NCJ Number
122824
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 57 Issue: 2 Dated: (February 1990) Pages: 23-25
Date Published
1990
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Recent estimates suggest that more than 50 percent of major police agencies (those serving cities with populations over 100,000) use a psychological screening process for new applicants.
Abstract
Assuming psychologists know the intricacies of a police officer's job, they can develop relevant information on an individual's suitability. Psychological screening minimizes the admission of inappropriate applicants, although different assessment profiles may be necessary for different law enforcement roles, for example, deputy marshals versus patrol officers. While patrol officers are seen as action-oriented, deputy marshals need to focus more on interpersonal relationships. The reliability and validity of psychological screening depend on establishing appropriate criteria and knowing what personality variables are involved in job performance. Because the traditional role of law enforcement is changing from the apprehension of criminals to underlying crime causes, the resulting range of police officer duties requires a personality quite different from that required for apprehending a suspect. As police work becomes increasingly more complex, a single "yes/no" applicant screening process can no longer be considered adequate. Psychologists must be able to identify positive personality traits, motivating fears, and individual reactions in certain situations. The challenge to psychologists is developing differential personality profiles for varied law enforcement specialties. 12 references.