NCJ Number
50496
Date Published
1977
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE ROLE OF THE PSYCHOLOGIST IN POLICE SELECTION, ADMINISTRATION, TRAINING, AND DETECTIVE WORK IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLICE AND EXPERTS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR HAS BEEN MARKEDLY UNSATISFACTORY. A BETTER RELATIONSHIP COULD RESULT IN A MORE EFFICIENT, CONTENTED POLICE FORCE. THE MOST OBVIOUS POINTS OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN PSYCHOLOGISTS AND POLICE INCLUDE THE SELECTION OF OFFICERS, BOTH AS RECRUITS AND FOR PARTICULAR TASKS; POLICE ADMINISTRATION AND COUNSELING (INCLUDING ON-THE-SPOT ADVICE TO OFFICERS HANDLING HOSTAGE SITUATIONS); GENERAL TRAINING AND TRAINING OF SPECIAL GROUPS; AND DETECTION. IT IS LIKELY THAT AN EFFICIENT POLICE ORGANIZATION INVOLVED WITH RECRUITMENT, TRAINING AT VARIOUS LEVELS, EVALUATION OF TRAINING TECHNIQUES, AND GENERAL COUNSELING SERVICES (OR EVEN FORMAL PSYCHOTHERAPY) WILL REQUIRE A FULL-TIME PRACTITIONER IN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES. THESE IN-HOUSE PRACTITIONERS, ALTHOUGH INVOLVED PRIMARILY WITH THE TASKS NOTED, WILL ALSO HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS OF POLICE AGENCIES. A LIST OF 19 ACTIVITIES IN WHICH POLICE DEPARTMENT PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE TAKEN PART IS APPENDED. (LKM)