NCJ Number
79908
Journal
Australian Police College Journal Dated: (1978) Pages: 20-41
Date Published
1978
Length
22 pages
Annotation
An inspector of the Victoria Police in Australia discusses police recruitment methods, current career development services, and ways to improve both programs.
Abstract
The Victoria Police have introduced many modern measures to improve their abilities to maintain law and order, such as specialized units and computer systems. However, the police department should develop officers' careers from the time they are recruited to achieve maximum efficiency. An outline of a model career development program emphasizes assessment of all personnel employment and at regular intervals thereafter, frequent career planning discussions, inservice training, and increased responsibility as skills improve. Recruiters also should ask applicants about their goals and perceptions of police work. A review of recruiting policies suggests using psychological testing to upgrade the quality of recruits, making physical standards more flexible, introducing a contract entry scheme, and using citizen advisory committees which have developed in many police districts as recruitment tools. Although the Victoria Police does not have a formal career development component, it does offer numerous inservice and general training opportunities. Career counseling by supervisors appears to be nonexistent, and the department would benefit from creating a career guidance unit. Following a summary of career advancement programs in Tucson, Ariz. and Detroit, the paper proposes innovations in police personnel policies. In this section, the functions and qualifications of a liaison/career officer are detailed, and current promotional policies are examined. Recruitment advertisements and a separation interview form are appended. The article contains 30 footnotes.