Formal Assessment Procedures in Police Selection

Abstract

An attempt is made to estimate the extent to which formal psychological and psychiatric techniques are being employed in the selection of police recruits. To do this, the authors surveyed the 61 U. S. cities with populations greater than 150,000, according to the 1950 census. The kinds of techniques in use, and the frequency with which they are employed, are listed in Table 1. Items found in the most popular type of instrument, specially devised policeman selection tests, are classified and discussed. It is concluded that the varied items do not assess different aptitudes but, rather, lead to an unintentional pre-occupation with correlates of general intelligence. Further discussion focuses on the following factors: (a) even those departments which recognize policeman examinations to be intelligence tests, usually use the former in preference to standardized IQ tests; (b) little is being done to evaluate the personalities of applicants; (c) it appears that there is little or no research being done upon police selection techniques; (d) not many psychologists are involved either in research upon, or in the use of, the selection procedures now employed.