PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION
Supporting Statement
Agency: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Title: FBI National Academy Post - Graduate Questionnaire
Forms: FBI National Academy Post - Graduate Questionnaire for Graduates
FBI National Academy Post - Graduate Questionnaire for Supervisors of Graduates
OMB No: 1110-0021
Prepared by: Laleatha B. Goode
Management and Program Analyst
Federal Bureau of Investigation
FBI Training Division
Quantico, Virginia 22135
Telephone: (703) 632-3495
The FBI Training Division's Curriculum Management Section (CMS), Evaluation and Accreditation Unit (EAU) is requesting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve the Paperwork Reduction Act submission for a revised data collection. The collection consists of one customer satisfaction questionnaire directed at the FBI National Academy (NA) graduates external customer base and one questionnaire directed at the supervisors identified by the graduates of the FBI National Academy. CMS wants to ensure that the FBI National Academy is meeting the needs of both its graduates and sponsoring agencies and offer graduates and their supervisors an opportunity to present suggestions for program enhancement.
Responses from the questionnaires will assist CMS in identifying deficiencies and strengths in service delivery. From this information, areas for educational growth can be identified to foster development of best customer service practices to increase the efficiency and quality of personal and professional development of law enforcement officers.
The FBI National Academy Post - Graduate Questionnaire for Graduates will be distributed to all graduates of the FBI National Academy about six months after graduation. The questions will target the graduates’ perception of the courses they attended at the FBI National Academy and ask them for suggestions on courses for future students.
The FBI National Academy Post - Graduate Questionnaire for Supervisors of Graduates will be distributed to all supervisors identified by graduates of the FBI National Academy about six months after graduation. The questions will target the extent to which the supervisors believe the courses improved the job performance of the graduates and positively impacted their agencies.
A. JUSTIFICATION
Circumstances of the collection
Post Graduate Evaluation of the FBI National Academy
The FBI National Academy was created in response to a 1930 study released by the National Committee on Law Observation and Enforcement. This body was appointed by Herbert Hoover to study causes of criminal activity (largely related to prohibition) and make recommendations regarding appropriate national policy responses. One of those recommendations concerned appropriate national policy responses. Another recommendation was to establish a "FBI Police Training School" that would offer training to law enforcement professionals from around the country to bring about greater standardization of techniques and a higher level of professionalism.
Today, the mission of the FBI National Academy is to "support, promote, and enhance the personal and professional development of law enforcement leaders by preparing them for complex, dynamic and contemporary challenges through innovative techniques, facilitating excellence in education and research, and forging partnerships throughout the world.” To meet this mission, the FBI National Academy offers a quarterly 10-week program including undergraduate and graduate courses on their campus at the FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia. The subject areas covered include law, behavioral science, forensic science, leadership development, communication, and health and fitness. In addition, to class work, FBI National Academy attendance allows law enforcement professionals the opportunity to network, share ideas, and learn from their various experiences. Participation is by invitation only and is implemented though a supervisory nomination process. Attendees represent state and local police and sheriffs’ departments, military police organizations, and federal law enforcement agencies from the United States and over 150 foreign nations.
Purpose and Use of the Information
The purpose of the proposed data collection from both questionnaires is to gather information from FBI National Academy graduates and their identified supervisors to assess and improve the FBI National Academy program. In addition, FBI National Academy will use this information to meet its goals and objectives and utilize comments to improve its current program. Lastly, this data collection will also involve asking the graduates’ supervisors’ questions about how the courses the graduates took had an impact on their agency as a whole.
FBI National Academy Post - Graduate Questionnaire for Graduates
The information collected from the FBI National Academy Post - Graduate Questionnaire for Graduates will determine the strengths and weaknesses of the existing program. This will be accomplished by: (a) collecting data regarding the personal impact of Academy attendance in regard to additional educational pursuits; (b) assessing graduate views of the program (e.g., quality of instruction, value of knowledge/skills taught); (c) assessing graduate views of the professional impact of Academy attendance (e.g., improved job performance enhanced prospects for promotion or career advancement); and (d) collecting suggestions for additional courses or topic areas to be added to the program. Obtaining this information from the graduates will provide a clear understanding of the impact the FBI National Academy program had on them. Also, it presents ways for improvements or alterations that can be instituted to strengthen its impact. No one other than the graduates can more directly provide feedback on how their experience affected them and the work they do. This questionnaire represents the most cost-effective method for allowing them to provide such feedback, and create the opportunity for improvements to FBI National Academy program to benefit future participants.
FBI National Academy Post - Graduate Questionnaire for Supervisors of Graduates
The information collected from the FBI National Academy Post - Graduate Questionnaire for Supervisors of Graduates will determine the strengths and weaknesses of the existing program. This will be accomplished by: (a) assessing supervisor views of the program; (b) assessing supervisor views of the impact of training on their agencies (e.g., improved job performance, enhanced prospects for promotion or career advancement); and (c) collecting suggestions for additional courses or topic areas to be added to the curriculum. Obtaining this information from the graduates’ supervisors will determine the extent of the impact the FBI National Academy program had on the graduates and their agencies. No one other than the supervisors of FBI National Academy graduates can provide feedback on how this experience affected their agencies and the job performance of the law enforcement officials within their agency. This questionnaire represents the most cost-effective method for allowing the supervisors to provide such feedback and create the opportunity for improvements to FBI National Academy program.
This data collection is justified under 5 USC 410.601(f) (Office of Personnel Management, Training, Evaluation of Training). This section reads as follows:
Under provisions of Chapter 41 of Title 5, United States Code, and Executive Order 11348, the agency head shall evaluate training to determine how well it meets short and long-range program needs by occupations, organizations, or other appropriate groups. The agency head may conduct the evaluation in the manner or frequency he or she considers appropriate.
