Citizen Police Academy Alumni: Attitudes and Perceptions Related to Law Enforcement

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of training on attitudes and perceptions about law enforcement by participants of a Citizen Police Academy. The first goal was to identify any significant differences between attitudes or perceptions and demographic factors such as age, working status, education, ethnicity, gender, military experience, victimization, and relationships with officers. The second goal was to ascertain the existence of any correlation between certain variables related to attitudes or perceptions. The researcher surveyed 554 members of the Knoxville Police Department Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association. The alumni members received a three-part survey containing general demographic information questions, a post Citizen Police Academy survey, and a training participation assessment. A total of 216 Alumni Association members responded, with the majority being white females.

Statistical methods used in this study included calculating the means, standard deviation, one-way analysis of variance (.05 level of probability with a 95% confidence interval), and multiple analysis of variances. The Cronbach’s Alpha was used to measure the reliability of the instrument.

Major findings of the study indicated that (a) the majority of participants who attend the Knoxville Police Department Citizen Police Academy have 2 years of college or more; (b) subscale scores of attitude and perception related to gender, military experience, personal relationships with officers, and victimization did have significant differences related to law enforcement; (c) and the majority of people who have attended the Citizen Police Academy would recommend the program to their friends.