The Police Subculture

1
The Police Subculture

• Becoming a Police Officer

2
Becoming a Police Officer

• The Application Process
• Things youll need
• Birth Certificate
• Valid Drivers License
• H.S. Diploma or equivalent
• H.S. Transcripts
• College Transcripts (if any)
• College Diploma (if any)
• References (personal and professional)
• Typically, three of each
• Work History (including dates of
  hire/resignation)
• No Felony Convictions (and some misdemeanors)

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Becoming a Police Officer

• Written Exam
• How to prepare?
• Practice Exams
• Available online, but they do cost money
  (20-30)
• Memorization is a key to most police entrance
  examsif you have a good memory, youll probably
  do fine
• Basic Math and English questions are also found
  on the exam
• The statistics are harsh
• Out of 120 people taking the police officer
  entrance exam, only 42 will pass. Of those 42,
  only 12 will be hired

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Becoming a Police Officer

• Written Exam (cont.)
• Sample Question
• A bank robbery has just occurred. Witnesses can
  recount the license plate of the robbers
  vehicle. However, the four witnesses give
  different plate numbers. Of the four plate
  numbers listed below, which is most likely the
  plate number of the robbers vehicle?
• A) 84B3632
• B) 83B3532
• C) 74B4632
• D) 84A3642
• Note the common characteristics of each number or
  letter in the plate (_4B3632), (8_B3632), etc.

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Becoming a Police Officer

• Physical Exam
• Different departments require different entry
  standards (pass/fail), but Indiana has a specific
  requirement for entry into the Indiana Law
  Enforcement Academy (ILEA)
• ILEA Entry Standards
• Vertical Jump 13.5 inches
• One-minute sit-ups 24
• 300 meter run 82 seconds
• Maximum push-ups 21
• 1.5 mile run 18 minutes 58 seconds
• ILEA Exit Standards
• Vertical Jump 16 inches
• One-minute sit-ups 29
• 300 meter run 71 seconds
• Maximum push-ups 25
• 1.5 mile run 16 minutes 28 seconds

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Becoming a Police Officer

• Physical Exam (cont.)
• Typically, during the hiring process the
  department will administer the physical exam
  (entry level standard), which ideally cuts into
  the potential hiring pool
• Of those who pass the written exam, some will
  fail the physical exam
• At the ILEA, failing one of the categories
  (vertical jump, sit-ups, etc.) is a failthe
  individual is then required to leave the academy
  and report back to their department, where the
  department can give the individual another chance
  (three four months later) or terminate them

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Becoming a Police Officer

• Oral Background Interview
• Once the applicant passes the written and
  physical exam, he/she will then meet with a
  department hiring officer (e.g., a detective)
• During this interview, the investigator/detective
  will ask several lengthy questions regarding the
  applicants background, such as
• Drug/Alcohol use (in any)
• Work history
• Family and Social Life
• Sometimes, things are discovered, like drug use
  or criminal history that would exclude the
  applicant from the hiring process

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Becoming a Police Officer

• Merit Board or Advisory Interview
• Typically, most departments require a meeting
  with a Merit board, which is composed of
  community members (appointed) who ask the
  applicant questionsthe questions are usually
  scenario-based or background related
• Expect the what-ifs, or whys?
• For example, the typical, Why do you want to be
  a police officer?
• Or, What if?
• I can give you several examples if you want
  further explanation
• Merit board interviews usually make/break the
  applicanttypically, the merit board makes the
  determination on when the applicant will be hired
  or where they are placed on the hiring list

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Becoming a Police Officer

• Typically, once the Merit board meets with each
  applicant, they will compose a list and rank the
  applicantsthe department usually takes a
  hands-off approach and makes no determination on
  the rankingthat way politics are not a factor
• The department will not know who ranks where on
  the list
• Once the list is finalized, the applicant will
  receive a certified letter regarding his/her
  ranking and how long the list is valid

10
Becoming a Police Officer

• Post-offer Physical
• Once the department is in need of new officers,
  they will call those on the listif called,
  he/she will need to complete a post-offer
  physical with a doctor, just like professional
  athletes do when they get traded or sign with a
  new team
• Typically, the department will pay for the
  physical
• Just a side-note, the physical is no fununless
  you like having a doctor check for a
  herniaalthough surprisingly, the man with the
  rubber gloves is extremely gentle
• Things usually checked during a physical
• EKGfor heart problems
• Chest exam
• Vision and hearing tests
• Flexibility and proper body movements
• Urine screen
• Blood screen (Diabetes, HIV, TB, Hepatitis, etc.)

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Becoming a Police Officer

• Psychological Evaluation
• Typically, the last stage of the hiring process
• You must now convince a psychologist that you are
  sane, and ready to carry a gun! Good luck!
• Be prepared to once again answer questions
  regarding your background and take several
  psychological personality inventories (e.g., the
  MMPI), which is the Minnesota Multiphasic
  Personality Inventory-2
• If youve taken the MMPI before, then you know
  the two hours it takes to complete is a lot of
  fun
• Sample question True or False, When Im alone I
  hear voices or see things that arent there.
• Typically, the Psych. Evaluation is pretty easy,
  its just time-consuming and part of the
  processits also the last line of defense to
  potential citizens of a community where the
  applicant would work if he/she becomes a police
  officer
• Some departments require a polygraph examination
  in addition to the psychological evaluationIve
  also heard of other departments requiring a
  voice-stress test

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Becoming a Police Officer

• Once the applicant is hired and passes all exams,
  he/she will then be swore in by the governing
  body
• All paid law enforcement officers in Indiana must
  start the ILEA before their one-year hiring date
• However, some officers will be working (usually
  with a field training officer/FTO) before they
  attend the ILEAthis is common practicealthough,
  they must complete a 48-hour pre-basic academy
  and qualify with the department firearm before
  working

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Becoming a Police Officer

• Any Questions???