NCJ Number
59210
Date Published
1979
Length
19 pages
Annotation
GENERAL CATEGORIES OF PREDICTOR VARIABLES ARE DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED, CRITERIA OF SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE ARE EXAMINED, CRITERIA ASSESSMENT IS DISCUSSED, AND MODEL GUIDE PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE IMPORTANCE OF SELECTING EFFECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY RECOGNIZED. IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER A MODEL TO GUIDE THE VALIDATION EFFORTS OF RESEARCHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS INVOLVED IN THE SELECTION PROCESS. TO DATE, A VARIETY OF PREDICTOR MEASURES HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED INCLUDING PHYSICAL, BIOGRAPHICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF APPLICANTS, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND INTELLIGENCE TESTS, AND SITUATIONAL TESTS. PREDICTORS FROM THE FIRST CATEGORY HAVE COME UNDER SCRUTINY BECAUSE SELECTION STANDARDS BASED UPON HEIGHT AND WEIGHT, POTENTIALLY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST FEMALE APPPLICANTS. IN ADDITION, OF ALL BIOGRAPHICAL VARIABLES CONSIDERED, ONLY PREVIOUS MILITARY EXPERIENCE APPEARS TO PREDICT POLICE OFFICER PERFORMANCE IN A CONSISTENT MANNER. FROM PSYCHOLOGICAL AND INTELLIGENCE TEST ANALYSIS, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT AT LEAST AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE (IQ 100) IS REQUIRED OF POLICE OFFICERS; MOST STUDIES OF THE VALUES, ATTITUDES, AND INTERESTS OF POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN DESCRIPTIVE, AND THE FEW CRITERION-RELATED VALIDITY STUDIES HAVE NOT BEEN CROSS VALIDATED OR REPLICATED. SITUATIONAL TESTS INCLUDING POLYGRAPH EXAMINATIONS, ARE BEING USED INCREASINGLY TO SUPPLEMENT OTHER SELECTION PROCEDURES. PERFORMANCE CRITERIA ARE MEASURED THROUGH PERFORMANCE AT THE POLICE ACADEMY AND ON THE JOB DURING THE PROBATIONARY PERIOD. EVALUATIONS OF ACTUAL PERFORMANCE ON THE JOB ARE GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST MEANINGFUL CRITERIA FOR VALIDATING POLICE SELECTION PROCEDURES, AND INCLUDE SUPERVISOR RATINGS, OBJECTIVE INDEXES OF PERFORMANCE, AND EMPLOYMENT STATUS. THE SUGGESTED MODEL FOR THE SELECTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IS PRESENTED IN DIAGRAM FORM, INCLUDING THE PREDICTOR VARIABLES AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA DESCRIBED HEREIN. THE MODEL MAY ALSO PROVE USEFUL IN PLANNING FUTURE INVESTIGATIONS. EXTENSIVE REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (LWM)