NCJ Number
54385
Date Published
1975
Length
133 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY INVESTIGATES POLICE DEPARTMENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SIX RELATED RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE NATIONAL CRIME COMMISSION REGARDING POLICE EDUCATION AND TRAINING STANDARDS.
Abstract
THE SIX RECOMMENDATIONS ARE: (1) POLICE DEPARTMENTS SHOULD RECRUIT ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES, (2) POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD ULTIMATELY HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, (3) A BACHELOR'S DEGREE SHOULD BE REQUIRED FOR ALL SUPERVISORY POSITIONS, (4) POLICE SALARIES SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO ATTRACT COLLEGE GRADUATES; (5) POLICE RECRUITS SHOULD RECEIVE A MINIMUM OF 400 HOURS CLASSROOM TRAINING, AND (6) ALL POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD HAVE A MINIMUM OF 1 WEEK TRAINING A YEAR. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE MAILED TO POLICE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND THE 365 RESPONSES WERE ANALYZED AND COMPUTED BY CITY SIZE, REGIONS, AND ON AN OVERALL BASIS. RESULTS SHOW THAT 93.6 PERCENT OF THE DEPARTMENTS REQUIRE ONLY A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION FOR RECRUITS, 93 PERCENT OF DEPARTMENTS DO NOT REQUIRE SUPERVISORS TO HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE, 41.6 PERCENT OF DEPARTMENTS OFFERED BEGINNING POLICE SALARIES ADEQUATE TO ATTRACT COLLEGE GRADUATES, 44 PERCENT OF AGENCIES COMPLY WITH THE MINIMUM 400 HOURS OF TRAINING FOR RECRUITS, AND 55.2 PERCENT COMPLY WITH THE 1 WEEK INSERVICE TRAINING. REGARDING POLICE ATTITUDES TOWARD THE RECOMMENDATIONS, FINDINGS INDICATE THAT A MAJORITY OF OFFICERS FAVOR CAMPUS RECRUITING, ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH RAISING BEGINNING SALARIES TO COMPETE WITH BUSINESSES FOR GRADUATES, AND ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE PROPOSED INSERVICE TRAINING RECOMMENDATIONS. POLICE ATTITUDES ARE GENERALLY NEGATIVE CONCERNING COLLEGE-DEGREE REQUIREMENTS FOR OFFICERS AND SUPERVISORS. RECOMMENDATIONS, THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)