NCJ Number
51210
Journal
Canadian Police College Journal Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (1978) Pages: 248-255
Date Published
1978
Length
8 pages
Annotation
DUTY ASSIGNMENTS, PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND COUNSELING, WOMEN OFFICERS, OVERTIME, AND CONTINUING EDUCATION AND TRAINING ARE DISCUSSED IN THIS REPORT ON RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF CANADIAN POLICE FORCES.
Abstract
THE INFORMATION REPORTED IS FROM A SURVEY OF A SAMPLE OF CANADIAN POLICE FORCES AND THEIR OFFICERS (CONSTABLE THROUGH SERGEANT), CONDUCTED BY QUESTIONNAIRES. THE AIM OF THE SURVEY WAS TO ACQUIRE INFORMATION THAT WOULD INDICATE SOME OF THE COMMON AND VARYING PERSONNEL POLICIES AND PRACTICES ACCORDING TO FORCE SIZE. THROUGHOUT THE REPORT, INFORMATION IS SUMMARIZED AND REPORTED BY THE FOLLOWING GROUPS OF FORCES DETERMINED BY THE SIZE OF THE POPULATION SERVED: GROUP I (OVER 250,000), WITH 5 DEPARTMENTS RESPONDING OUT OF 5 SELECTED; GROUP II (100,000-250,000), WITH 7 OUT OF 8 RESPONDING; GROUP III (50,000-100,000), WITH 8 OUT OF 9 REPORTING; AND GROUP IV (25,000-50,000), WITH 5 OUT OF 18 REPORTING. INFORMATION PROVIDED ON DUTY ASSIGNMENTS SHOWS THE PERCENTAGE OF PERSONNEL LEAVING GENERAL POLICE DUTIES BECAUSE OF ASSIGNMENT TO MORE SPECIALIZED DUTIES. ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THIS SECOND ASSIGNMENT INVOLVES 20 PERCENT OF ALL OFFICERS WITH OVER 5 YEARS OF SERVICE. IN EXAMINING INFORMATION OBTAINED ON PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND COUNSELING, IT IS REVEALED THAT IN SPITE OF POLICIES REQUIRING FORMAL COUNSELING AT ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION TIME, A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL REPORT NOT HAVING BEEN COUNSELED. COMPARATIVELY FEW WOMEN WERE SWORN POLICE OFFICERS IN 1976. THE PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN ON FORCES RANGED FROM ONE TO THREE PERCENT. FINDINGS ON PERSONNEL EDUCATION DURING SERVICE SHOWED THAT 11-13 PERCENT WERE RECEIVING DEPARTMENTAL FUNDING SUPPORT FOR ADDITIONAL EDUCATION. WHILE IT IS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT COMPLICATIONS IN CLASSIFYING TRAINING REQUIRE RESTRAINT IN INTERPRETING FINDINGS IN THIS AREA, THERE IS STRONG EVIDENCE THAT SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF PERSONNEL DO NOT RECEIVE TRAINING DURING SERVICE. REPORTING ON OVERTIME SHOWED THAT 1,883 PERSONNEL CLAIMED OVERTIME AVERAGING 11.4 HOURS MONTHLY, WHILE 350 INDICATED NO OVERTIME. DATA IS PROVIDED IN TABULAR FORM. (RCB)