The Importance of Training and Education in the Professionalization of Law Enforcement*
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Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Volume 52 Article 11 Issue 1 May-June Summer 1961 The mpI ortance of Training and Education in the Professionalization of Law Enforcement George H. Brereton Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/jclc Part of the Criminal Law Commons, Criminology Commons, and the Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons Recommended Citation George H. Brereton, The mporI tance of Training and Education in the Professionalization of Law Enforcement, 52 J. Crim. L. Criminology & Police Sci. 111 (1961) This Criminology is brought to you for free and open access by Northwestern University School of Law Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology by an authorized editor of Northwestern University School of Law Scholarly Commons. POLICE SCIENCE THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN THE PROFESSIONALIZATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT* GEORGE H. BRERETON George H. Brereton is Deputy Director, Department of Justice, for the State of California. Mr. Brereton has had wide experience in the law enforcement field, serving at one time with the Berkeley Police Department, subsequently as Director of the Police Training School, San Jose (California) State College, and with the California State Department of Education ap First State Supervisor of Peace Officers' Training. Mr. Brereton has also served as Chief of the Bureau of Criminal Identifica- tion and Investigation and as Assistant Director, Division of Criminal Law and Enforcement, Department of Justice, State of California. He has written extensively on law enforcement problems including earlier articles in this Journal.-EDITOR. Anyone who has given any thought at all to the fessionalization of the police service, and also professionalization of law enforcement personnel, because of the fact that no law enforcement agency or to obtaining general recognition of law enforce- today can function effeciently or effectively unless ment as a profession, will have to agree that one it includes high standards of education and train- of the most important steps we must take in its ing in its plans and operations. accomplishment is the establishment of educational In presenting this subject it will be necessary standards and training which are comparable to to single out certain individuals and law enforce- those which are found in many other "professions". ment agencies, or schools and colleges, which This article is concerned primarily with this one influenced, in varying degrees of importance, the phase of standards and qualifications which must professionalization of law enforcement officers. be established and attained if we, in law enforce- In doing so I have no intention of either slighting ment, are to be recognized as a profession. How- or disparaging the influence or the activities of per- ever, I am in no way attempting to minimize others who are not mentioned. Time has not this subject, nor is other attributes and qualifications which we expect mitted exhaustive research of to permit me to name everyone to find in, and must require of the true professional space available who has participated in this activity. law enforcement officer. The intelligence, physical The idea that it is necessary to have a well attributes, age, character, reputation, and per- trained "career" or professional police officer is sonality are all important. "The qualities of in- by no means a new one. This was recognized and tegrity, honesty, justice, decency, benevolence, put into practice at a very early date, both on the virtues we look compassion, and all the other Continent of Europe and in England. For many for in wholesome leadership throughout the world years the various police departments in Europe are the same qualities that we desire to see repre- have had extensive training programs for their sented throughout all of the police service."' police officers. Their "commissioned" officers, as But I cannot include these topics in this paper. distinguished from their non-commissioned officers, I shall discuss only some of the highlights in the are educated in colleges and universities for a development of police education and training career in public service, or for the army, from which in the United States. I do this because of their they are often recruited. These men make a career inseparable and important relationship with pro- of the police service and are promoted through * An address made to the Oregon-Washington Law- various ranks and sometimes are promoted from mans' Association, March 22, 1960, Salem, Oregon. a small city to a larger city as opportunities are 'DANIEL S. C. Liu, Chief of Police, Honolulu, presented and their abilities are recognized. Hawaii, Professional Standards of the Police Service, Nor are the ideas of establishing minimum stand- Tam PoucE Y-AR BooK, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Inc., 1959, pp. 169-170. ards, selection, training, etc., any longer new or GEORGE H. BRERETON [Vol. 51 unique in the United States. They have been 5. Establish crime prevention divisions and "old hat" for many years. The question which has appoint a trained criminologist to conduct perturbed me the most and which, I am sure has the activities of the division. caused numerous other law enforcement officials 6. Establish a merit system in police depart- great concern, is why it has taken so long for so ments. many law enforcement officials, city, county, state 7. Educate the public and secure its friendship 3 legislators, and citizens, to recognize what is needed and cooperation with the police department. to improve law enforcement and to take the neces- An additional recommendation which I will sary steps to accomplish it. Certainly, it could not make, although it might be included in Vollmer's be from lack of knowledge of the problems since 96 recommendation, is that in order to obtain they have been enumerated, and, with suggested the very best personnel available in the city, remedies, have been broadcast both orally and in county, or state: written form for many years by outstanding stu- Pay good salaries, provide adequate vacation, dents of government and law enforcement officials. sickness and disability benefits and establish Illustrative of what I mean is a statement, made in a sound and efficient pension and retirement 1923 by August Vollmer, famous chief of police system. (now deceased) of Berkeley, California. With With respect to his fourth recommendation, it reference to police recruiting he said: "The first was because of his efforts that the University of step in any plan to make our police departments California first established, in the summer session more competent to control crime is keeping out of 1916, a six week criminology and police course. rather than the removal after they get in-of unde- This was "probably the first course designed for sirable, incompetent, and mentally or physically police training in a big university".4 I do not wish unfit persons from the police force.., an unfit or to imply, in quoting Chief Vollmer's statement, incompetent policeman weakens the moral fiber that no thought had been given by anyone else of his associates and at the same time destroys to police training or that police training programs the confidence of the public in the department. had not been inaugurated prior to 1923. Such is The protective organization suffers, and society not the case. always pays the bill when the 'policemen' of a HIGIILIGHTS IN FORTY YEARS OF POLICE community are dishonest, brutal, stupid, and TRAINING physically or tempermentally unsuited to their 2 work." As early as 1906 a training school was estab- Vollmer, who at the time of this statement was lished by the Pennsylvania State Police. In 1911 on a year's leave of absence from Berkeley, and the Detroit Police Department established its was Chief of Police of Los Angeles, made seven training school for recruits to be followed a few recommendations which would in his opinion raise years later by New York's Police Academy. In the standards and vastly improve the police de- 1917 New York State Police established a training partments of virtually every city in the United school for its troopers, which, in 1921 expanded its States. They were: training activities so that any New York peace offi- 1. Establish and maintain higher standards of cer was allowed to enroll in the six week training education, mental, moral and physical re- course whichwas given eachyearduring the months quirements for applicants. of January and February. In 1928 the New York 2. Observation of all recruits by a medicopsy- training program was further extended by es- chologist during their training period. tablishing zone or regional schools for local peace 3. Withhold police authority from the recruit officers in nineteen zones into which the state was until he has proved by his conduct and his divided. In 1921 the New Jersey State Police knowledge that he is fitted to discharge the established its training school, which a few years later, was made available to New Jersey peace duties of his position. officers, other than State Police. This was a three 4. Establish preparatory and promotional months school which was operated during the fall courses for policemen in colleges and univer- of each year. sities. 2 3Ibid. AuGUST VOLLMER in DEARBORN INDEPENDENT, 4 MUNICIPAL POLICE ADxMNIsTRATION 4th Edition, June 21, 1924, pp. 13-14, incl. (Italics added.) 1954, International City Managers' Association, p. 210. PROFESSIONALIZATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT During this same period training schools were reviewing the programs of the four cities just established by Michigan State Police and the mentioned he states: "It immediately becomes Police Departments of Detroit, Louisville, Cincin- obvious that the training made necessary by pres- nati, Portland (Oregon), Los Angeles, and Berke- ent-day conditions cannot be met by the old ley.