HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #08 - Discussion ItemCITY OF MI MI. FLORIDA
J;".NTEP•OF FICE MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
Joseph R. Grassie
City Manager
is
Par'�e
t City Manager
DATE
SEP 17 137�
SU!3JECr.
REFERENCES.
ENCLOSURES.
FILE:
University of Chicago
Test Review
The City Commission requested a group of three local psychologists
review the University of Chicago testing procedures. A report
by Dr. Wayne Cascio, Dr. Herman Dorsett and Dr. Carroll Truss
was provided to Commissioner Theodore Gibscn on August 19, 1976.
The following are highlights of the report.
•
•
•
Technical Quality of the Program. This is a high quality
test development program in which modern and appropriate
techniques representative of the state of the art in
personnel are being applied.
Sources of Problems. The principal concern expressed at
the City of Miami Commission meetings was the much higher
"failure" rate of the new test that has been observed in
previous examinations.
Recommendations. This area was divided into two groups.
First, those pertaining to recruitment and counseling,
second, those pertaining to aspects of the technical
development and validation of the examination.
Recruitment and Counseling. Strong attention should be
given to recruiting among those groups deemed unrepresented
on the police force and in particular to the recruitment
among those in each group likely to meet the above average
requirements needed to suecc>ed as a police officer.
Institute a program to provide substantial information and
counseling at several critical points in the process
beginning when an individual applies to take the examination.
Technical Recommendations. That the validity screen not
be scored pass/fail, but that loser scores he used to
reduce gradually the weight given to the temperament screen
score.
For the present, the IRC is justified in using a single
standard psychological profile for all applicants, since
male and female officers an well as Black, White and Latin
officers see the psychological characteristics necessary
for police performance very similarly.
n7t-
Joseph R. Grassid
City Manager
SEP 17 1976
As additional data becomes available, it will have
o
be demonstrated statistically that the standard psycho-
logical profiles for the various ethnic and sex groups
do not differ significantly and that there are not other
profiles which are equally good but significantly different
from each other, If this occurs, then each applicant must
be evaluated only in relation to the profile and validity
statistics for his or her ethnic sex group, as required by
federal. law.
At the present time, there are insufficient data to
demonstrate conclusively whether the Miami. Police Testing
Battery forecasts police officer "on -street" performance
equally validly and fairly for White, Black, and Latin
applicants.
• Academic Screen. The IRC is justified in retaining the
academic screen and in keeping the cut-off score relatively
low. The academic screen should not serve simply as a
hurdle to be cleared, rather some additional weight should
be given to high academic scores during the selection process.
Validity Screen. The validity screen does not differentiate
high from low rated officers. The validity screen must
not be used as a separate test or hurdle which will serve
as a base for selection decisions, even though it strongly
affects the usefullnes3 of temperament screen scores.
The validity screen should be used to moderate the weight
given to the temperament screen scores.
• Temperament Screen. The temperament screen has demonstrated
acceptable interim validity.
• The IRC should present its technical final results and
procedures in great enough detail so that local in-house
professional personnel can revalidate the selection battery
in the future.