NCJ Number
25133
Date Published
Unknown
Length
117 pages
Annotation
THIS PROJECT ASSESSMENT PROVIDES AN HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE PROGRAM, AN ANALYSIS OF THE NEEDS AND INTERNAL OPERATIONS, SHORT AND LONG RANGE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND AN OUTLINE OF A MODEL CADET TRAINING PROGRAM.
Abstract
THE CADET TRAINING PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO TRAIN YOUNG PERSONS INTERESTED IN A POLICE CAREER WHO HAVE NOT YET REACHED THE MINIMUM POLICE AGE REQUIREMENT OF 21. THE EVALUATION WAS CONDUCTED ON THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS OF THE TRI-COUNTY AREA CADET TRAINING PROGRAM: 1) THE NEEDS OF THE TRI-COUNTY AREA FOR POLICE CADET TRAINING, AND 2) THE INTERNAL OPERATIONS OF THE TRI-COUNTY AREA CADET TRAINING PROGRAM INCLUDING THE SELECTION PROCESS, COURSE CONTENT, READING MATERIALS, INSTRUCTORS, AND FIELD TRAINING. THE EVALUATION SHOWED THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR POLICE TRAINING IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA. HOWEVER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A GREAT DEAL OF REDUNDANCY EXISTED BETWEEN THE STATE POLICE MUNICIPAL TRAINING PROGRAM (SPMT) AND THE CADET TRAINING PROGRAM. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE CADET TRAINING PROGRAM BE RESTRUCTURED TO INCLUDE AREAS NOT COVERED IN THE SPMT. THE EVALUATION ALSO INDICATED THAT SELECTION CRITERIA DID NOT INCLUDE PSYCHOLOGICAL SCREENING, A BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION, OR A PHYSICAL EXAMINATION. COURSE CONTENT WAS FOUND TO BE ON PAR WITH THE SMPT, AND READING MATERIALS WERE FOUND TO BE OF HIGH QUALITY. THE INSTRUCTORS WERE FOUND TO BE VERY CAPABLE AS EVALUATED BY THE 20 CADETS. FIELD TRAINING SERVICES WERE FOUND TO VARY WIDELY, CAUSING A MORALE AND TRAINING PROBLEM. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE CADET TRAINING PROGRAM BE REFUNDED FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR CONTINGENT UPON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SHORT-TERM AND LONG TERM RECOMMENDATIONS. FOR THE FINAL EVALUATION REPORT AND UPDATE TO THE FINAL EVALUATION SEE NCJ-25134 AND NCJ-25135. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)