The search for the ideal police promotion process has resulted in various new testing methods and techniques that have proven significantly more reliable than generic testing methods, in-house testing, or promotion by seniority.  In addition to its reliability, the assessment center eliminates claims of politics and departmental favoritism and weeds out the individual with good testing ability, but whose performance would be less than satisfactory.  The assessment center method, conducted by professionals, assures the voting public and the governing body that the most qualified individual will be recommended for promotion. 

Police officials and private sector organizations have learned that proficiency at one level does not guarantee proficiency at a higher level.  They recognize that promotions once made are difficult to rescind.  Accordingly, it is recommended that promotions from patrolman to sergeant be handled through a separate process than promotions from lieutenant to captain or chief.   

Assessment Center Methodology 

An assessment center team consists of 3 members, all with 20 to 25 years of solid experience in police department operations.  The project manager is a former Police Chief with 25 years of experience in NJ Law Enforcement at all levels, and holds several degrees in the field. 

Though on-site observations, review of the organizational structure and interviews with key personnel the team will become familiar with the unique aspects of your municipality.  Each assessment center is customized to relate to your particular community.

 

Tailoring the Center to the Municipality. 

A Customized Assessment Center challenges the candidate in an environment similar to the one in which he/she works.  A successful Chief of Police in Metuchen would not necessarily be the best candidate for the same position in Newark, NJ.  For this reason each Assessment Center is tailored to the characteristics of the municipality and the position to be filled.

 

Advantages of Assessment Center 

The Assessment Center technique offers a number of advantages over written tests and other management identification techniques.  A number of important managerial abilities, such as planning and organizing, establishing priorities, leadership, relevant analytical skills are determined from the procedure.

 

Significant advantages to the Assessment Center 

1.      The exercises are simulations of on-the-job behaviors.

2.      A variety of methods is used.

3.      The exercises are constant for all participants.

4.      There is a consensus of judgment among the assessors for each participant.  (Numbers are used in place of names.)

5.      The Assessment Panel Members typically have no personal involvement with the participants. 

Factors to be evaluated 

These include identifying talent, psychological testing, interviews, job-related simulation tests, adaptability, situations, etc. 

The Assessment Center uses in-basket exercises, management tasks, group discussions, simulations of interviews with subordinates, oral presentations and written communication exercises.  All aspects of management or administrative ability are considered and evaluated.

Assessing skills 

The first steps in developing the simulation exercises is to identify the behaviors that are important to successful job performance.  The following skills are identified as essential: 

1.         Decisiveness

2.         Judgment

3.         Oral communication

4.         Stress tolerance

5.         Written communication

6.         Planning

7.         Flexibility 

Types of exercises 

The common denominator in all exercises is that candidates competing for promotion assume the role that they would actually have to perform if selected for advancement.  The types of exercises are:

 

1.      The in-basket in which candidates assume the role of a newly promoted chief or captain. 

2.      A group discussion, in which candidates are told that as recent promotees to the rank of chief or captain, they have been appointed by the chief to a committee to study a particular problem in their department and must come up with specific recommendations to solve it.   

3.      An oral presentation, in which the candidates play the role of a department representative giving a speech on a topic of their own choice.   

4.      The written problem analysis, in which candidates are asked to analyze a problem in their department and to send a memo to the chief containing their rationale, alternatives considered, and recommended course of action.   

From the standpoint of public relations, fairness and reliability, the Assessment Center offers the best assurance for success in the promotion of police department personnel.  The author will be pleased to provide complete information on procedures, panel members and costs, etc. of an assessment center in your community. 

Remember, police promotions, once made, are difficult to rescind.  The Assessment Center assures you that the most qualified individual will be selected to fill the position.