The selection of police cadets is complex and critically important given the role of police officers in the maintenance of public safety. As a result, there has been ongoing research on the relationship between common selection criteria, such as previous educational attainment and aptitude test scores and police academy outcomes. This study explores this relationship using attained marks in core high-school courses and scores from two aptitude tests as predictor variables and final grade in select academy courses as outcome variables. Results support the use of the predictor variables in cadet selection.
AamodtM. G. (2004). Law enforcement selection: Research summaries. Washington, DC: Police Executive Research Forum.
2.
AamodtM. G.FlinkW. (2001). Relationship between education level and cadet performance in a police academy. Applied HRM Research, 6, 75–76.
3.
BoehmN. C.HoneyR.KohlsJ. (1983). Predicting success in academy training: The POST reading and writing test battery. Police Chief, 50 (10), 28–31.
4.
DayanK.KastenR.FoxS. (2002). Entry-level police candidate assessment center: An efficient tool or a hammer to kill a fly?Personnel Psychology, 55, 827–849.
5.
DeciccoD. A. (2000). Police officer candidate assessment and selection. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 69 (12), 1–6.
6.
GruberG. (1986). The police applicant test: A predictive validity study. Journal of Police Science and Administration, 14, 121–129.
7.
HausknechtJ. P.TrevorC. O.FarrJ. L. (2002). Retaking ability tests in a selection setting: Implications for practice effects, training performance, and turnover. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 243–254.
8.
HensonB.ReynsB. W.KlahmC. F.FrankJ. (2010). Do good recruits make good cops? Problems predicting and measuring academy and street-level success. Police Quarterly, 13, 5–26.
9.
HirshH. R.NorthropL. C.SchmidtF. L. (1986). Validity generalization results for law enforcement occupations. Personnel Psychology, 39, 399–420.
10.
HoT. (1999). Assessment of police officer recruiting and testing instruments. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 29(3/4), 1–23.
11.
MacDonaldA. (2005). Police constable applicant assessment process: A critique. Charlottetown, PE: Holland College & Atlantic Police Academy.
12.
MartinE. M. (1923). An aptitude test for policemen. Journal of the American Institute of Criminal Law & Criminology, 14, 376–404.
13.
ProvinesJ. L. (2006). Investigation of Police Officer Selection Procedures. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Wichita State, Wichita.
14.
Psychological Services, Inc. (2002). Police selection test: Technical manual. Glendale, CA: Psychological Services, Inc.
15.
RafilsonF.SisonR. (1996). Seven criterion-related validity studies conducted with the national police officer selection test. Psychological Reports, 78, 163–176.
16.
StolpS. J. (2002). A validation study of a writing skills test for police recruit applicants. (Unpublished master's thesis). University of North Texas, Texas.
17.
WeinerJ. (1998). POST Reading and Writing Test validation research. Sacramento, CA: California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
18.
WhiteM. D. (2008). Identifying good cops early. Police Quarterly, 11, 27–49.
