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HIGHER EDUCATION AND POLICE - IS THERE A NEED FOR A CLOSER LOOK

NCJ Number
11913
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 1 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1973) Pages: 477-483
Author(s)
S GROSS
Date Published
1973
Length
7 pages
Annotation
NARROW TECHNICAL TRAINING OF POLICE ACADEMIES SHOULD ONLY BE A PART OF POLICE EDUCATION.
Abstract
THE GOALS OF BROADENING, THROUGH COLLEGE, THE CAPACITIES OF POLICE TO HANDLE RAPID CHANGE, DIVERSITY, AND INNOVATION IN CHALLENGING CRIME ARE NOT BEING ATTAINED. PRESERVICE STUDENTS ARE NOT FINDING THEIR WAY INTO POLICE WORK IN SUFFICIENT NUMBERS AND AT LEVELS COMMENSURATE WITH THEIR EDUCATION. IN-SERVICE POLICE-STUDENTS ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH MOTIVES OTHER THAN CHANGE WITHIN THE SYSTEM. NOTWITHSTANDING THESE FINDINGS, POLICE AND THEIR SEMIMILITARY BUREAUCRATIC ORGANIZATIONS MUST BE CONTINUALLY EXPOSED TO A MORE HUMANIZING ENVIRONMENT. POLICE DEPARTMENTS MUST MAINTAIN A CONSTANT INTERACTION WITH THE INQUIRING AND EXPERIMENTAL MIND THAT IS FOUND IN THE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES. THERE MUST BE A CONSTANT EXCHANGE SO THAT THE NATURAL TENDENCY OF SEMIMILITARY BUREAUCRACIES TOWARD ISOLATION, WITH CRIPPLING CONSEQUENCES FOR INTERPERSONAL FLEXIBILITY, IS NEUTRALIZED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)