The Impact of Participation in the Johnson City, TN Citizen\u27s Police Academy.

Abstract

A Citizen\u27s Police Academy allows citizens to attend the police academy to learn more about police departments and police work. While increasing in popularity, very little research has focused on participant impact. This study examines the impact of the Johnson City CPA on participants\u27 attitudes and beliefs about police work. Surveys were analyzed to discover differences in age, education levels, gender and prior interest in police work concerning satisfaction, importance of training, and behavior change. Older respondents reported the most benefit from participation, while younger respondents were more likely to change their behaviors. Those with mid level educations gained the most insight from the program. Females responded more positively about the academy than did males. Prior interest in police work had no significant impact on participants\u27 opinions. While exploratory in nature, this study lays the groundwork for further examination of the impact of CPAs on participants\u27 attitudes and behaviors