PHYSIOLOGICAL FITNESS OF DEPUTIES ASSIGNED TO THE PATROL FUNCTION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE FORMULATION OF ENTRANCE STANDARDS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

• NCJ Number: 30326
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 587 pages
• Grant Number(s): 72-DF-09-0005
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Los Angeles Cty Sheriff's Dept; Los Angeles Cty
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

FINDINGS OF A THREE-YEAR RESEARCH PROJECT DESIGNED TO FORMULATE PHYSIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL STANDARDS OR PERFORMANCE PROFILES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS APPLICABLE ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.

Abstract

THE PROJECT, A COOPERATIVE EFFORT OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, WAS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THREE AREAS: (1) DEVELOP A PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE OF EXPERIENCED PATROLMEN; (2) IDENTIFY RELATIVELY SIMPLE AND INEXPENSIVE INSTRUMENTS AND PROCEDURES TO EVALUATE THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH OF PATROLMEN AND (3) EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A MEDICAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL PROGRAM TO MONITOR AND GUIDE OFFICERS' OVERALL FITNESS. THIS REPORT DESCRIBES THE FOCUS OF THE PROJECT AND THE FINDINGS OF ITS THREE PHASES, THAT IS, THE PHYSIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL RESEARCH. THE 500 SUBJECTS FOR THIS PROJECT WERE RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES WHO HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TO ONE OF THE DEPARTMENT'S FOURTEEN PATROL STATIONS FOR AT LEAST A YEAR. DATA ON TWO SETS OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES WERE COLLECTED FOR EACH DEPUTY. THE FIRST SET, THE JOB PERFORMANCE OR CRITERION VARIABLES, MEASURED PROFICIENCY IN TRADITIONAL FIELD ACTIVITIES. THE SECOND SET, TEST RESULTS OR SUBJECT VARIABLES, INCLUDED BIOGRAPHICAL DATA PLUS HIS SCORES FOR THE MEDICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS. STUDY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PRESENTED IN THREE CHAPTERS. CHAPTER THREE PRESENTS THE MEDICAL EXAMINATION FINDINGS ON PATROLMEN. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THE FINDINGS ARE PROPOSED IN THE FORM OF A MODEL EXERCISE PROGRAM DESIGNED TO HELP REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF CARDIAC DISORDERS AND BACK PROBLEMS. CHAPTER FOUR DISCUSSES PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS AND THEIR CAPABILITY TO PREDICT PERFORMANCE. A PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE DISTINCTIVE TO LOS ANGELES SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT PATROLMEN IS DEVELOPED AND A PREDICTION EQUATION RELATING BIOGRAPHICAL AND JOB PERFORMANCE DATA TO THE RESULTS OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS, IS ALSO CONSTRUCTED. CHAPTER FIVE PRESENTS AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THE OFFICER'S PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL REACTIONS TO LABORATORY STRESS. THE FINDINGS INDICATED THAT PREPARATORY CONDITIONING TO AN IMPENDING THREAT CAN AFFECT AN INDIVIDUAL'S REACTION TO IT. RESEARCHERS SUGGESTED THAT PROJECT FINDINGS STRONGLY INDICATE THAT EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE IS MORE CLOSELY RELATED TO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL THAN THE PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB, AND THAT PRIMARY SELECTION MEASURES SHOULD BE DERIVED FROM PSYCHOLOGICAL REQUIREMENTS. A SIX-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY AND AN EXTENSIVE APPENDIX ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)