Bridging Training and Practice: Communication Challenges and Sustainable Organizational Behavior in Policing

Rūta Adamonienė (), Vilma Milašiūnaitė and Aurelija Pūraitė
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Rūta Adamonienė: Public Security Academy, Mykolas Romeris University, 08303 Vilnius, Lithuania
Vilma Milašiūnaitė: Public Security Academy, Mykolas Romeris University, 08303 Vilnius, Lithuania
Aurelija Pūraitė: Public Security Academy, Mykolas Romeris University, 08303 Vilnius, Lithuania

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-17

Abstract: Effective communication is a core competence in sustainable policing, yet training programs often fail to prepare officers for the emotional and relational complexity of real-world encounters. This study explored how police officers from Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and Romania ( n = 109) evaluate their communication training and identify the interactions they find most difficult. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, the research integrated quantitative assessments of training coverage with qualitative analysis of officers’ narratives. Findings reveal consistent gaps in emotional regulation, empathy, negotiation, and de-escalation skills, especially in encounters with intoxicated or mentally distressed individuals, and in internal communication within hierarchical structures. Viewed through the lens of organizational sustainability, communication competence emerges as a key form of human capital that enhances officer well-being, reduces operational risks, and strengthens public trust. The study highlights the need to embed experiential, scenario-based learning into police curricula to align training with the emotional realities of field practice.

Keywords: police training; communication skills; procedural justice; experiential learning; officer preparedness; relational competence; public safety (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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