Developing a Fitness-for-Duty Evaluation - Assignment Example

Task: Developing a Fitness-for-Duty Evaluation Those man d with the recruitment of law enforcers are required by law to ensure that officers under their watch are mentally fit to discharge their mandate competently. From time to time, employer may call into question the emotional soundness of an employee, which may impair not only their ability to discharge their duties effectively, but also render them a danger to both themselves and the general public. Such dangers may include lapses in concentration, excessive use of force and such kind of idle tendencies.

It is the right and duty of the employer to administer fitness-for-duty evaluation if there are adequate grounds to believe that an officer cannot perform the duties effectively (Kohlhepp, 2002). Several items can be used to guide a fitness for duty evaluation. Before an officer is subjected to this evaluation, there has to be some formal communication so that the officer involved knows of the need for the evaluation. Only those employees who show signs of emotional distress should be subjected to this evaluation.

A proper way of doing this may be through a written order, after which a decision has to be made whether the officer will proceed for compulsory leave with full pay, or if he will continue discharging his duties pending the determination of the evaluation. The officer should then be referred for medical check up with a detailed report of the requirements of the position, and in what way the officer’s conduct falls short of these demands. A contracted medical expert like a psychologist or psychiatrist, at the expense of the employer, should execute the evaluation.

The type of psychological test that the medical expert shall use should also be specified. Tests that can identify diminished mental capacity (psychopathology) and the ability to deal with stress may be of great use. The most familiar tests are the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2(MMPI-2), California Psychological Inventory (CPI), Inwald Personality Inventory (IPI), and the Personality Assessment Inventory (Rybicki & Nutter, 2002). A validity scale should be integral to the test as a way of determining the reliability of the results so as to tame instances where interviewee may tend to talk down his weakness and/or amplify his strengths.

An interview standard put in place shall ensure that the officer in question is interviewed in person by the medical expert so that in the course of the interview, the officers views regarding the referral can be sought, and his past, which may be of relevance with regard to discharge of duties looked into before a final report on his state of fitness drafted. The concluding phase of fitness for duty evaluation is a guided report that pronounces whether or not the officer is competent to continue discharging his/her mandate.

It should explain in clear and resolute terms what job related unfitness is present, if any. Such kind of evaluation has a number of possible outcomes, and the course of action should be clearly spelt out for each. If it’s concluded that the officer is fit for duty, the officer should be recalled to active duty. If unfit, rehabilitation or modification of duty may be considered but if these fail, dismissal may be imminent. Invalid evaluation may occur if the officer declines to cooperate during the evaluation, withholds information, lies or manipulates the process in whichever manner.

This makes such results untenable and administrative action must be taken against such officer without further ado. Mentally unstable officers may pose a grave danger to themselves and the public. In order to ensure the safety of the officers, their colleagues and the public in general, fitness for duty evaluations should be used by law enforcement bureaus to assess the officer’s capacity to effectively carry out their duties.ReferencesKohlhepp, K. (2002, January 09). Fitness for Duty Evaluation guidelines.

Retrieved from http://www.theiacp.org/PublicationsGuides/ResearchCenter/Publications/tabid/299/Default.aspx?id=145&v=1 Rybicki, D. J., & Nutter, R. A. (2002). Employment-Related Psychological Evaluations: Risk Management concerns and Current practices. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology 17(2), 18-31. Davis, R. D., & Rostow, C. D. (2004). A Handbook for Psychological Fitness-for- Duty Evaluation in Law Enforcement. Haworth Press, New York.