Reducing the Learning Curve

Law enforcement is becoming more and more complex and as it does the need for capable, qualified leaders has become vital to the success of an organization. On the job training, which has been relied upon for years, no longer suffices to ready an officer for that first supervisory position. Police organizations must accept that training for a first supervisory position should begin before an officer is promoted. Waiting until after the promotion can be a source of liability that agencies can ill afford in today''s litigious society. Officers should be identified as potential promotional candidates and cultivated through formal training and mentoring programs. These officers will form the pool from which future leaders are chosen. If they are ultimately not promoted, the organization will have a cadre of informal leaders within the organization who support and promote the organization''s vision and mission. Hopefully, this book will bring this issue to the forefront and assist policy makers, Chiefs of Police, supervisors, and officers in designing and implementing a training program for future leaders of their organization.