Andragogical Instruction for Effective Police Training By Robert F. Vodde

Andragogical Instruction for Effective Police Training By Robert ...

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It is critical in the police profession as elsewhere that law enforcement personnel learn how to think critically, conceptually, and creatively when confronted with situations needing analysis and when developing solutions to problems. (Charles, 2000, p. 73)

There is…an urgent need for police officers who are skilled communicators and decision makers, who are capable of helping citizens identify and solve problems in their communities, and who possess effective mediation and conflict-resolution skills. (Birzer & Tannehill, 2001, p. 233)

In this new millennium, the law enforcement profession faces the need for complex change. Police agencies are moving away from just responding to incidents…Answering difficult social problems requires not only collaboration with other social agencies and the public, but creative and critical thinking. Many view the community police officer as a critical social scientist—someone who solves social, economic, or political problems through socially active change. (Dwyer & Laufersweiler-Dwyer, 2004, p. 18)

Suggesting that “some believe that law enforcement is entering an age of enlightenment, in which police leaders can take unprecedented steps in improving the overall approach to crime and the community,” Champion and Hooper (2003) echoed what others also portend, explaining that “new policing philosophies such as community policing require that police officers possess a new set of skills to adapt to these changes” (pp. 253–255).

Clearly, critical thinking has been emphasized as a skill set that is consistently identified as essential for today's police officer. Wallace and Master (2006), underscoring the importance placed on critical thinking, explained that it involves “the ability to use logic and to analyze information to solve problems and make decisions” (pp. 330–333). They explain that a person with the ability to think critically is able to (1) distinguish between verifiable facts and value claims; (2) determine the credibility of a source of facts and value claims; (3) distinguish between warranted or unwarranted reasons or conclusions; (4) distinguish between relevant or irrelevant facts, claims, or reasons; (5) detect biases; and