NCJ Number
89534
Date Published
1982
Length
115 pages
Annotation
This report documents the methodology used in a job analysis of Maine's law enforcement officers, analyzes the data produced by a task inventory, and discusses its applications to the selection and training needs of the State's law enforcement profession.
Abstract
Primary objectives of the occupational analysis were to develop statewide employee selection standards, provide information on training priorities, and compile data to satisfy Federal and State fair employment guidelines requirements. Information was gathered only on the full-time, entry level, patrol/deputy officer positions. The report describes the steps taken to conduct the job survey: developing the population of task items and the survey instrument, administering the questionnaire to 516 patrol officers and 170 first line supervisors, and statistical procedures used to analyze the information. A statistical summary of the responses addresses the officers' background characteristics, core task (patrol and investigation, traffic, and motor vehicle, oral communication, written communication, and physical performance), and equipment/vehicle analysis. The sample was predominantly male, but reasonably well-educated with an average of 6.3 years in law enforcement. The final chapter examines the uses of job analysis data in determining admission requirements, defining selection criteria, turnover control, training design, curriculum format, field training, and performance evaluation systems. Four tables are supplied. The appendixes contain 34 references, a list of police agencies surveyed, the task inventory questionnaire, and additional statistics.