Very large agencies and state police/patrols use this model. No matter how much experience or education you have someplace else, you can't be an officer for the NYPD, LAPD, Chicago PD, or most any state patrol unless you complete their academy. With in house academies, the trainee is on the payroll from the first day.
The tape was invented by Japanese chiropractor Kenzo Kase in the 1970s. The U.K. web site for Kinesio tape claims it can alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, relax muscles, enhance performance, and help with rehabilitation as well as supporting muscles during a sporting event.
Spinal tap can be used to sample the cerebrospinal fluid (for pathogenic infiltration perhaps). It can also be used as a method to reduce mild intracranial pressure caused by excess CSF (in the case of intracranial hypertension, for example). It is considered painful, the extent to which would be determined by individual pain threshold/tolerance.