(70 ILCS 3620/7) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 807) Sec. 7. Minimum standards and curriculum. The training program shall include role playing, lectures and case studies to be distributed as follows: (a) Assaults upon Personnel: This unit shall utilize records of past assaults on mass transit operatives to show the methods used by assailants in the commission of various types of crimes, the reactions by the operatives involved and the consequences of such actions. Case histories of various assaults should be discussed with the operatives explaining how the assault was committed and, where possible, why it was committed. (b) Employee Fear: The purpose of this unit is to alleviate the operator's apprehensions about threatening situations. The unit should: (1) explain what steps are being taken by the carriers to protect the operatives in the performance of their duties; and (2) discuss some of the methods that the operatives might use to protect themselves. (c) Identification of Assailants: Operatives are to be given an overview of the techniques of observing and describing persons. This should include the 3 stages of observation: attention; perception; and ability to record and/or report these descriptions. Operatives should be shown areas of particular importance in describing and/or identifying an assailant by the use of his or her natural senses. (d) Recognition of Dangerous Behavior: The purpose of this unit is to make the operatives aware of the indication of unusual or potentially dangerous behaviors that will be most frequently encountered on a mass transit system. The goal is to train operatives to recognize unusual behavior in order to anticipate irrational or aggressive actions and so to allow time to take defensive action to either avert or preclude the actual execution of a crime. (e) Effective Communication: The purpose of this unit is to train the operatives to maintain their composure when faced with a criminal situation and avoid any caustic or negative communications, both verbal and non-verbal, that might cause a dangerous situation to deteriorate even further. This communications training unit shall provide the operatives with the ability to calm and reassure their passengers in order to reduce the possibility of panic or other overt actions that could jeopardize their lives and the lives of bystanders. (f) Hostage Training: The purpose of this unit is to help operatives identify the three types of hostage-takers, the common criminal or frightened man, the psychopath and the fanatic, what to say and what not to say to them and what to do and what not to do when confronted by them in a threatening situation. This unit shall emphasize that the safety of the passengers is paramount. (g) Crimes Against Passengers: This unit shall utilize information from past experiences with crimes against mass transit passengers. The history of crime, the potential victims and the methodology of the criminal should be discussed showing possible trends. The various methods used to prevent such crimes and the protection of the passenger should be explored. The Mass Transit Employee Anti-Crime Training Program Review Committee shall determine the requisite minimum hours required for each course specified in this Section. (Source: P.A. 81-846.)
