NCJ Number
79670
Date Published
1978
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Principles and criticisms of modern police training are reviewed.
Abstract
In the view of critics, police training must be able to evolve as rapidly as the phenomena which police must control. Officers must also be trained to make discretionary decisions, to assume social responsibilities, to integrate their own personalities with their police training, and to understand methods of prevention and education. The police academy at Lochem (Netherlands) emphasizes attitudes, information, and motivation of would-be officers. Education in the human sciences is generally considered a moral condition for police work; training in criminology is considered indispensable to police work. Interactionists favor inclusion of psychology in the police training curriculum, both to give police insight into the evolution of criminal behavior and to help officers deal effectively with offenders. Certain researchers favor formation of a uniform national police training program under a commission of multidisciplinary crime fighting experts. Continuing training is required to keep officers knowledge of trends in police work current. A program such as that of the U.S. Justice Department is recommended to give officers specialized training in handling juvenile cases to avoid labeling of juveniles and to aid diagnosis of their basic problems. A reform of the Royal Police Academy is currently underway. Its goals are to determine precisely the desired ends of police training, to seek means of motivating students, to integrate theory and practice, to improve students attitudes, and to use available teaching methods and media to the best possible advantage. Police training must be planned scientifically and feedback mechanisms must be established between selection and training on one hand and between the police science field and training on the other.