Police Training and Police Services in Western Europe

• NCJ Number: 92153
• Journal: Police Science Abstracts Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: (March/April 1983) Pages: i-x
• Author(s): C Fijnaut
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 10 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: Netherlands
• Note: Paper presented at a meeting of the directors of Police Training Institutes for Senior Executive Officers in the EEC, held in Warnsveld 7, 8 and 9 December, 1982

Annotation

After outlining recent police training reform in Germany, France, and The Netherlands, this article discusses the significance of this reform for the general development of the police service, and then it demonstrates, on the basis of the Belgian situation, how the development of police training is influenced more by changes in the overall police constellation than by societal changes.

Abstract

Changes in the training systems of Western Europe have been characterized by differentiation and specialization, centralization, and internalization (organized within the services rather than being integrated into more general educational institutions). The content of training has been characterized by openness toward the community, attunement to the reality of police practice, and promotion of individual autonomy. Openness to the community involves interest in general social developments and the social function of the police, discussion of the police in public government, and acquaintance with other organizations active in social welfare and social service. Attunement to the reality of police practice involves the relating of the knowledge and skills taught in training to the duties performed in actual practice. The promotion of autonomy aims toward the development of an officer who can make professional and responsible decisions in the context of work situations. The consequences of the aforementioned training reforms include (1) the development of a highly specialized and centralized organization, (2) the integration of the police service, (3) enhancement of large-scale mobilization, (4) improvement in the social preparedness of the police, (5) ensurance of the manageability of a complicated police organization, and (6) enhancement of internal control over police personnel. The major oversight in police training has been the development of coherent general ideas about the police organization per se and about its role and position in the state and community. Twenty-nine notes are provided.