Advancing a Theory of Police Officer Training Motivation and Receptivity

There is little evidence about “what works” in police training. The good news is that training evaluations are becoming more common. As we build this evidence base, we need to explore the factors that predict whether officers are receptive to the training programs they complete. We advance a theory of officer training motivation and receptivity that provides a useful framework for training evaluation and test it using survey data from a group of officers randomly assigned to a long-term, social interaction training program. The results demonstrate that trainees’ internal locus of control was associated with their motivation to train. In turn, training motivation was associated with receptivity to the training (i.e., training satisfaction and perceived skill acquisition). Additionally, officers’ evaluations of supervisor organizational justice were positively associated with perceived skill acquisition. We conclude the paper by discussing avenues for future refinement and testing of the theoretical framework.