An Exploration of Basic Law Enforcement Training Requirements for Interviewing and Interrogation by State

• In Event: Police Training: Evaluation and Development

Abstract

Despite the major role patrol officers play in conducting interviews, little research has been dedicated to the basic interviewing and interrogation training that officers receive in the academy. This study explores how basic training for interviewing and interrogation curricula vary by state based on the requirements established by each state’s law enforcement training and/or standards commissions or Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) board. Training learning objectives and the number of required training hours were compared across states. The 2018 Census of Law Enforcement Training Academies (CLETA) survey of local police academies was then analyzed to examine how interviewing and interrogation training practices varied among surveyed academies. Local academies had an average of 12.94 required training hours with a standard deviation of 14.071 hours (n=565) while state POST boards required 8.73 hours with a standard deviation of 4.67 hours (n=30). Based on an inductive thematic analysis of state POST boards’ learning objectives and course outlines, the most common type of learning objective focused on interviewing and interrogation protocols, techniques, skills, and legal considerations. Despite local academies frequently requiring more hours than prescribed by states, the “typical” number of required basic training for interviewing and interrogation skills is around eight hours.

Author

• Mikelle Katherine Angiuli, Texas State University