Course Details

Course TitleSPCP 2019 - 2018-19 Psychologists' Survey: Perceptions of Changing Police/Public Safety Applicant Pool & Agency Entrance Standards
Date 9/23/2019
Provider2019 SPCP Annual Conference
Phone 
Email 
Website https://www.policepsychology.org/conference
LocationScottsdale
Credit Hours0.25
Instructor(s)Inwald & Thompson
Method of InstructionWorkshop/Seminar
Approving AgencyAPA
Course Syllabus

Course Description

This presentation will review results of a study developed to identify perceived trends reported by police/public safety psychologists in the area of officer candidate rejection rates in pre-employment psychological evaluations (PEPEs). Increasingly common complaints that there are “fewer applicants” and/or “less qualified candidates” applying for positions as police/public safety officers may or may not reflect a larger or growing problem in this field’s recruitment efforts today. The current study was initiated in order to identify perceptions of working police/public safety psychologists who regularly attend conferences and may provide a representative base of active police/public safety psychology professionals. Forty-five psychologists who conduct PEPEs, representing 32 U.S. states and Canada, completed an 11-item survey at three national police/public safety psychology conferences in 2018. A follow-up survey of active police/public safety psychologists was completed one year later in 2019. Results include these psychologists' overall percentages for perceived relative quality of candidates and perceived client agencies who have lowered their standards for officer hiring.

Course Objectives