Boise Police launches new Training, Education and Development Division

BOISE, Idaho — Boise Police announced Monday the creation of a new division called the Training, Education and Development Division (T.E.D.D.) The training was previously part of the Professional Standards Division, according to a news release.

T.E.D.D. will focus on providing officers with the most relevant and essential training throughout their careers. Boise Police says the move to put training, education and development into its own division will allow for more resources and effort into training and internal affairs.

“There are distinct differences between training, education and development. Training assists us in building the technical skills officers need to protect the community and themselves. More complex issues such as procedural justice, constitutional policing, and implicit bias should be approached with an educational model; one that not only discusses these issues but gives our staff avenues to continue to develop and grow their understanding of them,” said Boise Police Chief Ryan Lee. “We also recognize a need to continually develop officers over the course of their careers to best serve the community. The development component of T.E.D.D. will ensure we have the processes in place to improve in key areas such as leadership and officer wellness, helping us to better serve you.”

The department held a nationwide search to find an expert to lead the new division. Captain Spencer Fomby was sworn in Monday morning at City Hall West. The news release says Captain Fomby has focused on facilitating continuous improvement for services, products, processes and people in his 20-year career.

The following is a summary of some of the new division’s primary objectives and goals:

• Under the guidance of new Boise Police Captain Spencer Fomby, T.E.D.D. will regularly examine national and global best practices and establish training based on current trends, research, and data. In part, that research will focus on equipment needs, mental health awareness training, de-escalation techniques and education in implicit bias.
• E.D.D. leadership will design, facilitate, and manage the patrol academy as well as the field training officer program. The patrol academy currently trains all new hires and lateral officers new to BPD.
• The T.E.D.D. will provide updated education throughout officer’s careers while also developing officers to take on new leadership roles in the department.
• Members of the T.E.D.D. will focus on the overall safety and well-being of our officers. The division will accomplish this goal through the utilization of new programs alongside the many resources the department already provides.
• The development of this new division will allow the Professional Standards Division to continue to concentrate on hiring the best officers, completing thorough background checks, performing internal audits and conducting internal investigations. They also ensure our policies are in line with national best practices and the expectations of our community

“The City of Boise has an incredibly high-performing police department, filled with capable and committed people dedicated to serving this community,” said Chief Lee. “These changes will help ensure that we have the infrastructure to address topics important to our community and any other emergent needs as we move forward together.”