Swedish police selection and training: issues from a comparative perspective

Abstract

Compares the relationship of selection and training of police officers in Sweden and the USA. The ability to identify stable, effective police officers continues to baffle police administrators. The selection of US police officers has become a complex procedure that often requires six months to complete, consuming a great deal of the department’s recruiting resources. In spite of such intricate investigations, rates of dropouts in recruit training and termination for misconduct is high. In Sweden, law enforcement is considered one of the highest regarded professions. More than 8,000 individuals compete for the approximately 400 law enforcement positions filled annually. In comparison to most US police departments, Sweden’s selection process appears simplistic; however, a minute number of officers have been lost through terminations or drop out from training. The current study compares the relationship between the Swedish community’s perception of the police, the ability to select from a large pool of applicants, and an elaborate three‐year education/ socialization period with the US public perception of the police, an intricate selection process, and relatively short training period. Implications of the potential changes in Sweden’s selection and training process are also discussed.