Police Selection

1
Police Selection

• Roberg and Crank
• Chapter 7

2
Selection

• Goal is to hire and develop the highest-quality
  personnel available.
• Defining quality is difficult
• Intelligence, Physical Characteristics
• Ethics, Higher Education
• Selection process influenced by civil service
  rules
• Pendleton Civil Service Act 1883
• Enacted to eliminate patronage/spoils system

3

• Three basic selection decisions
• Entry Level
• Reassignment
• Promotion
• Screen out verse Screen in
• Screen out eliminates candidates base on minimum
  qualification levels
• Screen in identifies only the best qualified
  candidates

4
Recruitment

• Several common recruitment methods
• Advertising, Public announcements, appealing to
  target groups, referrals,
• Portraying the police image
• Sometimes image shown does not reflect reality
• Recruitment strategies
• Different motivators of possible candidates

5
Personal Motivators

• Areas in common
• Helping people and job securities
• Areas specific by gender
• Male crime fighting, excitement
• Female helping people, community problem
  solving
• Areas specific by race
• Blacks, variety, service to public,
  responsibility
• Hispanic, variety, service, responsibility and
  pay
• Asian, responsibility, service, variety
• Caucasians variety, adventure, responibility

6
Non Traditional Recruitment Methods

• Police Cadets
• Community Service Officers CSOs
• Selection enhancements special entry
  considerations
• College graduates
• Veterans
• Reduction of specific requirements
• Limited fitness testing
• Reduction of education requirements

7
Selection

• Process decides if candidates have the skills and
  abilities to perform the job.
• Test must be valid, reliable and job related
• Albemarle Paper Company V Moody 1975
• Cannot discriminate base on race, religion,
  color, national origin or sex
• Griggs v Duke Power Company 1971
• Job relatedness standards upheld by courts
• Davis v City of Dallas 1985 Education standards

8
Selection (cont)

• Bona fide occupational qualification BFOQ
• Job relatedness standards are permissible even
  though they may exclude protected groups.
• Must be based on a testing or selection method
  validated by job analysis
• KSAs Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• KSAs are the standard method in California

9
Pre-Selection Requirements

• Age
• Previous limiting factor, ended by Age
  Discrimination in Employment Act 1974
• Some federal entry level requirement still in
  place along with state, local maximum retirement
  ages
• Height and Weight
• Proportional v old standard of strict limits
• Vision
• Correctable, Color Blindness still a limiting
  factor
• Physical agility and strength
• Must pass job relatedness test
• Suggested alternative no physical testing

10

• Health-based screening
• Some ailments considered presumptive
• Residency
• Must provide reasonable amount of time
• Most Ca. departments removing restrictions
• Education
• Minimum entry standards
• Enhancements to further education
• In service training

11
General Suitability

• Background Investigations
• One of the most critical steps
• Polygraph Examinations
• Voice stress analysis
• Psychological conditions
• Medical conditions
• Cannot be discussed prior to offer of employment
• Drug testing

12
Pre-employment Testing

• Written and cognitive test
• Mostly general knowledge, may be specific to a
  job related skill writing ability
• Must be objective
• Oral Interviews
• Used by most departments
• Situational and historical questions the most
  common.
• ADA Limits consideration of a disability until
  an offer for employment is made

13
Recruit Training

• Peace Officer Standards and Training POST
• Stressful v Non Stressful training
• Pedagogy
• Art and science of teaching children
• Andragogy
• Art and science of helping adults learn
• Rote memorization v problem solving
• Time consuming process in academy environment

14
Field Training

• Most departments using the FTO San Jose model
  developed in late 60s
• Field training officers evaluate recruits
  performance
• Different standards for FTO selection
• Normally a three phase process
• New development is PTO Patrol Training Officer
• Emphasis on training rather than evaluating

15
Additional Training

• In service standards
• Usually at department level to maintain
  certifications Ca. 24 hrs minimum every 2 yrs.
• Specialized Training
• Investigations, SWAT, Hostage, Undercover, Motors
  etc.
• Supervisory and Management training
• Minimum requirements per rank
• FBI National Academy/Law Enforcement Command
  College.

16
Additional selections

• Assessment centers
• Normally used for promotion process
• Promotional exams may include
• Written exam
• Oral boards
• Assessment centers
• Personnel file review
• Lateral entry officers
• May enter at higher pay grade/rank

17
Academy Training

• Based on Task analysis
• KSAs Knowledge, Skill and Abilities
• Learning Domains
• California POST has 41 individual domains
• Hours vary by academy, but strict minimums are
  enforced
• Difficulty to keep current in all areas