Distance education in law enforcement: Exploring Kentucky's barriers

The purpose of this study was to examine the barriers to implementing distance learning for law enforcement officers who serve in rural agencies across Kentucky as a means to meeting state mandated annual training requirements. A survey instrument from previous research was selected, and participants were asked 30 questions soliciting demographic data and potential barriers to implementation. A Likert scale was used on 26 of the questions and four open-ended response questions were included to allow for qualitative analysis.;Once all surveys were completed, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the coded responses. The exploratory factor analysis identified two factors that represent potential barriers to implementing distance learning for law enforcement officers in Kentucky. Additionally, the qualitative data supported the results of the exploratory factor analysis. This study suggests that there is interest in distance learning as a means through which officers can complete their state mandated training. However, there are potential barriers that should be addressed prior to its implementation. Some of the primary concerns, or potential barriers, include agency resources,agency policies, and instructional support.;After the data from the quantitative and qualitative questions were analyzed, a white paper was developed (Appendix I). The white paper provided results from this study and recommendations to state law enforcement training administrators as they consider distance learning implementation within Kentucky.