2019, Volume 15
Perception of conflict situations before and after graduation from the police school
Martin Bugala1
1Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
Author for correspondence: Martin Bugala; Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; email: bugala@fsps.muni.cz
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Abstract
Background and Study Aim: Comparing the differences in the police knowledge acquisition process in various stages of the professional career of police officers serves as feedback for police training centres. The pilot study points out whether the training in conflict resolution is sufficient or not, then, how the policemen themselves feel when dealing with conflict situations and, last but not least, how they assess their professional performance or how they approach the citizens. The aim of the study is the levels of perception of conflict situations in newly admitted newcomers to the basic training and freshly graduated police officers after having undergone the training.
Material and Methods: For data collection was used the Questionnaire Solution of Conflict Situations and Circumstances of Assaults (SoCon). The quantitative data were analysed based on the descriptive statistics and t-test method. The research samples were the policemen of the Czech Republic (n = 140).
Results: The policemen after graduation rather agree that it is easy to respond to verbal conflict and that they are quite confident in solving it. The policemen do not know whether it is easy for them to react to physical conflict and whether they feel confident in its solution. The police officers rather disagree that they are psyche burdened by conflict situations at work. The police officers do not know whether they are qualified and competent to the police work. They rather agree that they are kind, trustworthy, reliable, willing, receptive, accessible, fair, professional, honest, and fair.
Conclusions: Most areas have remained unchanged, yet was have found some differences that could affect police officers in their dealing with conflicts. Perceptions of verbal and physical aggression differ from one case to another. This fact points to the need for addressing these differences while mapping physical confrontations.
Key words: conflict situation, coping strategy, physical attack, police education, physical aggression, verbal aggression, verbal attack, violence on police