Police Productivity and Performance Over the Career Course: A Latent Class Growth Analysis of the First 10 Years of Law Enforcement

Abstract

The present research investigates the productivity and performance of a large sample of police officers, beginning in the police academy and through their first 10 years of policing. Using longitudinal data and latent class growth analyses, we examine measures of productivity and performance over this time. Findings indicate that officers’ academy performance did not influence officer trajectories, but selected demographic variables were significantly related to performance across the career course. Among these, female and non-White officers were consistently rated lower in their performance evaluations. Overall, results suggest that factors predicting productivity and performance are dynamic, and there is no single combination of characteristics that predicts who will be a “good” officer.