NATIONAL CREDENTIALING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT

ENN EMERGENCY SERVICES REPORT-EmergencyNet NEWS Service-Wednesday, July 9, 1997 Vol. 1 - 190

Editorial/Opinion by: David A. Armstrong, Asst. Professor of Criminal Justice, McNeese State University, Lake Charles, Louisiana

One of the continuing quests in the world of law enforcement is the desire for the job to be recognized as a "profession" in the traditional sense of the word. One step towards this is the development of the NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CREDENTIALING BOARD (NLECB). While a new organization, recognition by the NLECB is already being touted as the highlight of an officers career. Is this true, and does national credentialing give an officer that extra "edge" to place him at the apex of the law enforcement field?

Briefly, the NLECB was the brainchild of the Fraternal Order of Police. Other law enforcement groups supported the program, which led to a three year study to establish standards to be used to evaluate officers nation- wide. These standards include items such as a clean disciplinary record, proven firearm proficiency, and a minimum of 100 hours a year of community service and post-academy education and training. When an officer submits evidence of meeting the standards, he is then allowed to take the test itself, which consists of 200 multiple choice questions. The officer must also pay a $250 fee to take the exam, which lasts about 3 hours.

The NLECB is in its infancy. At this time, less than 100 officers have completed the certification process. At a banquet honoring these officers, Delaware Senator Joseph Biden suggested that this was the equivalent of an academic Rhodes scholarship or becoming a board-certified surgeon.

Are such accolades true? Has law enforcement finally come up with a way to accurately test the skills and abilities of police officers across the country? Perhaps, but not likely. Numerous obstacles exist that must be overcome. Perhaps the greatest obstacle is recognition of the validity and reliability of the testing instrument itself. The same test is used for all officers. The great problem with this, of course, is the fact that we as a society have never been able to come to a decision on what constitutes a "good" police officer. Actions, attitudes and behaviors that might make one an outstanding officer in one jurisdiction might make one a poor officer in another. As long as there is a practice of utilizing police to reflect and enforce community standards, there will always be disagreement over which standards are appropriate.

Another problem area is the "Not-Invented-Here" syndrome. Historically, most state-level POST boards have been reluctant to recognize any training or certifications other than their own. This is in part a reflection of the community standards issue discussed above. With certain rare exceptions, most POST boards have been unwilling to accept credentials other than their own.

Further problems are apparent with the test itself. There is no limit on the number of times an officer can take the test, nor are there provisions for a different test being given each time an applicant tries the exam. This seems unusual, particularly as the $250 fee for taking the test is quite high in comparison to similar tests that are re-designed each time they are given.

Perhaps the greatest problem with the NLECB deals with what it actually does, or more accurately, what it does not do. It does not provide any movement on the road to recognized professionalism that law enforcement so desperately needs. In fact, the NLECB may slow the professionalism movement by sending officer down a dead-end track. Historically, our society has allowed careers only one path to recognition as "professional" status, with the respect and money that go with it. That path starts with formal education in an accredited academic school at the college level. This path includes a supervised internship, during which the specialized body of knowledge unique to the profession is learned. Finally, the applicant is given a license to practice the profession, and equally important, lack of the license effectively bars one from practicing in the profession. No recognized "professional" group has ever achieved this status in any other way, and it is unrealistic to expect law enforcement to be an exception. In this light, Senator Biden's words seem somewhat hollow. One officer, who has taken the traditional academic route and holds a Master's degree in criminal justice, commented, "(R)ather than an academic Rhodes scholarship, it seems more like the equivalent of a trade school diploma."

In summary, the concept of a national board empowered to approve the credentials of a professional law enforcement officer is a good concept, but only in conjunction with other items. Whether the privately organized and operated NLECB is capable of living up to the concept remains to be seen.

(C) Copyright by the author and ENN. Mr. Armstrong's views are his own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the EmergencyNet News Service, nor the Emergency Response & Research Institute. This dissertation is presented here to provoke additional thought and commentary in regard to this important issue.

The ENN EMERGENCY SERVICES REPORT is a subscription publication of the EmergencyNet NEWS Service, which is a part of the Chicago-based Emergency Response and Research Institute. This publication specializes in Law Enforcement/Fire/EMS/Disaster and Medical Issues.

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