Which of the following is one of the four stages in Van Maanen's model of officer organization?

• A. Pre-entry
• B. Predisposition
• C. Community policing
• D. Incumbency

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is how police officers are socialized into a department through distinct stages. The first phase, pre-entry, covers what a recruit believes and expects about policing before they even join the agency. This early mindset matters because it shapes how they interpret training, initial assignments, and later experiences with the department’s culture. Those pre-entry beliefs can influence motivation, how quickly they adapt, and how they respond to the realities they encounter during subsequent stages of socialization. The other options don’t fit as stages in Van Maanen’s model: predisposition is a general trait rather than a formal stage; community policing refers to a policing strategy, not a developmental phase; incumbency describes holding a position, not a phase of becoming an officer.