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The study aimed to address how recruits perceive their roles and develop professional identities during in-classroom and in-field training.

This study explored the professional identity formation process by analysing asynchronous surveys with recruits from 13 municipal police departments in British Columbia, Canada. The participants were surveyed twice: after classroom-based training following Block I at the British Columbia Police Academy (BCPA) and after their departmental field training following Block II.

The analysis revealed that police recruits lacking public safety experience transformed their occupation and lifestyle. The training at the police academy helped develop recruits' muscle memory as they applied their knowledge to the situation through hands-on practice. Moreover, teamwork at the police academy and during field training allowed recruits to form their police identity. The study was conducted between 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, thus revealing how the recruits learnt effectively whilst facing continuous challenges and adjusting.

This study relied solely on the respondents' language in text-based answers; therefore, it was not possible to ask follow-up questions or seek clarification. Consequently, several inputs were excluded from the analysis. This would not have been the case if a quantitative method, where answers can be selected accurately, had been used.

This study demonstrates that police recruits acquire diverse competencies and skill sets through rigorous formal requirements, nuanced informal aspects and comprehensive training at the BCPA and during field training, all of which pivotal in shaping their professional identities.

Literature and research are emerging in an effort to contribute to strategy development and implementation to address these challenges. Currently, there is no readily identified study that combines examination of both academic and grey (i.e. media, government, and non-government reports) literature in a recent time frame (2019–2023) focused specifically on identification of the factors that influence attrition and retention rates; or detailed studies that have evaluated the implementation of strategies to address these challenges within the law enforcement and policing employment field. The study presented in this article seeks to add to the body of knowledge informed by recent (2019–2023) literature and in parallel offer insight into the critical areas of influence to be considered by police and law enforcement decision-makers.

The study utilised the PRISMA-P concept for systematic reviews as a general guide for identifying appropriate literature which revealed a total of 37 academic peer-reviewed articles and 21 grey literature documents contributing to identification of five overarching areas influencing attrition and retention.

The study identified the following factors contributing to attrition and retention: Job satisfaction and organisational factors; Supervision; Work-life balance; Recruitment, Training and Officer expectations; Financial compensation and job alternatives. There are differences in factors between this study and previous studies, i.e. recruitment strategies related to officer expectations was identified as a contributing factor. These additional factors offer a further contribution to future policy and strategy deliberations and implementations to address the workforce levels within police agencies.

Future research endeavours may include examining the outcomes of strategic endeavours addressing the five core influencing factors for retention of law enforcement and police officers.

The identification of these five factors drawn from the literature review offers potential direction/areas of concentration for law enforcement and policing agencies to direct their efforts in addressing retention and attrition of staff.

Currently, there is no readily identified study that (a) combines examination of both academic and grey (i.e. media, government and non-government reports) literature in a recent time frame (2019–2023) focused specifically on identification of the factors that influence attrition and retention rates; or detailed studies for addressing these challenges within the law enforcement and policing employment field. The study presented in this article seeks to address this gap in the literature and in parallel offer insight into the critical areas of influence to be considered by police and law enforcement decision-makers.

This exploratory study aimed to investigate law enforcement officers’ decision-making processes in high-stress scenarios, exploring variations based on experience and how cognitive demands influence officer decision-making processes.

Employing a naturalistic decision-making approach and macrocognitive framework, the study utilizes scenario-based virtual reality simulations and qualitative interviews to examine the decision-making processes of law enforcement officers in high-stress policing contexts.

Thematic coding of interview data from twelve LEOs immediately following a high-stress virtual reality task revealed differences in decision-making processes and cognitive demands between novice and expert officers. Findings also revealed differences in the type of cognitive demands experienced by officers at key points in the simulated scenario.

The authors offer theoretical and practical contributions toward an increased understanding of officer decision-making, factors and conditions that impact LEO decisions and potential mitigation strategies that law enforcement organizations may leverage to improve officer decision-making in high-stress contexts.

This paper proposes a set of recommendations based upon the limitations found with the application and assessment process to become a Special Constable (SC) with one of the 43 police forces in England and Wales.

Participants were recruited via online social media platforms Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as personal networks and the study was geared towards both respondents who had completed the whole of the application and assessment process, as well as those who may have withdrawn at a particular point or who failed an element of the assessment.

This study yielded several key findings. First, some respondents had limited to no knowledge of the role of the Special Constable, nor of the depth of police work that would be expected of them. Secondly, respondents indicated that they would have benefited from support during the application and assessment process, specifying the advantages that could be derived from a variety of sources such as local force input and workshop sessions. Finally, respondents stated that poor communication from recruiting teams impacted their experience of applying to the Special Constable programmes, causing them to rethink their decision to join.

This research proposes that a far greater input from serving Special Constables during the application and assessment process is key to improving the experiences of candidates, and to their chances of success with the programme.

The current study sought to better understand the factors that contribute to whether officers value procedurally just interaction techniques and contribute to the limited research examining how the effects of warrior and guardian mentalities may vary based on individual officer characteristics.

Survey data collected from patrol officers in two geographically different and ethnically diverse United States police departments allowed for an examination of the generality of warrior and guardian orientations on perceptions of procedural justice across gender, race and/or ethnicity, military service, education, and experience.

There was a largely invariant effect of the mentalities on officer attitudes toward procedural justice, except for officers of color. In this sample, the guardian effect on prioritizing procedural justice was stronger for officers of color than for White officers.

This study sheds light on our theoretical understanding of the warrior/guardian framework and offers practical implications for police leaders and policymakers in their effort to improve police-community relations.

