Alumni Perceptions of the Training and Education Offered by the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College

The debate surrounding the need for and the value of higher education has continued among police executives since the early 20th century. The debate has resulted in a call for more integration of training and education in the professional development of police executives. One such program that has succeeded in the total integration of training and education is the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College at Columbus State University (Command College). The purpose of this research was to determine if graduates of the Command College (1998 -2010) believe they received quality education and training that positively impacted their job performance and provided the leadership skills needed for positions of greater authority and/or responsibility, while also determining if non-alumni agency heads believe that sending an officer or administrator to the Command College benefits the agency, sufficient to justify the expenditure of agency resources. Data gathered from the research provided both quantitative and qualitative responses for analysis, showing no statistical significant difference in the responses of the alumni and non-alumni agency heads surveyed. The data support the finding that alumni of the Command College perceive they have derived benefit from the education and training received and have a high level of satisfaction with the curriculum, program design, and the faculty of the Command College. The non-alumni agency heads provided similar responses, reporting a high degree of satisfaction with the results of the program. This satisfaction was widespread, diffuse, and not contained to any particular group or respondent characteristics.Prine, Rudy K., Committee Chair; Argyle, Nolan, Committee Member; Robinson, Deborah, Committee Member; Richards, Connie, Dean of College of Arts and Sciences; Hull, Karla, Interim Dean of Graduate School.Doctor of Public Administratio