Training Courses
Randy has developed and delivered training courses and presentations to thousands of attendees throughout the US. His training content is drawn from internationally recognized sources as well as his decades of front-line experience and research. Randy’s interactive approach to the subject matter provides ample opportunity for questions and an exchange of ideas and input with the attendees, who consistently offer high marks and positive comments in their course evaluations.
While some courses are designed for specific professions or roles, others are ideal for a broad range of audiences. These include:
Law Enforcement (LE), First Responders (FR), Crisis Counselors and Chaplains (CC), Safety and Security (SS), or any general audience (Any).
Courses, keynotes, and Workshops
Communicating When it Counts (Any)
60-90 Minutes
This lighthearted but informative presentation is offered as a 90-minute workshop and as a one-hour keynote presentation. Randy uses an actual case of mistaken identity to describe how our attempts to communicate effectively can be hampered by the cognitive, physical and emotional reactions to difficult, high-intensity situations.
He then offers insight and tips that may help mitigate these negative reactions. The presentation has been well-received by audiences and is described by many attendees as “fun and very informative.”
“Randy has been a delight to have as a speaker at several of our national conferences. His wit is refreshing, and his content is relevant to our industry. Randy brings the insight of experience in an ever crowded field of security. Anyone who engages his services will not be disappointed.”
President, National Organization of Church Safety and Security Management (NOCSSM)
The Human Factors in the Use of Lethal Force (LE, SS, FR, CC)
Four-Hour/Eight-Hour
This dual-purpose course has been presented to law enforcement and armed security professionals, peer-support personnel, and law enforcement leadership teams. For armed professionals and others, Randy describes the potential responses to lethal-force incidents (cognitive, perceptual, physical, emotional, psychological) and offers strategies and techniques that may help mitigate the negative impact of these events and increase performance.
For secondary responders, peer-support personnel, clergy, counselors and others who may assist in the wake of these incidents, the course offers guidelines for support mechanisms and policy/procedure considerations. The information offered is designed to enhance the providers' ability to provide adequate assistance to involved personnel, their families, peers, and the community.
Various elements of the course are included in Officer Involved Shootings and Use of Force: Practical Investigative Techniques, co-authored by Randy, published in 2007, and continuing in print today.
For thirteen years, Randy presented the 8-hour version of the course within Module III of the Leadership Command College at the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT)
"Exceeded my goals! I came away with info for new policies, and he pointed out areas for improvement. Randy did a great job! I would recommend this course to other officers!" LEMIT Graduate
Death/Trauma Notifications (Made Less Awful) (LE, FR, CC)
Four-Hour (Recommended minimum - may be expanded) Also available in an abbreviated "Roll Call" format.
A variety of surveys and research projects continue to reveal that a significant percentage of law enforcement officers, first responders, clergy/chaplains, and other professionals have received little to no death notification training. Yet most of these professionals report that they have delivered at least one death notification. It’s a message that many recipients describe as the “most horrible moment of their lives.”
While there are many “right” ways to approach the task professionally and compassionately, this course explores factors and techniques that may mitigate the negative impact for both the recipient and the provider. The course content is drawn in part from several nationally regarded models. But having delivered an untold number of notifications throughout a ten-year span, Randy - being always considerate of confidentiality - provides insight into the various nuances of this task that may not be covered in some of the standard models of notifications.
The course includes instruction and scenarios designed to increase the student’s awareness of the need for effective planning and delivery of the notification. Also covered are a number of potential responses that may be experienced/demonstrated by the recipient, and interactive skills and techniques that may be utilized accordingly.
The Long Fuse of Cumulative Stress/Trauma (LE, FR, CC)
One-hour keynote or 90 minute workshop
This presentation weaves together two primary elements. The first is testimonial in nature, answering the question:
“How can a professional, who has spent a significant portion of his career responding to major, critical incidents and events; who has trained thousands of responders and others on the topics of stress management and self care, then become the poster child for many of the manifestations of unchecked, cumulative traumatic stress?”
Randy then describes many of the warning signs and indicators that may be precursors to significant, long-term difficulties in the areas of adaptive coping, relationships, personal care and others. The presentation offers strategies and techniques that may help defend the responder against the inevitable - often perpetual - impact of stress and trauma.
"Great presentation, long term physical effects of stress, stress sources for first responders, how the brain processes stress, faith and spirituality. Overall great job!"
First Responder Conference attendee