Selection, Training, and Discipline of Police Officers (From Police and Policing: Contemporary Issues, P 26-33, 1989, Dennis Jay Kenney, ed. -- See NCJ-121271)

• NCJ Number: 121274
• Author(s): V McLaughlin; R Bing
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 8 pages
• Sale Source: Praeger Publishers
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Politics will continue to pervade police personnel matters and to have major impacts on police selection, training, and discipline.

Abstract

Although each agency largely controls the selection, training, and discipline of personnel, elements outside the police organization almost always influence agency policies. Thus, legislative bodies, the media, public interest groups, and the Constitution limit the power of managers and compete for influence over agency decisions. This has always been and will continue to be the case. However, political influences often place conflicting pressures on different aspects of police personnel management, and these pressures can produce conflicting personnel practices. Thus, unless police departments have respectable and coordinated guidelines, selection and recruitment may compromise training, while poorly selected officers may result in a disproportionate number of disciplinary actions. Therefore, police agencies should try to coordinate their selection, training, and discipline policies and programs. 7 references.