There is currently no known systematic, empirical, longitudinal study that examines variations in officers’ professional trajectories and development over time–from being a job applicant to recruit, trainee, young officer, and throughout their career–and the factors that may impact everyday operational decisions and significant “turning points” in their careers. This landmark study by the National Policing Institute (NPI) and George Mason University (GMU) will change that and provide a roadmap for improving policing outcomes, careers, and the lives of officers and their families.
Project Overview
The primary goal of this project is to advance evidence-based policing practices in recruitment, retention, staffing, and officer performance over their careers by conducting a longitudinal cohort study using life-course and developmental criminological approaches. The study is being conducted with the support and cooperation of the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia, which currently has 1,300 officers. All participants will volunteer to participate in the study.
Researchers will learn how and why the cohort (1) becomes interested in policing as a career, (2) is selected, trained, and assimilated into policing organizations, (3) interacts with colleagues, supervisors, and community members during their career, (4) develops into their professional pathways, (5) makes decisions and handles the consequences, and (6) leaves the police agency or the profession. At its start, the project is focused on the first three years of this cohort, but ultimately, the plan is to expand this focus to the cohorts’ careers over 10-20 years. The study results are intended to improve recruitment and job success outcomes and improve the overall well-being of officers and their families.
Methodology
Researchers at NPI and GMU will follow the cohort of officers from their first interactions with the Fairfax County Police Department as applicants and then through the first few years of their careers. Over those years and at various times, researchers will conduct interviews and surveys and collect administrative data using a developmental and life course framework.
The study sample will consist of approximately 100 individuals from approximately two or three agency academy classes in 2023 and 2024. The two to three academy classes are expected to yield 150 new police recruits, with the anticipation that 100 of them will consent to this study. In 2023, the study team developed and implemented a survey of all applicants to the Fairfax County Police Department (approximately 1,500 individuals were eligible) to understand who applied and who may or may not become employed by the department.
The survey and interviews are expected to collect information on the following characteristics:
- Officer experiences and turning points during each time period and at each transition (for example, an experience during the academy or field training).
- Officer perceptions of work, tasks, and expectations.
- Officer perceptions about the agency, supervisors, and colleagues.
- Officer perceptions about the people and residents they encounter in their daily work.
- Officer personal assessments of their mental and physical health.
- Officer personal assessments of family life and work-life balance.
- Officer demographics, characteristics, and worldviews.
- Where possible, surveys and interviews of supervisors and family members will be conducted.
The study team will work collaboratively with the agency to collect administrative data, including performance during the academy, officer productivity, complaints, and use of force incidents involving the officers. Officer surveys, interviews, and administrative data will be linked and anonymized to protect the privacy of the officer.
Results
This project was launched in the summer of 2023 and is partially funded through 2025.
If you’re interested in donating to keep it going, click here and dedicate your donation to “Behind the Badge.”
Project Publications
Coming soon.
Strategic Priority Area(s)
Service Area(s)
Topic Area(s)
Staff Contact(s)
Media Contact
Media inquiries should be directed to our Communications team at:
media@policinginstitute.org
202-833-1460
Share
More Information
Project Status: Active
Project Period:Â June 2023 -
Research Design: Non-experimental
Research Method(s): Focus groups, Health monitoring and biometrics, Surveys, Secondary data analysis
Strategic Priority Area(s)
Service Area(s)
Topic Area(s)
Staff Contact(s)
Media Contact
Media inquiries should be directed to our Communications team at:
media@policinginstitute.org
202-833-1460
Share