NCJ Number
75820
Journal
Campus Law Enforcement Journal Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Dated: (January/February 1981) Pages: 18-21
Date Published
1981
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The findings of a survey of 64 educational institutions concerning the application of minimum medical, agility, and psychological standards to law enforcement campus personnel, both incumbent and applicant, are reported.
Abstract
Information was gathered on current policies regarding applicant and incumbent standards, the impact of those standards, differential application of the standards, methods and focus of the medical examination, and events used to measure physical fitness. Other information elicited concerned incentives available to incumbents for maintaining physical fitness, the examiner and assessment method for psychological fitness, and the projection of future trends regarding standards for peace officers. Findings indicate that while incumbent standards are not as prevalent as applicant standards, their desirability and merit are recognized. The existence of incumbent psychological standards is extremely low (8 percent). This may be due to a lack of valid, cost-effective psychological assessment programs and the negative attitude of incumbents to such screening. Evaluation methods have centered upon such data as loss of man-hours and turnovers, rather than on more sophisticated evaluation measures. Most of those institutions which apply the same medical standards to applicants and incumbents give consideration to age or to length of service and bring incumbents up to acceptable medical standard through medical correction, retraining, or less aggressive enforcement of the standards. Survey data indicate the need for standards for both incumbents and applicants. However, the merits of such a program must be integrated with agency concern for the career development and high morale of the involved officers. The text is followed by 15 data tables.