Chuck Stewart, Ph.D.

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ABSTRACT
Chuck K. Stewart
Dr. Nelly Stromquist

The Efficacy of Sexual Orientation Training in Law Enforcement Agencies

This study sought to document and assess the effectiveness of sexual orientation sensibility training programs. Sexual orientation trainings were observed and empirical data gathered at seven different California police basic academies and agencies. These training sites included basic academies associated with large metropolitan police departments and California Community Colleges, including an In-Service for all employees of a small police department. Recruits primarily made up the student population with two classes designed for police employees and administrators.
The effectiveness of the training was assessed using psycholinguistic/humanistic education theory. Interviews with students, instructors, program administrators and gay and lesbian community activists used the Overt-Institutional-Societal model of homophobia to assess the culture in which sexual orientation training was conducted. Interviews were also used to gather data on appropriate police behaviors in situations that had gay and/or lesbian components. Instrumental testing was conducted on students to assess changes in attitudes, feeling, knowledge, identities and behaviors concerning homosexuality. A total of 438 students were observed of which 167 completed pre-/post-testing, and 6 participated in interviews. Fifty other persons were interviewed and completed instrumental testing.
Training took essentially three forms: Panel Methodgay and lesbian panel members sharing their life stories, Open Dialogue Methodstudents were asked to share their concerns about homosexuality, and a Structured Methodone that followed a prescribed curriculum. Panels that did not contain gay or lesbian officers and the less structured classes were ineffective. Having gay or lesbian officers as instructors following a prescribed curriculum was the most effective. Only the Index of Homophobia (feelings toward homosexuals) showed statistical significance for a number of training sites. All instructors took an essentialist position concerning homosexuality and every program administrator believed homosexuality to be a deficit. The police culture towards gays and lesbians had a significant influence on training effectiveness. Instrumental testing revealed that if an overall agency was gay-affirming then both administrators and their recruits would score more gay-positive than in a gay-negative environment and vice versa, and this impacted training acceptance.

CHAPTER 1, 2, 3 --THE PROBLEM AND ITS EXPLICATION 1

--REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 10

--METHODOLOGY 32

CHAPTER 4 --RESEARCH DESCRIPTION, QUALITATIVE AND EMPIRICAL RESEARCH FINDINGS 40

CHAPTER 5 --SUMMARIES, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS 103

APPENDIX A --PERQ PART 4 Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Emotional Identity 116

APPENDIX B --PERQ PART 6 Police Behavioral Scenarios on Homosexuality (PBSH) 118

APPENDIX C1 --Documentation of Sexual Orientation Training at Nine California Police Agencies and Academies 122

APPENDIX C2 --Comparison of Instructional Times for 8 Different Police Sexual Orientation Trainings 133

APPENDIX D --Educational Analysis of 8 Different Police Sexual Orientation Trainings 137

APPENDIX E --Qualitative and Instrumental Data / Levels of Homophobia Tables 144

APPENDIX F --Comprehensive Program and Instructional Model for "Training on Socially Stigmatized Communities" 165