In a presentation before the Antioch City Council Tuesday night, Police Chief Allan Cantando was recognized by the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) for completing the Executive Certificate.
The Executive Certificate is awarded to those who are currently employed full-time peace officers of a POST Participating Agency who possess an Advanced Certificate, Complete a minimum of 60 semester units or possess an accredited degree (i.e., AA, BA, MA, etc.), successfully complete a POST-certified Executive Development Course, Possess a minimum of two years law enforcement experience as a permanent department head with the current employing agency.
According to Antioch Police Captain Tammany Brooks, only 1,500 people have received this certificate in the 78-year history. BOOM!
Here is what the POST Representative told the council Tuesday:
Within POST, we set certain standards for police officers as they progress through their career and promote. When they become sergeants, they are required to take a course—an 80-hr course. Then take a 104-hr course as Lieutenants. After that they are done, there are optional courses.
What this chief did was taken optional course that is available to chiefs of police that are on the job for over a year and it’s an 80-hour course. The course covers leadership, contemporary organizational issues, using influence to change profession, adult principals for the executive, leading organization intervention, media relations, legal issues and the executive, understanding and surviving local government, ethics and values, managing the asylum—employee motivation and discipline—and the executive role in mitigating organizational risk. So your chief of police volunteered and took that course. One of the complaints I get up and down the state that the police chiefs are very busy and there required to meet the same standards as police officers in terms of training and it’s very hard for them to meet these minimum standards. Obviously, your police chief exceeded those standards by taking this 80-hour course.
This certificate is not handed out every day by POST, it’s a significant thing and I just wanted to recognize him in front of the city council, the community, and his officers.
This profession as you all know in the media is really challenged at this point, it’s a difficult time to be a police officers than it was 20-30 years ago and it’s much more challenging. I’d like to thank the chief for his service to the state, the local community and everything you do.
Chief Cantando stated he was not expecting the certificate until next month at a Chiefs meeting and was surprised by the recognition during the council meeting.
“I want to say thank you to POST and thank you to the men and women of the Antioch Police Department, I didn’t expect this tonight. I am very honored to receive this. It’s one of those special things that you get after you have done the job for a while,” explained Cantando. “I want to thank everyone for being here and its an honor to receive this. So thank you.”
About POST
The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) was established by the Legislature in 1959 to set minimum selection and training standards for California law enforcement. The POST organization, with more than 130 staff members, functions under the direction of an Executive Director appointed by the Commission.
POST funding comes from the Peace Officers’ Training Fund (POTF). The POTF receives money from the State Penalty Fund, which in turn receives money from penalty assessments on criminal and traffic fines. Therefore, the POST Program is funded primarily by persons who violate the laws that peace officers are trained to enforce. No tax dollars are used to fund the POST Program.
The POST Program is voluntary and incentive-based. Participating agencies agree to abide by the standards established by POST. More than 600 agencies participate in the POST Program and are eligible to receive the Commission’s services and benefits which include:
- job-related assessment tools
- research into improved officer selection standards
- management counseling services
- the development of new training courses
- reimbursement for training, and
- quality leadership training programs
POST also awards professional certificates to recognize peace officer achievement and proficiency.
