Abstract
Aggressive use of psychological assessment screening followed by a probationary officer training and evaluation protocol, especially FTO programs that build police cadets’ policing proficiency, are critical to improving the quality of the police workforce. Despite their extensive use in pre-employment law enforcement psychological batteries, the CPI-PPSR and PAI-PPSR have received little attention regarding their predictive validity of cadets’ successful FTO program completion. This study investigated the ability of the CPI-PPSR and the PAI-PPSR in predicting FTO program completion utilizing an ethnically diverse sample of 155 male officers (62.6% age 25 or older) selected into the state police academy and continued through to the FTO program in a southwestern state between 2015 and 2017. Of the 155 cadets, 82.6% completed and 17.4% did not complete the FTO training program. Results from point biserial correlations, both unadjusted and adjusted, showed that numerous scales and prediction equations on the CPI-PPSR and PAI-PPSR predicted FTO program completion. Logistic regression models were furthermore significant: the CPI-PPSR scales and prediction equations of law enforcement orientation, socialization: favorable memories, involuntary departure, and poorly suited were predictive of FTO program completion, and two PAI-PPSR scales were found to significantly predict FTO program completion: somatic complaints and nonsupport. This study added to the validation research on the CPI-PPSR and PAI-PPSR, and study findings suggest that both assessment tools displayed psychometric validity in predicting FTO program completion.
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Data Availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the authors upon reasonable request and with permission of JRA, INC. Please contact https://www.jra-assessment.com.
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Plybon, L.E., Roberts, R.M. & Roberts, M.D. Predicting Field Training Officer (FTO) Program Completion Using CPI-PPSR and PAI-PPSR Pre-Employment Screening Data Introduction. J Police Crim Psych 39, 266–279 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-023-09624-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-023-09624-z