Supporting Statement A

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION

Supporting Statement A

Agency: Federal Bureau of Investigation

Title: FBI Training Generic Clearance

Forms: Instructor, Presenter, Course, Facility Questionnaires

OMB No:

Prepared by: Kevin Furtick

Chief, Evaluation and Assessment Unit

Federal Bureau of Investigation

FBI Academy

Training Division,

Quantico, Virginia 22135

Telephone: (703) 632-3222

Cell: (202) 579-7826

The FBI Training Division's Curriculum Management Section (CMS), Evaluation and Assessment Unit (EAU) is requesting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the Paperwork Reduction Act submission for a Generic Clearance collection. The intent of this collection is to obtain the opinions of respondents who attend FBI education and training programs in order to ensure the material is relevant and appropriate for the intended audiences.

The collection consists of student evaluations directed at obtaining the opinions on the methods of delivery, the abilities of the instructors and presenters to provide the information, the quality of the materials, and the quality of the environment.

The targeted audience of these evaluations are state, local, and foreign law enforcement partners that attend the FBI National Academy (NA), National Executive Institute (NEI), and Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (LEEDS). Training Division wants to ensure that the quality of these programs are meeting the needs of their respondents by offering them an opportunity to recommend improvements or enhancements for making the programs better and keeping them relevant.

Responses from the evaluations will assist the Training Division in identifying deficiencies and strengths in service delivery. From this information, educational growth may be identified to foster development of best customer service practices that will increase the efficiency and quality of personal and professional development of law enforcement officers.

The following evaluation types will be distributed to all the respondents who attend the NA, NEI, and LEEDS programs:

• Instructor and Presenter questionnaires will include questions designed to target respondents’ opinions on how well the instructor delivered the material.

• Course questionnaires will include questions designed to target respondents’ reactions to the quality and overall flow of the courses they just completed.

• General questionnaires will include questions designed to target respondents’ reactions to their learning environment while here at the FBI Training Academy, Quantico, Virginia.

These evaluations will produce limited statistical data that will be used to help identify trends or areas for concern (i.e. 26 of 30 respondents identified an issue with this program.)

Part A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Circumstances of the collection

National Academy (NA)

The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) NA was created in response to a 1930 study released by the National Committee on Law Observation and Enforcement. This body was appointed by Hebert Hoover to study causes of criminal activity (largely related to prohibition) and make recommendations regarding appropriate national policy responses. One of those recommendations was to establish an "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 NA 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 NA offers a quarterly 10-week program including undergraduate and graduate courses at their campus, at the FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia. The subject areas include law, behavioral science, forensic science, leadership development, communication, and health and fitness.

National Executive Institute (NEI)

In 1974, the FBI was asked to develop a program that would foster leadership and professional partnerships among senior LE employees of major cities that consisted of more than 500 LE employees. In response, the FBI initiated the NEI. The NEI is designed for chiefs and sheriffs who lead these large LE organizations.

The NEI provides strategic leadership development, and inter-agency liaison at the highest levels of the FBI, U.S. law enforcement agencies, and international law enforcement agencies. The NEI works collaboratively with the major cities chiefs, the major county sheriffs, and the NEI Associates. The NEI is a strong conduit for domestic, international, government, and private industry collaboration.

Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (LEEDS)

After NEI was established there was an identified need to ensure that smaller city, senior LE employees, were assured the same level of leadership and professional partnerships as those of the larger cities. In response, the FBI established LEEDS in 1981.

LEEDS seminar provides instruction on management, leadership, strategic planning, labor relations, media relations, social issues, and police programs to attending law enforcement executives. LEEDS is designed for the chief executive officers of mid-sized law enforcement agencies employing 50 – 499 sworn law enforcement personnel, and serves a community with a population of at least 50,000.

Attendance in these FBI programs 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.

2. Purpose and Use of the Information

The purpose of the proposed generic data collection from these evaluations is to gather feedback from NA, NEI, and LEEDS respondents about their courses, instructors, and their overall experience. The results are used to help determine if these FBI programs are functioning as intended and meeting the intended goals and objectives.

FBI Instructor or Presenter Questionnaire

The information collected from either a FBI Instructor or Presenter evaluation will determine the strengths and weaknesses of the individuals delivering the NA, NEI, and LEEDS training. Information received will aid in the FBI developing professionals who are responsible for making these programs successful. The students are the best source for obtaining relevant feedback on the quality of the instruction at the FBI and how the instruction either hindered or aided their learning. This evaluation represents the most cost-effective method for allowing the respondents to provide such feedback and, as a result, create the opportunity for improvements to Academy programs to benefit future participants.

FBI Course Questionnaire

The information collected from the FBI course evaluation will determine the quality of the content being delivered. Information received will be used to ensure the content is relevant to today’s LE members and help identify future topics for inclusion into the programs. The students are the best source for obtaining relevant feedback on the quality of the content being delivered in these programs at the FBI and for ensuring the content supports their job role. This evaluation represents the most cost-effective method for allowing the respondents to provide such feedback and, as a result, create the opportunity for improvements to Academy programs to benefit future participants.

