The Basic Investigative photography course taught by Jerry Narowski is extremely practical and useful when it comes to documenting crimes scenes and photographing evidence. As a supervisor of a forensic/crime scene unit, I think this class should be a requirement to anyone considering a position in an investigative role, especially those who regularly process crime scenes and photograph evidence. This class ensures that the student leaves with the basic skills necessary to properly document a scene and photograph evidence. I would highly recommend this course, not only to individuals starting a career in the field, but also to veteran investigators as a refresher. The instructors background, education, and extensive experience in the field really showed as he knew just the right amount of information to throw at the students. He not only had an excellent personality when interacting with students of different experience levels, but was able to keep students engaged at all times. I am confident that an investigator with little to no photography background could leave the class with the fundamental skill set needed to document scenes and evidence using digital photography. No matter what level of experience, anyone who takes this class is guaranteed to get something beneficial out of it. This was the best photography class I have ever taken for sure. If I had to sum up the course in one word, I would say “practical.” I loved the class and would take it again in a heartbeat.
“Excellent instructors, excellent use of visual aids.”
“Extremely well organized.”
“Instructors were easy to approach and handled my questions effectively leaving no question unanswered.”
“Joseph and Jeremy worked excellently together as a team. Very thorough.”
“The material flowed smoothly, and each slide fit in with one another. Easy to follow and keep up with.”
“Both presenters did an awesome job of making the presentation entertaining and were comfortable presenting.”
“Both presenters were very knowledgeable and passionate about the topic.”
“Absolutely would recommend this program to others; would recommend to my PD to use this exclusively if they can.”
“I had heard that MOI was a dry course, but Joe and Jeremy kept it entertaining while giving the information.”
“The trainers were very knowledgeable and knew the crowd they were teaching.”
“I enjoyed doing the impromptu speech. It made me feel more confident when doing presentations. I would recommend this program to others.”
“By far it is one of the best classes I have taken in my career!”
“Lopa and Colon were professional and made the class enjoyable for all.”
“10/10… would recommend… one of the best classes I’ve taken.”
“Joe and Jeremy were always open for questions. They were approachable. They made sure no one was left behind.”
“I would 100% recommend this program to others in the future. I feel much more confident and competent as an instructor after this week.”
I recently completed the Comparative Certification program. I took a lot away from the courses and was very impressed with all the instructors. Thank you for making the transition into CT that much easier.
“Very good course. Instructor is a subject matter expert and is able to keep students’ attention through various instructing techniques. Will recommend it to others.”
“Instructor presentation kept me interested in the subject matter. Great mix of examples performed in class to support what is taught. Great job!”
“It presented simple techniques to thoroughly investigate crime scenes. I love this class. I will take what I learned back to my department!”
“This class was amazing, I learned a lot and thank you for your dedication to your work. Thank you.”
“Totally applicable to today’s policing”
“Presented with the utmost of professionalism”
“Very engaging instructors with obvious passion for the subject”
“The presenters were excited about the subject matter and very knowledgeable”
“Both instructors were fantastic. They were both able to engage the class, which resulted in great conversation regarding the topics.”
“Great presentation style and engagement”
“Taught by people who understand our job and what is relevant”
“Kelvan and Bernie took typically boring subjects and made the entire day enjoyable. The instructor quality and experience are what makes the program work”
“This course is the cornerstone of police function. Hallums is excellent at what he does. The concepts brought forward were clear and insightful. I personally called and thanked him for such a wonderful presentation. Again, excellent job! Please keep this course alive!”
“It has never been more important for officers to properly educate themselves in an ever-changing legal landscape. This program provided clear and thorough material taught in a manner that was easy to understand, learn and apply on the road. All information was presented in a clear and thorough manner making it easy to understand, learn and apply.”
“This was one of the best training courses I have attended. The knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm of the instructor (Chris) was fantastic. I would recommend this course to anyone interested in becoming an instructor.”
