Scientific Research Completed
​IPICD staff conducted primary research to determine the liquid impedance of several "spit masks" on July 14, 2021. All "testing" was video recorded. IPICD funded this scientific study of popular spit masks available in the United States to evaluate their effectiveness at stopping spittle that pose dangers to LEOs and others. This seminal study’s findings, coupled with spit mask air flow findings from another study, provide objective scientific data and other information about spit masks and how they can be used in de-escalation tactics. Many thanks to Safariland and to Stearns Wear for donating their products for testing.
 
High Profile Uses of Spit Masks
Following a March 2020 high profile, temporal, arrest-related death of an agitated and combative person where a LEO applied a spit mask, “spit hoods” became a hotly debated controversial device. By the way, the agitated person’s CAUSES of death included Excited Delirium and “complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint.”
 
Spit Masks and Force
Putting spit masks on individuals by law enforcement officers (LEO) are uses of force requiring compliance with Constitutional standards of care (or equivalent), and with any applicable more restrictive state (Province) statutory or regulatory standards. Surprisingly, approximately 68% (n=357) of the Americans for Effective Law Enforcement (AELE)-IPICD spit mask survey respondents did not know or believe that applying a spit mask is a use of force.
 
Risk Management
Now, more than ever, your agency needs to have scientific and proper responses to those who challenge the use of "hoods" and who claim "spit masks" cause deaths. One way to get prepared is to enroll officers in the upcoming IPICD virtually instructor-led Spit Restraint™ Instructor program. It's live and online so you can take it in the office, in the comfort of your home, or wherever you choose and ask real-time questions of the presenters. This eliminates travel, per diem, and hotel costs. With these budget savings, several officers can be enrolled to become qualified instructors. 
 
Program Topics
The following are some of the topics that are covered:

• Spit mask definition, nomenclature, and purposes
• Hooding, Spitting, & Biting: A brief history
• OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
• Spitting at and Biting of law enforcement officers (frequency)
• Disease transmission via aerosol, saliva, biting
• Spit Masks: Legal update (de-escalation strategy), including manufacturer warnings
• Spit Masks: Scientific studies and their findings
• Spit Masks: Designs and Product Descriptions
• Spit Masks: Pre-Application, Application, & Post-Application guidelines (possible medical issues)
• Spit Masks: Policy, procedure, and/or rule recommendations
• Spit Masks: Training recommendations (documentation, medical, etc.)
• Spit Masks: Assessing Learner competency (Resourced-based learning)
• Spit Masks: Case Studies

Qualification Assessments
The IPICD Spit Restraint™ Instructor qualification program assesses each learner in three learning domains: cognitive (written assessment), affective (personality), and psychomotor (skills). Passing each learning domain is required to qualify as an IPICD Spit Restraint™ Instructor.

Following the virtual instructor-led program, each Spit Restraint™ Instructor candidate will complete an assessment.

Required Materials 
Agency-authorized spit mask.

Instructors
A. David Berman, M.S., CLS and/or John G. Peters, Jr., CLS, Ph.D. are the scheduled instructors. 

Introductory Tuition and Included Materials
$195 per person
Includes: Instruction, lesson guide, Learner Companion, group exercises, a User-Level PowerPoint presentation you can modify, and upon successful completion of the program, an instructor certificate.

Microlessons are short. They focus on one topic, one outcome, are flexible, available online or offline, and are helpful to the learner. They are quickly developed at no cost other than development time. These bite-size lessons must be properly developed, produced, and delivered, hence the need for qualified Microlesson designers and instructors. Learn these skills from the instructors, who are qualified and experienced instructional designers and presenters. They will teach you how to identify and select microlesson topics, develop their content, deliver them, and evaluate learning. You will also learn how to develop, no-cost, auto-graded online assessments. Upon completion of the program, you will have developed a microlesson: unit plan (one page), online assessment, and presentation (2-15 minutes) that can be used to teach others. By the end of the program, you will have developed a professional microlesson for immediate use. Program topics include:

• Microlearning defined
• Microlearning for career and technical education
• How to select microlearning topics
• Microlearning paradigm
• Microlesson concept
• Microlesson content development
• Microlesson parameters
• Microlesson focus
• Microlesson production
• Microlesson delivery
• Microlesson documentation
• Microlesson producer role
• Instructional design approaches
• Education vs. training
• Learning domains
• Learning theory and design for microlessons and microlearning
• Developing a unit plan
• Developing microlesson goal(s) and objective(s)
• Developing microlesson evaluations
• Resource-based Learning
• Avoid these mistakes
• Learners with special needs
• Practicum

Microlessons are easy to develop, to produce, to document, and can increase your agency’s training hours while keeping colleagues refreshed on new, required, and other important topics. After completing the eight-hour instructional program, assessment, and practicum, you will be qualified to design, produce, deliver, and document microlessons you produce as a Microlesson Designer and Instructor.

Qualification Assessments
The IPICD Microlesson Designer and Instructor qualification program assesses each learner in three learning domains: cognitive (written assessment), affective (personality), and psychomotor (skills). Passing each learning domain is required to qualify as an IPICD Microlesson Designer and Instructor.
Following the virtual instructor-led program, each Microlesson Designer and Instructor candidate will complete an online assessment, and then produce three microlesson deliverables (two are completed during the program). None of the deliverables is difficult, and generally it will take about one hour to complete the third deliverable. Required deliverables are (1) submission of a unit plan (generally one page) that identifies microlesson goals, performance measures, and content; (2) creation of an online assessment (1 or 2 questions) for the microlesson you develop; and (3) production of a microlesson (2-15 minutes in length) using your Smartphone, video camera, or computer camera recording your presentation via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Submit your short video to the IPICD for assessment. A video assessment rubric will be emailed to each person who enrolls in the IPICD Microlesson Designer and Instructor program prior to the beginning of the program.

Required Materials
Computer with sound, computer monitor, internet access, keyboard, mouse (touch screen), comfortable chair or seat, printer, video with audio recording device (e.g., Smartphone), and writing instrument for taking notes.

Instructors
A. David Berman, M.S., Marilyn Janas, CTC, M.B.A., M.A., and John G. Peters, Jr., CTC, Ph.D. are the scheduled instructors.

Tuition
$195 per person. Includes program handbook, instruction, evaluation of deliverables, and certificate. No travel, hotel, or per diem costs. Class size is limited.