3. Use of Automated, Electronic, Mechanical or Technological Collection of Techniques
To the extent possible, all data collection will be conducted through the Internet. The data collection plan calls for the FBI National Academy graduates and their supervisors to be contacted via email to inform them of the existence and purpose of the questionnaire. Therefore, all activities associated with this data collection involve information technology. The decision was made to use these methods to make it as easy as possible for all respondents to participate. Should a graduate or supervisor prefer to complete a paper version of the questionnaire, they will be allowed to request one via email. We anticipate this option will be selected infrequently.
4. Efforts to Identify Duplication
Given the unique nature of the FBI National Academy’s program, efforts to collect information on the effectiveness of the program are possible only by questioning past graduates and their supervisors. No other sources are available or viable for this purpose.
5. Impact on Small Business
The collection of information will not have an impact on small businesses.
6. Consequences of not Collecting Data
The content of the FBI National Academy program and the way it is conveyed have been carefully designed to address the institution’s mission. The changing nature of law enforcement presents the possibility that additional content may be needed; otherwise, content could become less worthwhile to professionals in the field. For instance, the widespread introduction of new technologies may require new courses on their most effective implementation. FBI National Academy personnel and instructors strive to remain up to date on practices in the field. Input from practitioners on the ground is an essential part of that process. Furthermore, subsequent experiences of participants may suggest ways in which the information could be more effectively conveyed (e.g., by providing critical incidents covering actual events.) Finally, post-FBI National Academy experience may reveal to the graduates’ local or regional variations in practices that could be effectively transmitted. Failure to conduct follow-up questions will severely hamper FBI National Academy personnel in their efforts to ensure that the program provided is current, comprehensive, and maximally effective in its implementation.
The questionnaires will be sent every year. In order to have data that is meaningful, it must be collected every year to establish a baseline and comparison for subsequent years to be able to adequately measure progress and trends.
7. Special Circumstances
(a) Respondents will not be required to report information more than quarterly.
(b) Although open-ended responses will be included in the questionnaire, most questions are in multiple-choice format. Those questions that do require a written response are intended to elicit brief comments or recommendations related to the FBI National Academy program. We will be asking graduates to respond in two weeks or less (which could be extended); however, we feel the nature of the written responses is such that this will not inflict undue burden. This is especially true since all input will be gathered via the Internet.
(c) Respondents will not be required to submit documentation of any kind with their completed questionnaires.
(d) Respondents will not be required to retain records of any kind as part of this data collection.
(e) All graduates of the FBI National Academy and their supervisors, approximately 2,000 law enforcement professionals annually, will be questioned. Given the comprehensiveness of this coverage, the results will be generalized to the cadre of recent participants.
(f) No statistical data classification is required.
(g) The proposed questionnaire does not include a pledge of confidentiality that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use.
(h) Respondents are not required to submit proprietary trade secrets or other confidential information.
8. Outside Consultation
Consultation was conducted internally within the personnel of the FBI’s Training Division. The feedback was utilized to tailor the questionnaires to determine the effectiveness of the National Academy Program.
Payment to Respondents
No payment or gifts will be offered to respondents
10. Assurance of Confidentiality
All respondents will be assured of confidentiality under Public Law 93-573 (Privacy Act of 1974). They will be assured that individual data will not be released, and that only aggregate data will be reported. Limited demographic information will be collected, allowing no possibility of identifying individual respondents.
11. Justification for Sensitive Questions
This data collection includes no questions of a sensitive nature.
Estimates of Hour Burden
Approximately 1,000 FBI National Academy students per year will be sent the questionnaire. In addition, each of their supervisors will also be sent the appropriate questionnaire. We anticipate a 50% response rate for both, which will result in 1,000 people responding. We estimate the average response time to be 30 minutes for both questionnaires. Thus, the total public burden for the data collection for completing both questionnaires is 500 hours.
Estimates of Cost Burden
No equipment, software, systems, or technology will be purchased to support this effort. Completing both questionnaires will have no monetary cost on the respondents.
Salary costs - Because respondents occupy a variety of positions within law enforcement agencies, an average of the upper limit salaries from the following classifications were used to represent wage rate: detectives/criminal investigators, police and detective supervisors, grade 14/15 FBI special agents, police chiefs, deputy police chiefs, and police captains. The average annual salary came to $102,585. Given a yearly total of 2,080 hours on the job, the average hourly salary comes to $49.32. The total estimated time to complete each questionnaire per respondent is approximately 30 minutes. Thus, the calculated costs associated with this effort are $24.66 per respondent. For 1,000 expected respondents, the total salary cost burden is $24,660. Wage rate data was obtained from the Department of Labor.1
14. Estimates of Annualized Cost to the Federal Government
This is a data collection that will be offered four times a year. The estimated cost to the Federal Government will be $24,660.
15. Reasons for Program Changes
There are no program changes or adjustment reported in Items 13 or 14 of OMB Form 83I.
16. Plans for Tabulation and Publication
The FBI will provide a report summarizing the background, methodology, and results each time the questionnaires are sent out. The report will not be released to the public; however, it will be maintained in a database for use by FBI employees or FBI contract employees. At this time it is anticipated that the following data summaries will be provided:
Frequencies summarizing the responses to each of the close-ended response items.
Content analyses will also be conducted to form categories of barriers that have prevented application of Academy-gained skills and knowledge, and suggested topics for inclusion in the program.
At this time, it is not anticipated that complex statistical issues will emerge.
17. Request for Approval not to display OMB Expiration Date
The expiration date for OMB approval number will be displayed.
18. Exceptions to the Certification Statement
No exceptions to the certification statement are requested.
1 U.S. Department of Labor (2010-11). Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved February 22, 2012, from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos160.htm
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION |
| Author | LBGOODE |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-28 |