Standards in Police Selection - Article Example

Standards in Police Selection 11-2-2007 In this paper we consider the typical police selection methods, as well as some of the more recentmethods that utilize modern technology. In particular, the most crucial component of selection, the written test, is examined, along with its associated IQ test and specific expected range of performance. Selection standards in education, fitness, and criminal background are considered. Possible differences in selection standards of different geographical regions are briefly analyzed. Finally, we also consider how different groups such as the elderly, minority, and female applicants are affected by police selection standards. Cases in the media where police officers are caught (on tape or otherwise) brutalizing segments of society only underscore the importance of careful police selection processes being in place. But how do police departments typically set the standards which recruits must pass and what methods are implemented during this crucial selection process? According to Doerner and Nowell (1999), "Most departments rely upon polygraphing, physical wellness standards, educational requirements, medical reviews, and background checks to screen out patently unqualified applicants." These methods are often augmented by "psychological testing, personality typologies, cognitive examinations, interest inventories, oral board interviews, assessment centers, and situational tests" (Doerner & Nowell 1999) in order to complete the selection process. In order to save time and cost in the police selection process, however, attempts to replace these traditional methods of police selection are continually being tested for reliability and validity. To this end, there are many new police selection tools that have come on the market recently. One of these newer methods of police selection is the behavioral-personnel assessment device test (B-PAD). In this test, recruits view a videotape of typical police crises and scenarios, and then their responses of how they would handle the situation as a police officer are recorded on tape, to be viewed by a panel of judges.(Doerner & Nowell 1999). The B-PAD is supposed to test a recruits interpersonal skills and judgment. There are some questions about whether such a test is biased against the demographic background factors of either the recruit or the judges, such as bias based on sex or race. Although preliminary studies show there is no bias in test, there is sure to be more research on this. One of the most typical ways that a police department in the U.S. selects recruits is through a written test. According to Hughes (2003), "policing in the USA has had a long relationship with both written tests and intelligence tests." At first, these written tests were meant to screen out political patronage, but the written tests evolved to become the method of choosing the most qualified applicant. The written test remains the most important part of the police selection process and is used to weed out applicants more than any other aspect of police selection; the written test is usually administered first in order to administer further selection aspects that are more costly and time consuming to a much smaller pool of applicants (Gaines, Costello & Crabtree 1989). However, this process of weeding applicants out with written tests has been seen to be unfair to minorities, who are weeded out in disproportionate numbers at this stage in police selection. As a result, written police selection tests often must undergo studies as to their validity; alternative interpretations of written scores are also considered . Today, many police departments in the U.S., if not most, require an intelligence test as part of the written test aspect of the selection process. Current research has shown that police officers test at average intelligence levels (Hughes 2003), so presumably the typical police selection process at a U.S. police department would include an intelligence test that would require an average score in order to meet the selection standard. An interesting twist to the police standards process is the possibility that a recruits application can be denied based on the criteria that the recruit appears to be too intelligent to make a good police officer. This happened in the case of Jordan v. City of New London (Hughes 2003), where recruits in Connecticut were given the Wonderlic Personality Test and the Scholastic Level Exam, IQ tests meant to measure cognitive ability. The recruit in this case, Jordan, scored 33, a few points above the range (17 to 30) the citys police department was looking for; he was rejected on the grounds that he may become bored and not stay in the job very long. This case brings up the question of whether a highly intelligent applicant, knowing the low standards expected, could purposely fake a lower score on the IQ test. However, because of the difficulties many police departments are having recently in recruiting enough applicants to fill available positions, the case is usually the opposite, that recruits that score poorly on their IQ test will still be accepted. This may reverse, as trends cause police departments to require more communications skills of their officers; most communication skills are viewed as correlated with higher intelligence. Do police selection standards discriminate against female police recruits? In 2001, female officers accounted for 12.7% of officers, down from 14.3% in 1999 (Seklecki & Paynich 2007). Some put this figure at only 9.5% (Polisar & Milgram 1998). This data points to a very low representation of women in the police force, with trends that are only getting worse. But are these low numbers due to an adverse selection process for females, or are females not even motivated to apply to police departments? Signs point to the former reason; studies have shown that women are motivated and apply in greater numbers as long as they are actively recruited (Polisar & Milgram 1998). In some cases the physical fitness aspect of the selection process is overwhelmingly more difficult for the female applicants. The physical fitness test for firefighters in the City of Evanston failed 85% of female applicants compared to 7% male applicants; the City of Cleveland firefighters have failed all of the female