Evaluation of the graduates' public relations employment in the police station project

Evaluation of the graduates' public relations employment in the police station project
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Sujitra Jorajit, Asst. Prof., D. of Educational Foundation, F. of Liberal Arts, PSU.
Bawpit Charubhun, Assoc. Prof., Kasetsart U., Bangkok
Wan Dejpichai, Assoc. Prof., Kasetsart U., Bangkok
Kamol Songwathana, Asst. Prof., D. of Public Ad., F. of Management Sci., PSU.
Wanchai Dhammasaccakarn, Asst. Prof., D. of Educational Foundation, F. of Liberal Arts, PSU.
Jatuporn Bancheun, Asst. Prof., Kasetsart U., Bangkok
Surapan Petchrapa, Kasetsart U., Bangkok
Chokchai Wongchinda, Kasetgart U., Bangkok
Amara Srisatchang, Student Affaire Division, PSU.
Corresponding e-mail : jsujitra@ratree.psu.ac.th

Grant : Government Budget
Published : Research Report
Key words : evaluation project, police station, public relations, graduates' employment

The evaluation research of graduatesÕ public relations employment project has targeted to the Metropolitan police stations, Regional police stations in unit 1-9 and the Central investigation police offices of the 76 provinces in Thailand. The objectives of this research are to identify the performance of the graduates' public relations employment in the police station in terms of personal and employment characteristics of the graduates, participation in developing of the police station services, the outcomes of this graduates' employment project, impacts and side effects of this project to the graduates, clients and police stations. The problems, comments and suggestions in relation to this project and its expansion have also described.

This evaluation research has been conducted after the project was last. Both quantitative and qualitative designs by using the questionnaires and interview guidelines are performed to collect the data from several sample groups including 773 graduates of the employment project, 763 police administrators, 452 clients who used the police services, and ten representatives from graduate institutions in the Ministry of University Affairs. The qualitative data is analyzed by using descriptive statistics, t-test, and ANOVA while the content analysis is used for qualitative data. The findings of this evaluation research are summarized as follows:

1. The level of graduates' employment performance for public relations at police stations is high of all categories namely the understanding of project's objectives, the policy, the public relations, the selection process, the training, and the participation of Metropolitan police offices except one category which is in moderate. That is the flexibility in working following the guidelines identified by the administrative committee in the project.

2. The graduates' personal characteristics have overall been good including dressing, politeness, intelligent, assertiveness, loyalty, adaptive behavior, spirit and human relations, enthusiasm and self acceptance to be punished or improved. However, the initiative thinking is identified to be lower than other categories. In addition, the workings in public relations characteristics have been shown in good in terms of punctuation, responsibility, potential in learning process, co-ordination, listening to others, good co-worker, working confidence, outcome of assigned job, and working in public relations. The two main working characteristics which shown to be better than others are the understanding of job or authority and the ability in decision making and solving problem.

3. The graduatesÕ employment has affected an promoting the police stationÕs services. The overall participation of graduatesÕ employment in assisting police stationÕs services has been high in terms of co-ordination with clients and working in other assigned job. The outcome of graduatesÕ working in police station has been very successful for both effectiveness and efficiency. 4. The graduates' employment project for public relations at police station has affected on future graduates ' job. The graduates identify in the highest level that this project can help them employ. The administrators and clients suggest that this project can release the jobless problem.

5. The impacts of this project to the graduates within highest level are in positive experiences such as the graduates receive better knowledge and experiences, have good attitudes toward clientÕs services, and feel more empathy to the police. The impacts of this project to the police station are also high in terms of the public relations services of the police station, the readiness of the police station, the politeness of the police officers. However, the police officers feel they have less independent working. The impacts of this project to the clients are also high in all categories namely the friendship with the police station, the clients are asserted to consult the police officers, clients feel certainty, safety and have better understanding to the police officers.

6. This project has three main side effects to the graduatesÕ at high level. These are the understanding of laws and regulations, personal development, the attitude towards their careers and responsibility of the police officers. This project has also some side effects to the police station within high level in terms of changing the policeÕs personality, the organizational climates, buildings and the police stationÕs environment. In addition, the side effects on the clientsÕ group within high level are the improvement of the policeÕs image and attitude towards the police officers and their responsibility, while the clientÕs fear to the police officers has been decreased.

7. The problems, obstacles and the suggestions to this project are the shortage of time in selection of the graduates and using only interview for selection. There are several committees for standard recruitment and the inappropriate of some topics in training courses including time and many topics of the training program. The overall problems to the performance of the police station are lack of materials, budget, and personnel. The new technology should be applied for working in the police station. Most graduates do not have public relations background. So, they feel they lack of confidence in performance. Some graduates are lack of responsibility and some of them have the new job and then quit from this project. The general suggestion is to extend the time spending in this project.

8. The overall opinions for the graduatesÕ public relations employment project are in positive value. Every group accept this project as good enough and has a great benefit to the police in terms of its image. This project should be therefore continuously carried out and required time extension for graduatesÕ employment. In addition, the National police office should provide continuing project in relation to public relation for police station by locating public relation officers in each police station.

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