NCJ Number
227282
Journal
International Journal of Police Science and Management Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: Summer 2009 Pages: 150-159
Date Published
2009
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This paper examined the validity of the Candidate and Officer Personnel Survey (COPS) in its prediction of job performance in public safety officer candidates.
Abstract
This preliminary investigation suggests that, while the reliability of some scales could be improved, the Candidate and Officer Personnel Survey (COPS) was an effective predictor of whether a candidate was being seen for promotion or for job difficulties. The results indicate a promising method of evaluating public safety officers. It was recommended that future research focus on establishing the predictive validity of the COPS for prospective candidates. The COPS is a 240-item, self-report measure that was developed as an evaluation tool both for individuals seeking employment or promotion as public safety officers, and for officers who have been identified by their jurisdiction for further evaluation because of problematic behavior. The COPS generates 18 scales that reflect response bias and positive and negative prediction of work performance. This paper presents results from the first set of studies to be completed evaluating the COPS as a stand-alone instrument. Tables and references