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Does the Benefit Outweigh the Cost?: Using Assessment Centers in Selecting Middle Managers

NCJ Number
215316
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 73 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2006 Pages: 106-109,111
Author(s)
Frank Hughes Ph.D.
Date Published
August 2006
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article weighs the cost of using an assessment center to select middle managers for a police agency against the benefits of this selection method.
Abstract
Most evaluations of assessment centers in comparison with other methods for selecting police middle managers have concluded that it is the most valid and reliable method for ranking candidates being considered for management positions. Assessment centers provide simulations of the actual duties and responsibilities that law enforcement managers will perform. Trained observers, called assessors, observe candidates performing tasks in the simulated situations and assess their performance. This has been judged to be a better means of assessing future performance as a manager than relying on how an officer has performed in previous law enforcement tasks that may be different from the prospective managerial position. A major disadvantage of assessment centers, however, is its considerable cost to develop and operate, because the simulations involve multiple assessors and role players committed to an assessment procedure that can process a limited number of candidates; a ratio of one assessor to every two candidates is typically recommended, and the assessment can take a minimum of 6 days. This article advises that if an assessment center is properly designed and operated, its long-term benefits of effective and efficient management of the agency will outweigh the costs. Less expensive selection methods typically do not measure how a candidate will perform the types of tasks and responsibilities required in the new position. This article provides recommendations for agencies that use assessment centers and those that prefer to use traditional methods for selecting middle managers. 9 references