NCJ Number
65897
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 28 Issue: 3 Dated: (MARCH 1980) Pages: 6,8-11
Date Published
1980
Length
5 pages
Annotation
UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS WITHOUT POLICE EXPERIENCE OFFER IMPRACTICAL POLICE EDUCATION ADVICE, WHICH, IF TAKEN, WOULD HINDER AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAMS.
Abstract
DURING THE 1960'S, THE PRESIDENT'S CRIME COMMISSION RECOMMENDED THAT POLICE WORK BE IMPROVED BY REQUIRING COLLEGE DEGREES OF POLICE SUPERVISORS AND MANAGEMENT, INCREASING SALARIES, AND IMPROVING TRAINING. TO ATTRACT MINORITIES WITHOUT EDUCATION WHILE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS GREW STRICTER, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT POLICE DEPARTMENTS CREATE SPECIAL CATEGORIES FOR MINORITIES, ENABLING THEM TO FINISH THEIR EDUCATION AND WORK AS POLICE OFFICERS SIMULTANEOUSLY. HOWEVER, THE CATEGORY SYSTEM NEVER WORKED, AND MANY POLICE DEPARTMENTS SIMPLY LOWERED STANDARDS TO ADMIT MINORITIES. IN THE LATE 1970'S, ANOTHER COMMISSION ADVISED THAT POLICE SHOULD INDEED HAVE BACHELOR'S DEGREES, BUT POLICE THEMSELVES SHOULD NOT CHOOSE OR BE PART OF THE POLICE EDUCATION FACULTY. THEY CLAIMED FURTHER THAT EXPERIENCE SHOULD NOT COUNT AS MUCH TOWARD PROMOTION AS EDUCATION, THAT PRESENT, USEFUL AA PROGRAMS FOR POLICE IN JUNIOR COLLEGES BE ABOLISHED, AND THAT INSERVICE TRAINING SHOULD NOT COUNT TOWARD THE RECOMMENDED BACHELOR'S DEGREE. SUCH ADVICE FROM PERSONS WITH NO POLICE EXPERIENCE IS DEEMED IMPRACTICAL, AND POLICE FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE CRITICIZED THE COMMISSION. SINCE THERE ARE OVER 30,000 INDEPENDENT POLICE AGENCIES ACROSS THE NATION, A UNIFORM LAW ENFORCEMENT EDUCATION STANDARD IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY AND INCREASED EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS MAY VIOLATE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION GUIDELINES. IN THE 1980'S, THEN, LARGE POLICE DEPARTMENTS WIL PROBABLY CONTINUE PUSHING FOR COLLEGE DEGREES FOR POLICE, WHILE SMALL DEPARTMENTS WILL NOT. (PAP)