RCMP Skilz

The Dreyfus model of skill acquisition is a five-stage model describing how a practioner moves from a novice to an expert stage of skill in a given occupation.* The stages are as follows:

1. Novice. This is fairly self-evident and requires the learner to have no experience in the subject prior to instruction. Think of learning to drive. You're instructed in all the parts and controls in the car, you know them, but you must think carefully about how, and in what order, to operate them all so the car does what you want it too. You over or under steer, brake hard, forget your lights, etc. Your passengers are gripping the seats and a little blue in the lips. Here you are highly self-concious of the rules, whether your following them. You should not drive without an experienced driver with you. If you're the RCMP and dealing with a distressed Polish immigrant, you're recalling stages in your incident manual, and trying to figure out where the man in front of you fits.
   
2. Advanced Beginner. You're better at braking, steering, etc, but still, you haven't quite mastered the vehicle to an intuitive level. You're still consciously thinking about what your doing step by step, but with much more confidence in your control of the car. Passengers are breathing normally, if a bit tense. You can drive solo, but not on 100km/h highways. If you're RCMP, you think you know what you're looking at, if a bit hesitant about what to do. Is he scared, on drugs, or having some sort of medical emergency? You're fairly confident you can deal with it.
   
3. Competent. No worries for you. You've been driving for a while. You've dealt with most, but not all driving situations (snow and rain, but maybe not ice). You don't have to think too much about what you're doing, but you're still somewhat concious about the rules of the road. Passengers can talk to you while you drive. If you're RCMP, you've been on the job a while, you've got the hang of things. But you're not experienced enough to train others, nor have you encountered all situations. The agitated man in front you looks a lot like the whacked out meth addict you busted last year. But this isn't a methlab. Still, could there be a crackhead in an airport; smuggling gone wrong? Better be careful here, ready the TASER™ You think you know what to do.
4. Proficient. You can probably teach driving. You know the rules, you know why the rules are there. You're passengers fall asleep when you drive. Your aware, confident, experienced just about everything, if only once or twice. If you're RCMP, you might be training new cops on the job. Showing them how all that training applies in reality. See the manual says the man with the stapler is dangerous because he's agitated. This means we can TASER™. You're still matching what you observe to rigid rule set. You know the rules are in place to protect you. That man could be dangerous. Better not take any chances. You're not really thinking about asking anyone standing around about what the dude is upset about, you gotta protect them too. Passengers from that flight coming through soon. Man, he's a lot like that crackhead you busted. Big fucker. What the hell's he sayin'? Can't take any chances. If he moves suddenly, gotta take him down.
   
5. Expert. You're a Formula One driver or something close. The car is an extension of yourself. The rules of road are second nature. You probably couldn't pass a drivers test without studying, but you've been doing this for years and you no longer even think about what you're doing, road rules, etc. Your passengers think you're driving a spa. If you're RCMP, you're thinking that guy doesn't speak English, looks pretty tired and scared. He's throwin' stuff but doesn't seem to be attacking anyone. You might wanna say "hey man, you alright?" There's people standing around, they might know something. Might be a little careful, and keep a bit out of arms range, but you're cool. This is an airport, not a crackhouse or biker bar. What manual? You mean that shit they teach you at the Depot?**
   

Recall this post. Then go read the Braidwood posts by the ever-vigilant Dr. Dawg and TGB's own Alison, and see where you plot our pony boys. Me? I'd put them at somewhere less than novice, because even a novice knows there are rules and guidelines that should be followed, and would generally be cautious about following them. Guidelines, from their own fucking pam, like determining,

* whether suspect is armed
* diversity issues
* the emotional state of individuals involved
* Create a positive atmosphere, when possible
* Let clients get to know you
* State who you are and why you are there
* Speak clearly, using vocabulary the client will understand
* Ask for an interpreter, as required

...before piling on the unfortunate and late Mr. Dziekanski like so many kids in a playground.

You have to train someone to be that kind of stupid. Fire those cops, fire their supervisor, fire their training staff at the Depot, fire their recruiter.

UPDATE 3 March: Link to Alison's equally outstanding (with Dr. Dawg) Braidwood posts. My bad.

*For examples see Benner, Patricia. 2004. "Using the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition to describe and interpret skill acquisition and clinical judgement in nursing practice and education." Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society 24:188-199;
Flyvbjerg, Bent. 2001. Making social science matter: why social inquiry fails and how it can succeed again. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chs 1&2.

**Random aside: I'll never forget the verbal beasting I got from a man, with an eight-pointed star on his hat and crowns on his sleeves, when I actually tried do something according to the handbook. Stings more because I knew better, and thought what I was doing was a really dumb way to do it, but I was being assessed and thought 'better follow the rulz here.' Larnin' experience, as they say.