Homicide & Officer Involved Shooting Investigations

Course Description


 

This course is a 16 hour academic program. The entirety of this course is taught within the confines of a classroom.

This class is structured to teach detectives, both new and veteran, methods to manage murder or major incident crime scenes. Students will also learn how to investigate some of the most emotional cases of their careers; Officer Involved Shootings and Murdered Officer Investigations. Although the course follows a seminar structure, complimented with extensive audio-visual aids, it affords student-instructor interactivity that makes the course even more interesting.

The course consists of a one-day discussion of homicide and major incident scene management, and one day of Murdered Officer and Officer Involved Shooting investigations. Each student should be knowledgeable in their Agency’s Officer Involved Shooting policy.

Course Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants:

  • Will understand the importance of managing a high profile scene.
  • Will be familiar with the three-fold aim of a criminal investigator.
  • Will be able to describe why note keeping is important.
  • Will learn the importance of team work with Patrol personnel.
  • Can describe importance of identifying potential witnesses.
  • Will learn how to handle in-custody suspects.
  • Will be able to implement crime scene procedures.
  • Will learn how to examine the crime scene by using a “check off” list.
  • Will be able to list the 3 ways that crime scenes are documented.
  • Will be able to describe the most common search methods.
  • Will understand how important a crime scene sketch is.
  • Can describe the responsibilities of the detective in charge of the scene.
  • Will be familiar with the three post-mortem changes to the body.
  • Will learn miscellaneous hints that have assisted homicide detectives.
  • Will be able to ascertain how patrol dogs, trailing dogs, and cadaver dogs can assist.
  • Learn how to get the most information from Officers involved in shootings.
  • Will learn to understand the shooting Officers state of mind.
  • Will learn how Officers react to a shooting.
  • Will learn the difference between investigation responsibilities and investigative responsibilities.
  • Will understand the difference between a coerced statement and a public safety statement.
  • Can identify a criminal investigation and an administrative investigation.
  • Will learn methods to present to the jury in Officer Involved Shootings.

Course Instructor: Det. Mike Bumcrot

Mike is a certified instructor in Officer Involved Shooting Investigations as well as Murdered Officer Investigations and High Profile Cases. He served with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for over 34 years. Unlike many other lecturers on this topic, Mike didn't get his insights from a crime lab assignment. Nor has his experience been limited to a handful of police shootings.

Mike Bumcrot has investigated over 200 Officer Involved Shootings.

While assigned to the LASD Homicide Division for 22 years, Mike investigated several hundred murders, including some of the highest profile cases in the state. Ten of those cases were the murders of Police Officers.

In 1995, he was chosen California Deputy Sheriff of the Year by the California Organization of Police and Sheriffs (COPS) for the investigation, arrest, and conviction of a suspect for the murders of 2 local Policemen. In 2001, he was assigned the case of the murder of an LASD Sergeant that had occurred in 1985. The case had been investigated by numerous detectives from 2 agencies for 14 years. Within 2 months of being assigned the case, the suspect was identified but committed suicide as detectives closed in.

Mike earned his Bachelors Degree from the University of Redlands and is an active member of the California Homicide Investigators Association (CHIA). He’s also an instructor for the Robert Presley Institute of Criminal Investigation (ICI) and an alumni of the Colonel Henry Williams New York State Police International Homicide School. Mike has been a PPSC staff member since 2002.

Though “retired,” Mike is currently completing his third, one year contract, with LASD Homicide to train new homicide detectives. He currently is revamping the LASD Deputy Involved Shooting “hit” policy, as it pertains to the Homicide Bureau. Mike has just agreed to an additional contract with LASD in which he'll be tasked with reviewing hundreds of "cold case" files.

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 and range materials.

(please scroll down and review eligibility and refund policies before registering)  

Length:

2 days/16 hours
Tuition:
$295
 
Date August, 8-9 2007
Location
Kirkland Fire Department Station 22
6602 108th Avenue NE, Kirkland, WA 98033

You can also register for a course using Agency Purchase Order, check or money order

Eligibility

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.

Copyright 2005 The Police Policy Studies Council. All Rights Reserved.