ABSTRACT
The term police psychology is most readily recognised in the USA, with its own organisations such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Police Psychological Services Section, Society for Police and Criminal Psychology and American Psychological Association, Division 18, Police and Public Safety Section. The combinations of the requirement that police officers be 'civil and obliging', as well as the more coercive tasks, do make it a challenging job with great potential for stress. The use of various personality tests of police officers has found, very generally, that when compared to the rest of the population, police officers are more conservative, extraverted and tough-minded. The job and task analysis typically involves a survey of incumbents and superiors. This allows the duties, activities, responsibilities and other job requirements to be specified. A very specialised area of psychological evaluation is to assess whether the incumbent police officer can safely and effectively carry out their duties.
