NCJ Number
35598
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 43 Issue: 8 Dated: (AUGUST 1976) Pages: 36,38 AND 39
Date Published
1976
Length
3 pages
Annotation
THE AUTHOR CONTENDS THAT POLICE TRAINING EFFECTIVENESS IS HAMPERED BY MANAGEMENT'S MISCONCEPTIONS ON THE PURPOSE AND APPLICATIONS OF TRAINING; SUGGESTIONS ON IMPROVING THE MANAGER'S ROLE IN POLICE TRAINING ARE OFFERED.
Abstract
IT IS STATED THAT THE INGREDIENT MOST LACKING IN PRESENT-DAY POLICE TRAINING IS THE ABILITY OF MANAGEMENT TO PERCEIVE REALISTICALLY THE ROLE OF TRAINING AND TO INTEGRATE TRAINEES INTO JOBS WHICH WILL REQUIRE THEM TO USE THE TRAINING ERCEIVED. THIS MAY STEM FROM THE COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS THAT 1) ALL TRAINING, EVEN IF NOT APPLIED, IS 'GOOD' FOR THE TRAINEE; 2) THAT TRAINING KNOWLEDGE IS PERMANENT; AND 3) THAT TRAINING ALONE CAN CAUSE BEHAVIOR CHANGE. THE AUTHOR NOTES THAT TRAINING CAN CAUSE FRUSTRATION IF NEVER APPLIED ON THE JOB, THAT TRAINING KNOWLEDGE MAY BE FORGOTTEN IF NOT PRACTICED, AND THAT BEHAVIORAL CHANGES BROUGHT ABOUT BY TRAINING WILL NOT LAST IF NOT SUPPORTED BY THE WORK ENVIRONMENT. HE STATES THAT MANAGERS MUST UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF TRAINING AND PROMOTE TRAINING BY MAKING SURE TRAINING IS BASED ON REAL NEEDS OF THE JOB; BY MONITORING SELECTIONS FOR COURSES TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS ARE LIKELY TO USE THE RESULTS OF TRAINING; AND BY FOLLOWING UP TRAINING RESULTS TO MAKE SURE TRAINING IS FULFILLING JOB NEEDS.