Police Operations
Hiring Process
• You need to decide
– What size department
• Small, medium, large
– Will it be a job or a career
• Retirement options
– What are my career goals
• Specialty job
• Promotion
Hiring Process
• Am I a viable candidate?
– Background
• Criminal activity
• Drug use
– Employment history
• I’ve always wanted to be a cop…
– Credit history
– Driving History
– Physical condition
Getting Hired
• Agency application
• ALERT Test
– Writing
• Clarity, vocabulary & spelling
– Reading
• Comprehension
– Reasoning
Getting Hired
• Written exam
– General knowledge
– Observation
– Pattern recognition
– Integrity Component
Getting Hired
• Physical Agility Exam
– Based on Cooper Institute standards
– Age and gender based
– 1.5 mile run
– Sit-ups
– Push-ups
– Pass/ Fail
– Done again two weeks before entering police
academy
Getting Hired
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Interview
Rolling resume
What have you done to prepare
Community involvement
Any bad behavior
Scenarios
Low stress but you’re on the hot seat
Getting hired
• Background packet
– Be honest
• Background investigation
– Follow up on what you put in the packet
– References – make sure they know
• Pre-employment polygraph
– Meeting God
Getting Hired
• Conditional Job Offer
– Contingent upon you passing the medical & psych
• Medical Examination
– Comprehensive exam
• Psychological Examination
– Written and interview
– Personality inventory
You’re Hired!
• Maine Criminal Justice Academy
– 18 weeks in beautiful downtown Vassalboro
• Monday through Friday
• Classroom, scenarios, range weeks
• Weekly tests
Your Department
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Field Training Program
San Jose Model
Used in Portland & other departments
14 week program
Daily evaluations
Progress in two week increments
Mission Statement
• Declaration of purpose for the organization and
it’s members
• A road map for the organization
• Gives direction and sets priorities
• PPD Mission Statement
– The mission of the Portland Police Department is to
maintain a safe city by working in partnership with the
community to prevent and reduce crime, protect life
and property, help resolve neighborhood problems
and protect the rights of all.
Police Power
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U.S. Constitution
State Constitution
Statutes – state and federal
Case law
Three General Eras of Policing
• Political – 1840 thru 1930
• Reform – 1930 - 1980
• Community – 1980 – to present
Professionalism of Police
Wickersham Commission
• Report 11 – Lawlessness in L.E.
– Police brutality, questioning tactics, threats, illegal
detention, no access to an attorney
• Report 14 – The Police
– Police administration – leadership, centralized
administrative control, higher personnel standards
– Overall professionalization of the police
– And all this leads to…
Professionalism of Police
• 1960’s Case Law
– Miranda v. Arizona
– Terry v. Ohio
• 1970’s Education and formal academy
– Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA)
– Formal education through CJ programs
• Technology
– Video
– Improved investigations
Police Organizations
• Paramilitary structure
• Chain of Command
• Organizational Chart
• Patrol Division
• Detective Division
• Specialty Positions
Public Perception
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Usually based on limited information
All police are painted with a broad brush
Difficult to change the perception
Perception becomes reality…
• What factors impact your perception of the
police?
Public Expectations
• People want to be able to explain their
situation to the police
• They want the police to be unbiased, neutral
and fair
• They want to be treated with dignity and
respect and have their rights acknowledged
• They want the police to consider their needs
and be concerned about their well-being
• After all…I pay your salary