NCJ Number
81379
Date Published
Unknown
Length
18 pages
Annotation
The type of applicant seeking service with the Syracuse Police Department (N.Y.), the type recruited, the training received, and the type of officer created are discussed.
Abstract
An average of 85 to 90 percent of the applicants are rejected. The rigid physical requirements produce a large share of the failures. While the academic requirement of at least a high school diploma or its accredited equivalent can be easily met, up unitl 1966, an applicant had to be 21 years old, thus producing a 4-year gap between high school graduation and the age of application. Many of the applicants had tried other jobs during that period and failed at them. This may be the reason why many Syracuse officers have come from the bottom half of their high school class. In 1966, a new program was instituted that provided for a person to join the department as a full-time cadet immediately upon graduating from high school and then become a sworn officer at 21. The impact of this program is still uncertain, since recruitment drives in high schools are only getting underway. Training courses cover such areas as penal laws, police procedure, traffic and accident investigation, police science, and human relations. The training aims at producing a generalist rather than a specialist. This tends to produce a flexible officer who can use discretion to handle a variety of situations. Currently, the department's approach tends to discourage college graduates from applying, because there is no chance of a person with advanced academic training immediately entering a challenging and well paying specialist police area. The diversification and specializing of police roles would appear to be the best approach for most effectively using recruits of varying backgrounds and capabilities. Medical requirements and training courses are detailed; a bibliography of six entries is provided.