Informal learning in the police subculture: a case study of probationary special agents of a federal criminal investigative agency

Abstract

Law enforcement professionals bear responsibility to maintain order, to prevent and solve crime, and to protect life and property. In performing such tasks, they possess a unique and significant burden, the authority to deprive others of their liberty and, in extreme cases, their lives. Preparation for such duties and responsibilities has evolved to include formalized training. A review of the literature revealed a perception that the academy curriculum is insufficient preparation for the realities of the field. As a result, the new graduates must learn the ropes while on the job. This study focused on how new investigators contended with discrepancies between what was formally prescribed and what was required of them in the field during their first year on the job. The types of sources and means of learning were explored along with the reasons for their selection or avoidance. Subjects for the study were the graduates of the 1991 Agents' Basic Training Class of the Naval Investigative Service who were assigned to the Washington D.C. area, and their field training agents. A series of in depth interviews of each subject was employed as the data collection vehicle and a grounded theory approach was taken as the framework for interpretation of the findings. A model was developed depicting the formal learning process in individual, interpersonal, and impersonal components, shadowed by a parallel informal process activated when discrepancies arose. The results provide an understanding of the processes by which the new agents compensated for discrepancies between formal training and the realities of the field, what sources they used, and why. Additionally, this study helps describe the current state of affairs relative to the informal learning that occurs immediately following a formal basic training course. Such information could also be useful in curriculum development for future basic classes and in-service courses in other law enforcement agencies. In addition, the findings add to the understanding of the contribution of learning mechanisms in the transmission of organizational procedures, norms, values, and culture.