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FBINA Graduate Survey
RESEARCH FORUM:
FBINA GRADUATE SURVEY
During 1988, the Institutional Research and Development Unit
(IRDU) at the FBI Academy surveyed FBI National Academy (FBINA)
graduates. The purpose was to gather information from State and
local law enforcement officers by examining career patterns
after graduation, as well as their perceptions of the NA Program.
The data gathered could then be used by FBI managers to tailor
training programs to meet the changing needs of these law
enforcement practitioners.
The respondents work at all organizational levels from
senior executives to lower ranking officers. Of the 6,333
graduates who attended the National Academy from July 1981, to
December, 1987, 807 were surveyed using a stratified random
sampling technique. Usable responses from those surveyed
totaled 642, for a response rate of 80%.
RESPONDENT CHARACTERISTICS
Survey responses showed that 95% of FBINA graduates who
attended the Academy during the 6-year period are still pursuing
law enforcement careers. Eighty-six percent are between the ages
of 30 and 49; 59% have 11 to 20 years of law enforcement
experience, while 38% have more than 20 years of experience.
Sixty-eight percent of NA graduates have 3 or more years of
college credits.
In fact, the increase in education level since attending the
FBINA is quite dramatic. For instance, 18% of the senior
executive officers held advanced degrees while attending the
FBINA, as compared to the 30% who presently hold advanced
degrees, a 12-percent increase during the 6-year period. A
9-percent increase (from 30% to 39%) in the number of advanced
degrees earned was recorded for those in middle management, and a
13-percent increase for all other ranks.
Respondents indicated that they transferred FBINA credits to
another college or university (28%) or used the credits for
mandated police training requirements (24%). NA graduates with
3-4 years of college transferred credits more frequently to a
college or university, while those with a high school education
or 1-2 years of college used credits more frequently for mandated
police training requirements.
CAREER PATTERNS
A large portion (40%) of those surveyed did not experience a
job change since attending the National Academy Program. This
figure is due in large part to responses received from senior
executive officers (two-thirds did not change jobs). Those
senior executives who did change jobs (13%) moved to another law
enforcement agency.
Jobs changed for middle managers because of lateral
transfers and promotions, while for those in all other ranks, the
order of frequency for job changes was promotion, lateral
transfer, and movement to another law enforcement agency. Thus,
senior executive officers and those at the lower ranks are more
apt to move to another agency than are middle managers.
In examining job changes by education level, FBINA
graduates with ``3-4 years of college'' were promoted most
frequently. Those with ``over 4 years of college'' were promoted
more frequently than were those with ``high school'' and ``1-2
years of college.''
With regard to lateral transfers, there is a progression
from lower to higher education levels. One-tenth of those with a
high school education received lateral transfers, while
one-fourth of those with advanced studies were laterally
transferred.
A similar progression is noted in the movement to another
law enforcement agency from 3% at the lowest education level to
10% at the highest level. Law enforcement officers with higher
educational levels are being transferred or promoted more
frequently than those with lower levels of education. Those with
higher levels of education are also moving to other law
enforcement agencies more often.
PHYSICAL FITNESS
FBINA graduates increased their participation in exercise to
promote better physical fitness. Twenty-seven percent indicated
their departments sponsor a health/fitness program; 22%
participate in such programs; and 15% have been instrumental in
developing a fitness program for their departments.
PERCEPTIONS OF THE FBINA
Respondent perceptions of the FBINA Program show that
association with other attendees is the most highly rated,
followed by knowledge gained from academic courses. The area
having the lowest average rating is college credits earned. Each
of these areas was examined from the perspective of rank and
education. Variations in patterns of response are not noteworthy.
The primary benefits cited by FBINA graduates center on
performance and understanding of their organizations and the
communities they serve. At each rank level and each educational
level, the respondents more frequently indicated an improvement
in their performance as the one best way FBINA attendance has
assisted them in attaining their career goals. The area selected
next in frequency at all levels of analysis was ``better
understanding of community and/or organizational problems,''
followed by ``improved performance and received promotion.''
COMPUTER USAGE AMONG GRADUATES
During the time covered by this study, a computer classroom
was set up at the Academy and computer-based training was made
available to students. Respondents were asked how often they
used computers for a variety of purposes, ranging from conducting
investigations to preparing budgets. For each activity,
respondents indicated their level of usage prior to attending the
FBINA and at the time of the survey. Responses ranged from
``several times each day'' to ``never'' on a 5-point scale.
Data were analyzed from the perspective of three groups: (1)
Those who attended the FBINA before computer training was
available; (2) those who attended while computer training was
available but elected not to take the training; and (3) those who
attended while the training was available and who did take the
training. These three groups were compared on the frequency
with which they used computers before their attendance at the
FBINA and at the time of the survey.
Examination of data gathered clearly indicates that computer
usage for a variety of law enforcement applications is
increasing. After attendance at the FBINA, increased use of
computers by graduates were for preparing memoranda and reports,
administrative recordkeeping, and conducting and managing
investigations. In the area of report and memoranda preparation,
for those who attended prior to computer course availability, the
combined increase in computer usage for those who do use
computers is 18%. For those who elected not to take computer
courses even though the courses were available, the increase is
7%, while for those who elected to take available computer
courses, the increase is 25%.
In the area of administrative recordkeeping, for those who
attended prior to computer course availability, the increase is
7%, while only a 2% increase is shown for those who elected not
to take computer courses. Those who elected to take computer
courses offered showed an increase of 30%.
In the area of conducting and managing investigations, the
increases are 9% (for those attending prior to computer course
availability), 0% (for those electing not to take computer
courses), and 21% (for those taking computer courses).
SUMMARY
Ninety-five percent of survey respondents are still pursuing
law enforcement careers, and many have increased their levels of
education since graduation. The survey also shows that those
with higher levels of education are more likely to be promoted or
be laterally transferred. The most highly rated benefits of
FBINA attendance are knowledge gained from academic courses and
association with other attendees. The FBINA appears to be
succeeding in promoting increased knowledge and exchange of
ideas among State and local law enforcement personnel, thus
continuing to address the training needs of State and local law
enforcement.
____________
Research conducted by Audrey B. LaSante, Operations Research
Analyst, Institutional Research and Development Unit, FBI
Academy.
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