NCJ Number
82110
Date Published
1977
Length
68 pages
Annotation
Findings and recommendations are presented from a cost-benefit analysis of the New York City Police Academy, whose function as a trainer of both recruits and newly promoted police officers has been frozen. The Academy must jusitfy its standby operation of several million dollars.
Abstract
The traditional perception of the Academy's primary function has been the training of new recruits, but the last new recruit was hired almost 3 years ago on October 7, 1974. Another major function -- the instruction of newly promoted personnel -- also became dormant with the promotion freeze. The Academy faces the dilemma of justifying an underused standby operation, with $4.7 million in annual personnel costs (not counting a $3 million annual firearms training operation) in a period of austerity, or terminating operations, with a resulting inability to respond to training needs on short notice. The Academy's fixed costs are nearly two-thirds of the $4.7 million in operating costs. A way out of the dilemma is to reorient skilled resources in the Academy to meet and expand training opportunities for both the force and other law enforcement agencies. Volunteers should be encouraged to attend Academy courses on their own time. Popular training courses, such as basic investigations, should be open to as many volunteers as practicable. More extensive training for executives is another important area for expansion. The firearms training range should be open on a wider scale to include other law enforcement agencies or private security groups on a fee basis. Specific recommendations in this report should produce annual savings of about $830,000, based on the period covered by the study. Additional substantial benefits should follow from other recommendations. Tabular and graphic data are provided. (Author summary modified)