The study aims to assess the impact of electronic learning (e-learning) on students' performance (SP), with an emphasis on the mediating role of sustainable education (SE) at the Sharjah Police Sciences Academy (SPSA). The urgency of this study was highlighted by the global COVID-19 pandemic that happened between 2020 and 2022, which emphasized the need for e-learning as a tangible and imperative solution.

The study applied a quantitative approach, targeting the 91 student population at SPSA in the winter semester of 2022/2023 who practiced the e-learning process. A comprehensive survey was implemented disseminating 91 questionnaires by Google Forms to all students. Of the total, 61 questionnaires were returned, resulting in a response rate of 67.03%.

The results revealed that e-learning predictors explained 85.4% of the variations in SP, and 46.4% of the variations in SE. The model demonstrated a strong fit and high predictive relevance. The indirect impact of e-learning on SP through SE was found to be positive and statistically significant at the 0.05 level. Consequently, the mediation effect was considered partial and statistically significant.

Policymakers and educators should consider findings of the study when designing educational programs and policies. Accordingly, the SPSA management could gradually focus on safeguarding a sustainable e-learning environment and improving high-tech platforms. This would involve creating a sustainable e-learning curriculum to enable students to remain informed on the best e-learning practices.

An empirical study is essential for exploring the optimal answers to inquiries related to e-learning, SE and their impact on SP. The finding of the current study may contribute to the existing knowledge on e-learning, SE and SP. Additionally, they may improve learning activities and provide more sustainable learning experiences, leading to enhanced learning outcomes for students

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the rise of online learning in Hong Kong. Online learning was identified as the only solution to meet students’ learning needs in the higher education sector during this chaotic period. This research aims to explore students’ perceptions of online teaching and learning from home under a health emergency via a comparison of undergraduate and postgraduate students’ experiences.

A total of 174 postgraduate students and 286 undergraduate students in various universities and colleges in Hong Kong were surveyed in this study.

The results show that postgraduate students generally gave more positive feedback on individual and environmental prerequisites, alongside pedagogical and institutional support, and were more motivated in online classes as compared to undergraduate students. Undergraduate students considered the shift to online education in light of the COVID-19 pandemic to be timely and rated their level of discipline with respect to online learning higher than did postgraduate students.

This study enables educators to better understand the first-hand experiences of students across different levels of study in Hong Kong, as well as to examine the possibility of establishing online education as a more prevalent mode of study in the future. The COVID-19 pandemic has educated us on the significance of being well-prepared to ensure quality education continues when emergencies and disturbances arise.

Numerous academic institutions have embarked on the pursuit of hybrid learning as an alternative approach, catering to students who opt for replacing a fraction of their conventional in-person meeting schedule with remote teaching. However, these new remote learning patterns have brought forth new stands against students' expectations. The universities have come across immense challenges in devising efficacious strategies that encompass the delivery, effectiveness and acceptability of hybrid courses. Consequently, identifying pivotal determinants related to user acceptance of technology persists as a crucial matter. This study aims to shed light on the adoption of hybrid learning from students' perspectives.

Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to scrutinise the proposed research model and hypotheses. A total sample of 444 students responded and partook in the survey. The data were analysed using AMOS software, a powerful tool for statistical analysis in the field of social sciences.

The findings of this study show that perceived service quality positively and significantly impacts the ease of use and usefulness of a hybrid learning system among students. In addition, the results demonstrate that ease of use and usefulness of the system positively and significantly influence students' favourable attitudes toward hybrid learning. Remarkably, the statistical analysis unveils the significant mediating effect of ease of use and usefulness in the relationship between perceived service quality and students' attitudes toward hybrid learning.

The findings suggest that the pervasive dependence on information systems and the quality of service from novel technologies continues to be a vital influence in the learning environment. The study has provided valuable insights into student perseverance learning strategies for higher education institutions.

This study's novelty lies in illuminating the crucial role of ease of use and usefulness as mediators, highlighting their criticality in enhancing students' attitudes towards hybrid learning. Notably, the study underscores that perceived service quality exerts a positive influence on ease of use and usefulness.

This paper aims to provide an in-depth examination of culturally and linguistically diverse older adults’ perceptions of and experiences with the Toronto Police Service to inform the development of a training curriculum for police officers working with older persons.

A qualitative descriptive study using virtual focus groups with 26 older adults from Toronto was conducted.

Three main themes emerged: understanding intersectionality; the impact of police officer attitudes and biases; and the need for age-friendly policing. Although many older adults rely on police services to keep them safe, there is dissatisfaction with some aspects of how police interact with older adults, particularly from minority groups.

Participants were older adults from culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds who are not usually included in studies on improving police services.

The purpose of this study was to assess relationships between dynamic shooting accuracy and physical training behaviors in tactical police officers.

Seventy tactical police officers from various agencies completed a survey including information on general experience, firearms training and physical training. Participants completed dynamic shooting drills with pistol and a rifle.

Officer’s overall shooting performance was associated with years of experience in special operations as more accurate shooters had 6–10 years of experience. Operators in the highest shooting quartile were likely to participate in shooting competitions. Operators at the 50% ranking or above were more likely to train at the department or agency gym.

All subjects were males, no cause/effect relationship established, no data on caffeine and alcohol consumption or sleep behaviors. Years of experience, competition shooting, and training were all related to higher level shooting performance.

The data support deliberate practice, accountability, and camaraderie contribute to high-level performance and safety for tactical law enforcement officers.

This research highlighted marksmanship performance and the connection between training habits and lifestyle. These findings highlight the need for training specific variables so that operators perform at a higher level and enhance their skills for dynamic shooting performance in a tactical unit.