Law enforcement sytems around the globe serve one universal purpose of maintaining law and order. However, different nations employ varying techniques in recruiting and training police officers. In the United States, the police system is decentralised. This is to say that different states recruit and train their officers according to their legislative make up.
The basic process is the same in that each state requires potential officers to apply for the position. The minimum academic requirements vary for the different states. The chosen recruits then do a written exam as well as a physical ability exercise. Some states will put recruits through a background check where their past is scrutinised. An oral interview will follow a polygraph test and psychological exam. A medical exam is often the final step before training. Applicants are eliminated at every stage.Some states include drug testing and personality tests. The training then prepares an officer for his duties in accordance to the state laws and some federal laws. Average training in the police academy takes between 21 weeks upto 1 year in some states (Annell, et al., 2015).
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This system is slightly different from that of the United Kingdom. The UK have a similar recruitment process that involves vetting applicants. The applicant undergoes oral and written exams as well as mandatory drug testing and psychological evaluation. The UK process also considers personal aspects such as business interests and any other situations that could pose as a conflict of interest. Medical and physical fitness are a big part of the recruitment process. The UK training process takes 2 years before a police officer is considered ready to serve the public. If is similar to the US in that it is composed of different police forces that man specific cities, areas or counties. However, the training and recruitment process is the same. This makes it a multiple coordinated decentralized police force (Devroe & Ponsaers, 2017).
The UK model is preferable to the US model because it gives the system a unified foundation. The UK force has an advantage because it shares similar laws and regulations. The US model may affect coordination efforts because officers are recruited and trained based on the state requirements. They are therefore held to a different standards depending on their jurisdiction. Lastly, the extended training period in the UK process also gives them a better chance at developing professionalism.
References
Annell, S., Lindfors, P., & Sverke, M. (2015). Police selection–implications during training and early career. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies " Management , 38 (2), 221-238.
Devroe, E., & Ponsaers, P. (2017). European national police systems and metropolitan realities. Policing European Metropolises: The Politics of Security in City-Regions , 23.
