NCJ Number
62554
Date Published
1977
Length
392 pages
Annotation
THIS JOB ANALYSIS STUDY, CONTAINING DUTY AND JOB PRIORITY DATA ABOUT PATROL OFFICERS, WAS DEVELOPED BY 55 MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL COMMUNITIES TO BE USED IN SELECTING ENTRY-LEVEL PATROL OFFICERS.
Abstract
IT DESCRIBES PRESENT PATROL OFFICER ACTIVITIES AND BEHAVIORS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE ACTIVITIES SUCCESSFULLY AND DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN THE MORE AND LESS IMPORTANT POLICE OFFICER DUTIES. DATA WERE COLLECTED ABOUT OFFICER DUTIES (CHOSEN BY POLICE AND CITIZENS) THROUGH FIELD OBSERVATIONS, INTERVIEWS, AND ELECTROCARDIOGRAMS TO MONITOR JOB STRESS. DATA WERE COLLECTED FOR 285 OFFICERS, AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS WERE CLASSED INTO 4 CATEGORIES BASED ON THEIR RELATIVE DISTANCE FROM THE METROPOLITAN AREA AND THE SIZE OF THEIR OFFICER STAFF. BASIC POLICE OFFICER ACTIVITIES WHICH DID NOT DIFFER FOR SMALL OR LARGE DEPARTMENTS WERE PATROL, ADMINISTRATIVE WORK, SERVICE CALLS, AND TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT. OFFICERS WERE INVOLVED IN EMERGENCIES OR DANGER AN AVERAGE OF ONCE A MONTH. SKILLS AND BEHAVIORS FOUND IMPORTANT WERE INFORMATION GATHERING, OBSERVATION, DECISIONMAKING, AND COMMUNICATION. SOME POLICE ACTIVITIES INVOLVED GREAT PHYSICAL EXERTION. ELECTROCARDIOGRAMS SHOWED NO SUBSTANTIAL HEART-STRESS IN AN AVERAGE DAY. A LIST OF IMPORTANT ACTIVITIES AND DUTIES COVERS RESPONSE TO SERVICE CALLS, MEDICAL, AND OTHER EMERGENCIES, ARRESTS, AND CRIME AND ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS. ALSO INCLUDED ARE LISTS OF IMPORTANT OFFICER SKILLS AND CHARACTER TRAITS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT SELECTION PROCEDURES. TABLES, EXHIBITS, AND APPENDIXES ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)