The Preparation of Police Recruits, Queensland Style

Abstract

The preparation of recruit police officers has become an issue in those countries whose police services have evolved from the British model. In Australia, a variety of arrangements exist. These include education and training centred around police academies with academically qualified civilian and police staff, some of whom are academically qualified and others who are not, depending on the nature of their role. These academies are invariably, and not surprisingly, controlled by police officers. At the other end of the scale, the Australian Federal Police now has prospective recruits, who are not yet employees, in many Australian universities undergoing undergraduate studies. The aim being to recruit graduates. The Queensland Police Service has opted for a middle-of-the-road part university, part academy, approach as a means to satisfying as many perceived requirements as possible.