Multisource evaluation of policing competence: the development of self- and supervisor-rating scales for police recruits

ABSTRACT

Some police departments are responding to changing community needs by promoting a departmental cultural shift, which may involve their training programs. Reliable evaluation tools are needed to capture policing preparedness of graduating probationary officers (P1s) in line with evolving policing theory. The current study examines a multisource evaluation tool that includes P1 self-report and the observed ratings from their field training officers (FTOs) for 679 dyads. Results indicated that both raters grouped items into analogous factor structures, allowing for direct comparisons. P1’s and FTO’s ratings neither agreed nor covaried, and P1s tended to over-rate their preparedness. The psychometric properties of the developed scales were discussed as well as implications for program evaluations. Specifically, P1s and FTOs functioned as unique sources of information who could provide non-redundant perspectives on police preparedness and competency resulting from training. Review of both raters in concert may provide an additional level of potentially useful interpretation.

KEYWORDS:

• Police training
• field training officer
• performance assessment
• program evaluation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) [60111106 A-1, 90111102].

Notes on contributors

Timothy J. Arentsen

Timothy J. Arentsen is a Clinical Neuropsychologist at the Memphis VA Medical Center. He received his doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary with a specialization in Neuropsychology and completed APA-approved clinical training programs at the Iowa City VA and the Memphis VA. He has been board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in Clinical Neuropsychology (ABPP-CN). His research interests include program development, measurement, and evaluation, forensic issues such as symptom validity and susceptibility.

Mari Clements

Mari Clements has been at Fuller Theological Seminary since 2001 and was named provost in January 2019. She also serves as accreditation liaison officer for the seminary. Prior to her role as provost, she served as dean of the School of Psychology for four years. In her School of Psychology work, Dr. Clements has conducted research on the impact of marital conflict on family members. Her recent research has examined marital conflict in intact families, models of satisfaction and stability in marriage, and the effects of marital conflict on parent–child relationships and children’s peer relationships. She has also worked to develop reliable and valid indices of preschool children’s perceptions of and reactions to marital conflict, of couples’ perceptions of their own constructive and destructive strategies for managing conflict, and of translated measures for use in immigrant populations.

Adrienne M. Meier

Adrienne M. Meier is the founder of InPsych and is a Licensed Psychologist. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at New York University’s Bellevue Hospital Center, where she received specialized training in forensic psychology. Dr. Meier then trained as a Neuropsychology Fellow at City of Hope National Medical Center. Her research has focused on various issues related to policing and forensic psychology, specifically focusing on training and competency as well as factors that impact offender assessment and rehabilitation, including neuropsychological functioning.

Luann Pannell

Luann Pannell began her LAPD career as a Police Psychologist in 2000 and was promoted to Director of Police Training and Education in 2006. In this role, she reviews and evaluates LAPD training curricula to ensure relevancy, continuity, and compliance with State and Federal criteria and Department policy. Dr. Pannell researches best practices in police training to continually improve training. Dr. Pannell also led the team responsible for the redesign of the LAPD Academy in 2008. In addition, she became the first Chair of the INTERPOL Group of Experts on Police Training when it was established in 2009.

Katherine M. Putman

Katharine M. Putman is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Azusa Pacific University. Her research investigates how to effectively equip and support first responders, caregivers, and humanitarian aid workers. She has conducted training, consultations, and research in Africa, Cambodia, Guatemala, and China. She has also consulted with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Academy to evaluate their curriculum from 2006 to the present. She received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College. She also trained as a Psychology Fellow in community psychology and organizational consultation at the Consultation Center at Yale University’s School of Medicine.