NCJ Number
61647
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 46 Issue: 9 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1979) Pages: 62-67
Date Published
1979
Length
6 pages
Annotation
A DEPUTY POLICE CHIEF IN LANSING, MICH., DISCUSSES METHODS OF POLICE PROMOTIONS, TOUCHING ON PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATIONS, TESTING PROCESSES, TEST CONSTRUCTION PRINCIPLES, AND TEST SCORING.
Abstract
A MORE RELEVANT SYSTEM OF PROMOTIONS IS REQUIRED TO ACCOMPANY INCREASING DEMANDS FOR MORE QUALIFIED CANDIDATES AND MORE EFFECTIVE POLICE PERFORMANCE. IN LANSING, EVERY 2 YEARS PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATIONS (WRITTEN TEST, NONDEPARTMENTAL ORAL BOARD, AND DEPARTMENTAL ORAL BOARD) ARE CONDUCTED FOR SEVERAL RANKS. FOR EACH CLASSIFIED RANK POSITION, A ROSTER OF SELECTION PREVAILS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. AS SELECTIONS ARE MADE, THE NEXT SCORE IN RANK ORDER IS PLACED ON THE ROSTER. TO SELECT A RELEVANT WRITTEN POLICE EXAMINATION, A POLICE CHIEF MAY EITHER CONTRACT WITH A PROFESSIONAL TESTING AGENCY OR SELECT AN INDIVIDUAL, INELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS, TO CONSTRUCT THE TEST. BECAUSE PROFESSIONAL TESTING AGENCIES PROVED TOO COSTLY AND UNSATISFACTORY, LANSING ASSIGNED TEST WRITING TO A HIGH-RANKING (AND INELIGIBLE) OFFICER. TESTS CONSIST OF TRUE-FALSE AND MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS TO ENSURE OBJECTIVITY; EACH TEST CONTAINS 100 STANDARD ITEMS ON DEPARTMENT PROCEDURES AND REGULATIONS AND 50 PERTINENT TO THE INDIVIDUAL RANK. TEST MATERIAL WAS GLEANED FROM MANY SOURCES AND TEST CONTENTS EVALUATED BY UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN PROFESSORS. CLEAR, SIMPLE, AND DIRECT TEST QUESTIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS ARE EMPHASIZED. ALTHOUGH SOME POTENTIAL LEADERS MAY DO POORLY ON WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS, RANK AND FILE LANSING POLICE FAVOR THESE PROCEDURES. SOME FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)