Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-08
NEW POLICE TEST
TO Be USED IN D. c.
Revised Examination Is De.
signed to Weed Out Incom-
petents From Force.
Continued From First Page.)

OutSTcLlL lFOul an achievement L6SC, SUCH
as would be used in the schools to de-
termine such thing as eighth-grade
standing. A grade test. he pointed
out, is designed for grade pupils, not
for policemen. 1t could be passed bet
ter by grade pupils than by college pro-
fessorS, unless they 'crammed," for they
have forgotten much of the irrelevant
nformation-Such as the sources of
rivers, etc.-stuffed into their heads in
the common schools.
Designed TO Test Thinking.
Nothing of a mas fitness for being
policeman would be indicated by the
fact that he happened to know the
source of the Potomac or the capital
of Saskatchewan. What the exam ners
want to know is whether he can think
calmly in emergencies and use good
Judgment in the solution of the numer-
GUS problems which arise in the daily
work of the officer of the law.
The new test contains 100 questions,
Of increasing difficulty. designed to show
ability to adapt to new situations. which
Is practically the criterion OF "mtelli-
gence." Correlated with the Army
alpha test scores of the police depart
mentS of other cities, the general adapt
ability test would have eliminated few
years ago So per cent of the Kansas
City police force, SIS per cent OF the
Cleveland and 43 per cent of the Los
Angeles force.
It is not intended to eliminate any
body Low on the force, however they
got there. If a man has made good he
has passed the best sort of test. In
ferior men can be expected gradually
to eliminate themselves, especially in
competition with more efficient new
corners.
Experience on the police force" says
DR.. O'Rourke, may enable men to per-
form police duties more effectively than
could new men Of a somewhat higher
intelligence. It must not be assumed
that experienced men on the force
should be dropped because their intel
ligence ratings are somewhat below the
new entrance requirements. The ex-
perienced man should be thought OF In
terms of his experience, not in terms OF
his test score"
Test by No Means Perfect.
The test IS by no means perfect, DR..
O'Rourke agrees. Occasionally 1t Will
shut out a man who might make an
excellent policeman, but the chances
are about four to one against it. Some
who pass the test will make poor police
men, but the great majority will make
good
dlSO Is USIlS WOlhCu Oul q oClACo
of probation and promotion tests to be
applied after men actually are on the
force and have attained some familiarity
with police methods The policeman
Is to be asked questions like the follow
ing:
i. Members of the police force of
Washington should Cd refuse to give
their names or numbers to inquirers
whom they do not know; ~ require
reasons for inquiries as to their names
or numbers: 80 refuse to tell their
names to suspicious looking persons;
~ give their names or numbers only
" duly authorized persons; 60 give
their names or numbers to whoever
asks for them. The persons taking the
examination is to check the correct
answer. .fr.
2. A citizen tells YOU that the person
who turned in a false fire alarm two
hours ago Is e certain 19-year-old boy
You cannot arrest the boy without
warrant because % he Is under age;
(2) the offense is serious; go you did
not see the offense committed; a. the
citizen did not make the statement to
your commanding officer; 80 the citi-
zen may be mistaken.
g. John Marshall place % is near the
White House; (2) is in the Mall neas
fourteenth street; 90 Is south of the
Capitol; a. meets Pennsylvania avenue
near Sixth street; 50 is between Center
Market and Pennsylvania avenue.
Required to Give Procedure.
Another type of promotion test con-
GiStS of list of cases such as might
come to the attention of policeman
He Is required to indicate which of the
following procedures he would take in
each case, his answers requiring COM
prehenSive knowledge of the police
manual: % arrest; ~ communicate
with headquarters at once; 81 report
1t the next time you telephone or go to
police headquarters; "a warn; go take
no official action.
While the examination will practically
guarantee intelligence of the type de-
nanded of policemen it leaves untouch-
ed the question of character-and the
clevereSt of men may be a scoundrel.
The Civil Service Commission now Is
making study of character investiga-
ton methods, such as letters of recon-
mendation, vouchers and oral interviews,
in an effort to make them mean more.
At present the study is concerned chiefly
with the postal service, but the results
will be applied in the selection of police
men. Nobody likes to give fellow
black eye. Left to his own initiative
Q former employer will write out very
good character" for somebody he
R41OWS ID LlOC 10 DC bXuSLCu anu WLlOul
he Is glad to be rid of.
This, 1t has been found, is less likely
when the writer is pinned down to spe
cific details to be answered Yes" or
40" Thus he is asked whether the
man ever has been caught il any spe-
eific act of stealing, etc. Theer are q
questions in all. At present there is
no specific educational requirement for
Washington policemen, stated in terms
Of school grades. The general adapta-
bility test measures this in way.
This month the revised test is being
given to large numbers of sixth, eighth
and twelfth grade students. AS the
problem grows more difficult the lower
groups will begin to drop out.
Grade Test Meaningless.
Qualification of policemen on grades
reached in school alone, it was eX-
planned, would have no meaning The
average eighth grade contains all degrees
OF intelligence, some greatly below that
required Of policemen by the general
adaptability test. Besides, the require
n1ents for completing a grade vary so
much from school to school that the
term has practically no meaning. An
eighth grade diploma from a country
school could not be considered the equiv
alent Of one from a Washington school.
Even among city schools there would
adaptability test would show whether a
man was capable of doing eighth grade
work, which is the essential thing. BY
the time man was old enough to go on
the police force he probably would have
forgotten most he learned In the eighth
grade anyways would physician or
an engineer. Taken unawares by an
eighth grade achievement test, all prob
ably would make a poor showing COM
pared with children actually in the