Profiling learning and retention among Combat 2 Community trained law enforcement personnel

This dissertation sought to examine the impact of various trainee characteristics on learning and retention in law enforcement personnel who have received Combat 2 Community (C2C) training. As the number of military men and women returning from combat and reentering civilian society increases so does the need for effective law enforcement training regarding veteran culture, veteran specific mental health presentation, and veteran specific de-escalation skills. Critical Intervention Team (CIT) training is currently the standard for specialty mental health training; however, this training is only offered to a select few and does not address any veteran specific concerns. In an effort to remedy this problem, in March 2009 C2C was created with the aim of educating all law enforcement on veteran culture, the unique presentation of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) found among veterans, and effective intervention skills. Preliminary results indicated that C2C training is effective at both the learning and retention levels; however, currently there is no research on the impact of trainee characteristics in learning and retention among those receiving C2C training.;The present study investigated the effects of trainee characteristics on learning and retention of knowledge of mental illness, attitude towards veterans, and de-escalation skills used with veterans. One hundred and sixty-seven (167) participants who had attended one of two large C2C trainings in Southern California completed pre-and post-test measures specifically designed for the study. Of the 167, fifty-three (53) also completed a follow-up measure administered through Survey Monkey three months following C2C training.;Results, obtained through the use of multiple regression and ANOVA, indicate that with one exception, participant characteristics did not impact a participants' ability to learn or retention C2C relevant material. In this investigation we focused on the impact of martial status, education, gender, military status, and years of on-the-job experience. With the exception of military status affecting the knowledge component on learning, trainee characteristics did not affect learning or retention. Prior military service was shown to improve participant scores on the knowledge component of the C2C training program from pre-test to post-test (p = .026) in comparison to participants without prior military service. Reasons for this isolated effect of participant characteristics are unknown; however, it could indicate that law enforcement with prior military service are better candidates for the C2C training.;On the whole, the results of this investigation show a need for larger scale research in this area. Further, this investigation highlights the need for new assessment measures. The assessment measures used in this investigation were found to have poor reliability and validity; thus, calling into question the reliability and validity of our results. However, these results will serve as a foundation for future research in this area with the aim of strengthening the C2C program at the structural level and thus increase the effectiveness of the C2C program.