SSP 456 - Special Police Officer Initial Training - Fundamentals of Policing

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

1. identify the requirements for receiving and maintaining a special police officer (SPO) commission in the State of Maryland;
2. demonstrate communication skills for de-escalation in public interactions;
3. identify the role of a special police officer in a civil dispute, such as landlord/tenant, employer/employee, driver/tow truck operator, etc;
4. identify the special police officer’s role in crime prevention;
5. demonstrate co mpleting acceptable police reports;
6. demonstrate completing a statement of probable cause and statement of charges for a warrantless arrest;
7. identify a special police officer’s pre-trial responsibilities and procedures;
8. identify the legal requirements to lawfully detain a person;
9. identify the legal requirements to make a lawful arrest;
10. identify the legal requirements to conduct a stop or search based on evidence of cannabis;
11. identify basic criminal law concepts (level of suspicion, felony, misdemeanor, warrant, warrantless);
12. identify criminal gangs active in the U.S. and locally;
13. identify circumstances and procedures for responding to and handling hazardous materials incidents;
14. identify the special police officer’s role in handling crowds and 1st Amendment protected activities such as protests, political events, and labor disputes; and
15. demonstrate effectively interacting with a person in a  mental health crisis.