Instructor admits in report some Pueblo Police Academy maneuvers taught were ‘made up’

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- While the Pueblo Police Department (PPD) held a graduation ceremony for Class 64 Friday, they will not be allowed on the streets. Instead, those cadets and the class before them will have to undergo training due to the Colorado Attorney General's Office finding violations with the department's Arrest Control Tactics (ACT) training program.

According to documents obtained by 13 Investigates, a compliance specialist with the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) noticed inconsistencies with the ACT program at the PPD.

Upon further investigation, the specialist found the Pueblo Police Department's Law Enforcement Academy (PPDLEA) was using a non-POST approved arrest control discipline in their training.

An inspection report states that since Sgt. Gabe Maldonado took over the ACT program in 2021, he's added numerous maneuvers outside of the scope of FBI tactics.

Three ACT Subject Matter Expert (SME) certified instructors in the FBI discipline noted that some of the unrecognized maneuvers could be different names for FBI techniques. However, they said several looked "completely unrecognizable and were not found in the FBI manual or other training materials."

On March 14, POST conducted an announced inspection of the ACT program. According to the report, the inspection was conducted over six hours and included:

• Observation of a use of force and verbal de-escalation lecture of class 65 (the current class)
• Interview of an assistant instructor
• Interviews of 3 cadets from class 65
• Evaluation of ACT curriculum and documentation from class 65
• Observation of the techniques being tested via video recording from class 64
• A live demonstration of techniques by two students from class 64

Through the inspection, POST determined the program did not meet published POST standards. The evaluation found:

• The overall lesson plans reviewed were "vague and incomplete."
• Daily schedules did not include the proposed and actual/completed dates, topics of instruction, and the number of hours of lecture and lab per topic.
• The reported overall hours of the program were inconsistent.
• Some topics were not included, such as testing.
• The material reviewed appeared to have very few FBI tactics and was heavily influenced by Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) and other disciplines. The report states Maldonado confirmed the ACT program used FBI and GST techniques, however, he continually stated that some maneuvers were “made up.”
• There were appropriate written scripts of the individual training drill scenarios.
• Trainees did not receive an FBI manual but indicated that the manual may be provided in the PowerPoint slides they received.
• Trainees were removed from class as punishment/discipline, potentially jeopardizing the 100% attendance requirement.

POST determined in the report the program was being taught as a Hybrid program and noted Maldonado "is not a POST Full Skills Instructor in a POST recognized and approved hybrid program."

The report did note Maldonado did meet with the POST ACT SME committee and asked to change to a hybrid ACT program that includes GST a couple of years ago. However, Maldonado was made aware of the requirements to make that change, but he has yet to submit a new program to POST.

The final order given to the PPDLEA said, "Of grave concern, the lack of program documentation for classes 63 and 64, along with the vague and nonsufficient documentation for class 65, and the conclusion that an unapproved hybrid program was being taught by nonqualified instructors, makes it impossible for POST to determine what ACT content was taught to classes 63 and 64."

In addition to Maldonado, four assistant instructors were found to be "nonqualified."

Pueblo Police Chief Chris Noeller tells 13 investigates this is the first time the academy has been deemed out of compliance in its twenty years of existence. He went on to say the sanctions are no one else's fault but his own.

According to the department, five cadets were injured during arrest training in the past two classes, one with serious injuries. That cadet, however, is expected to make a full recovery.

The PPD hasn't determined if these injuries stemmed from improper training or not.

A spokesperson for the department tells me injuries are expected when cadets are getting physical during that training which is normal.

Following the inspection, the Attorney General issued several sanctions. Those include:

• The current class, Class 65, shall cease instruction effective immediately.
• Graduates from Class 63 either need to agree to a temporary suspension of their POST certification effective immediately or POST may take emergent actions against their certificates through the Office of Administrative Courts.
• Suspension will only be lifted for Class 63 by completing a POST-approved basic arrest control tactics program or by completing a POST ACT test out.
• Class 64 can not graduate, or be administered the written POST exam until they complete a POST-approved basic arrest control tactics program, or a POST ACT test out.
• The program must be re-submitted with a POST-approved course study for the ACT discipline and it must be compliant with all POST rules.
• A new academy schedule must be resubmitted by March 29.

Additionally, the report states Maldonado is "prohibited from instructing curriculum or skills at any POST academy until further notice."

The PPDLEA has been placed on probation until April 1, 2023.