Evening star., 1955-02-25
Personnel

The committee starts with the
premise that modern police work
requires highly trained special
lists. The report warns that only
as recognition is given to the
idea that many police positions
require special background, par
ticular aptitudes and intensive
specialized training will it be
possible to devise a personnel
structure that will completely
serve the needs of the depart
ment.
AS a start. the committee
recommends that all police po-
sitions be inventoried and then
classified as to levels Of diff
Guilty and responsibility. When
this stock taking has been done,
the qualifications required for the
Jobs could be used as a guide to
recruitment. Also. 1t should be
determined whether the job
could be done by a civilian rather
than a policeman.
Here are the specific recon-
mendations for getting and keep
ing the best qualified police on
the force.
l. Recruitment - The Civil
Service Commission should con-
tinue to do the recruiting but
the procedures and standards
should be altered to key recruit
ing more directly to the specific
qualifications of the jobs to be
filled. Police recruiting will have
to be increasingly discriminat-
ing. At present. all male recruits
are given civil service examina-
tion and a physical examination
but no other standards are used.
The committee recommended
that recruiting examinations for
some police positions should be
based on a different set of re-
ouirements than those used in
basic recruiting.
The present system of recruit
ment catches even minor physi-
cal defects but ".there is no as
surance that it would detect an
innate dislike of police work.
sadistic tendencies, psychopathic
troubles or any other types of
mental or emotional inbalance.
The committee found that in
this respect recruiting here is
far behind the best practices of
many other cities and urged i'm
action to provide for
a formal check on aptitudes, at
titudes and emotional problems.
2. Cadet program-Under this
system, high school graduates
would be used in non-uniformed
work until they reach the age
OF Il and thus become eligible
to join the uniformed force. The
committee recommended estab-
lishment of such a program here.
3. Training - The committee
found the present training pro-
gram falls seriously short in
some respects" It cited the lack
OF periodic refresher courses;
special courses for training de-
tectives, those concerned with
juveniles and other specialized
groups; courses to help men ac-
quire administrative and per-
sonnel skills required in the
h g rank positions and
courses to maintain physical fit
ness-all of which it recon-
The committee argued
that shortage of manpower
good training more i'm
perative, that on-the-job train
ing alone is not enough and that
more specialized training courses
are needed.
The committee also recon-
mended that recruits be brought
back to the training school at
least one day a month during
the first year after completing
their 12-week training course,
that the training school be given
broader authority over the re-
cruits, that no man should be
made a permanent member of
The force without the training
schools approval, that the en-
tire first year on the force should
be regarded as a training period,
that outside talent be imported
10 lecture in the training school
and that an outside educator be
hired on a full-time basis to
head the departments training
program.
4. Pr0mOtiOn--Major overhaul
Of the promotion system is rec
ommended. There are now two
systems. In the plaincloths force.
promotion is based on fitness and
experience. In the uniformed
force, fitness and experience are
weighted go per cent and a
written examination makes up
The remaining 40 per cent. The
committee recommended that the
system for filing top positions
md plainclothes positions be ex-
ended in scope and applied to
all promotions. The suggested
system would work this way:
Each recruit. while in train
ng, would be thoroughly tested
On his aptitudes. abilities and
interests. Through counselline,
study and encouragement, he
would prepare himself for pro-
notion in the field of his choice. !
AS vacancies opened, elegible .
men could apply and their record
would be appraised by a panel /
appointed to make recommends /
ions to the chief. In some cases,
,ests tailored to certain positions
would be given. All applicants
would be interviewed by the
panel. The police chief would
make the final selection Of men
@ be promoted except that the
Commissioners would have to
approve all positions of the rank |