Identifier

etd-11152010-085801

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Human Resource Education and Workforce Development

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

This dissertation examines the influence of the state police law enforcement academy on the performance of commissioned officers in the field training officer (FTO) program in a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The law enforcement training academy is paramount in preparing cadets for the roles, responsibilities, and activities that graduates assume independently in the field. As such, it is important to understand the value added to future performance in the field through adequate preparation in the training academy. This dissertation analyzes a sample of officers in the Southeastern region of the United States and explores the relationship between their performance as cadets in the academy and their performance as commissioned officers in the field training officer program. Further, this study examines the existence of differences in performance among the various troops of the selected state law enforcement agency. Through stepwise regression, the researcher concluded that the law enforcement training academy accounts for between 2.3% and 17.6% of the performance variance of newly commissioned officers in the field officer training program. Further, through an analysis of variance, the researcher concluded that there are significant differences in at least one of the performance variables selected throughout the troops of the agency. The researcher recommended further analysis of the law enforcement curriculum and of the field training officer program. This research should focus on the specific goals and objectives of the FTO program to ensure that the curriculum taught in the academy is properly aligned with the performance measures of the FTO program. Further, it was recommended that a systematic training methodology be implemented to ensure that all field training mentors are fully educated on the program’s goals, objectives, and evaluation system. Finally, it was recommended that a structural equation model be developed to allow the agency to understand the unique contribution of their current recruiting, selection, and training programs to the performance of their officers in the field.

Date

2010

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Burnett, Michael F.

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.836

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