Police recruit selection: Decision making for success

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the police recruit selection process in the Queensland Police Service. The- process was introduced for the February 1991 intake of recruits undertaking a new university - based pre -service Recruit Training Program.

The research includes a literature review of the different selection techniques used in personnel selection generally and police selection, specifically. These are past education achievement, psychometric assessments, selection interviews, community inquiry, physical and medical assessments, and personal integrity. Personal integrity was

assessed through the community inquiry and criminal and traffic history checks.

The emphasis of the research was on those selection techniques which are not pass/fail, that is, education achievement, psychometric assessments and selection panel interview, and the ability of these to predict levels of achievement during police training.

The data analysis involved gathering information on two groups of recruits, from the time of their application until the end of the Pre -Service Program. A multiple regression analysis was conducted on the two sets of data. Cross -validation of results was the purpose of the study.

The criterion measure for this analysis was total grades achieved during the two semester program. The assumption of this research was that the training undertaken was job -related. Criteria which predict training success should therefore predict job success. Support was found for the following hypotheses:

1. There will be a significant positive correlation between results on psychometric assessments and results in the Recruit Training Program at the Queensland Police Academy.

2. There will be a significant positive correlation between education achievement and results of the Recruit Training Program.