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PERSONNEL PRACTICES IN THE POLICE SERVICES INDUSTRY POLICE SERVICES STUDY TECHNICAL REPORT

NCJ Number
36777
Author(s)
P M GREGG
Date Published
1975
Length
109 pages
Annotation
THIS TECHNICAL REPORT SUMMARIZES POLICE PRACTICES CONCERNING PERSONNEL RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING, AND EXAMINES IMPLICATIONS OF THESE PRACTICES FOR POLICE POLICY AND PROFESSIONALIZATION.
Abstract
THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS REPORT WAS TO SUMMARIZE THE FRAMEWORK AND PRACTICES THAT GOVERN RECRUITMENT IN THE POLICE SERVICES INDUSTRY IN ORDER TO BEGIN EVALUATING THE ASSUMPTIONS ON WHICH POLICE PROFESSIONALIZATION POLICIES ARE BASED. AREAS OF INVESTIGATION REPORTED IN THIS PAPER INCLUDE THE CURRENT PROCEDURES AND STANDARDS FOR RECRUITMENT AND PROMOTION IN AMERICA'S POLICE AGENCIES, THE AMOUNT OF TRAINING RECEIVED BY OFFICERS, THE INCENTIVES PROVIDED FOR ADDITIONAL EDUCATION AFTER JOINING THE FORCE, AND THE DIFFERENCES EXISTING IN PERSONNEL REGULATIONS AND PRACTICES AMONG DIFFERENT TYPES OF POLICE AGENCIES, DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY, DIFFERENT SIZED AGENCIES, AND TYPES OF THE COUNTRY, EACH SECTION OF THIS REPORT SUMMARIZES THE CURRENT POLICY DEBATE OVER THE PERSONNEL PRACTICE IN QUESTION, AND INTRODUCES ANY PERTINENT POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM NATIONAL COMMISSIONS. THE STUDY FOUND, AMONG OTHER THINGS THAT POLICE AGENCIES ARE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING RELATIVELY UNIFORM PERSONNEL PRACTICES, THAT STRIKING DIFFERENCES IN PERSONNEL PRACTICES PERSIST AMONG SMALLER POLICE AGENCIES, THAT SMALLER POLICE AGENCIES HAVE LESS STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS FOR POLICE EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AND THAT SMALLER AGENCIES HAVE CONSIDERABLY FEWER SPECIALIZED PERSONNEL. THE REPORT CONCLUDES THAT THE TREND TOWARD PROFESSIONALIZATION WILL RESTRICT MANPOWER RESOURCES AND WILL REDUCE THE LEGAL AND FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY OF THE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES THAT SMALLER AGENCIES CURRENTLY USE TO PRODUCE GENERAL PATROL SERVICES.