NCJ Number
58576
Date Published
1978
Length
73 pages
Annotation
A PROJECT INVOLVING THE VALIDATION OF AN ENTRY-LEVEL SELECTION TEST FOR DELAWARE POLICE AGENCIES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ORAL-INTERVIEW GUIDELINES IS DESCRIBED AND EVALUATED.
Abstract
THE PROJECT WAS CARRIED OUT BY A UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INSTITUTE UNDER CONTRACT TO A CONSORTIUM OF SIX POLICE AGENCIES. THE TEST SELECTED FOR VALIDATION WAS THE MULTIJURISDICTIONAL POLICE OFFICER EXAMINATION (MPOE) DEVELOPED IN A NATIONAL STUDY BY THE EDUCATIONAL TESTING SERVICE. AN ANALYSIS OF DELAWARE PATROL OFFICERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR JOBS DEMONSTRATED THAT THEIR PERCEPTIONS WERE COMPARABLE TO THOSE OF OFFICERS WHOSE RESPONSES TO A NATIONAL SURVEY WERE THE BASIS OF THE MPOE. THE MPOE WAS THEN ADMINISTERED TO 162 DELAWARE OFFICERS, AND THEIR SCORES WERE COMPARED TO JOB-PERFORMANCE RATINGS BY THEIR SUPERVISORS. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE MPOE WAS VALID FOR USE BY DELAWARE POLICE AGENCIES, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ITS USE IN SCREENING JOB APPLICANTS WERE DEVELOPED. NOTING THAT ORAL INTERVIEWS HAVE LOW VALIDITY AND ARE NOT GOOD INDICATORS OF JOB PERFORMANCE, BUT RECOGNIZING THAT POLICE AGENCIES WOULD INSIST ON THEIR USE, THE CONSULTANTS ALSO OFFERED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING INTERVIEW PROCEDURES AND DEVELOPED A MANUAL OF INTERVIEW GUIDELINES. QUESTIONS ARE RAISED ABOUT THE VALIDITY-TESTING PROCEDURES AND CONCLUSIONS. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT FEW MINORITY AND FEMALE OFFICERS IN DELAWARE PARTICIPATED IN THE TESTING, AND THAT THE VALIDATED MPOE HAS BEEN USED BY ONLY ONE AGENCY, WHICH WAS DISSATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS. CENTRALIZED ADMINISTRATION OF THE MPOE (IF IT IS TO BE USED AT ALL) IS RECOMMENDED, AS IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BIOGRAPHICAL AND ATTITUDINAL SURVEY FOR USE IN THE SCREENING OF JOB APPLICANTS. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION, INCLUDING THE CONTRACTOR'S RESPONSE TO THE EVALUATION, IS APPENDED. (LKM)