U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

POLICE FIELD TRAINING - THE ANALYSIS OF A SOCIALIZATION PROCESS

NCJ Number
45405
Author(s)
R M YUNKER
Date Published
1977
Length
235 pages
Annotation
THE PROCESS THROUGH WHICH AN APPRENTICE POLICE OFFICER IS INITIATED INTO THE RANKS OF HIS PROFESSION WAS EXAMINED; FIELD TRAINING PRACTICES OF A MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENT WERE STUDIED THROUGH PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION.
Abstract
POLICE TRAINERS AND TRAINEES TAKING PART IN A 10-WEEK TRAINING EXERCISE WERE OBSERVED FOR 11 MONTHS BY THE AUTHOR. ANALYSIS OF THE OBSERVATIONAL DATA COLLECTED CONFIRMED THE HYPOTHESIS THAT WHAT WAS BEING LEARNED BY THE INEXPERIENCED OFFICERS WAS A BODY OF KNOWLEDGE GENERALIZABLE ACROSS SEGMENTS OF THE POLICE CULTURE AND ALWAYS OPERATIVE IN AUTHENTIC POLICE BEHAVIOR; THIS BODY OF KNOWLEDGE INCORPORATES THE ATTITUDES AND SKILLS NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL WITHIN THE POLICE PROFESSION AND CONSTITUTES THE 'COMMON SENSE' OF EXPERIENCED OFFICERS. THE AUTHOR ISOLATES THREE TYPES OF SURVIVAL -- PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND ORGANIZATIONAL -- AND IDENTIFIES THE SPECIFIC QUALITIES ASSOCIATED RESPECTIVELY WITH EACH: (1) SKEPTICISM, DECISIONAL ALACRITY, ALERTNESS, MOTOR ALACRITY, SPATIAL SAVVY, AND DRIVING EXPERTISE; (2) ROLE CONTRAST, ROLE COMPARISON, ROLE CONFIRMATION, DISTANCING, SOLIDARITY, AND STYLE-SATISFACTION; AND (3) ORGANIZATIONAL DOCILITY, AMBIGUITY TOLERANCE, REPORTAGE, PROCEDURAL COMPETENCE, AND SATISFICING (SATISFYING CONFLICTING EXPECTATIONS). IMPLICATIONS FOR ESTABLISHING COMMON SENSE IN THE PUBLIC'S VIEW OF THE POLICE ARE ALSO DISCUSSED; THE POINT IS MADE THAT PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF POLICE HAVE A GREAT EFFECT ON POLICE MORALE. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (DAS)