NCJ Number
47550
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1978) Pages: 184-195
Date Published
1978
Length
12 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A STUDY IDENTIFYING CRITICAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS OF FIRST-LINE SUPERVISORS IN TEXAS MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS SERVING POPULATIONS GREATER THAN 80,000 ARE REPORTED.
Abstract
TWO GROUPS OF JOB AUTHORITIES -- COMMAND OFFICERS TO WHOM FIRST-LINE SUPERVISORS REPORT AND STATE TRAINERS OF SUPERVISORS -- WERE SELECTED TO CONSIDER CERTAIN TASK FACTORS AND TO RANK ORDER THE 196 TASKS PERFORMED BY FIRST-LINE SUPERVSORS ON TRAINING PRIORITY. THE RELIABILITY OF THE JUDGMENTS MADE BY THE TWO GROUPS WAS EVALUATED BEFORE EACH GROUP'S DATA WERE PROCESSED THROUGH A GENERAL LINEAR MODEL TO TEST THE JOB-RELATEDNESS OF TRAINING PRIORITY RANKINGS. IN ADDITION, A TEST WAS MADE TO DETERMINE IF THE TWO JOB AUTHORITY GROUPS DISAGREED ON THE TRAINING PRIORITIES OF FIRST-LINE SUPERVISORS. THE MAGNITUDE OF DIFFERENCES IN RANK ORDERINGS OF CERTAIN TASKS WAS QUITE HIGH BETWEEN THE TWO JOB AUTHORITY GROUPS, INDICATING DIFFERENCES IN PERCEPTION OF PRIORITY OF TASKS FOR TRAINING. TO THE INSTRUCTOR AT A FORMAL TRAINING SITE, IT APPEARED THAT THE ON-THE-JOB TRAINING WHICH THE FIRST-LINE SUPERVISOR PROVIDES TO UNIFORMED PATROL OFFICERS IS MOST CRITICAL, WHILE COMMAND OFFICERS INDICATED THAT, IN THE TRAINING OF EFFECTIVE FIRST-LINE SUPERVISORS, SKILLS RELATED TO THE COUNSELING OF LINE OFFICERS IN THE RESOLUTION OF PERSONAL PROBLEMS INTERFERING WITH JOB PERFORMANCE ARE OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE DEVELOPERS OF TRAINING CURRICULUMS COMPARE THEIR VIEWS ON THE PRIORITY OF ASKS FOR TRAINING WITH THE VIEWS HELD BY OTHER JOB AUTHORITIES. TABLES OF DATA GATHERED IN THE STUDY ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)