Sports
Training Part of Job
MEDFORD
Tribune
Features
SUCTION B
MEDFORD. OREGON, SUNDAY, MAY 12, 1963
PAGES 1 to U
Area Law Enforcement Officers Attend Wide Range of Courses
By PEC HUTCHINSON
Mail Tribunt Staff Writer
During the past several weeks, Medford police of
ficers and officers with neighboring law enforcement
departments,- have been attending classes in various
phases of police work.
A recent advanced class series is but one of a num
ber of ways in which police departments continue train
ing its officers after they have passed recruit training
and probationary period.
Much has been written about the training programs
of such giants as the New York City Police department
where academies train the new officers and college ,
courses are available for studying toward a degree in
police science.
The Medford police department has 40 officers (in
cluding two policewomen) and six records clerks. H
. operates on a budget of slightly more than $330,000.
Need for Training Discussed
The need for an advanced training program for the
local department was discussed by Chief of Police
Charles P. Champlin after he returned from the FBI
National Academy in 1953.
Now the department has a program of continual
training for officers, which Champlin considers to be
' one of the best in the state for a department its size.
He noted that it also has served as a morale builder
for the department.
One of the greatest improvements cited by the chief
went into effect in 1961. This is the police training
school for new officers conducted by Oregon state police
at Camp Whithycombe. The school is for two weeks
with the training under the supervision of a committee
of the Oregon Association of City Police Officers.
A member of the committee is Medford Police De
tective Lt. Lyle C. Perkins, who is now in Washington,
D. C,. attending the FBI National Academy.
Two Weeks of Training
The school for new recruits consists of two weeks
of intensive training, and at the present is scheduled
on an "as needed" basis. Instructors are from Oregon
state police, FBI, sheriff's and city police departments
and members of other federal agencies and the District
Attorney's association available upon request.
Champlin said plans are being discussed with the
idea of lengthening the school. The city pays $25 per
week per man at the school for room and board.
The committee which supervises the training is com
posed of a representative from the Oregon Chief of
Police association, state police, Oregon State Sheriffs
association, and the special agent in charge of the Port
land FBI office.
Recruits serve six weeks of on-the-job training be
fore being sent out alone, Champlin stressed. He added
that the new men are issued weapons only after they
have passed approved fire range tests.
Money Is Stumbling Block
Money is generally the stumbling block in setting up
advanced training programs, Champlin continued. Staffs
are generally not sufficient to allow officers to attend
classes during working hours. Desired classes attended
by only a few officers prove to be too expensive.
This cost item was overcome with the establishment
of the annual advanced school for officers held in 15
Oregon cities each spring. It is one of many held to im
prove the quality of the state's small town police officer. .
The advanced school is sponsored by the Oregon As
sociation of City Police Officers and the Oregon State
Sheriffs association. Cooperating with them in providing ,
instructors and materials are the FBI, Oregon state po
lice, League of Oregon Cities, and the bureau of mu
nicipal research and service of the University of Oregon.
During the past 10 years, the department has inte
grated into its training program classes taught by the
groups already mentioned, and the League of Oregon
Cities, American Red Cross, Medford Chamber of Com
merce, Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone company,
548th Ordnance Detachment of the U. S. Army, Med
ford High school, Medford city administration, and
larger city police departments in Oregon.
Agencies Will Conduct Classes
Most of these agencies will conduct classes for po
lice departments upon request, Champlin explained,
something the local department has made use of in
building the advance training program.
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Part of the -Medford police department's training program is a major case crime school, held by the federal
bureau of investigation at the request of the local department. The school ends with a moot court. During cross
examination, errors in investigation, the importance of properly identifying evidence and accurate note taking by
officers were noted. Two local attorneys and a judge volunteered their time for the "trial" which was held in a
Jackson county circuit court to establish the atmopshere of an actual trial. (Knackstedt photo)
The majority of the classes are conducted at no
additional cost to the department, the chief continued.
The department budgets $200 per year for association
membership fees. The amount is based on population.
Travel expenses for Officers attending schools away
from Medford also arc included.
When 'individual officers wish to attend classes in
the adult education program of the high school or take
college extension courses, the department will pay the
tution costs if the course pertains to his work and money
is available.- Because the size of the department, each
request is studied individually.
First aid classes, both standard and advanced, are
required of all, officers and are taught without cost to t
the department upon request. Each officer is required
to attend a class: in public speaking under the auspices
of the adult 'education program. Costs-for this class
are paid by the department. : . . ! ' '.' . i
Other Courses Are Required - ''
' Other courses required of all officers is teletype
school conducted by the Pacific Northwest Bell Tele
phone company and a defensive driving course, which
includes a written test, road driving, reaction time and
parking. The teletype school is repeated when needed;
the driving course is scheduled when new officers are
added to the department. '
Once a week an in-service training session Is held
by the supervisor of each platoon. Discussed during
the sessions are current happenings of Importance to
the department and a review of the police training
manual and the municipal code. The manual study is
geared so it will be reviewed completely each year.
In September, 1960, the FBI conducted the first
major case crime school for the Medford department.
The two-day session, from the report of the crime
through a moot court, was held upon request without
charge.