applicants within one pool of applicants (Pynes 1994). It is often left up to the applicant to have to prove to courts that any type of discrimination is involved in these selection processes, however, with courts typically ruling that the high physical demands are job- related. Physical fitness requirements for police officers are often comparable to that of firefighters or the military; police selection tests have been known to include scaling walls, dragging heavy objects, measuring grip strength, running and benchpressing. Female selection rates are increased when the physical fitness test is moved to the end of the police academy and females are allowed to train; military studies have shown that women are then as strong as required for any task (Polisar & Milgram 1998); reminiscent of the 1997 movie G.I. Jane. Female applicants are also disproportionately screened out during parts of the selection process that are the most discretionary, such as during interviews and ranking of applicants (Polisar & Milgram 1998). This fact points to probable bias in the views of the officers administering the selection process. This type of discrimination can be eliminated by using predetermined questions and acceptable answers, as well as including females as interview administers. What educational level is required of police recruits? The Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations recommended in 1971 that states should require police officers to hold a bachelors degree (Pynes 1994). Some large city jurisdictions implemented this measure, but most police departments in the U.S. do not have this requirement to patrol the street. This goal of increasing the educational requirements of recruits has also been seen to be in conflict with the goal of increasing minority and female representation within police departments. Finally, there are still many different factors to consider that can affect police selection standards. For instance, are police selection standards dependent on where you live? How do the standards compare between someone who lives in rural vs. urban areas? What are the comparisons between different geographical areas? For instance, how hard is it to become a police person in California, compared to Washington, D.C., compared to small town Tiffin, Ohio, compared to a out flung place like Alaska? Presumably it is more difficult to become a police officer in a large metropolitan area such as Washington, D.C., where there is a large pool of applicants, compared to small town Tiffin, where the pool of applicants are also less educated than in large metropolitan areas. Although, with a smaller population, there is also less need for policing and less employment positions to compete for. How is age discriminated against within the police selection process? Although elderly people will presumably actually perform better on average on the written test, due to their wider experience and expanded knowledge base, the physical fitness test may disqualify them in numbers comparable to the female applicant pool. Based on what we have found with the possibility of being rejected due to a high IQ score, and the underlying motivation of that being the desire to screen applicants for employment longevity, it is also highly suspect that older applicants will be discriminated on the basis of age (in favor of young people who will be able to work for the force for decades) even if they are unable to prove it to a court. How tough is your past examined during the police selection process? For instance, how are applicants screened for drug use, criminal record and activity, and traffic violations? Most police departments require a polygraph examination and background investigation. However, there have been recent cases where police have been arrested, and their connection to crime has come to light. For instance, in the case of the Canton, Ohio police officer Bobby Cutts Jr., who murdered his childs mother, it later came out that this officer had been accused of disorderly conduct prior to his hiring. This appears to point out that a recruit can have a criminal background and still be considered, depending on the severity of the charge and the court finding. It also points to the issue that psychological testing was probably not very stringent within this police department. In conclusion, the standards for police selection hinge crucially on the initial written test, with an expected IQ in the middle range. Bachelors degrees are desirable but not usually required, with trends in communication demands pushing educational level requirements up and simultaneous applicant shortages pushing this requirement back down. Required fitness levels can be comparable to firefighters or the military with possible allowances for training or using health-based assessments. An applicants criminal background can include atleast deemed minor past incidents, although with highly-publicized violence involving police officers, these standards may become stricter. There is still a long way to go to achieve equity and diversity in the selection process, particularly for females, who remain woefully underrepresented but may yet be seen to rise phoenix style. References Doerner, W.G. & Nowell, T.G. (1999). "The reliability of the behavioral-personnel assessment device (B-PAD) in selecting police recruits." Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management. vol 22, no 3, p.343-353. Gaines, L.K., Costello, P. & Crabtree, A. (1989). "Police Selection Testing: Balancing Legal Requirements and Employer Needs." American Journal of Police, vol 8, p.137. Hughes, T.T.(2003). "Jordan v. The City of New London, police hiring and IQ: When all the answers they don’t amount to much" Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, vol 26, no 2, p.298-312. Polisar, J. & Milgram, D. "Recruiting, Integrating, and Retaining Women Police Officers: Strategies that Work." The Police Chief Magazine. Retrieved 11 Nov 2007 from http://www.iwitts.com/html/the_police_chief_magazine__str.html. Pynes, J.E. (1994). "Police Officer Selection Procedures: Speculation on the Future." American Journal of Police, vol. 13, no 2, p.103. Seklecki, R. & Paynich, S.(2007, Mar 1). "A National Survey of Female Police Officers: An Overview of Findings." Police Practice and Research, vol 8, issue 1, p.17-30. Read More