Selected Aspects of Police Entry Standards

• NCJ Number: 79408
• Author(s): B Swanton
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 21 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: Australia
• Note: This paper was presented at a seminar on Training Developments for Personnel in the Criminal Justice System, Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra, Australia, March 14-18, 1977.

Annotation

This paper first discusses psychometric testing of police applicants and flexible standards for the selection process which consider the whole person and then addresses police recruitment policies in Australia.

Abstract

Because police work continues to change and knowledge about physiological and psychological testing has increased, police selection procedures can be improved. Personality assessment tests, such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, can screen out psychologically disturbed applicants. Such tests, however, are expensive and time consuming to administer, and it is questionable if they actually improve the selection process. Situation tests which allow behavior under stress to be observed have acquired some popularity with American police forces but may not transfer well to the Australian environment. Only a few Australian jurisdictions use intelligence testing, but police officers' intelligence should not be below the mean intelligence of the community they serve. Vocational aptitude tests have not been employed in Australia, but they are excellent performance predictors and should be given top priority in police selection research. Police must comply with basic physical standards, but outstanding qualifications in other areas should be allowed to compensate for physical shortcomings. Although the Government makes a large financial investment in each police officer, recruiting practices are often not accorded the importance they should receive. Australian police officials should investigate inequitable and irrational variations in police physical criteria and the relationship of selection standards to job performance. Strength and agility tests should be required. For adult recruits, 4 years of secondary education seem an adequate standard, but criteria for promotion should be far more rigorous. For example, by 1985 a candidate for a commissioned rank should possess an undergraduate degree. The paper includes 23 references.