American Police Are Inadequately Trained

[ZiprHead]

Officers in the United States don’t get as much instruction as police in other rich countries.

In response to the high rate at which American police kill civilians, many on the left have taken up the call for defunding the police, or abolishing the police entirely. But some policing experts are instead emphasizing a different approach that they say could reduce police killings: training officers better, longer, and on different subjects. “We have one of the worst police-training academies in comparison to other democratic countries,” Maria Haberfeld, a police-science professor at John Jay College, told me.

Police in the United States receive less initial training than their counterparts in other rich countries—about five months in a classroom and another three or so months in the field, on average. Many European nations, meanwhile, have something more akin to police universities, which can take three or four years to complete. European countries also have national standards for various elements of a police officer’s job—such as how to search a car and when to use a baton. The U.S. does not.

The 18,000 police departments in the U.S. each have their own rules and requirements. But although police reform is a contentious subject, the inadequacy of the current training provides a rare point of relative consensus: “Police officers, police chiefs, and everyone agree that we do not get enough training in a myriad of fields,” Dennis Slocumb, the legislative director of the International Union of Police Associations, told me.

Small police departments are already straining to provide officer training for just a few months, and might struggle to extend that initial training period, much less provide the ongoing education and refreshers that some experts recommend. Additional training would require devoting more funding to policing, at a moment when activists are calling to defund the police.

The mix of instruction given in police academies speaks volumes about their priorities. The median police recruit receives eight hours of de-escalation training, compared with 58 hours of training in firearms, according to the Police Executive Research Forum, a think tank for police executives. But despite the initial focus on firearms, American police don’t receive much ongoing weapons training, either. Slocumb said that when he was an officer in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, pistol requalification went from happening once every 30 days to four times a year, and then to three times a year. “That’s not because the sheriff or anyone else wants us to become less proficient,” he said. “It’s just a financial consideration.”

 

[Harry Bosch]

Officers in the United States don’t get as much instruction as police in other rich countries.

In response to the high rate at which American police kill civilians, many on the left have taken up the call for defunding the police, or abolishing the police entirely. But some policing experts are instead emphasizing a different approach that they say could reduce police killings: training officers better, longer, and on different subjects. “We have one of the worst police-training academies in comparison to other democratic countries,” Maria Haberfeld, a police-science professor at John Jay College, told me.

Police in the United States receive less initial training than their counterparts in other rich countries—about five months in a classroom and another three or so months in the field, on average. Many European nations, meanwhile, have something more akin to police universities, which can take three or four years to complete. European countries also have national standards for various elements of a police officer’s job—such as how to search a car and when to use a baton. The U.S. does not.

The 18,000 police departments in the U.S. each have their own rules and requirements. But although police reform is a contentious subject, the inadequacy of the current training provides a rare point of relative consensus: “Police officers, police chiefs, and everyone agree that we do not get enough training in a myriad of fields,” Dennis Slocumb, the legislative director of the International Union of Police Associations, told me.

Small police departments are already straining to provide officer training for just a few months, and might struggle to extend that initial training period, much less provide the ongoing education and refreshers that some experts recommend. Additional training would require devoting more funding to policing, at a moment when activists are calling to defund the police.

The mix of instruction given in police academies speaks volumes about their priorities. The median police recruit receives eight hours of de-escalation training, compared with 58 hours of training in firearms, according to the Police Executive Research Forum, a think tank for police executives. But despite the initial focus on firearms, American police don’t receive much ongoing weapons training, either. Slocumb said that when he was an officer in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, pistol requalification went from happening once every 30 days to four times a year, and then to three times a year. “That’s not because the sheriff or anyone else wants us to become less proficient,” he said. “It’s just a financial consideration.”

Yes, I heard that the only two countries with higher training requirements for their police are Iraq and Afganistan. I agree with the article. Most civilian deaths by police appear to be me to be the result of lack of police training (incorrectly accessing the situation, and etc.). I think that we also pay too little to the police and do not adequately screen them.

 

[J842P]

This problem parallels the problems with education in the United States. Federalism forces us to have thousands of different schools systems, each with varying standards.

 

[Elixir]

This problem parallels the problems with education in the United States. Federalism forces us to have thousands of different schools systems, each with varying standards.

There are many areas where the local morons insist that creationism be taught in the schools. Better it remain in these areas of ignorance, then be standardized throughout the system. At least there are still some good schools.

 

[Gospel]

Officers in the United States don’t get as much instruction as police in other rich countries.

In response to the high rate at which American police kill civilians, many on the left have taken up the call for defunding the police, or abolishing the police entirely. But some policing experts are instead emphasizing a different approach that they say could reduce police killings: training officers better, longer, and on different subjects. “We have one of the worst police-training academies in comparison to other democratic countries,” Maria Haberfeld, a police-science professor at John Jay College, told me.

