NCJ Number
84175
Date Published
1980
Length
51 pages
Annotation
This evaluation of a police line supervision course offered by the Southeast Florida Institute of Criminal Justice (SEFICJ) revealed that trainees left the course with plans to use what they learned, tried to put these intentions into practice, and had moderate success in doing so.
Abstract
The 2-week course was conducted in 1980. Followup interviews with 13 graduates began 2 months after the course ended. The trainees reported a total of 32 new behaviors related to action plans. Only one trainee failed to implement a new behavior. The most commonly reported new behaviors involved improving the performance of subordinates. Trainees also reported new behaviors related to improved personal performance and improved unit and departmental operations. Many of the reported new behaviors were vague and difficult to interpret. The most frequent result of trainees' efforts was that superiors and subordinates were receptive to trainee ideas for change and took some further action toward implementing those ideas. Nearly all trainees had problems in implementing action plans, however. Trainee transfer to other positions and the police chief's resignation were the most frequent problems. Trainees also underwent such personal changes as becoming more sympathetic to their superiors' positions and aware that no single correct way to supervise exists. Trainees were generally dissatisfied with the course and recommended ways to make it more relevant to the actual needs of first-line supervisors. They recommended that more information be provided on such practical situations as crisis management and that opportunities for interchange with other course participants be increased. Detailed analyses of responses to each interview question are provided in the exhibits and appendixes. (Author summary modified)