Surviving the Nightshift™


Course Description

This course is an 8-hour academic program, the entirety of which is taught in a seminar format, within the confines of a classroom.

This class is structured to assist patrol officers, both new and veteran, in methods that will assist them in managing  a diverse range of occupational risks associated with shift-work.  Attendees will also learn how to mitigate those occupational risks specifically related to working under diminished light conditions.

 Although the course follows a seminar structure, complimented with extensive  audio-visual materials, it affords student-instructor interactivity that enables the program to offer even greater value to attendees.

Course Learning Objectives

 Upon completion of this course, participants:

  • Will know the occupational safety problems associated with working shift-work.

  • Will understand the nature of circadian rhythms and how they impact performance.

  • Will understand concepts pertinent to work-load scheduling.

  • Will know the short, medium and long-term health ramifications of shift-work.

  • Will know the value of napping as a fatigue countermeasure tactic.

  • Will know when and how to employ “activity breaks” to boost alertness during night shifts.

  • Will know what dietary guidelines to follow to diminish performance-robbing insulin spikes on night shifts.

  • Will know the nature and trade-offs of caffeine as a nightshift stimulant.

  • Will understand the importance of timing and dosage when using caffeine as a fatigue countermeasure.

  • Will know how to maximize quality sleep when off-duty.

  • Will know how and to what extent that vision is impaired at night.

  • Will know how threat discrimination is influenced by diminished lighting.

  • Will know the frequency of mistake-of-fact shootings under low light conditions.

  • Will understand the limitations and effective parameters of flashlight and patrol vehicle lighting.

  • Will know the night-time advantages and disadvantages of certain vehicle stop techniques.

  • Will understand the applied differences between target acquisition devices and illumination devices.

  • Will know what flashlight selection criteria are most important.

  • Will know the most intuitive techniques for employing flashlights, and when to employ them with greater caution.

  • Will know why ambient light measurement is such a critical element of officer-involved shootings.

  • Will know the effective parameters and selection criteria of night vision devices (NVDs).

  • Will understand uniform and equipment considerations for shift-workers.

  • Will know specific training considerations that should be addressed for shift-workers.


Click Here for a printable PDF brochure for this course.


Course Instructor:

Thomas J. Aveni, MSFP

 

       Tom Aveni has been a career law enforcement officer, having served on the local and state levels in three states (NJ, UT, NH). His police career began in 1978, and he has served as a police trainer since 1983. From 1990 to 2001 Tom served as a police "Training Coordinator" with the once prestigious Smith & Wesson Academy. There he was instrumental in training over 12,000 police and military personnel from across the United States and 23 other countries.

      Mr. Aveni achieved his undergraduate degrees in Criminal Justice while minoring in psychology.  He received his Master’s Degree in Forensic Psychology from American International College, Springfield, MA.

       Since 1996, Mr. Aveni's police training focus became oriented toward researching so-called “questionable” police shootings. These shootings routinely involve suspects who were unarmed and non-assaultive when shot by police. Previous studies had suggested that 25-43% of police shootings are of unarmed suspects. In this pursuit, Tom also examined the influence of police bias and contextual expectations on the inclination to use deadly force.

       Tom's research into "questionable" police shootings contributed to the creation and advancement of the first (1995) and most comprehensive low light instructor training program ever offered. By 1998, Tom's low light instructor training was being taught internationally.

       Mr. Aveni lectures nationally, presenting a variety of instructor-level courses. Tom has also been a frequent contributor to several law enforcement publications, such as Law & Order Magazine, Police & Security News, The Trainer, and others. He is co-author of a soon-to-be published text, “Surviving the Nightshift®.”

Length

 1 day/ 8 hours

Tuition

 $175

Dates

(See Schedule or Course Hosting)

Location

  Please call 877-267-7772  ext. 3

 

Please Note: All applications, tuition or POs must be received prior to the beginning of class. Tuition includes a comprehensive classroom manual and all classroom materials. Tuition does NOT include the cost of the ammunition that each student will consume.

 


Eligible candidates for this program are members of the police, corrections, military and security communities. ALL applicants MUST provide credentials of their affiliation with an accredited law enforcement, corrections, military or security organization for acceptance into this program.


 

Refund Policy:
 
Refunds are allowable provided that customers comply with the following stipulations:
  • 100% refund: permissible if course withdrawal is no less than 30 days of the starting date of the course you've enrolled in.
  • 50% refund: is afforded if withdrawal is requested within 30 days of your course starting date, but not less than 7 days of that starting date.

Exceptional Circumstances Refund:
 
May be granted if the above stipulations are not met, but when emergency circumstances (i.e., professional or personal) might apply. These will be judged for merit on an individual basis.