A necessary part of work today involves trainings. Workplace safety trainings, certifications, re-certifications, and continuing education. A lot has changed in these requirements during my thirty-six years with Grundy County Conservation. But a lot has changed in this world during that time, as well. Our Grundy County Safety Training schedule begins in August and continues through December with about four topics per month. Bloodbourne pathogens; ladder safety; falls, trips, and slips; chainsaw safety; fire extinguishers; active shooter; defensive driving; reporting sexual harassment to name just a few! We completed our CPR and First Aid certification a week ago. Commercial Pesticide continuing education will take place in October. And by the time most of you are reading this, I will be back from three days of recertification through the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy at Camp Dodge. This training is through the County Conservation Peace Officers Association. This is a professional organization composed of county conservation law enforcement officers from across the 99 counties in Iowa. My career as an Iowa Peace Officer began in 1981 with what at the time was only a three week conservation officer basic training through the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. That three week course expanded and then was eliminated. Now all officers attend the full 14 week basic training. The first day of our 2016 training will be firearms qualifications. Over 100 officers will shoot a total of about 30,000 rounds at daytime qualifying targets, subdued lighting qualifying targets, and the tactical training course. I have been fortunate to shoot high score several times over the years. Even more fortunately, I have not been forced to fire my weapon in the defense of human life during my career. But a lot has changed in that regard over these many years, as well. The next Tuesday and Wednesday of our training involves classroom instruction dictated primarily by mandated training such as HAZ-MAT Updates, Mental Health, and recognizing Child and Adult Dependent Abuse. There will also be updates from the IDNR Chief of Law Enforcement on fish and wildlife rule changes. Instruction will be finishing with Mass Casualty Preparedness and Armed Narcotics Suspect Recognition. A busy few days indeed. But as I started out saying – training has become a very necessary part of the job.