NCJ Number
53760
Journal
Police Studies Volume: 1 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1978) Pages: 32-38
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE HISTORY OF THE CONCEPT OF COLLEGE EDUCATION AS A STRATEGY FOR POLICE REFORM IN THE UNITED STATES IS REVIEWED CRITICALLY.
Abstract
FEW OF THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROWTH OF POLICE EDUCATION IN THE LATE 1960'S WERE THE RESULT OF OFFICIAL POLICE POLICIES. EXTERNAL FORCES CREATED A SERIES OF OPPORTUNITIES AND INCENTIVES TO WHICH POLICE OFFICERS RESPONDED AS INDIVIDUALS. THE ORGANIZATIONAL STANCE TOWARD HIGHER EDUCATION FOUND IN MOST POLICE DEPARTMENTS IS REFLECTED BY THEIR GENERAL FAILURE TO ADOPT ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS. CRITICS HAVE MADE THREE CHARGES AGAINST COLLEGE EDUCATION FOR POLICE: THAT EDUCATION SIMPLY MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, THAT COLLEGE-EDUCATED OFFICERS MAY ACTUALLY PERFORM WORSE THAN OTHER OFFICERS, AND THAT EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS WILL ELIMINATE THE HISTORIC FUNCTION OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN PROVIDING A STEPPING STONE FOR THE UPWARD MOBILITY OF URBAN IMMIGRANT GROUPS. THE CRITICS ARE SUPPORTED BY A NUMBER OF STUDIES SHOWING LITTLE OR NO CONSISTENT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN COLLEGE-EDUCATED OFFICERS AND OTHER OFFICERS. HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT BOTH THE CRITICS AND THE EVALUATORS ARE ASKING THE WRONG QUESTIONS. RATHER THAN LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENCES AMONG INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS, THEY SHOULD ASK WHAT IMPACT COLLEGE-EDUCATED PERSONNEL GENERALLY HAVE HAD AND WILL HAVE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICING AS AN INSTITUTION. FURTHERMORE, THE QUESTION OF WHAT KIND OF EDUCATION POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN RECEIVING--WHETHER IT MATCHES THE CONCEPT FIRST HELD BY REFORMERS WHO RECOMMENDED COLLEGE EDUCATION FOR POLICE--MUST BE ADDRESSED. INSTEAD OF SERVING AS A RESOURCE FOR CHANGING THE ROLE OF THE POLICE, COLLEGE PROGRAMS THUS FAR HAVE HELPED MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO IN POLICING. THE CURRICULUMS OF MANY COLLEGE PROGRAMS MERELY REHASH THE ROUTINE MECHANICS OF POLICE ACADEMY TRAINING RATHER THAN PROVIDING A BROAD, INTERDISCIPLINARY FOUNDATION. WHETHER POLICE EDUCATION IS A REFORM THAT FAILED CANNOT YET BE DETERMINED, BECAUSE THE REFORM HAS BEEN SUBVERTED BY THE CONSERVATIVE FORCES IN AMERICAN POLICING. (LKM)