Relationship Between Primary Police Training and Practice

• NCJ Number: 70443
• Author(s): J Junger-Tas; J S E Holten-Vriesema; A A V D Zee-Nefkens; W Broer
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 45 pages
• Corporate Author: Netherlands Ministry of Justice
• Sale Source: Netherlands Ministerie Van Justice
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Country: Netherlands
• Note: Onderzoek en beleid series, no 11.

Annotation

The study seeks to determine whether the training of the Dutch police prepares officers for the tasks of everyday police practice.

Abstract

The study was conducted over 2 years and 6 months beginning in 1976. Data for the study was collected through structured questionnaires administered to police instructors and candidates at various levels, through observation of all phases of police work, through interviews with a representative sample of the Dutch population, and through structured and unstructured interviews with police commanders. The results indicate that officers' greatest educational gaps occur in the areas of traffic law and regulations, Dutch and foreign languages, social and psychological background knowledge, and social skills for contact with the public. Structural changes in the educational system such as smaller classes and a longer training period are considered desirable. Police candidates expect to be engaged more frequently in criminal investigation and maintaining the order while experienced officers report assistance and social service as major functions. Similarly, the public believes police work to be mostly crime investigation, traffic surveillance, and keeping the peace; social assistance which predominates in practice, is considered rare. While respondents of all groups find that criminal investigation, keeping the peace, and traffic control clearly belong to police responsibilities, they all agree that assistance functions should only be part of police work in some cases. Training does not appear to be optimally geared to practical functions. Officers complain that police instructors are out-of-touch with practice, that training experience is inadequate and that trainees are unprepared for their initial work experience. A longer, practically oriented training period is recommended with emphasis on social problems and police behavior and more responsibility and test opportunities for trainees. Course reorganization for practice through role-playing is suggested to ease the transition from school to police work. Finally, stricter acceptance requirements for candidates less than 21 years old, a minimum acceptance age of 18, and recruitment of more female officers are proposed. Several notes are supplied.