Impact of police training on cadets’ perception of dangerousness and the policing job
This study examines the impact of police academy training on cadet perceptions of the dangerousness of the profession and the policing job. Cadets participating in this study received training at a police academy operated by a private nonprofit university in Puerto Rico. Cadets were surveyed either...
| Authors: | ; ; |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
Journal of ethnicity in criminal justice
Year: 2025, Volume: 23, Issue: 4, Pages: 330-347 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Keywords: |
| Summary: | This study examines the impact of police academy training on cadet perceptions of the dangerousness of the profession and the policing job. Cadets participating in this study received training at a police academy operated by a private nonprofit university in Puerto Rico. Cadets were surveyed either during their first two weeks at the police academy (pre-training) or during their final 2 weeks of academy training (post-training). Seventy cadets completed the pre-training survey, and 96 cadets completed the post-training survey between January and December 2024. We hypothesized that cadets who completed the post-training survey would be more likely to report attitudes and perceptions consistent with the danger narrative and have more negative views of the policing profession as they gained firsthand experience with the realities of day-to-day police work. Our hypotheses were partially supported. Although no between group differences were found in cadet perceptions of policing dangerousness, cadets who completed the survey post-training were more likely than those completing the survey pre-training to report less favorable perceptions of policing as a career. The paper concludes with a discussion of policy implications and future research to further examine the connection between the danger narrative, police academy training, and officer performance. |
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| ISSN: | 1537-7946 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/15377938.2025.2536334 |
