Police Training Research Articles

A Dual Enrollment Police Academy with Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice: The Student Officers’ Experiences

Despite the recommendations of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing (2015), the U.S. lacks collaborative innovations in police training between law enforcement and higher education. In this article, we describe the experiences of students in the pilot cohort of a unique program, which combines a Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice degree with a full-time police academy. We employed focus groups at the beginning and end of the program to understand the students’ perceptions. The focus groups revealed that the program overall was received positively by the students, and it met their expectations. Our results describe the program’s strengths and challenges as well as the students’ perceived learning outcomes. The findings illustrate that a dual enrollment academy program is feasible for students to complete, but also provide insight into the academy environment including the unique challenges for female students and the process of socialization into police culture.

Challenges and Reforms in Pakistan's Narcotics Law: A Critical Analysis of the Control of Narcotics Substances Act 1997

This research article examines the complex and diverse obstacles encountered by narcotics law enforcement and justice in Pakistan, as governed by the Control of Narcotics Substances Act (CNSA) of 1997. The study highlights key concerns, such as elevated rates of acquittal, inefficiencies within the system, and a backlog of cases in drug courts, emphasizing the necessity for comprehensive reforms. Furthermore, the article emphasizes the significance of tackling judicial corruption, enhancing human rights organizations, and implementing sophisticated reforms in sentencing and punishment to attain a fairer administration of justice. The research highlights the significance of diverse resources, such as enhanced investigative tools and police training, augmented resources for prosecutors, and the utilization of technology in law enforcement. Furthermore, it promotes the implementation of community-based initiatives to deter drug abuse and addiction, while emphasizing the essential role of research in guiding successful approaches. The author also proposed solutions that seek to achieve a harmonious equilibrium between the enforcement of laws and the administration of justice, thereby ensuring a more effective, equitable, and responsible approach to narcotics cases.

Contribution of the Tanzania Police Gender and Children Desk on Reduction of Gender-Based Violence in Meru District, Tanzania

This study assessed the contribution of the Tanzania Police Gender and Children Desk on reduction of gender-based violence in Meru District in Arusha Region, Tanzania. The objectives of this study were to examine community perceptions of the effectiveness of the Tanzania Police Gender and Children Desk in addressing gender-based violence, to determine the extent of incidences of gender-based violence resolved by the Tanzania Police Gender and Children Desk, and to analyze the influence of the police gender and children desk in addressing gender-based violence. A cross-sectional design was adopted, involving 120 respondents. Data were collected using a household self-administered questionnaire and key informant interviews. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression methods were used in analyzing the collected data. Results showed that the majority of the respondents (65.0%) perceived TPGCD as highly effective in addressing gender-based violence, 26.7%) perceived TPGCD as moderately effective in addressing gender-based violence, and 8.3% perceived TPGCD as lowly effective in meeting its objective of addressing gender-based violence, among others. Likewise, there was a substantial decrease in incidences of gender-based violence in the areas with TPGCD centers, indicating that the decline was due to the eminent effects of TPGCD. Further, the contributions of TPGCD included receiving and summoning resolutions of reported GBV cases, training police officers on GBV issues, and creating awareness among community members about GBV issues. The study concludes that there is a positive influence of TPGCD on the reduction of gender-based violence in the study area. Moreover, it is recommended based on this study that the government, through its Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women, and Special Groups, amicably extend PGCD throughout all institutions and ward authorities to enable all community members to get gender awareness and access services regarding incidences of GBV in their communities.

Trauma and Percieved Internal Support of Police Officers in Kenya

Purpose: This paper explores how Police officers in Kenya and elsewhere in the globe play an irreplaceable role of ensuring security, law and order but are exposed to a wide range of potentially psychologically traumatizing events in the course of duty without adequate internal trauma informed support. This trauma potentiates them to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which is associated with many dysfunctional behaviors like assault, homicide and suicide. 
 Materials and Methods: Hermeneutic phenomenology approach is used to collect information from scholarly articles and media reports on the subject of police trauma and internal support. This data is then assessed to generate findings presented in this paper. Thirty case studies of Kenya police perpetrated assault, homicide or suicide are also selected randomly from the media to support the scholarly findings about work related police trauma and internal support.
 Findings: Kenyan police officers are exposed to traumatic events but police training and culture encourages hardiness, masculinity and repression instead of trauma informed coping. The case studies reveal that traumatized police officers in Kenya develop severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which then presents in various psychological disorders and deviance like assault (14%), murder (30%), suicide (90%) and homicide (17%).
 Implications to Theory Practice and Policy: Police management should put in place trauma informed curriculum in police training and practice. Psychological and situational mediators should also be established as a priority for trauma prevention, mitigation and stress management. Researchers should go beyond highlighting police psychological morbidity to investigate models and interventions that work to prevent and speedily resolve police trauma.

