NCJ Number
113474
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 57 Issue: 8 Dated: (August 1988) Pages: 10-16
Date Published
1988
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A four-phrase study of National law enforcement training needs assessment examined training priorities by job activity and category in a stratified sample of almost 2,500 State and local law enforcement agencies.
Abstract
During the study's first 4 years, agencies consistently ranked 20 individual job activities among the top 25 percent in importance. These included handling personal stress, maintaining physical fitness, interview and interrogation, emergency/pursuit driving, promoting a positive public image, developing information sources, weapons firing, testifying, searching, report writing, narcotics investigation, crime scene protection, and intelligence. Differences in training priorities by job category (drugs, detective/juvenile/vice, intelligence, common, patrol/traffic, and supervisory/management) were found to vary by agency size and type. Drug related activities received the highest priority among agencies overall, while supervisory/management activities ranked low. Annual training budgets for agencies ranged from zero to $7 million, with an overall median expenditure of $2,500. Sheriffs' agencies had the lowest median training budget -- $1,800. Differences in training budgets were a function of agency size, with State and County agencies generally having larger budgets. Officers' salaries together with resources budgeted for training accounted for the bulk of agency resources supporting training of sworn officers. 5 figures and 4 footnotes.