NCJ Number
68983
Journal
Canadian Police College Journal Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: (1980) Pages: 1-31
Date Published
1980
Length
31 pages
Annotation
TWO PILOT ASSESSMENT CENTERS EVALUATED CANADIAN POLICE CANDIDATES FOR PROMOTION, ASSESSING THEIR PERFORMANCE IN ROLE-PLAYING EXERCISES OF MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS.
Abstract
AFTER CONDUCTING A JOB ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY THE CRITICAL DIMENSIONS (SUCH AS STRESS TOLERANCE, LEADERSHIP AND PLANNING ABILITY) REQUIRED TO SUCCESSFULLY FULFILL THE DEMANDS OF AN INSPECTOR'S POSITION IN A MEDIUM TO LARGE CANADIAN MUNICIPAL POLICE FORCE, TWO PILOT MUNICIPAL FORCE ASSESSMENT CENTERS (AC'S), LASTING 8 WORKING DAYS, WERE CONDUCTED. EACH AC CONSISTED OF 6 ASSESSORS AND 12 CANDIDATES. THE AC ROLE-PLAYING EXERCISES WERE DESIGNED TO ELICIT BEHAVIORS WHICH COULD BE ASSESSED ALONG THE DIMENSIONS IDENTIFIED FROM THE JOB ANALYSES. EXERCISES INCLUDED (1) THE LEADERLESS GROUP ASSIGNED ROLE; (2) THE LEADERLESS GROUP NONASSIGNED ROLE; (3) IN-BASKET, THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLE IN WHICH ALL DIMENSIONS BUT STRESS TOLERANCE WERE RATED; (4) PLANNING AND DEPLOYMENT; AND (5) FACTFINDING. ASSESSOR TRAINING INCLUDED INSTRUCTION IN OBSERVING, CLASSIFYING, AND RATING BEHAVIOR ACCORDING TO THE APPROPRIATE DIMENSION WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF EACH EXERCISE. FEEDBACK SESSIONS WITH THE CANDIDATES WERE CRUCIAL. INTER-RATER RELIABILITY DATA SHOWED LITTLE DISAGREEMENT AMONG ASSESSORS ON A CANDIDATE'S OVERALL SUITABILITY RATINGS. REGARDLESS OF THE PARTICULAR DIMENSION ASSESSED, THOUGH, THERE WAS LITTLE AGREEMENT BETWEEN PERFORMANCE EVALUATION RATINGS BY A CANDIDATE'S IMMEDIATE WORK SUPERVISOR AND AC ASSESSORS RATINGS (PERHAPS BECAUSE OF SUSPECTED INFLATED SUPERVISOR RATINGS). WHILE CANDIDATES WERE NOT AS UNIFORMLY FAVORABLE IN THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS AC'S AS WERE ASSESSORS, THEIR REACTIONS WERE GENERALLY POSITIVE. MOREOVER, THOSE WHO DID WELL EXPRESSED, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER FEEDBACK, MORE POSITIVE EVALUATION OF THE AC THAN DID THOSE WHOSE PERFORMANCES WERE RATED POORLY. FUTURE NEEDS INCLUDE AN EXPANDED ASSESSOR TRAINING SESSION, AS WELL AS AN ENLARGED POOL OF ASSESSORS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT AC PERFORMANCE SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO, NOT SUPPLANT, THE OTHER IMPORTANT VARIABLES A GIVEN MUNICIPAL FORCE FEELS ARE IMPORTANT IN THE PROMOTION SELECTION PROCESS. TABLES, AND SEVEN REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. THIS REPORT IS PRESENTED BOTH IN ENGLISH AND IN FRENCH.