Previously, the FBI and state police held a one-day
school on auto theft for ,the local officers. Now this
topic is incorporated in the annual advanced school pro
gram. '
Firearms School Conducted
- Firearms schools are conducted by the FBI at least
once each year upon request. It is sponsored by the
Medford police department and Is an invitational shoot,
with law enforcement officers in the area invited to
participate. The department, which has its own pistol
: range, holds bimonthly departmental shoots with each
officer required to qualify in the practical pistol course.
5 ' Started this year was the department's first night
firearms session. This included firing, part in total
darkness and part with flashlight. Loading is in total
darkness.
Other classes which have been held at the depart
ment's request include a tourist school conducted by
the Medford Chamber of Commerce for all officers, and
an explosive ordnance reconnaissance school which was
conducted for department supervisors by the 548th
Ordnance Detachment of the U. S. Army, Vancouver,
Wash., barracks.
The Medford fire department also holds training ses
sions for the police department in the use of their
specialized equipment such as self-contained oxygen,
smoke ejectors and other items. Recently the fire de
partment's aerial ladder was used by police to assist
them in reaching the roof of a building where a burglary
had been attempted.
The care and handling of injured persons also is
an important part of the officers job, Champlain con
tinued. Doctors conduct such courses.
Training in the use of the night stick was added to
the officers training this month. -
One class, sponsored by state police and attended by
several Medford department officers, concerned tourist
problems in connection with the Seattle World's fair.
The department is interested in these specialized ses
sions, Champlin noted, since in this case many of the
World's fair visitors traveled through Medford.
The department also conducts training in the use
of the camera, which is required of all new officers. The
new officer spends at least two days with the depart
ment's identification officer. In addition to learning how
to operate the camera and about darkroom procedures,
he also learns how to take fingerprints and familiarizes
himself with the identification files and forms used by
the department.
Attend Photography Class
Several of the officers have attended the photography
classes in the adult education program,
The new officers also spend at least three days with
Jackson county juvenile department, including the de
tention home.
Schools which are held elsewhere in the state and
are considered important to the departments are attend
ed by the Medford police department supervisors or by
the officers assigned to that particular duty.
When a supervisor school is held in Portland by the
FBI and Portland police department, supervisors from
the Medford department attend the three-day school.
Last fall the last three supervisors in the local depart
ment who had not previously attend this school were
sent.
Time In Identification Bureau
One man also has spent lime in the Oregon State
Police Identification bureau In Salem. Medford police
officers receive this training upon request when the
need arises in the department.
A five-day seminar on arson was attended by one
, officer, lt was held In Portland under the auspices of
the Oregon state police arson division and the National
Board of Fire Underwriters.
Local officers also have reviewed procedures re
garding accident records in the department of motor
vehicles, Salem.
A recent school held in Medford concerned crowd
control and allied problems, held by state police, and
search seizure, conducted by the FBI and the Jackson
county district attorney's office.
Check investigations have been the topic of other
schools.
Receives Training in Salem
When the department started using radar, one traffic
patrolman received training in its operation at the Salem
police department. This man, in turn, Instructed other
men in the local department.
A 12-wcck course in municipal personnel adminis
tration, taught by city officials and department super
visors, also is available to Medford police officers. The
weekly two-hour sessions acquaint them with all mu
nicipal departments and their administration. It also in
cludes problems of the supervisor, how to give orders .
and how to get along with fellow employees. The cost
Is paid by the department. A similar course, also taught
by city officials, is on a municipal police administration.
It continues for a year and ends with an examination.
The police department keeps a detailed record of all
training held each year and files on each. officer as to
the courses and schools he has attended.
Attend Other Meetings '
Once a month an officer attends the meeting in .
Redding, Calif., of the Northern California Investigators
council and once a year the Western Crime conference.
- The majority of the schools and courses are attended
by police officers during off-duty hours, Champlin
stressed. ;
The advanced school recently concluded in Medford
had two sessions daily afternoon and evening so that
all officers could attend.
During weekly meetings with the department's su
pervisors, Champlin explained, the needs of the depart
ment arc discussed. If the department needs training
in a particular field, the chief continued, attempts to
obtain it arc taken.
"Chances are such a course is readily available, and
In many cases it's free."
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Individual training with riot and machine guns also is received by the Medford po
lice department officers. Checking a machine gun with FBI Special Agent Max Taylor
(right) Is Medford Police Detective LI. Lyle C. Perkins, who is now in Washington,
D C attending the FBI National Academy. (Knackstedt photo)
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Three local law enforcement officers, who were among those who attended the ad
vanced police work classes sponsored by the Medford department earlier this year, ex
amine a one pound package of marijuana prior to a class on dangerous drugs held by
John Windham, Portland, narcotics agent with the bureau of narcotics. The officers are
(left to right) Medford Patrolman Gordon Wright, Jackson County Sheriff's Deputy Ray
Twltchcll, and Medford Patrolman Donald Claypool. (Knackstedt photo)
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About 70 law enforcement officers attended a major case crime school conducted
In Medford by the federal bureau of investigation at the request of the Medford city
police. Shown collecting evidence at the scene of the "crime" are Sgt. John S. Ken
nard, Klamath Falls police department; Sgt. Richard A. Newell, Grants Pass police
department; Air Force Staff Sgt. Sterling White Jr., Kingslry Air Force base, Klamath
Falls, and Medford Police Patrolman Keith Van Horn. (Knackstedt photo)
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