NCJ Number
16426
Date Published
1973
Length
118 pages
Annotation
THE PROGRAM GOAL WAS THE VAILDATION OF SPECIFIC PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS FOR USE IN SELECTING POLICE OFFICERS AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF GENERAL STANDARDS FOR USE IN THE POLICE SELECTION PROCESS.
Abstract
THE BASIC AIM OF THE PROJECT WAS TO DEVELOP A LOW-COST, SYSTEMATIC, AND EFFECTIVE PROCEDURE FOR SELECTING POLICE OFFICERS AND PLACING THEM IN ASSIGNMENTS BEST UTILIZING THEIR MENTAL ABILITIES, SKILLS, AND BEHAVIORAL ATTRIBUTES. IN ADDITION, IT WAS THE AIM OF THE PROJECT TO PROVIDE ACCURATE AND EQUITABLE SELECTION PROCEDURES FOR APPLICANTS, REGARDLESS OF RACE OR CULTURAL BACKGROUND. NINE MAJOR STEPS WERE PLANNED IN THE EXECUTION OF THE PROJECT: ANALYSIS OF BASIC JOB REQUIREMENTS, SELECTION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS, ESTABLISHMENT OF JOB PERFORMANCE CRITERIA, SELECTION OF PATROLMAN SAMPLE, TEST ADMINISTRATION, AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND VALIDATION. OTHER STEPS INCLUDED DEVELOPMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS, A FINAL REPORT, AND IMPLEMENTATION. CHAPTER ONE OF THIS REPORT REVIEWS THE NEED, BASIC OBJECTIVES, AND BASIC PLAN FOR THE CONDUCT OF THE PROJECT. CHAPTER TWO DESCRIBES THE PROCEDURES AND RESULTS OF THE PATROLMAN JOB REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS, OUTLINES THE CRITERIA USED FOR SELECTING TESTS, AND DESCRIBES THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS USED IN THE PROJECT. CHAPTER THREE PROVIDES A DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPERVISORY AND OBJECTIVE PATROLMAN JOB PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND REVIEWS THE RESULTS OF THEIR APPLICATION. CHAPTER FOUR DESCRIBES THE RESULTS OF THE TEST ADMINISTRATION TO POLICE OFFICERS IN PARTICIPATING AGENCIES AND THE RESULTS OF TEST VALIDATION ANALYSIS. CHAPTER FIVE PROVIDES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT RESULTS IN THE SCREENING OF POLICE APPLICANTS IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS ALSO INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)