NCJ Number
212668
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 72 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2005 Pages: 32,34,38
Date Published
October 2005
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article explores the issues that will likely emerge in the 21st century in terms of police standards for certification and training.
Abstract
Almost every State and commonwealth in the United States has a committee, usually referred to as a POST (peace officer standards and training) that is responsible for determining the standards criteria for both the certification and training of police officers. As technologies and research advance, the changing needs and capacity of law enforcement will place different demands on law enforcement officers; this article predicts the future police certification and training needs likely to emerge during the 21st century. Every POST identifies standards for certification as a police officer that have requirements in terms of citizenship, age, education, physical capacity, and character. The current requirements for most State certifications are reviewed. Next, the author considers what types of changes may be on the horizon for these POST requirements as the nature of policing changes. Typical POST standards for police officer training are similarly reviewed as the author points out that as essential job tasks change, so too will the requirements for police officer training. Moreover, the way in which police training is delivered is expected to change as technology makes available virtual instruction and hologram imagery. In closing, the author underscores the responsibility of POSTs to respond to the changing needs of communities and the growing complexities of technology with parallel changes in police standards and requirements. Endnotes