The Evaluation of Female Police Cadet Outcomes of Royal Police Cadet Academy

Abstract

          This research evaluates the training outcomes of female police cadets who graduated from the Royal Police Cadet Academy. This study aims to explore 1) duties, problems, and obstacles in the work of female police cadet alumni, 2) performance efficiency in their work, and 3) the level of satisfaction of their commanders, colleagues, and citizens. This research employed qualitative research methods, including in-depth interviews and focus groups. Research participant consisted of their users, commanders, colleagues, and citizens in the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Provincial Police Region 1-9 and Central Investigation Bureau. The key informants were recruited by purposive sampling. The researcher selected 138 female police cadets from batch 66-69 who had graduated for at least one year, 33 graduate users who were their commanders, colleagues and citizens (three graduate users from each bureau). The research tools were a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interview questions. Data collection was conducted by in-depth interviews with graduate users and focus groups with female police cadet alumni. The data were then analyzed by content analysis and interpretation. The validity of the data was tested by triangulation techniques.
The results were as follows:
          1. Female police cadet alumni have worked as interrogators, and were responsible for general criminal offences, crimes against children, gender-based or women-related cases, and other duties as assigned.The issues in their work consisted of gender limitation, the work agility in case of working at night, the lack of acceptance and creditability, and work inequality.
          2. Female police cadet alumni were efficient. It was found that 95% of their work had been finished on time. They had knowledge, ability, skills, responsibility, leadership, friendliness, and smooth communication. They were also as approachable, dependable, and efficient as male police cadet alumni. Furthermore, they had the ability to work in various jobs and good collaboration with citizens.
          3. The graduate users (commanders, colleagues, and citizens) were satisfied with knowledge and skills in their work, including the quality of performance and good personality that equaled to their male counterparts.
          In conclusion, the objectives of the female police cadet program in accordance with the requirements of the Royal Police Cadet Academy and Royal Thai Police have been accomplished. The graduate users demanded the continuity of the program because of its beneficiary. However, it was recommended that the female police cadet alumni should be assigned to other police tasks as well. In addition, the process of the training program should be improved and focus on attitude and job motivation development.