Be The Real Thing
by Allan Howard, PCI #001
Dayton (OH) Police Department (Ret.)
The 2019 IPMBA Conference, held in Fort Worth, Texas, is in the bag, and it was a great success. I can’t thank the host agencies and personnel enough; you really set the bar high. Seeing the organization come together every year is quite special for me. Quite literally, sitting on my desk as I type this, is my original printing of the Complete Guide to Police Cycling, inscribed with notes from my fellow founding members. It is truly one of my most valuable material possessions. Even so, its value pales in comparison to the camaraderie of our members and the life-saving work we do by educating and training public safety personnel. THAT is the goal, even more so today, when everyone is on the front line. Merely having lunch in a public place can put anyone, especially public safety personnel, in a position to act in the face of danger and to put the lives of others in front of their own. IPMBA’s mission is clear: to be at the epicenter of all things pertaining to our specialized job function(s). There are no secrets, no untold information that could save the life of a civilian or a public safety provider.
I look at what we have today and I believe no organization in history reflects that mission like IPMBA. One of the reasons I believe we hold such stature is because “Good Enough” was never good enough. From the very beginning, we knew we needed specialized training and testing, and qualified people to teach. The IPMBA Police, EMS, and Security Cyclist and the Instructor Courses have never been easy. They are doable and attainable, but they are not “easy”. I hope they never are, especially the Instructor Course.
These days, a good chunk of professional training is “fluff”. You can often get certified in a subject in a single day, and after an additional day, become an “Instructor”. Despite that, IPMBA holds true to the high standards we set in the beginning, because when things get tight, “fluff” or “paper tiger” certifications don’t get it done. You can’t prepare for a tough task by taking it easy. Real training costs money because it takes longer, incurs higher travel and lodging expenses, and in some cases, requires expensive equipment. That’s the reality, but a lack of training and/or “fluff” training ultimately cost more.
Those of us in this business we know that human life and suffering have no price. However, juries put a price on it every week, and somebody pays for it. At this moment, I’m speaking directly to those of you who are administrators and anyone who has the ear of one.
Don’t be penny-wise and pound-foolish, thinking you’ll save money by skipping good training. Lawsuit judgments aside, the personal cost of losing someone in your charge is an ache that never, ever goes away.
Speaking of instructors, I always like to see the new instructors on their last day of training, and this conference was no different. My friend/brother-in-arms Tom Woods and I spoke to the graduating class in Fort Worth. Aside from the history, I try to convey two main themes. One: be the real thing; and two: always be looking for your replacement.
What I mean by “be the real thing” is to be so good at your craft that it is clear to anyone that you can do what you’re asking of your students. When I say “be good at it”, I mean be as flawless as a human can be. At the beginning of training, students are often apprehensive and unsure of themselves. What gives them confidence is seeing you demonstrate your abilities and hearing your assurance that they, too, will be able to perform the required skills in four more days.
Just as important is the ability – and willingness – to teach someone else to be as good as you are, or even better. That comes from holding nothing back. Don’t let your ego tempt you into keeping something in reserve so you’re always one up on the student. Give them everything you know and have. My greatest successes as an instructor have always been when I have made someone better than I am; it is gratifying beyond belief. Those students will transform in four or five days; not just physically, but mentally as well. On day one, they can’t begin to conceive of what they’ll be capable of in forty more training hours. Witnessing that change and knowing I was a part of it still gets me excited, and it makes me want to become even better.
I encourage each of you, as instructors, to always be on the lookout for your replacements. Find, encourage and mentor them. The joy of helping someone else achieve their goals and seeing them help others do the same is indescribable. This “business model” has been the very foundation of IPMBA from the beginning; without it we will no longer serve our primary goals.
I apologize for being so long-winded. No story is ever short, especially when I am so passionate about the subject.
See you in Dayton, June 1-6, 2020, for the 30th Annual IPMBA Conference, as we once again prepare the next generation of public safety cyclists and instructors for success.
— Allan
(c) 2019 IPMBA. This article appeared in the 2019 Conference Highlights issue of IPMBA News.