Discuss some of the legislative actions that have impacted law enforcement recruitment and hiring.
Some of the legislative actions that have impacted law enforcement recruitment and hiring are The Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act protects 5 groups which are race, gender, color, religion and national origin. The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) was created to oversee The Civil Rights Act and make sure that when being hired everyone is being treated fairly. Another legislative action that have impacted law enforcement recruitment and hiring is the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 which means any person that is over the age of 40 cannot be discriminated against when applying for a job. “Employment decisions cannot be based solely on age. BUT, note the complicated exception for mandatory retirement and hiring ages for public safety positions.” (Redlich, n.d.)
2. Recruitment is an issue in law enforcement. How can law enforcement leaders improve recruitment?
According to our lesson, “police recruitment is at a historic low. This decline in recruitment is affecting big city departments as well as small town agencies” (“Police Training Styles”, 2019). I feel that law enforcement leaders can improve recruitment by offering small bonuses after completing the academy and being accepted into a law enforcement agency. Speaking from experience in the Army, which I understand is different but somewhat similar to how law enforcement works offering bonuses may improve recruitment. The Army will offer bonuses at the time of enlistment and also sometimes during reenlistment. I feel that if this was something that was offered more people would be interested. To ensure that people are qualified the process should remain the same and if the recruit can maintain a good records and are at the top of their class more of a bonus should be offered.
3. Compare and contrast the two basic recruit training methodologies, the academic model used by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the paramilitary model used in most police academies.
According to lesson 3 “Police academies operate using two very different methods for training police recruits. The paramilitary model and the academic model” (“Police Training Styles”, 2019)
Also known as being either the stress model of training or non- stress model. Paramilitary recruit training originated from military type training. Not only do they share similarities in training but also the wearing on uniforms, badges and awards. The structures in rank is a very big similarity. The academic model also known as a non- stress model is a more or less new way that has come about to train police and is more focused on individual academic achievement. This way of training police officers is said to help them better understand human nature.
Police Training Styles. (2019). Retrieved 17 July 2019, from https://edge.apus.edu/access/content/group/security-and-global-studies-common/Universal/CMRJ/302/elf/lesson-3/elf_index.html
Redlich, J. United States Federal Laws Impacting Recruitment and Hiring. Retrieved 17 July 2019, from http://www.aele.org/hiring-01.html