LETRS: A One-Stop Shop for Kentucky Law Enforcement Training Needs
The 1971 tune by The Jackson 5 suggests ABC is easier than 1, 2, 3, and as the Department of Criminal Justice Training switches from its current integrated training management system (ITMS) to the new Law Enforcement Training and Records System (LETRS), the hope is the transition will be as seamless.
What is LETRS?
LETRS will be home of the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council (KLEC) hiring process, as well as where officers will register for DOCJT courses, according to DOCJT Staff Assistant Patrick Miller. It will also maintain DOCJT records for training completions and transcripts for all Kentucky law enforcement officers, certified court security officers, coroners and dispatchers.
“LETRS will help with the hiring and personnel updates for our clients,” Miller said. “Currently to get a new person hired, the agency must complete multiple forms that they send to the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council (KLEC) for approval. They must schedule the Peace Officer Professional Standards (POPS), Telecommunicator Professional Standards (TPS), or the Certified Court Security Officers (CCSO) testing and employment procedures using forms they send to KLEC. They then must get approval and details back from KLEC through various means (calls, emails, letters) until the person is approved to be hired.”
Milled pointed out that LETRS will be the centralized hub to ensure the processes are followed.
“The hiring agency will request the person’s POPS Phase I testing protocols through LETRS, then get notified of the results,” he explained. “After the agency offers initial employment, they will request the Phase II testing through LETRS and get notified of the results. Upon successful completion of these requirements the person is automatically entered into the system with all documentation in one place.”
LETRS began several years ago, with curriculum building first being brought into the fold.
DOCJT Staff Assistant Patrick Miller said LETRS will benefit the agency’s clients and is easy to navigate. (Photos by Jim Robertson)
“That was the first major piece developed,” Miller said. “As the program progressed, different pieces were put into place at different points. For example, the Office of the State School Security Marshal started using LETRS two years ago with their assessments. They produced their report that went to the legislature based on the information from the LETRS assessments.”
“Next, the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund (KLEFPF) office started using LETRS to run its reports and distribute the KLEFPF pay stipends to every agency,” Miller added.
Client Usage and Next Phase
Miller said that LETRS is an ever-developing system that will continually be improved, and services added.
“This is a progression from one phase to another phase to another phase and so on,” he explained. “That will continue.”
Many people do not realize that part of the LETRS program is already being used by DOCJT’s law enforcement clients, both internally and externally.
“We integrated Blackboard with LETRS,” he said. “That was our external client’s first introduction to LETRS. Internally, we had created a travel voucher, the school security marshal’s reports and curriculum.”
The next phase of the process will launch on Aug. 28. Between now and then, Miller said agencies would be notified of training webinars that will familiarize them with LETRS.
Leading up to the Aug. 28 launch, Miller said the current ITMS and LETRS will be offline for students and staff after 4:30 p.m. EST between Aug. 18-27. Miller noted that Blackboard connections will remain open to address student course needs during this time, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
Before launching the next phase, Miller said he had traveled the state conducting beta tests.
“Everyone has been complimentary in terms of ease of use and in terms of it making sense,” Miller said. “It is not overly complex. The system is designed for Kentucky’s law enforcement officers and our processes.”
Benefits
One of the most noticeable features of LETRS is the exclusion of things Kentucky’s law enforcement community doesn’t need.
“Some of the things in the other systems that we didn’t need, or use are not part of LETRS,” he explained. “However, we've been able to develop and include some of the things that we need but were not available in other systems.”
Some of the features the old system offered but weren’t needed include instructor scheduling and housing and testing modules.
With LETRS, DOCJT can now streamline the agency’s ability to hire under state and KLEC regulations and policies, and perform internal processes such as travel vouchers and state school safety marshal assessment.
Another noticeable difference will be how the program is laid out.
“The old system had a horizontal design, and you had to click on buttons or tabs to access different functions,” Miller explained. “LETRS is designed vertically. The functions are on the same page. It’s designed to do the functions from one location as much as possible.”
The system will also automatically track essential records agencies and KLEC needs.
“For example, KLEC uses Form F, which is used to gain approval for agencies to hire a person into a sworn position,” Miller explained. “LETRS will create the Form F for them … all they must do is hit the print button. Additionally, the system will make sure it is done accurately.”
Additionally, LETRS will include features allowing agencies to retrieve information from locations they would expect to find it, Miller said.
“For example, in the hiring process, it will give them information stating that this applicant has passed or failed,” Miller said. “Under the tabs, an export option will allow agencies to get information under that specific topic.”
Future Phases
As DOCJT launches this next phase of LETRS, Miller said plans are in the works for the future as the LETRS program develops.
“As we move forward, we’re going to look at this as more than what has ever been done before,” he said. “One of the things we’re looking at after this phase goes live is a compliance area. This will be an area where agencies can access documents needed to stay in compliance. This will allow them to maintain compliance documents within the LETRS system.”
Another needed feature as LETRS advances will be the ability for an agency to log non-DOCJT and non-KLEC training into the system.
“If an agency must keep up with Taser records, they can do so,” Miller pointed out. “DOCJT doesn’t train with Tasers, so it’s not part of our system. But we want this to be a one-stop shop for all their law enforcement training needs.”
Any questions regarding LETRS can be emailed to Miller at patrick.miller@ky.gov.
