Pre-Employment Psychological Testing as a Predictor of Police Performance During an FTO Program

• NCJ Number: 129987
• Journal: American Journal of Police Volume: 9 Issue: 4 Dated: (1990) Pages: 65-84
• Author(s): B S Wright; W G Doerner; J C Speir
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 20 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

Unlike subjective performance measures with which qualitative traits are evaluated or objective performance measures which rely on statistical data, behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) reflect actual on-the-job performance. In this study, the relationship between pre-employment results of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the California Personality Inventory (CPI) and the BARS scores is examined for police recruits participating in the Field Training Officer (FTO) Program in Tallahassee, Florida.

Abstract

Following a multiple regression analysis in all phases of the training program, the results show that pre-employment psychological screening and FTO program evaluation are entirely independent of each other and that psychological test scores cannot be used to predict a rookie's performance. The authors maintain that the psychological component of the police selection process should be restructured. They suggest that the Inwald Personality Inventory (IPI), which has shown some relationship with both subjective and objective performance measures, be examined with regard to law enforcement BARS measures. 3 tables, 1 figure, and 52 references