NCJ Number
82640
Date Published
1965
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This document evaluates Detroit's inservice training program in police-community relations given during summer 1965 to 1,800 police officers, most of whom served in predominantly black neighborhoods.
Abstract
Funded under Title II of the Equal Opportunity Act, the training project was required for all officers above the rank of sergeant while others were offered a stipend to participate on off-duty time. The course consisted of 8 sessions of 2 1/2 hours each for groups of 60. Each session began with a lecture followed by a question and answer period, a coffee break, and a case study evaluation and discussion of police-community relations situation, such as street crowds or family arguments. The project was administered by the police in conjunction with the Commission on Community Relations who had staff present at every session. One of the program's more vulnerable aspects was its lack of citizen participation. However, it is likely that police officers' support for the program would have been difficult or even impossible to obtain if citizens had been involved. The sessions were well planned and executed, and participants' comments were used to revise the case studies as the classes progressed. Students expressed the greatest appreciation for the lectures and the least for the case studies. It was not possible to measure the program's impact on minority neighborhoods, but media comments were positive. Student evaluations generally were favorable, and the police commissioner strongly endorsed the program. The evaluation report recommends that such courses be extended to the entire police force, although they should include representatives from the community. The appendixes contain the program's budget, grant proposal, and newspaper articles.