NCJ Number
243798
Date Published
2013
Length
73 pages
Annotation
This report presents the findings and methodology of an evaluation of the Caruth Police Institute (CPI), which was created 4 years ago to serve the Dallas Police Department (DPD) by creating and conducting staff-development courses to address complex policing problems, using the expertise of academic experts and business leaders.
Abstract
The evaluation found that CPI has been instrumental in improving leadership skills of mid-level and high-level DPD officers and creating a more professional police force. CPI courses have taught leadership and critical-thinking skills while fostering bonds among course participants that have resulted in ongoing consultations. CPI has also prepared DPD managers to make cost-effective choices in selecting and implementing technological and strategic innovations. There are still reasons to question whether or not CPI will achieve the potential envisioned by its planners, however. Failure to hire a research director has limited the research and problem solving capacity of CPI; and CPI's intent to become a regional training center and a vehicle for promoting the national reputation of the DPD have yet to be realized. The evaluation methodology consisted of a series of in-depth interviews with key informants in the DPD. Evaluators attended CPI courses and several DPD strategic planning sessions. In order to develop ideas about how CPI might sustain itself, evaluators spoke with directors of other influential police staff-development programs about the business model used for their programs. This information was combined with data from CPI's budget in order to create scenarios through which CPI could maintain its operations for the foreseeable future. 7 figures, 17 tables, 10 references, and appended leadership inventory and potential courses of CPI revenue