NCJ Number
54386
Date Published
1977
Length
118 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY EXAMINES FIVE ASPECTS OF INSERVICE POLICE TRAINING PRACTICES IN DEPARTMENTS OF VARYING SIZE AND COMPARES THESE PRACTICES WITH THOSE SUGGESTED IN EXISTING STANDARDS AND IN POLICE LITERATURE.
Abstract
THE ASPECTS INCLUDE THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND ACCOMPANYING POLICIES THAT INFLUENCE TRAINING, THE PERSONNEL PRACTICES AS THEY RELATE TO INSERVICE TRAINING, TYPE OF TRAINING PERSONNEL, USE OF TRAINING MATERIALS AND SELECTED RESOURCES, AND THE SELECTION AND TRAINING OF INSERVICE TRAINING SUBJECT MATTER. THE STUDY SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 161 POLICE DEPARTMENTS THAT EMPLOYED BETWEEN 80 AND 300 OFFICERS. A MAIL QUESTIONNAIRE WAS USED TO GATHER DATA. RESULTS INDICATE THAT 88.8 PERCENT OF THE DEPARTMENTS DO NOT ADHERE TO NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE STANDARDS AND GOALS STANDARDS REGARDING HIGHER EDUCATION DEGREES FOR RECRUITS, 82.6 PERCENT DO NOT PERMIT LATERAL ENTRY AS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION, AND ONLY 69 PERCENT HAVE DEVELOPED JOB DESCRIPTIONS IDENTIFYING SPECIAL SKILLS AS SUGGESTED BY THE COMMISSION. THE MAJORITY OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE LIMITED INVOLVEMENT IN THE DECISIONMAKING PROCESS REGARDING PERSONNEL TRAINING, AND USE THEIR HIGHEST RANKING PERSONNEL AS TRAINING OFFICERS--THIS PRACTICE APPEARS TO BE STRONGLY RELATED TO THE OFFICERS' NEARNESS TO RETIREMENT AGE. TRAINING EMPHASIS IN MOST DEPARTMENTS IS ON TECHNICAL SKILLS AND SUBJECT MATTER IS DECIDED ON BY TOP ADMINISTRATORS. CURRENT LITERATURE SUGGESTS MORE EMPHASIS ON HUMAN SKILLS AND DECENTRALIZED SUBJECT-MATTER DECISIONMAKING. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE AND TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)