WEBINAR:
Improving Law Enforcement Training and the Illusion of Learning
Description:
For decades, law enforcement training has relied on methods that look effective but often fail to produce lasting skills or decision-making ability. Research—including the “Academy Study”—shows that too often we are not assessing actual learning. Instead, we continue doing what we believe works best for instruction, reinforcing the illusion of learning while leaving officers underprepared for the demands of an open, unpredictable environment.
This webinar will challenge long-standing training practices and explore the evidence-grounded concepts and principles to build training programs that truly improve officer performance in the field.
Topics Include:
• Performance vs. Learning: Why passing a test isn’t proof of skill, and how to measure retention and transfer into real-world situations.
• Assessing What Matters: Moving beyond “checking the box” at yearly in-service training—are you making your people better or just compliant?
• The Pitfalls of ROTE Practice: Mechanical repetition often produces low transfer to the street. Without context, variability, and realism, training breaks down under pressure.
• Needed Variability in Training: Every tactic should be trained under changing conditions—lighting, speed, environment, and individual differences. Officers need to see multiple “faces” of a skill before it becomes reliable in the field.
• Stress vs. Pressure: Outdated models of stress regulation don’t reflect what expert performers do. The key is emotional regulation—learning to refocus attention, control breathing, and filter out distractions. Effective officers recognize cues, regulate emotions, and return to what matters most in the moment.
By reframing how law enforcement agencies approach training, we can move away from illusions and toward methods that create adaptable, confident, and skilled officers—ready for the realities of policing.
Certificates:
A certificate of attendance is provided automatically by the Go-To-Webinar platform, only if you watch the live broadcast after logging in with your name and your email. If you watch the webinar as a group, or if you watch a replay, you will not receive a certificate. For group training simply document the completion of the training on a training roster.
Target Audience:
This webinar is specifically geared towards law enforcement officers and leadership. Please forward the registration link to others in your organization who may benefit from attendance.
Date/Time:
October 30, 2025 (10-11am EST)
Registration Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8721205735162392160
Recordings are made available for on demand viewing here: View Recordings
Presenters: Trevor Reschny and Jeff Johnsgaard
Jeff Johnsgaard ([email protected]) is an internationally recognized law enforcement trainer and expert with over two decades of frontline policing experience. As the Founder and Chief Instructor of Training On Purpose, By Design Jeff has served as an instructor for Force Science®, Raptor Protection, and the Reality Based Training Association (RBTA). His credentials span advanced tactical instruction, firearms, use of force, defensive tactics, and scenario-based training, with additional expertise in conducted energy weapons, less-lethal tools, and close-quarters defense. Jeff has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and industry publications on officer safety, decision-making, and performance under stress, and regularly presents at conferences such as ILEETA, IALEFI, and Force Science. His training philosophy emphasizes integrating cognitive and physical skills, perception-based decision-making, and reality-based methods to prepare officers for the dynamic challenges of modern policing. Jeff’s website: https://www.onpurpose.training/
