Chapter Five Police Officers I: Entering Police Work Police in America © 2013 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved. McGraw-Hill

5-2 The Changing American Police Officer More female, African American, Hispanic officers compared to 40 years ago More female, African American, Hispanic officers compared to 40 years ago Many college educated or hold masters’ degrees Many college educated or hold masters’ degrees Openly gay and lesbian officers Openly gay and lesbian officers

5-3 Aspects of the Personnel Process A Career Perspective A Career Perspective  Many departments have personnel problems because: Don’t train recruits properlyDon’t train recruits properly Don’t supervise officer adequatelyDon’t supervise officer adequately Poor evaluation systemsPoor evaluation systems Failure to disciplineFailure to discipline Failure to provide career opportunitiesFailure to provide career opportunities Don’t promote the best officersDon’t promote the best officers

5-4 Beyond Stereotypes of Cops Stereotypes can be either positive or negative Stereotypes can be either positive or negative  Positive: Heroic saints, risking their lives  Negative: Uneducated, untrained, prejudiced, brutal or corrupt These stereotypes can discourage women from becoming police officers These stereotypes can discourage women from becoming police officers

5-5 The Personnel Process: A Shared Responsibility Shared with other governmental agencies (civil service system) Shared with other governmental agencies (civil service system) Attracting a pool of applicants: Attracting a pool of applicants:  Minimum qualifications  The recruitment effort  Applicant’s motivations to apply

5-6 Recruitment Minimum Qualifications Minimum Qualifications  Most departments - 21 years of age  Height and Weight  Education 82% high school diploma82% high school diploma Educational incentive payEducational incentive pay Criminal record Criminal record  No felony—Drug offenses major problem  Misdemeanor? Residency Residency  About 25% of departments require living within the city limits

5-7 Choosing Law Enforcement as a Career Applicants motivations Applicants motivations  Help people  Job security  Fight crime  Excitement  Prestige Barriers to recruitment Barriers to recruitment  Negative image of officers  Traditionally male occupations

5-8 Selecting Officers from the Recruit Pool Selection tests Selection tests  Oral interviews  Written and medical exams Background Investigations Background Investigations  Previous employment, possible criminal record, interviews with neighbors  Educational background, financial status, home visit

5-9 Screening Methods Used by Local Police Depts. (2003) Method% Dept Using Personal interview99 Personal interview99 Criminal record check100 Criminal record check100 Background investigation99 Background investigation99 Driving record check99 Driving record check99 Medical exam89 Medical exam89 Psychological screen72 Psychological screen72 Drug test83 Drug test83 Written aptitude test48 Written aptitude test48 Physical agility test60 Physical agility test60 Polygraph exam26 Polygraph exam26

5-10 Predicting Police Officer Performance The difficulty of predicting good police performance: The difficulty of predicting good police performance:  Screening Methods  Measuring Police Performance  Screening Efforts vs. Actual Job Performance

5-11 Equal Employment Opportunity Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act  Race, color, religion, sex, or national origin  Protected class 1972 Equal Employment Opportunity Act 1972 Equal Employment Opportunity Act 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act Bona Fide Occupational Qualification Bona Fide Occupational Qualification

5-12 “Not Your Father’s Police Department”: Diversity in Policing Employment of Racial and Ethnic Minorities Employment of Racial and Ethnic Minorities  Reflect the composition of the community it serves Hispanic and Latino officers Hispanic and Latino officers  Fastest growing population  Spanish-speaking officers recruited Women Women  More seriously underrepresented than racial or ethnic minorities  Concentrated in lower ranks Gay and Lesbian officers Gay and Lesbian officers  Increasingly open over the last 20 years African American Officers African American Officers  Previously underrepresented in the police force  Employment discrimination litigation has helped to increase number of African American officers in the police force

5-13 Achieving Diversity in Police Employment U.S. Supreme Court held that diversity is a “compelling state of interest” U.S. Supreme Court held that diversity is a “compelling state of interest” Three basic goals Three basic goals  Ensure employer is not discriminating  Improve police service  Improve image of police department Employment Discrimination Suits Employment Discrimination Suits Controversy over affirmative action Controversy over affirmative action The question of quotas The question of quotas  Reverse discrimination

5-14 The Police Academy Provides formal training Provides formal training  Pre-service training Process for weeding out unqualified recruits Process for weeding out unqualified recruits  Field training Rite of passage that socializes recruits Rite of passage that socializes recruits State training and certification State training and certification

5-15Training Police Academy Police Academy  Big departments have own academy  Small departments use state-run academies Field training Field training  FTO program  2/3 of departments use this process

5-16 State Training and Certification Every state has some form of mandated pre-service training for certification Every state has some form of mandated pre-service training for certification State-required content of training State-required content of training Decertification Decertification Shortcomings of current police training: Shortcomings of current police training:  Don’t cover important subjects like discretion and ethics  Pre-service training not adequate  Classroom training alone is not adequate

5-17 The Probationary Period Can range to six months to two years after being sworn in as an officer Can range to six months to two years after being sworn in as an officer Officer can be dismissed without cause during this period Officer can be dismissed without cause during this period  Rules for this process determined by local civil service regulations Average of 7 percent of all recruits dismissed during this period Average of 7 percent of all recruits dismissed during this period