UTILIZING THE ASSESSMENT CENTER TO SELECT POLICE OFFICERS FOR THE OCALA, FLORIDA DEPARTMENT

• NCJ Number: 60102
• Journal: Police Chief Volume: 46 Issue: 8 Dated: (AUGUST 1979) Pages: 69-74
• Author(s): A L MCGHEE; M E DEEN
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INITIAL SELECTION FOR POLICE ASSESSMENT CENTER FOR THE OCALA, FLORIDA, POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DESCRIBED.

Abstract

WHILE THE ASSESSMENT CENTER HAS USUALLY BEEN USED IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO ASSESS CANDIDATES FOR PROMOTIONS TO MANAGEMENT POSITIONS, THE OCALA POLICE DEPARTMENT OPERATES AN ASSESSMENT CENTER PROGRAM FOR INITIAL SELECTION OF POLICE OFFICERS. AFTER DETERMINING THAT THE EXISTING 'PAPER AND PENCIL' EVALUATION AND SELECTION OF RECRUITS WAS INADEQUATE TO DETERMINE THE APPLICANT'S POTENTIAL TO PERFORM THE SKILLS AND TASKS OF A POLICE OFFICER, THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ASSESSMENT CENTER PROGRAM FOR RECRUIT SELECTION WAS UNDERTAKEN. A TASK ANALYSIS, CONDUCTED THROUGH INTERVIEWS, QUESTIONNAIRES, AND PERFORMANCE OBSERVATIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, DETERMINED THE SKILLS, TASKS, KNOWLEDGE, AND BEHAVIOR REQUIRED FOR AN ENTRY-LEVEL OFFICER. A BATTERY OF EXERCISES THEN WAS DEVELOPED TO TEST THE APPLICANT ON ALL ASPECTS OF TASK ANALYSIS. THE ASSESSMENT EXERCISES USED INCLUDE A LEADERLESS GROUP DISCUSSION, A DECISIONMAKING EXERCISE, AN ANALYSIS EXERCISE, A WRITTEN EXERCISE, AND AN INTERVIEW EXERCISE. ASSESSORS USED IN THE CENTER ARE SELECTED THROUGH A SERIES OF INTERVIEWS, PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS REVIEWS, AND OTHER FACTORS. NORMALLY AN ASSESSMENT GROUP CONSISTS OF SIX CANDIDATES AND FOUR ASSESSORS. THE SCHEDULING FORMAT ALLOWS EACH ASSESSOR TO VIEW AND EVALUATE EACH OF THE CANDIDATES. ASSESSORS RECORD THEIR OBSERVATIONS ON FORMS AND, AFTER ALL INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION REPORTS ARE COMPLETE, A FINAL RANKING OF THE CANDIDATES IS DONE THROUGH ASSESSOR CONSULTATIONS. THESE REPORTS ARE SUBMITTED TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE. THE OCALA ASSESSMENT CENTER IS THE FIRST STEP IN A FOUR-PHASE PROCESS FOR ESTABLISHING AN INTEGRATED PERFORMANCE-ORIENTED PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. OTHER PHASES ARE PERFORMANCE TRAINING, PERFORMANCE EVALUATION, AND AN ASSESSMENT CENTER FOR PROMOTIONS. TABLES ARE PROVIDED FOR THE RELATIONS OF TASK DIMENSIONS TO CENTER EXERCISES AND THE CENTER SCHEDULE. (RCB)