Several individual's have raised an issue with the concept of "training" law enforcement.
Please keep in mind there are many forms of training and most do not require any kind of license or certification. Any subject matter expert, whether through "training", practical experience or both may be a qualified instructor or a self-proclaimed expert. How many college level instructors are actually qualified and certified to "teach"? What does it actually take to be a trainer?
I believe the MOC, Inc. concept of training law enforcement and the communities at large is a misnomer. We try to be subject matter experts, instructors, if you will, and would not presume to be experienced, certified trainers in law enforcement, only about a specific point of law that it appears most police and law enforcement academies choose to omit, obfuscate or outright lie about. Certainly we have a few who have all the qualifications, but as Jeff said, we are a group of volunteers who are willing to share what we have learned to the advancement of others.
But it is a task that needs repeating. While we keep hearing about cut-backs, that does not mean there is zero growth in law enforcement personnel. And many of the vacancies are filled by non-residents; people unfamiliar with our laws who probably will not receive more than their basic training until their department has enough new people to justify scheduling them.
Either we are in this for the long haul, e.g. ten to twenty years, or we are not. Education is a continuous process. You don't do it once and it is done because the people, rules and technologies keep changing. When I became a member, I made a conscious promise to do whatever I could to support the cause and mission of this group for as long as I am able.
But to change topic for a moment and get back to the OP's original message, the forum has many members that have chosen not to become a dues paying member of MOC, Inc. Some of them are vocal against the MOC leadership and the membership has no way of telling who they are, but as a Global Moderator, I do. There is a group working on a code of conduct that I believe we will be able to enforce on this forum to restrict or ban the malcontents who do not wish to join us but remain rabble rousers.
I will actively petition the board to begin banning such posters who foment dissension and ill will just to sow discord. I am an advocate of terminating someone's access first and letting them petition to have it reinstated. And I have the skillset to analyze their collection of posts and draw that conclusion. Everybody has an opinion and I am conscious of their right to express it, but within limits. And people pushed that limit on this thread.
Respect of others seems to be waning in recent years, but our membership deserves respect and good civil discourse. I expect most everybody here has heard the old expression, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." Even the lurkers have a reasonable expectation of good manners.
Roy Sprunger
Global Moderator & Forum Administrator
Michigan Open Carry, Inc.