Peace Officer Training and Recertification in Alberta: How Tip of Spear is Leading the Way

Sean Carter is the founder of Control Concepts Canada, and Tip of Spear’s partner in offering the most innovative and forward-thinking Peace Officer recertification program in Canada. In this interview he shares his unique perspective and the passion that drives his work.

---

At Tip of Spear, we are honoured to collaborate with industry leaders such as Sean Carter- a trailblazer who is shaping the future of Peace Officer training in Alberta and Canada. With a career that spans decades, Sean and his team bring incredible expertise and enthusiasm to our academy.

Sean Carter, founder of Control Concepts Canada, at the Tip of Spear training facility in Edmonton, Alberta.

Sean has an extensive background in the world of martial arts, competing at international and world championship levels. It was a natural transition to the realm of Correctional Peace Officer work, where his leadership qualities and tactical acumen quickly set him apart. From leading response teams as a training sergeant in correctional environments, to serving as the provincial coordinator for tactical teams across the eight correctional centers in Alberta, Sean has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence. He is currently the Director for Strategic Engagement for the Ministry of Education, after his previous role working alongside the Justice Deputy Minister as Chief of Staff.

Amongst all these impressive achievements, Sean has kept up on his wide and varied certifications. He is one of only two Certified IT (Instructor Trainer) trainers in Canada for PPCT/TPR. He has trained in and trained others on accredited ground fighting, edged weapon defense curriculums (some of which he now owns) for over 20 years.

Please share with us- What inspired you to become an educator in this industry?

First, I love physical training. I still teach Karate, and I train every single day.

On top of that, knowing that when I teach an officer how to administer officer safety skills, not only is it keeping them safe, but it’s going to keep the public safe. The element of enforcement training brings it to the next level of safety, and I’m very passionate about how learning and mastering these skills can save lives.

Taking this Peace Officer training to the level where we are blending in-person and online, is giving officers opportunities for training that they normally wouldn’t get. There’s a very cool intersection between my relationship with Tip of Spear, and the evolution of my relationship with my business partners Aaron McBride and Renee Brodie Bergen, and developing this blended program. It’s exciting, it’s challenging, and I love the creative and innovative aspects of building new programs.

Breaking Barriers in Traditional Peace Officer Training

This blended program is the first of its kind in Canada. Can you describe some of the specific challenges or gaps that existed in traditional PO training courses, that inspired you to develop this training?

There are multiple layers to this. The first is that in the past, there has been a huge gap in accessibility to training in a timely fashion.

Another challenge has been that it’s considerably expensive. A lot of that cost comes from the amount of time an instructor needs to be in front of people. With this new model, we are reducing the unnecessary face-to-face time. Officers can do this training on their computers at their job, or at home on their days off, and it helps employers to blend their officer’s training time with operational time.

Crucially, much of the curriculum in training environments and manuals is outdated. It hasn’t kept up with the current movement in criminal code or even case law. Our training, on the other hand, allows real-time changes to the Learning Management System (LMS), keeping officers up-to-date and accurately informed.

Sean Carter observes and guides baton-strike drills, reinforcing proper form and situational awareness

Not only are we increasing accessibility, but we have also created a training model with the ongoing understanding that we need to teach, at multiple layers, good de-escalation techniques that are current and are up to date with Canadian content, and that allows employers to intelligently fiscally manage their resources to keep the public safe.

As an educator, what key takeaways do you most wish for your trainees to gain from this program?

I view it as a ‘passport of certifications.’ We now provide officers the ability to get instant gratification from their own commitment to learning, and an opportunity for ongoing learning, at their own pace, in a less stressful kind of environment, where it just makes the learning stick longer. They are going to retain it longer, and on top of that, they can revisit it. They can go back into their online courses and get those questions answered. That’s a huge takeaway.

And then, on a more personal note, I want their mindset to reflect that everything is winnable. And I want them to know someone is there to support their learning.

Adapting to a Changing World

The social, economic, and political climates have shifted enormously in the last several years. How does this training address the evolving needs and challenges that Peace Officers are facing today?

A very useful element is that we are now able to easily update in the LMS necessary changes that occur in criminal code, case law, etc. A lot of the curriculum that is still within training environments and manuals is outdated. Being able to perform real-time updates to our curriculum is a huge asset to the Peace Officer training landscape and keeping it current will protect our officers and the public.

Training in arrest and control procedures, including safe and effective handcuffing techniques.

With our program, every officer- even our officers in the remote parts of Alberta who don't have an office; all they have is their cell phone, and their laptop/computer- can access the learning.  Accessibility to current and correct information is essential.

Additionally, here in Alberta, we have an incredibly wonderful and diverse population. With an updated curriculum, we can keep our officers informed and current when it comes to diversity and inclusion, cultivating a culture of respect and understanding for the people that they’re going to be engaging with.