Needs assessment of police pre-deployment training for dispatch experts in international development cooperation of policing

PurposeThis study identifies the policing pre-deployment training content for Korean experts based on needs assessments. Korean policing is at an excellent level to transfer knowledge and skills. Pre-deployment training should be designed systematically and training of trainers approaches should be implemented.Design/methodology/approachThis study used T-tests, Borich needs assessments, and Locus for Focus model analyses to determine the priorities of needs for pre-deployment training in policing. A survey of 116 experienced experts was conducted, with 87 responding (75%).FindingsThe study identified 26 factors that deployed law enforcement professionals want to learn from pre-deployment training. These factors were categorized into three areas: research, training design and methods and understanding of partner countries and international development cooperation. The nine highest priorities for training needs were related to understanding the status and conditions of police training in the country to which policing experts are deployed.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was limited to Korean policing experts. And the study did not evaluate the validity of the training curriculum or indicators.Practical implicationsTechnical assistance in international policing development cooperation aims to train future trainers who can train local police. This study found that limited learner information and poor communication skills can lead to ineffective technical assistance.Originality/valueThis study highlights the importance of knowledge transfer and effective pre-deployment training for policing. The findings can be used to improve training programs and police human resource development.

Discretionary policing: following religious beliefs or operational guidelines, decision-making, and citizen engagement

In an Australian context, there is little research which examines whether officers following a religion will place religious ideologies beyond professional guidelines and whether there are differences between religious and non-religious officers regarding decision-making and use of discretion. This raises questions about how religious and non-religious officers will engage with citizens whose identities may be similar to, or different from the responding officer, and, whether the citizen’s identity challenges an officer’s religious ideologies; thereby shaping police-citizen interaction. Whether religious or non-religious police officers are more likely to police equitably is an area of research that needs systematic enquiry; especially given that officers who are religious could apply discretional policing when adhering to religious beliefs or practices during decision-making, and, conversely, officers who are non-religious, could apply discretional adherence to organizational rules, regulations, and police training. As such, this preliminary, exploratory study sought to address this gap in knowledge. Analyzing data collected from a sample of officers (N = 1425) working in one Australian police organization, this study provides insight into how religious or non-religious beliefs shapes officers’ discretional decision-making, and citizen engagement.

Stress Inoculation in Police Officers Using Virtual Reality: A Controlled Study.

Policing is a highly demanding and stressful profession. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising tool for enhancing stress management programs, including for police officers. The use of VR in combination with biosensors enables measurement of psychophysiological responses such as peripheral temperature (PT) and skin conductance level (SCL). This study investigated the psychophysiological responses of police officers exposed to a VR scenario simulating a car accident. The study included a total of 63 police officers from the Public Security Police. Participants were divided into three groups based on their police divisions: the Investigation Brigade of Traffic Accidents, the Traffic Surveillance Squad (TSS), and a control group from the Lisbon Metropolitan Command. The results indicated that the VR environment effectively induced psychophysiological arousal, particularly in less experienced officers (TSS), that is, there were significant group differences in mean SCL and PT, showing this group with higher SCL and lower PT during the VR exposure. These results support the potential of VR as a stress inoculation strategy for training police officers and highlight the complex nature of stress responses that are influenced by individual factors and psychopathology.

