CRITICAL REVIEW OF SOME EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR POLICE OFFICERS

• NCJ Number: 50111
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 26 pages
• Corporate Author: Wollack, Waibel and Guenther, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

REQUIREMENTS OF CITIZENSHIP, AGE, MILITARY DISCHARGE STATUS, CRIMINAL RECORD, LEVEL OF EDUCATION, AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS DEMANDED FOR EMPLOYMENT AS A WASHINGTON POLICE OFFICER ARE ASSESSED.

Abstract

CRITERIA USED IN SELECTING POLICE OFFICERS IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, AND IN BARRING CERTAIN PERSONS FROM EMPLOYMENT, ARE DISCUSSED IN RELATION TO THE NECESSITY AND JOB-RELATEDNESS OF THE IMPOSED STANDARDS. IN ADDITION, TYPICAL REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED IN TERMS OF THE SPECIFIC FEDERAL CASE LAW PERTAINING TO SIMILAR EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS. DISCRIMINATION ON THE GROUNDS OF CITIZENSHIP IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, HOWEVER, APPLICANTS COULD BE TESTED FOR AWARENESS OF LOCAL COMMUNITY, TRADITION, AND CULTURE. MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENTS ARE CONSIDERED, AND IT IS SUGGESTED THAT WHILE A CERTAIN MINIMUM LEVEL OF PHYSICAL CAPABILITY IS A LEGITIMATE STANDARD, THIS QUALIFICATION CAN BE DETERMINED THROUGH PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE TESTS AND MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS. RELIANCE UPON AGE REQUIREMENTS APPEARS TO VIOLATE THE AGE DISCRIMINATION ACT OF 1967. MILITARY DISCHARGES SHOULD BE EVALUATED IN TERMS OF THE JOB-RELATEDNESS OF THE CONDUCT OR BEHAVIOR THAT RESULTED IN THE PARTICULAR TYPE OF DISCHARGE. THE APPLICANT'S PRIOR BEHAVIOR SHOULD ALSO BE ASSESSED IN TERMS OF ITS JOB-RELATEDNESS REGARDING THE SERIOUSNESS OF PRIOR CONVICTIONS, EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES, THE POSSIBILITIES OF RECURRENCE, AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB. ARREST WITHOUT CONVICTION NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT IT HAS NO LEGAL SIGNIFICANCE. HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION IS ALMOST A UNIVERSAL REQUIREMENT FOR EMPLOYMENT AS A POLICE OFFICER. COURTS HAVE UPHELD THE LEGALITY OF THE REQUIREMENT AND RESEARCH INTO THE VALIDITY OF THE STANDARD HAS BEEN TECHNICALLY INFEASIBLE. HEIGHT AND WEIGHT REQUIREMENTS ARE DISCUSSED, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO DISCRIMINATION IN HIRING FEMALE POLICE OFFICERS. THE GENERAL TREND OF LITIGATION PERTAINING TO MINIMUM HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS IS GENERALLY NEGATIVE, AND IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE MATTER OF AN APPLICANT'S WEIGHT BE DISTINGUISHED FROM THE ISSUE OF HEIGHT AND BE MADE PART OF A MEDICAL EXAMINATION. (DAG)