NCJ Number
53940
Date Published
1977
Length
13 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECTS OF A CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING COURSE ON POLICE EFFECTIVENESS IN HANDLING DISTURBANCE CALLS ARE ASSESSED IN THIS STUDY OF THE EL MONTE POLICE DEPARTMENT, EL MONTE, CALIFORNIA.
Abstract
A 56-HOUR TRAINING COURSE WAS ADMINISTERED TO ALL 64 PATROL OFFICERS IN THE EL MONTE POLICE DEPARTMENT BY A TRAINER FROM AN OUTSIDE CONSULTING AGENCY. COURSE CONTENT INCLUDED SAFETY FACTORS, METHODS FOR DEFUSING VIOLENT SITUATIONS, INFORMATION GATHERING, MEDIATION AND REFERRAL OF DISPUTANTS, AND THE HANDLING OF INVOLVED PARTIES. GROUP DISCUSSION, LECTURES, ROLE PLAYING, AND VIDEOTAPE FEEDBACK WERE USED IN THE TRAINING. DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM FOUR SOURCES: (1) DISPATCHER CALL SLIPS, (2) ARREST RECORDS, (3) OFFICER RATINGS OF DISTURBANCE CALLS, AND (4) TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH DISPUTANTS. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE APPROACH PROCEDURE ADVOCATED IN THE TRAINING COURSE WAS ALREADY IN USE BY MANY OF THE POLICE OFFICERS. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT TRAINED OFFICERS SEEMED BETTER PREPARED TO MANAGE CRISIS SITUATIONS IN WAYS THAT BUILT GOOD POLICE/COMMUNITY RELATION. HOWEVER, IT DID NOT APPEAR THAT THE TRAINING HAD AN IMPACT ON A DESIRED REDUCTION OF CALL-BACKS TO THE SAME ADDRESS. THE EVALUATORS MAKE SIX RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS KIND OF CRISIS INTERVENTION: (1) EXPERIMENT WITH A BRIEFER COURSE AND INCREASE THE INTENSITY OF ROLE PLAYING BY CUTTING BACK ON ELABORATENESS, (2) DEVELOP A CUMULATIVE FILE ON DISTURBANCE CALLS IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY PROBLEM FAMILIES, (3) MAKE MORE EXTENSIVE USE OF REFERRALS TO SOCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES, (4) ALLOW DUTY TIME FOR OFFICERS TO FOLLOWUP ON REFERRALS, (5) CONTINUE A RANDOM MONITORING OF POLICE HANDLING OF DISTURBANCE CALLS USING TELEPHONE SURVEYS, AND (6) DEVELOP A 2-HOUR TRAINING COURSE FOR THE MANAGERS OF LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND HOUSING PROJECTS TO TEACH THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT. TABLES ARE APPENDED.