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JOB-RELATED EXAMINATIONS FOR POLICE - TWO DEVELOPMENTS

NCJ Number
56172
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1979) Pages: 86-89
Author(s)
H L SCHACHTER
Date Published
1979
Length
4 pages
Annotation
JOB-RELATED WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS AND SIMULATIONS ARE DISCUSSED AS MEANS OF SELECTING AND PROMOTING POLICE PERSONNEL.
Abstract
THE VALIDITY OF TRADITIONAL WRITTEN POLICE-SELECTION EXAMINATIONS HAS COME UNDER QUESTION IN THE COURTS AND POLICE-SCIENCE LITERATURE. AT LEAST TWO ALTERNATIVE SELECTION METHODS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED: JOB-RELATED WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS FOR ENTRY-LEVEL AND SIMULATIONS FOR ENTRY AND PROMOTIONAL SELECTIONS. THESE TWO METHODS PROBE FOR QUITE DIFFERENT COMPETENCIES. THE JOB-RELATED WRITTEN TESTS MEASURE DISCRETE MEMORIZATION AND IDENTIFICATION SKILLS. THE SIMULATIONS ASSESS A WIDE RANGE OF GENERIC BEHAVIORS WHICH ARE IMPORTANT TO EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE IN ALMOST ANY MANAGERIAL OR PROFESSIONAL SETTING. THE JOB-RELATED WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS ARE ADMINISTERED UNDER CONDITIONS (TIME SPAN, USE OF PRINTED BOOKLETS) WHICH ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE USED FOR TESTS OF GENERAL APTITUDE. JOB-RELATED WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS SHOULD PROBABLY COST NO MORE TO ADMINISTER THAN CONVENTIONAL WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS. THERE IS STILL A PAUCITY OF EVIDENCE CONCERNING THE COST EFFICIENCY OF SIMULATIONS. REPLICATIONS HAVE TO BE DEVELOPED FOR EACH POLICE POSITION, AND A POOL OF ASSESSORS HAS TO BE TRAINED IN THE USE OF RATING SCALES; HOWEVER, IF MONEY CAN BE FOUND FOR STARTUP COSTS, THE BUDGETARY INCREASE MAY BE JUSTIFIED BY AN INCREASE IN CRITERION VARIANCE ACCOUNTED FOR. WHERE COST IS AN OBSTACLE, THE USE OF SIMULATED MATERIAL CAN BE COMBINED WITH A WRITTEN INSTRUMENT. CANDIDATES CAN BE GIVEN THE CONTENTS OF AN IN-BASKET AND DIRECTED TO ANSWER MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS BASED ON THEM. CANDIDATES MAY ALSO WATCH A VIDEOTAPE OF A SIMULATED POLICE INTERACTION AND THEN ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BEHAVIOR OF THE VARIOUS PARTICIPANTS. WHILE SUCH PASSIVE SIMULATIONS CAN ASSESS THE ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPLICATIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR, THEY CANNOT ASSESS HOW THE CANDIDATE ACTS UNDER CONSTRAINTS OF STRESS AND TIME. IT IS HOPED THAT THE NEW METHODS OF SELECTION AND PROMOTION BEING DEVELOPED WILL LEAD TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SELECTION SYSTEM WHICH DOES REWARD COMPETENCY AND MERIT IN THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES ESSENTIAL TO EFFECTIVE POLICING. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--RCB)

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