“Chris showed an extreme passion in subject matter and showed he had a desire to further student’s law enforcement career with information he passed along. Will be looking for future training in which Chris is the instructor.”
“The instructor was active and willing to help us with any questions or concerns. Chris was fantastic, engaging and encouraging. I would absolutely recommend this program to others.”
“I like how this course instilled me with confident while public speaking.”
“This course is great for improving your instructing skills/public speaking skills and building confidence when speaking.”
What did you like best about this training?
- The instructor. Chris was able to effectively teach the material and keep me engaged all week. Class material was presented in a clear and easy/understandable manner.
- The enthusiasm of the instructor and his ability to convey the subject matter is what I liked best about this training.
- The instructor did a great job keeping the class engaged and was very knowledgeable and passionate about teaching others the art of instruction. The class was well structured, and the instructor offered extra help throughout the week if anyone needed it. I’ve been teaching for a few years and still learned new information on how to better myself as an instructor and the presentation content.
- Best class I have taken in my 12+ years of law enforcement.
- Engaging instructor created mindset of wanting to learn to be better.
What did you like best about this program?
- Focused on CT case law – no nonsense information
- The experience and real life/current examples used
- Open forum, with specific CT case examples
- Discussing current trends and laws
- Went over case law that was relevant
- Attorney Spector was real and explained materials clearly
- I liked the fact that Elliot included case law to back up his statements
- Clarification on what I, as a training officer, am liable for!
- Learned new case law applicable to police work
- Covered topics that are pertinent
- Valid new case law discussed
- Cases discussed that are relevant to class topic
- Always a pleasure to have Elliot as the instructor
- The face-to-face interaction and knowledge of this speaker. Delivery of subject excellent
We hosted 2 sessions of “Creating Partnerships of Trust in Our Communities” for members of our patrol force. All officers who participated in the training found the information to be useful, timely and relevant. The instructors are dynamic, engaging and bring their personal insight into the training.
I can’t say enough about Tammy LaBonte and her knowledge, professionalism, organization and responsiveness. She was always available to answer any questions and ensured that the coursework was both relevant and necessary. She went above and beyond to ensure thank every requirement was covered and tailored to each Officer’s needs. The Spector Criminal Justice Network is an invaluable asset to the criminal justice community in Connecticut.
“The Death Investigation class was amazing and would highly recommend it! It touched base on all Deaths! The presenter did a very good job and is very knowledgeable and presented the material clearly. When she presented a case, she utilized pictures which were good to demonstrate all the different signs of death we would see on-scene.”
“This is truly relevant training. All the instructors were absolutely great, and they did a good job making the material interesting and keeping the students engaged. Thanks for the enthusiasm! Every student stated they would recommend this program to others.”
“The instructor (Art Weisgerber) was very funny and kept the class interesting. He was extremely knowledgeable, and he was thorough and passionate. I enjoyed the class and I learned a lot! Excellent training. Every student in the class stated they would recommend this program to others.”
“Great material and guidance to help an Officer complete an excellent case and thorough investigation. Important information for any Law Enforcement Officer in this current climate of civil liability.”
“This course was great. It really got me thinking of different ways to write reports and also what should be added / included. I hope to bring it back to my Dept. to help enhance other Officers’ report writing.”
“Great Course. Provides different perspectives and approaches not only writing reports bit on coaching Officers to write more detailed and thorough reports.”
“All instructors are well spoken, and you can tell they are looking out for your best interest and wellbeing.”
“I think this course was beneficial to both new and experienced Supervisors. It forces you to look at reports and subjects from different perspectives.
“Good class. Helps bring a lot of info together for Supervisors when reviewing reports. Reiterates the importance of documenting as much as possible and how it can protect you in Court.
