FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE INITIAL APPLICATION, SELECTION OF QUALIFIED APPLICANTS AT THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY IS DIVIDED INTO SIX STAGES: 1) WRITTEN EXAMINATION, 2) PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SITUATIONAL EVALUATION, 3) AN ORAL REVIEW BOARD, 4) AN ELIGIBILITY LIST, 5) PERSONAL HISTORY (BACKGROUND) INVESTIGATION, AND 6) FINAL SELECTION. TO MERIT FURTHER CONSIDERATION, APPLICANTS MUST SCORE AT LEAST 70 PERCENT ON THE WRITTEN EXAM, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED BY THE STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM PURSUANT TO EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY GUIDELINES. AFTER PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING, CANDIDATES APPEAR BEFORE AN ORAL REVIEW BOARD FOR MORE IN-DEPTH EVALUATION. APPLICANTS ARE SCORED FROM ONE TO TEN POINTS ON SEVEN QUALITIES DEEMED NECESSARY FOR UNIVERSITY POLICE AND FROM ONE TO THIRTY POINTS ON THE FINAL SCALE ITEM, 'SUITABILITY FOR POLICE SERVICE.' APPLICANTS ARE RANKED ACCORDING TO TOTAL COMBINED SCORES AND SELECTED FOR VACANCIES AFTER AN EXTENSIVE PERSONAL HISTORY BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATION. SELECTION PROCEDURES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA HAVE AN ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT THAT ALL APPLICANTS MUST HAVE COMPLETED 60 SEMESTER HOURS AT AN ACCREDITED UNIVERSITY. THEY ARE INTERVIEWED BY A MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT AFTER THE WRITTEN EXAM AND UNDERGO PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING AFTER CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN SCRUTINIZED BY THE ORAL REVIEW BOARD. A PROFILE OF POLICE OFFICERS HIRED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA BETWEEN 1975 AND 1979 INDICATES THE IMPORTANCE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING AS A SCREENING DEVICE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT, ALTHOUGH THE SELECTION PROCEDURES ARE TIME-CONSUMING AND REQUIRE HEAVY INVESTMENT, THE SPECIFIC METHODS CHOSEN BY THESE AGENCIES REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR ERROR IN THE SELECTION PROCESS. (DEG)