Community engagement: Considering adult-learning and problem-solving methodologies for police training

Abstract

Police engagement with communities is a central focus of many law enforcement agencies. The capacity to successfully integrate in such a way may come naturally to some, but the training through which new police officers are placed should also prepare them for any such organisational ethos. While many police training interventions follow traditional learning delivery platforms, the introduction of interventions which address and consider adult learning approaches and problem-solving supports can significantly contribute to the development of skills and competencies which allow officers to engage even more effectively with the communities they serve. The inclusion and consideration of various models of learning in the police training and education process is essential, so that maximum benefit from the process can be afforded to learners, the organisation, and, the wider community. This article considers the inclusion of andragogy (Knowles, 1980) and the problem-based learning (PBL) approach to learning in police training, so that the development of skills necessary for community engagement can be facilitated.