Efektivitas dan Efisiensi Anggaran pada Sekolah Staf dan Pimpinan Lembaga Pendidikan dan Pelatihan Polri

This research aims to analyze the effectiveness and efficiency of budget absorption at the School for Staff and Leadership of the Republic of Indonesia Police Education and Training Institute (Sespim Lemdiklat Polri) in 2021-2022. The research data is secondary data from Budget Realization Reports for 2021 and 2022, obtained directly from the research object. The research method used is descriptive quantitative. This research found that 2021 budget absorption performance could have been better, as shown in the ULP (Food Sides) & Extra Fooding program, Sespimmen educational operations, and Sespimmen KKL (Field Work Lecture) costs. Meanwhile, in 2022, budget absorption performance will still not be optimal for the ULP & Extra Fooding program. It is because the COVID-19 pandemic allows learning/training activities at the National Police Sespimmen to be carried out online, thereby allowing for savings and budget absorption that could be more optimal. Due to limited data, this research cannot measure effectiveness and efficiency based on the number of programs or activities. So, effectiveness and efficiency analyses are only based on budget data and actual expenditure. Therefore, suggestions for further research are to analyze the effectiveness and efficiency of spending by comparing the number of programs or activities. So, the effectiveness and efficiency of spending per unit program or activity can be seen.

Text mining domestic violence police narratives to identify behaviours linked to coercive control

Background and settingDomestic and family violence (DFV) is a significant societal problem that predominantly affects women and children. One behaviour that has been linked to DFV perpetration is coercive control. While various definitions have been proposed, it involves “acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten a victim” ranging from emotional to social and financial abuse. One potentially rich source of information on coercive control are police reports. In this paper we determine whether it is possible to automatically identify behaviours linked to coercive control from DFV police reports and present the prevalence of such behaviours by age and sex.MethodsWe modified an existing rule-based text mining method to identify 48 coercive control related behaviours from 406,196 DFV reports involving a single person of interest (POI) (i.e., an individual suspected or charged with a DFV offence) against a single victim from NSW Police Force records between 2009 and 2020.Results223,778 (54.6%) DFV events had at least one identifiable coercive control behaviour with the most common behaviour being verbal abuse (38.9%) followed by property damage (30.0%). Financial (3.2%) and social abuse (0.4%) were the least common behaviours linked to coercive control. No major differences were found in the proportion of DFV events between male and female POIs or victims. The oldest POI group (≥ 65 years) had the largest proportion for behaviours related to verbal abuse (38.0%) while the youngest POI group reported the highest proportion of DFV involving property damage (45.5%). The youngest victim group (< 18 years old) had the highest proportion of DFV events involving verbal abuse (37.3%) while victims between 18 and 24 years old reported the most harassment through phone calls and text messages (3.1% and 2.4% respectively); double that of those in the oldest (≥ 65 years) victim group (1.4% and 0.7% respectively).ConclusionsPolice data capture a wide variety of behaviours linked to coercive control, offering insights across the age spectrum and sex. Text mining can be used to retrieve such information. However, social and financial abuse were not commonly recorded emphasising the need to improve police training to encourage inquiring about such behaviours when attending DFV events.

Who Lies Beneath? Reflections on Scotland’s Unseen Change Makers

Who Lies Beneath? Reflections on Scotland’s Unseen Change Makers

Development of tactical skills in handling automatic firearms among cadets and students of educational organizations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia

The object of the research of the article is the tactical basics of handling automatic firearms during fire training. The subject of the research is the tactical basics of possession of automatic firearms during the training of fire arms handling. The purpose of the study is to identify the most effective methods for conducting fire training classes aimed at developing handling skills of the students. Research aim is to determine the most effective and accessible methods in the process of handling automatic firearms. The practical significance of the conducted research consists in identifying the most effective methods for fire training training, necessary for practical application. At the same time, attention is paid to strict compliance with safety measures when handling both training and combat weapons during training. The methodology of the conducted research is determined by its purpose and objectives. It is based on a systematic approach to the study of methods of training police officers in the practical use of firearms. The novelty of the scientific article lies in the development of author's methods in the study and testing of tactical actions of cadets and students of educational organizations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the handling of automatic firearms during fire training. When practicing tactical skills, actions with automatic firearms were carried out both idling and during live firing. The training exercises were practically tested during the training of cadets and trainees at the stage of the practical part of fire training. The development of tactical actions allowed the trainees to form confident practical skills in handling automatic firearms, which in turn affected the increase in the level of general discipline and the readiness of employees to act in practice.

