NCJ Number
215889
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 73 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2006 Pages: 26-33
Date Published
September 2006
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article poses and discusses the reasons for four questions that police chief's should consider in deciding whether a particular training event is worth the investment.
Abstract
First, ask "What does the training attempt to teach?" Objectives of a training event should clearly state what trainees will be able to do, as opposed to what they will know, when the training is completed. Poorly written learning objectives or no learning objectives at all indicate that the training may not be well organized, conceived, or likely to impart the skills needed by the agency. Second, ask "Is the skill being taught needed?" The first step in answering this question is to require a detailed explanation of how the agency will benefit from an officer's improving or gaining the skills featured in the training. The second step is to determine the best way for an officer to pass the training's benefits to the student-officer's colleagues. Third, ask, "Will the officer be able to use the new skills soon after training?" Ideally, the training event should provide the skills/knowledge that an employee will require to perform immediate tasks. Having the training close to the time when the officer will use the training in practice increases the probability that the benefits of the training will not be lost over time due their not being used. Fourth, ask, "What is the true cost?" Tuition costs for the training are only one cost item linked to a training event. Other costs are lost time, travel expenses, books, and equipment. Once the real costs of training have been determined, decide whether the training, as assessed with the other three questions, is worth the cost. In some cases the training's benefits can be monetarily quantified and compared with training costs. 1 table