Police Training Research Paper

Abstract

This paper will explore the historical approach to police training and whether new initiatives in police training improve the overall efficiency a modern police force while possibly improving public perception towards police officers. Throughout its history the policing profession has undergone many changes; however, none of these changes may be as important as the need for continued police training. Today, police officers are faced with an ever growing diversity within the populations they serve; furthermore, they are often called upon to assist with citizens that are mentally unstable. Officers should be receiving the necessary training to meet these modern realities, but highly publicized events have called into question the utilized

Gone are the days of the colonial era where volunteer or poorly paid citizens performed the duties of a watchmen at night. Today, officers are expected to be able to respond to a multitude of events that may include acts of terrorism, dealing with a mentally distraught citizen armed with a weapon, or the ever increasing diversity within the community they serve. Each of these unique and varying incidents can be dealt with and result in either a successful outcome or come to an unfortunate ending for all involved. In addition, as the role of a police officer has grown, many within the community are calling for changes in police practices as it relates to crisis intervention and community diversity. Many of these changing aspects deal with how police officers are trained or to some extent not trained. However, these tumultuous times also allow for a fresh look at improving the training of police officers, and how fundamentally important police training is not only to the individual officer but to society as a

This method would help determine if diversity training during the twelve week academy would be effective in changing attitudes. Sadly, the four hour block of instruction on diversity training was ineffective in improving racial attitudes although most recruits still viewed themselves as not showing bias towards minority groups (Schlosser, 2013). Schlosser writes, “Finally, recruits demonstrated, overall, that they do not understand the concept of racial privilege” (Schlosser, 2013, p.