PUEBLO, CO — The Pueblo Police Department Academy Arrest Control Training (ACT) program was found to be out of compliance beginning with Class 63, which graduated in August of 2021.
On March 14, Colorado Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) inspected the program and found it was out of compliance.
The Chief of Police Chris Noeller stated,“ I wish I could say this finding was wrong, but after our internal review, it was not only correct but was the only finding that POST could make. Due to concerns with the strike-heavy curriculum in the FBI Defensive Tactics, and concerns with SB 217, I gave guidance early in 2021 to instruct additional defensive tactic techniques to limit the issues related to punching people, especially in our current environment. ”
The result of the finding is that the Pueblo Police Department must temporarily take officers from Class 63 off the streets until they test out of Arrest Control Training or attend an additional two-week Arrest Control Training program.
The finding will also delay the deployment of Class 64 which will also need to test out of Arrest Control Training.
Graduation for Class 64 will still take place on March 25 at 11 a.m. at Pueblo Memorial Hall.
The Pueblo Police Department is inviting the public to attend the graduation.
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