Police in the United States receive less initial training than their counterparts in other rich countries—about five months in a classroom and another three or so months in the field, on average. Many European nations, meanwhile, have something more akin to police universities, which can take three or four years to complete. European countries also have national standards for various elements of a police officer’s job—such as how to search a car and when to use a baton. The U.S. does not.

The 18,000 police departments in the U.S. each have their own rules and requirements. But although police reform is a contentious subject, the inadequacy of the current training provides a rare point of relative consensus: “Police officers, police chiefs, and everyone agree that we do not get enough training in a myriad of fields,” Dennis Slocumb, the legislative director of the International Union of Police Associations, told me.

Small police departments are already straining to provide officer training for just a few months, and might struggle to extend that initial training period, much less provide the ongoing education and refreshers that some experts recommend. Additional training would require devoting more funding to policing, at a moment when activists are calling to defund the police.

The mix of instruction given in police academies speaks volumes about their priorities. The median police recruit receives eight hours of de-escalation training, compared with 58 hours of training in firearms, according to the Police Executive Research Forum, a think tank for police executives. But despite the initial focus on firearms, American police don’t receive much ongoing weapons training, either. Slocumb said that when he was an officer in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, pistol requalification went from happening once every 30 days to four times a year, and then to three times a year. “That’s not because the sheriff or anyone else wants us to become less proficient,” he said. “It’s just a financial consideration.”

Yes, I heard that the only two countries with higher training requirements for their police are Iraq and Afganistan. I agree with the article. Most civilian deaths by police appear to be me to be the result of lack of police training (incorrectly accessing the situation, and etc.). I think that we also pay too little to the police and do not adequately screen them.

I don't believe we adequately pay them either. It's crazy how society is ok with paying someone throwing, catching, kicking, & stick smacking a ball millions more than folks who may not live to see the next day protecting said ball. I'm of the opinion that those who benefit the most from society's structure should pay more to secure it. But that's socialism so; here we are, Black, white, Asian, Hispanic & others debating whether some officers or well enough trained or if some may or may not have a chip on their shoulder. From my view concerning funding, it seems more emphasis is on the quantity of lethal equipment than the quality of training.

 

[ZiprHead]

 

[bleubird]

In my home town the Fire dept. does some things the police do not need to do.
https://www.ktoo.org/2021/05/01/jun...e-medical-services-team-child-care-subsidies/

 

[Tigers!]

This problem parallels the problems with education in the United States. Federalism forces us to have thousands of different schools systems, each with varying standards.

Australia, Germany, for example, are Federations and do not display anywhere near the problems you yanks display.
The problem is not federation per se but rather you yanks have an extraordinarily high proportion of dropkicks and galahs per million.

 

[Tigers!]

Officers in the United States don’t get as much instruction as police in other rich countries.

In response to the high rate at which American police kill civilians, many on the left have taken up the call for defunding the police, or abolishing the police entirely. But some policing experts are instead emphasizing a different approach that they say could reduce police killings: training officers better, longer, and on different subjects. “We have one of the worst police-training academies in comparison to other democratic countries,” Maria Haberfeld, a police-science professor at John Jay College, told me.

Police in the United States receive less initial training than their counterparts in other rich countries—about five months in a classroom and another three or so months in the field, on average. Many European nations, meanwhile, have something more akin to police universities, which can take three or four years to complete. European countries also have national standards for various elements of a police officer’s job—such as how to search a car and when to use a baton. The U.S. does not.

The 18,000 police departments in the U.S. each have their own rules and requirements. But although police reform is a contentious subject, the inadequacy of the current training provides a rare point of relative consensus: “Police officers, police chiefs, and everyone agree that we do not get enough training in a myriad of fields,” Dennis Slocumb, the legislative director of the International Union of Police Associations, told me.

Small police departments are already straining to provide officer training for just a few months, and might struggle to extend that initial training period, much less provide the ongoing education and refreshers that some experts recommend. Additional training would require devoting more funding to policing, at a moment when activists are calling to defund the police.

The mix of instruction given in police academies speaks volumes about their priorities. The median police recruit receives eight hours of de-escalation training, compared with 58 hours of training in firearms, according to the Police Executive Research Forum, a think tank for police executives. But despite the initial focus on firearms, American police don’t receive much ongoing weapons training, either. Slocumb said that when he was an officer in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, pistol requalification went from happening once every 30 days to four times a year, and then to three times a year. “That’s not because the sheriff or anyone else wants us to become less proficient,” he said. “It’s just a financial consideration.”

In more breaking news the sun rose in the east this morning.

 

[Patooka]

This problem parallels the problems with education in the United States. Federalism forces us to have thousands of different schools systems, each with varying standards.

Australia, Germany, for example, are Federations and do not display anywhere near the problems you yanks display.
The problem is not federation per se but rather you yanks have an extraordinarily high proportion of dropkicks and galahs per million.

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Nope. America, unlike most developed nations, still have law enforcement officers who are elected because they are "good blokes". Take a quick google search on what it takes to be a Sheriff in the US and you'd understand why BLM is such a movement.