Perceptions, attitudes, and career orientations of recruit police officers.

Police officers are often considered members of an occupational subculture that share a set of distinct attitudes and perceptions. Previous research indicates that many police officers’ attitudes transform and become more homogenous over time; however, few studies have examined initial police recruit perceptions and career expectations from a Canadian context. This study is a longitudinal analysis of three consecutive Justice Institute of British Columbia Police Academy cohorts (n=90). Questionnaires were administered during the first and final weeks of the eight-month training process. Respondents indicated their perceptions, expectations, and attitudes toward various aspects of police work, and an overall assessment of the Police Academy training curriculum. Findings from this study reveal that most recruits experience attitudinal change to a slight degree over the course of their training. The majority of officers have positive and realistic expectations regarding their careers and the Academy training program. Future research and policy implications are discussed