and high consequence environments – such as law enforcement. Dr. Smith wants coaches to understand how people actually learn, and he emphasizes that genuine performance improvement non-linear and will normally involve periods of ‘struggle’ where performance will suffer before achieving peak results. Takeaways • Intentions – what needs to be accomplished – needs to guide performer actions. • Constraints are essential components of any system. • The best performance improvement is not linear. • Performer development needfully involves setbacks before peak performance. • Understanding the system – the performer, the task and the environment - is essential in achieving learning goals. • The journey to meaningful improvement will be complex and non-linear. • Effective training requires acknowledging constraints present in the performance domain and ensuring those are engineered into the learning environment. • Self-defense techniques are influenced by realistic situational constraints. • Long-term development often leads to better outcomes.