Training That Sticks: Two Conversations on Rethinking Law Enforcement Decision-Making Training

Every officer has experienced a situation in the field where conditions change unexpectedly and there’s no checklist for what to do next. In those moments, officers depend less on memorized procedures and more on judgment, adaptability, and high stakes decision-making under pressure. Yet traditional training programs routinely place heavy emphasis on memorizing and adhering to rigid policies and procedures, sometimes at the expense of developing judgment and adaptability in rapidly evolving situations. But that is all changing. Current conversations around decision-making in law enforcement training continue to gain momentum with two recent episodes of the Trainer’s Bullpen Podcast highlighting both the why and the how behind that shift. 

In Episode 52, our CEO, John Schmitt, joined Trainer’s Bullpen Podcast host Chris Butler for a discussion on what effective training really requires. A central theme was selecting the appropriate type of fidelity for the training; not just making scenarios look realistic, but ensuring they replicate the relevant cognitive challenges officers face in the field. For example, in the real-world, an officer responding to a domestic disturbance call may be rapidly interpreting incomplete information, reading interpersonal dynamics, prioritizing threats, and making decisions amid uncertainty. You don’t need a high tech simulator to replicate that in a training environment. But you do need to ensure that the training addresses those cognitive skills. John drew a distinction between physical realism and cognitive realism, arguing that decision-making improves when training targets how people think, not just what they do.

Read more from John about training fidelity here.

The conversation also explored the role of Tactical Decision Games (TDGs) as a scalable way to build those cognitive skills. By placing officers in time-pressured, ambiguous situations, TDGs help surface judgment, prioritize attention, and manage cognitive load, skills that are often underdeveloped in traditional training models. John also addressed a common gap in training environments: the need to create psychologically safe spaces for learning in low stakes settings. Too often, training environments unintentionally discourage open discussion because participants worry about getting the “wrong” answer in front of peers or supervisors. The discussion highlights the importance of creating environments where officers can think aloud, debate options, and learn from mistakes before encountering similar situations in the field.  Overall, John makes a compelling case for experiential, discussion-based learning to complement traditional training programs.

The argument for such training comes to life in Episode 59, where Colonie, NY Police Chief James ‘Jay’ Gerace shared how the Colonie Police Department has operationalized these ideas through what he calls a “microdosing” training model. Rather than relying on less frequent, large-scale training events, Chief Gerace describes how his department integrates short, focused decision-making exercises into daily briefings, giving his officers a consistent, low-stakes opportunity to practice high stakes decision-making. 

As mentioned in the episode, instead of outsourcing training to external instructors or using generic, pre-made scenarios, we worked closely with Colonie officers to teach them how to build scenarios and facilitate discussions inspired by situations they actually experienced in the field. This microdosing model helps make decision-making practice part of the department’s everyday culture and provides an incredibly adaptive form of training that is both meaningful and engaging.

This approach has improved engagement, confidence, and readiness across the department. By making training a daily habit rather than a periodic event, Colonie PD is reinforcing decision-making as a core skill that is continuously refreshed. 

What John and Chief Gerace share is an appreciation that effective training is intentional, cognitively grounded, and integrated into on-the-job training opportunities. Whether through structured TDG sessions or distributed, officer-led practice, the goal of building better decision-makers remains the same. Both conversations also demonstrate that decision-making skills are not built in isolated training events alone, but through consistent exposure to meaningful problems and regular opportunities for discussion and reflection.

At ShadowBox, we thrive helping organizations build these kinds of decision-making capabilities within their teams so they can develop and sustain cognitive skills training programs to complement traditional training programs. Whether departments are looking to strengthen instructor capabilities or embed short-form decision training into daily routines like Colonie, we can help you build scenario-based training exercises such as Tactical Decision Games or ShadowBox exercises, facilitator development programs, scenario design support sessions, or customized training approaches that fit your department’s needs. Take a look at our Services page to learn more.

If you’re exploring ways to evolve training in your organization, click the link below to check out episode 52 and 59 on the Trainer’s Bullpen Podcast, which offer practical insights worth your time.