UNVEILING THE DYNAMICS: EXPLORING POLICE TRAINEES FIELD TRAINING EXPERIENCES IN THE CORDILLERA REGION

The Field Training Program involved the experience and assignment in patrol, traffic, and investigation in the police stations as active observers and passive performers. With this, the study aimed to determine the experiences of the Philippine National Police Field Training Program trainees of Cordillera. Specifically, it investigated the learning experiences of the Field Training Program trainees in Investigation, Traffic, and Patrol and common problems encountered by FTP during their Field Training Program. A qualitative descriptive design was used for the inquiry. Data collection involved using an interview guide. 70 Police Trainees from the Cordillera Administrative Region Training Center. Most of the key informants stated that the major learnings they have acquired during their assignment at the Investigation unit include the proper way to accomplish the blotter entry and incident report form, the Basic Process of Crime Investigation, how to make basic investigation reports, and modes of filing criminal cases. On their duty at the Traffic Management Unit, the police trainees learned how to conduct traffic direction and control effectively. They learned the value or importance of courtesy, discipline, and maximum tolerance when directing, controlling, and managing traffic and how to engage the members of the community effectively. Another is that police trainees have learned the importance of police visibility relative to crime prevention. The common problems encountered by FTP trainees during their Field Training Program include Unclear and conflicting Instructions, lack of equipment for mobility in responding to police assistance or incidents, the lack of enhancement lectures and table tap exercises rendered to police trainees on OJT is another challenge encountered and Lack of Communication and Coordination among trainees.

Stop, in the Name of Law!: The Restructuring of Police Force in the Early Republican Turkey

ABSTRACT This study aims to analyse the strategic decisions made by the foundational cadre during the establishment of homeland security in the early years of the Turkish Republic and their consequential impact on the institutional capacities of the state’s coercive apparatus. To achieve this objective, this article primarily focuses on the evolutionary trajectory of homeland security institutions during the final stages of the Ottoman Empire and the founding period of the Turkish Republic. A central thesis posited herein contends that political considerations were the driving force behind the establishment of police organizations and the subsequent professionalization of policing, particularly since the 1930s. This study also elucidates the political directives issued to the police organization by the government, the successive phases of police training, and the legal framework governing the restructuring of the police institution.

ANALYSIS OF THE COMPLIANCE OF IMPLEMENTING PERFORMANCE ALLOWANCES FOR CIVIL SERVANTS AT LEMDIKLAT POLRI WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE INDONESIAN NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF REGULATION NUMBER 7 OF 2020

The research evaluates the implementation of performance allowance policies for Civil Servants at Lemdiklat Polri (Indonesian National Police Education and Training Institute). The bureaucratic structure effectively supports policy implementation due to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) from the central authority serving as a reference. However, inter-organizational communication faces obstacles when interacting with employees as the target group. Information about National Police Chief Regulation Number 7 of 2022 and Employee Performance Appraisal (SKP) procedures has not been adequately communicated, leading to discrepancies in performance allowances and SKPs.Insufficient human resources can impact the policy's success, especially in Lemdiklat Polri's Human Resources Department (Bag SDM Rorenmin). However, infrastructure and facilities seem adequate to support policy implementation. Policy implementers still lack a high commitment to their duties as per National Police Chief Regulation Number 7 of 2020. Delays in monthly performance allowance disbursement are common due to tardiness in attendance summaries and processing requests. This reflects that policy commands aren't fully executed by the target group, primarily due to ineffective communication influencing their behaviour. Addressing these challenges is essential to implement performance allowance policies at Lemdiklat Polri successfully.Keywords: Compliance, Performance Allowances and National Police Chief Regulation Number 7 of 2020

Physiological Responses to Organizational Stressors Among Police Managers

Police officers demonstrate increased risk of physical and mental health conditions due to repeated and prolonged exposure to stressful occupational conditions. Occupational stress is broken into two types: operational stress, related to the content of field duties (e.g., physical demands); and organizational stress, related to cultural and structural contexts (e.g., interpersonal relationships). Applied police research focuses on physiological activation in operational tasks as a mechanism explaining health risk and non-optimal performance outcomes. However, recent survey-based studies indicate numerous organizational stressors associated with self-reported mental health symptoms. The question of whether organizational stressors elicit significant physiological activity remains unknown. The current proof-of-concept field study tests the hypothesis that police managers will display significant physiological reactivity before, during, and after engaging in reality-based scenarios representative of stressful police management tasks developed from evidence-based pedagogical approaches. A sample of 25 training police managers (7 female, M = 16 +/- 5.3 years of experience) completed 5 reality-based scenarios, including resolving a heated conflict between colleagues, delivering negative feedback to a subordinate, and critical incident command. Significant increases in heart rate relative to rest were observed during all tasks, and in anticipation of several tasks. Greater increases in reactive heart rate were associated with longer recovery times. Sex differences and relationships between objective biological and subjective psychological measures of stress are discussed. The current findings demonstrate significant physiological responses to organizational stressors similar to levels observed during operational tasks, despite the absence of physical or aerobic exertion. Implications for police health and training are discussed.

