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European Systems of Police Education and Training (From Policing in Central and Eastern Europe: Comparing Firsthand Knowledge With Experience From the West, P 551-574, 1996, Milan Pagon, ed. -- See NCJ-170291)

NCJ Number
170338
Author(s)
M Pagon; B Virjent-Novak; M Djuric; B Lobnikar
Date Published
1996
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This paper presents the results of a survey on systems of police education and training in Europe.
Abstract
The questionnaire on police education and training systems was sent to 74 agencies in 32 European countries. A total of 21 completed questionnaires were received from 17 countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, and Ukraine. The 79-item questionnaire consisted of two parts; the first part asked about police education, and the second part asked about police training. The first part asked about various degrees obtained at educational institutions: high-school diploma, associate college degree (2 years of study); higher professional education degree (3-year professional program); bachelor's degree (4-5 year college degree); master's degree (2-3 years of postgraduate study); and doctoral degree (3-4 years of postgraduate study). Training was distinguished by basic training, specialized training, and management training. Findings show that European countries have a variety of systems of police education and training. In 10 countries it is possible to obtain a high-school level police education. Five countries also have police education that leads to an associate degree (2 years of college). In 12 countries it is possible to obtain a 3-year higher professional education degree within the system of police education. Bachelor's degrees can be obtained in 8 out of the 17 surveyed countries, master's degree in five, and a doctoral degree in four countries. Basic training for police officers in the surveyed countries takes between 4 months and 4 years, followed over the years by various forms of specialized training and management training. This paper discusses the survey results in the context of European integration and international cooperation. A case is made for standardization in police education and training. The authors recommend establishing three European centers for "training the trainers" and three graduate schools of criminal justice. 8 tables