“Report for Supervisors is an excellent course that covers a wide range of topics as it pertains to the ever-changing world of Police investigations and the subsequent documentation required. The instructors clearly addressed several common issues encountered in modern report writing and offered tools and guidance on how to improve them on both an individual level as well as an agency level. I would recommend this course to any and all Supervisors.”
“Great class, provided information and skills to bring back to my agency. Would recommend the class to other Supervisors.”
I have worked with Tammy LaBonte and the Spector Criminal Justice Training Network, Inc. for the past 15 years. During that time, Tammy has served as a Training Coordinator for the Connecticut Capitol Region Chiefs of Police Association which represents over 29 police agencies and 2,700 police officers. Throughout that time, the SCJTN has consistently delivered high-quality, cutting-edge training that is informative, reduces liability, and encompasses current trends in policing. I highly recommend the SCJTN for your training Needs.
Thank you very much for all the help. This was a quick and painless process coming from out of state. We learned the essentials to become a CT officer without having to go through the recruit academy. I was truly impressed with the quality, talent, and experience of the instructors through the Spector Group. I look forward to future training programs with your organization.
I am writing this testimonial on behalf of Tammy Lynn LaBonte, Executive Director of Spector Criminal Justice Training Network, Inc., who I had the pleasure of working with for two years. When I took over supervision of the department’s training division, I was thankful that I could rely on Ms. LaBonte to assist me in different projects. In her time with us, Tammy re-organized our training file system and created tracking systems to conduct audits on our officers. Her audit system allowed us to interface effectively with our Accreditation Manager to be sure we were on point with deadlines, policies and procedures. Her tracking system helped us to determine if our officers completed all necessary classes to recertify, thereby allowing me to confidently report that we were in compliance with CT State mandates. Ms. LaBonte also assisted in coordinating in-service training for our staff by researching topics and trainers as well as setting schedules in accordance with standing staff schedules and trainer availability. What is important to note is that Ms. LaBonte worked on these ongoing projects while running the nonprofit organization mentioned herein.
Ms. LaBonte is professional, knowledgeable, efficient and reliable, but more importantly she is very passionate about the work she does. Her administrative skills and ability to multitask are commendable, and the focus and extra care in everything that she does makes her exceptional.
I highly recommend Ms. LaBonte to work on any police training related project out there; she won’t let you down.
I have been a certified police officer in the State of Connecticut since 1989 and have held various positions in supervision and management in two separate police agencies. Throughout my career, the one constant in the successful training of police officers and managers has been Attorney Elliot B. Spector. Through his constant adaptation to change in both state and federal law, and his interaction with each of his students in an open and friendly environment, I can honestly say that there has never been a time that Attorney Spector has not been there for law enforcement in the State of Connecticut. Law enforcement in Connecticut benefits every day through the hard work of Attorney Spector and his commitment to us as police officers and his dedication to our profession.
In a recent experience, Attorney Spector and his staff developed a solution to expedite the certification of lateral transfer and out of state officers which benefited our department. This program was particularly helpful in addressing the needs of agencies that border other states. Additionally, the virtual platform that he and his staff of trainers and administrators has created has delivered a quality product to address the fluid training needs of a forever changed world. Elliot B. Spector and his staff continue to bring the best training and the best legal advice to each of us every day. Attorney Spector is not only accessible, but he and his team are of the highest level of integrity and honesty.
“The Stafford Police Department has worked with Tammy Lynn LaBonte, Executive Director of the Spector Criminal Justice Training Network, Inc., for several years. We want to commend her and all of the staff who have provided Law Enforcement training to all of our police officers. We are a very small department with many obstacles that include scheduling issues and providing quality training to our officers within our police budget. Tammy has worked very hard in accommodating our unique issues. Tammy has also provided us with many different options to assist us in receiving the required training including reviewing our training records and arranging for officers to attend mandatory training classes at many different locations. She has also provided different options to reduce our training costs.
“Tammy’s work ethic and professionalism has led us with no hesitancy whatsoever in recommending Spector’s training opportunities to any Police Department.”