Updating the content of the special physical training of cadets of higher education institutions with specific training conditions during martial law

It has been established that the official activity of police officers places increased demands on the level of special physical fitness of personnel. It has been established that a graduate of a higher education institution with specific learning conditions must possess not only a complex of knowledge, practical skills and abilities, but also a formed motivation and psychological readiness for the proper performance of official tasks in extreme situations caused by the introduction of martial law.&#x0D; On the basis of a survey of inspectors on self-defense tactics and personal safety of training centers of the State Government of Ukraine (n=27), gaps in the physical fitness of law enforcement officers with up to one year of practical experience were determined, directions for improving the content of special physical training for cadets of higher education institutions with specific training conditions were considered during martial law, the role of general physical fitness of law enforcement officers is outlined. The need to develop a single thematic content of the educational discipline for all institutions of higher education that train police officers has been established; the introduction of practical tasks into the educational process, which involve modeling situations of official activity with the complex application of police coercive measures. Emphasis is placed on strengthening the role of general physical training through the cadet's performance of various physical exercises while in full equipment.&#x0D; We see prospects for further research in the development of a set of exercises that will contribute to the development of professional and applied physical qualities of law enforcement officers.

Challenges and opportunities for minority students at police academies: A national sample

This article examines institutional factors influencing graduation rates for police trainees of different races and ethnic groups. The study is based on the Census of Law Enforcement Training Academies data collected in 2013 and 2018. It uses both analysis of variance and ordinary least squares regressions to analyze the data. Overall, the article reports a statistically significant improvement for Hispanic trainees’ graduation rates when comparing 2013 and 2018. However, the same was not true for Black students at the police academies who continued to trail in 2018 compared with both White and Hispanic students. Our findings show that the length of the program and the location of the academy in the South were negatively influencing the graduation rates for all groups of cadets in both datasets. Other findings show that minority trainees were more likely to succeed where minimum education requirements for the instructors were in place, academies were affiliated with academic institutions, field training was the preferred mode of instruction, and where dormitories were not present.

From pain compliance to leverage-based control: Evidence of reduced use of force severity and injuries following police training

Abstract Training is a frequently requested response to contentious police use of force incidents. Yet limited research evaluating use of force training has been conducted and most has focussed on officer perceptions of training, as opposed to the impact of training on use of force in the field. We address this gap through evaluating a 120-h Response to Resistance and Aggression training developed and implemented by the Saint Paul Police Department. By integrating leverage-based control and de-escalation techniques, this program sought to reduce the severity of force used by police officers. Results from machine learning models indicate that training did reduce reliance on pain-compliance techniques. Adjusting for factors including encounter, subject, and officer characteristics, training was associated with an estimated 3.3 percentage point reduction in officer injuries and a 1.3 percentage point reduction in significant subject injury. These findings contribute to the evidence base surrounding effective police training programs.

Examining the relationship between officer attitudes and behaviour in a multi-site trial of procedural justice training

Abstract While reformers view police training as an important means for improving performance, the training evidence base has historically been weak. Little research has focussed on how training impacts both attitudes and behaviour in the field, and the extent to which changes in attitudes following a training program are linked to officer behaviour in the field. This paper uses data from a multi-site randomized trial of procedural justice training in hot spots to assess the attitude–behaviour link. We ask to what extent do officers’ attitudes about procedural justice impact their behaviour in the field? We find no support for officer baseline attitudes being predictive of their use of procedural justice with the public. But for trained officers, we do find evidence that attitudes following training are related to behaviour in observed interactions in the field. We conclude with a discussion of the implications for police training and training evaluation studies.

Optimizing Police and Military Academy Training: Implementing a Tiered Education Program through Comprehensive Cadet Assessments

Optimizing Police and Military Academy Training: Implementing a Tiered Education Program through Comprehensive Cadet Assessments