Competence and Policing: A Research Study

In the United States, competency frameworks are a well-kept secret in the policing sector, with reliance being placed on less adequate tradi-tional processes. Today, considerable investment is being made in the United Kingdom and other countries developing competency frame-works as a management tool to improve police performance. The frameworks support a number of personnel processes for both police officers and police support staff, including recruitment and selection, training and development, performance and development reviews, promotion, leadership development, inefficiency procedures and workforce planning. This book describes the results of an opinion-seeking piece of research with Texas Police Chiefs. They identify the strengths and weaknesses the introduction of competency frameworks into Texas policing arrangements would bring. Their voice sheds some professional light on the issues that will face the city and county governments and their Police Chiefs, especially those contemplating organizational change. This, at a time when doing nothing, is probably not a viable option.