ABSTRACT
The recruitment, selection, training, development, and retention of police officers are of critical importance to any police department. A police department is only as good as the aggregate of its membership, and, in some cases, it is only as strong as its weakest or least professional officers. Police administrators have long recognized this fact and subsequently have directed substantial effort and resources towards developing effective personnel systems. This chapter explores the organization and development of police personnel systems. It is intended to provide an overview of current policies, procedures, and techniques used in personnel processes. This chapter describes how individuals become police officers. In this sense, it is intended to provide an understanding of the processes that police departments use to fill entry-level positions. This chapter also provides agency personnel with information regarding the effectiveness of the
n Field Training Officer (FTO) Program
n Gender bias
n Gender ideology
n Human resource management
n In-service training
n Institutional barriers
n Lateral expansion
n Medical standards
n Minimum standards
n Minority officers
n Oral interview board
n Personal barriers
n Personal preferences
n Personnel planning
n Physical agility
n Policewomen
n Polygraph
n Population comparisons
n Psychological screening
n Recruitment
n Residency requirements
n Screening-in applicants
n Selection process
various procedures used in police personnel administration. In this sense, it provides guidance to the police policymaker.