FBI General Questionnaire

The information collected from the FBI general evaluation will determine how the FBI can improve the respondents overall experience and learning environment during their stay at the FBI Academy. This will be accomplished by assessing respondents’ views of the FBI’s facilities, programs, and resources. In addition, address improvements or alterations that can be used to make learning more enjoyable for future respondents attending these programs. The respondents are the best source for obtaining feedback on how this experience has affected them and their learning environment. This evaluation represents the most cost-effective method to provide such feedback and, as a result, create the opportunity for improvements for these programs by the FBI.

This data collection is justified under 5 U.S.C. 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 via the Internet. The data collection plan calls for respondents to be notified of the existence and purpose for these evaluations. FBI respondents may be contacted via email, select a link on a Learning Management System, or scan a bar code in order to access these evaluations. 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. If any respondents prefer to complete a paper version of the evaluation, 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 continually improving education and training, efforts are only possible by seeking the opinions from the respondents of these FBI programs. 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. All collection will be conducted by the FBI.

6. Consequences of not Collecting Data

The content of these FBI programs and the way they are conveyed have been carefully designed to address the organization’s mission. The changing nature of law enforcement presents the possibility that additional content may be needed, otherwise content has become less worthwhile to professionals in the field. These student evaluations will allow FBI personnel the ability to monitor the quality of delivery, the relevance of the content, and the distractions the learning environment can have in order to make necessary changes to these programs.

7. Special Circumstances

1. Respondents for NA will not be required to report information more than quarterly and not more than annually for NEI and LEEDS.

2. Although open-ended responses will be included in the evaluations, 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 program delivery, content, and overall quality of the facilities. We will be asking respondents to respond in a period of two weeks or less while they are still a resident at the FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia. We feel 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 respondents who attend these programs we be asked to evaluate the program although responses are voluntary.

• FBI NA, 10 week program, approximately 1,000 respondents annually

• NEI, 3 week program, approximately 50 respondents annually

• LEEDS, 2 week program, approximately 50 respondents annually

No statistical data classification is required. The proposed evaluation 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. Respondents are not required to submit proprietary trade secrets or other confidential information.

8. Public Comments and Consultations

Consultation was conducted internally within the personnel of the FBI’s Training Division. Its feedback is utilized to tailor the evaluations to meet the needs of the respondents.

9. 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. All responses are anonymous and responses are voluntary.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

Although rare, this data collection may include questions of a sensitive nature due to the potential sensitive nature of Law Enforcement techniques.

12. Estimates of Hour Burden

Approximately 1,100 combined FBI respondents per year will respond to these evaluations. We anticipate a 75% response rate of training attendees (or 825) and an estimated time to complete each evaluation (estimated at 7 per respondent) to be less than 10 minutes, thus the total public burden for the data collection for completing these evaluations is 962.5 hours. Wage rate data was obtained from the Department of Labor.¹ Because respondents occupy a variety of positions within law enforcement agencies, we took the average of the upper limit salaries from the following classifications to represent wage rate: detectives/criminal investigators, police and sheriff’s patrol officers, private detectives and investigators and Federal Branch supervisors. The average annual salary came to $79,330. Given a yearly average total of 1,920 hours on the job, the average hourly salary comes to $41.32. The total estimated time for respondents to complete these evaluations per respondent is 70 minutes. The costs associated with this effort comes to $45.45 per respondent, or a total of $37,496.25.

13. Estimates of Cost Burden

No equipment, software, systems, or technology will be purchased to support this effort. Completing these evaluations will have no monetary cost on the respondents.

14. Estimates of Annualized Cost to the Federal Government

This is a collection that will be offered:

• FBI NA – four times a year

• NEI – one time a year

• LEEDS – one time a year

Costs outlined in Sections 12 and 13 represent the total cost of this project.

15. Reasons for Program Changes

This is a new request for a Generic Clearance in order for the FBI to better obtain opinions from the respondents who receive education and training from the programs sponsored by the FBI.

16. Plans for Tabulation and Publication

Using technology, the Evaluation Program of the EAU, CMS, TD will analyze the results of the evaluations in order to provide these programs with a report summarizing the background, methodology, and results. The report will not be released to the public, but will be maintained in a database for use by FBI employees or FBI contract personnel to work to improve the training being delivered. At this time it is anticipated that the following data summaries will be provided:

• Statistical data showing the summation of all the quantitative items on the evaluations.

• Compilation of the responses to each of the open-ended items.

At this time, it is not anticipated that complex statistical issues will emerge. The time schedule for the project is provided in the table below.

Event	Completion Date
Evaluation approvals by OMB
Evaluation programming
Initial contact with respondents
Reminder notifications (as necessary)
Completion of data collection
Conduct analysis
Delivery of draft report
Delivery of final report

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

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