And the other side of this is the reality of how officers have done things incorrectly. Now we can show them how we are modifying our behaviors and tactics, to deal with the public with a new level of competency and understanding that fits within a contemporary framework.

How can Peace Officers best stay informed of or anticipate current needs and trends in their profession- and, how important would you say that is?

Unfortunately, there is a lot of instant news and social media content out there that is often not the real story. This program, intrinsically, is combatting misinformation. All the material we show- videos, and actual case law that we present- has been validated and vetted. It’s not just content that was posted to a social media site to make an officer look bad.

And the other part of being informed is allowing officers an accessible form of learning, and with this, they embed into their own everyday practice the knowledge that they can have an impact. Not just for them on their job. The concepts we are introducing have been intelligently unpacked in such a way that they're going to have influence on people's personal life, which is huge. People who were originally thinking they're only going to be a Peace Officer- maybe now they can see themselves in law enforcement, or taking on more responsibility as the leader within their agency, and beyond.

Shaping the Next Generation of Leaders

How do you envision the role of innovative programs such as yours in shaping the future of Peace Officer training?

Introducing this blended model will inevitably change the culture of policy procedures and standards. Law enforcement is inherently rigorous when it comes to procedure and standards. For the industry to accept and support the new model, it’s evolution.

Now that this program is launched, agencies have an elevated level of learning and accountability regarding the ongoing development of their staff. Rather than pulling people operationally from their shifts and losing time for a field training officer course, they can expose their officers to learning in a creative, innovative, and cost-effective way.

A fresh cohort of re-certified Peace Officers celebrate their achievement alongside Aaron McBride, of Control Concepts Canada, at Tip of Spear.

An added benefit is that members of management, who are often behind their desk and not engaged in the physical and fieldwork as much, can take part in key components of the same training as their officers. Rather than being disconnected, they are now speaking the same language as their team, are engaged in their growth, and are more present in their development.

I want this program to be a catalyst for growth- pushing people to evolve, expand their potential, and never settle for stagnation. It’s about creating momentum and showing them that leadership isn’t just about a title- it’s about stepping up, whether in their agency, or in their community. This program helps them to see that growth and leadership go hand-in-hand, and that striving for more isn’t just possible, it’s the path forward.

Stronger Together- a Partnership dedicated to offering the Best Peace Officer Training and Recertification Program in Alberta

You and your partners must feel very proud of having achieved accreditation for this Peace Officer Recertification program after so many years of hard work. What aspects of this achievement are the most meaningful to you?

On a personal level, I feel very fortunate to have the relationships that I do, that have modeled the idea of commitment to one another, and I value the strength and trust within these partnerships. So, when it comes to this relationship between myself and my partners at Control Concepts Canada, and our relationship with Tip of Spear, it’s very meaningful because we’re not just moving curriculum, we’re moving forward together as a partnership.

There is also the residual of this partnership- accessibility to training for officers: this will bolster their resumes with certifications that they may have never got before, in a very reasonable time frame, and open a multitude of opportunities for their career growth.

A Career for Anyone with the Will to Serve

Do you have any advice for people who are wanting to get started in a career as a Peace Officer?

One of the things you’ve got to do is take accountability for your own learning- any level of learning that you can grab onto. Research post-secondary, Tip of Spear or government training academies, get your certifications, and start to gain an understanding of how to use these tools. Be proactive.

Participants are guided through baton defense techniques during scenario-based training.

Another thing is, I want people to have a long and healthy career- so you’ve got to train. And that means physically train. You’ve got to get your heart rate up, you have to stay strong for pushing and pulling, and watch what you eat!

Then the last part is, which is also an ongoing journey for me, is you must take time to reflect on yourself, and be selfish when it comes to your mental health. It’s so important to stay aware and not let it creep up on you. Allow for conversations to happen with people that you trust. Get a mentor, get a loved one, keep the ongoing doors of communication open so you have strong mental health- and keep your body strong.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?

I just want to say, and I mean this truthfully- that being a Peace Officer in this province is for anyone.

Officers that are retiring from police agencies: come and be a Peace Officer. You're perfect and it's never too late to learn. People that are in the security realm: don't think that you can't be a Peace Officer. It's totally possible! And for those in, or thinking about, university and college, that are struggling deciding what kind of career to go into: there are many opportunities, with multiple agencies, that are looking for Peace Officers.

The other part of it, for me, is letting people know that it's a wonderful career, and they can choose this path. I've been in the law enforcement realm with government now for thirty-eight years and I'm not quitting any time soon. I love having the opportunity to excite people about getting into the field and being part of law enforcement.

---

For more information about Peace Officers and the different types of Peace Officer careers, please see our Peace Officer Careers page.

To take our accredited Use of Force recertification program, available as a hybrid online + in-person training program for peace officers in Alberta, visit Peace Officer Use of Force Recertification Training for package options.

For a full list of Peace Officer courses, view the Training menu of our website.