A survey of problems and conditions within the organizational context of law enforcement agencies perceived to block or impede the use of accident investigation training

Abstract

Reported is an exploratory study of problems and conditions within the organizational work context that influence posttraining use of training outcomes. Training is widely perceived and supported as an effective means for facilitating planned change in organizational performance. Little empirical evidence is available to support such supposition. Of the several studies of training impact, few have focused on why training does or does not produce behavioral change back on-the-job. Accordingly, training management is often incomplete and ineffective. This study employed a questionnaire methodology, directed to a national sample of 391 local, county, and state law enforcement personnel who graduated from a two-week accident investigation training program. Questions elicited ratings on 29 problem/conditions hypothesized within the literature as influential to organizational work behavior. A Likert type scale was used to rate the perceived influence of each problem/condition on the application of specific training outcomes during investigation of a recent most serious accident. An index was used to measure level of training use.

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Scheffe's comparisons test, and multiple regression analysis were used to answer study questions. Problem/conditions identified by more than 30% of the respondents as a Moderate or Major impediment to their use of training outcomes were: lack of rewards or incentives to conduct thorough investigations or to use knowledge and skill acquired through training; lack of time to apply investigative techniques by training; lack of resources and equipment necessary to apply training; lack of follow through by agency decision makers to see that training was put into use; and, lack of communication from top administrators indicating how the training was to be used. Isolated as predictors of training use were: the relative seriousness of the situational context within which training was applied; the trainee's opinion of the course; level of specialized training received; relative frequency of investigative assignment; and, level of conflict perceived to exist between behaviors specified by training and agency standard operating procedures.