NCJ Number
139487
Date Published
1992
Length
438 pages
Annotation
This is the final report of a committee that has examined issues and recommendations for the development of a comprehensive Police Learning System for Ontario, Canada.
Abstract
The first part of the report provides background information on the history and current practice of policing in Ontario, both past and present. It provides an overview of current human resource development practices in police organizations both in Canada and abroad, as well as in private-sector and public-sector environments, such as the public service, selected professions, and large private corporations. It then examines those socioeconomic factors that are likely to have the greatest impact on the delivery of police services and, ultimately, on the training and education of police personnel in the next decade. The second part of the report focuses on the proposed Police Learning System, beginning with an explanation of its philosophical foundation. Strategic learning requirements for some key police occupational categories are identified. The report then details the proposed system and its governance, enumerates the costs of the proposed system, and suggests a strategy for financing these costs. The hallmark of the proposed system is its focus on the needs of the learner. By using a performance appraisal system to determine learning needs as well as to individualize training, unnecessary training will be avoided. The emphasis will be on experiential learning. Recruits will be required to complete a two-semester program at a community college to be eligible for hiring. A bachelor's degree is recommended, but not required, for appointment to command positions. 36 item bibliography and appended supplementary information