Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 132 - Commission of Law Enforcement Standards and Training › Rule 132.00.15-035 - Specification S-7 Psychological Examination Report

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
Section 1002 (3) (i) of the Regulations requires that applicants
			 be examined for emotional stability by an individual licensed to practice
			 Psychiatry or Psychology and qualified to perform such evaluations in the State
			 of Arkansas. The emotional stability to withstand the pressures of modern law
			 enforcement work is an essential qualification for applicants for law
			 enforcement service and although psychological tests and interviews have
			 recognized limitations, many personality defects can and are identified through
			 screening by trained professionals.
REQUIREMENTS
1. All applicants will be examined to
		  determine emotional stability.
2.
		  No person will be eligible for certification if they have any condition listed
		  in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th
		  edition (DSM-5) of the American Psychiatric Association which would limit the
		  police officer's ability to cope with the stress of modern day police work such
		  as:
(a) Any organic mental disorder or organic
		  brain syndrome that currently results in impairment in memory, cognitive
		  functions, judgment and personality.
(b) Any substance use such as alcohol,
		  barbiturate, opium, cocaine, amphetamine, hallucinogenic and cannabis which
		  impairs social or occupational functioning due to an inability to control use
		  or stop taking the substance and the development of serious withdrawal symptoms
		  after cessation or reduction in substance use. Previous substance use should be
		  in remission for three (3) years.
(c) Any psychotic reaction showing
		  disturbance in content of thought involving delusions, fragmented thoughts,
		  distortions of reality, breakdown of ego defenses or hallucinations. Any
		  previous psychotic episodes should be in remission for three (3) years and be
		  currently evaluated as showing no residual symptoms.
(d) Any neurotic disorder such as excessive
		  anxiety, panic, or convulsions which would indicate that irrational behavior
		  would occur under stress.
(e) Any
		  impulse control problem, particularly with anger, having resulted in
		  husband/wife or child abuse or revealed in explosive outbreaks.
(f) Any environmental stresses such as
		  divorce, loss of job, business difficulty, or death in family can result in
		  maladaptive reactions resulting in either impairment in social or occupational
		  functioning that are in excess of a normal and expected reaction.
(g) Any personality disorder showing a
		  pervasive and unwarranted suspicion and mistrust of people, hypersensitivity,
		  emotional coldness and aloofness resulting in an ability to make and maintain
		  relationships. Any history of continuous and chronic antisocial
		  behavior.
(h) Behavior disorders as
		  evidenced by:
(1) Frequent encounters with law
		  enforcement agencies or antisocial attitudes or behavior which, while not a
		  cause for rejection under Regulation 1002(3) (d) (i) are tangible evidence of
		  an impaired characterological capacity to adapt to the demands of law
		  enforcement service.
(2) Behavior
		  disorders where it is evident by history and objective examination that the
		  degree of immaturity, instability, personality inadequacy and dependency will
		  seriously interfere with the performance of law enforcement duties as
		  demonstrated by repeated inability to maintain reasonable adjustment in school,
		  with employers and fellow workers, and other social groups.
PROCEDURES
1. An actual interview and psychometric
		  evaluation will be utilized:
(a) The employing
		  agency will determine the examiner to be utilized.
(b) Applicants will complete any preliminary
		  history forms required by the examiner. The applicant will provide the examiner
		  with a release of information to the potential employing authority.
(c) The results of the first examination will
		  be binding. When the original examiner determines that additional tests are
		  needed, the additional tests or interviews will be considered a part of the
		  original examination. If extenuating circumstances exist that create a doubt as
		  to the validity of the results of the first examination, the employing agency
		  may petition the Commission for the approval of a second examination to be
		  administered by a different examiner.
(d) The psychometric evaluation shall include
		  such standardized tests as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, or
		  others that may be necessary such as Bender Gestalt and Rorschach or the
		  equivalent of each test as are appropriate and are validated by proper
		  authority to evaluate personality traits and other mental health
		  characteristics. These tests will be interpreted by licensed qualified
		  individuals to assure results.
(e)
		  During the diagnostic interview, the examiner will evaluate each individual
		  sufficiently for any evidence of disorganized or unclear thinking, of unusual
		  thought control; of undue suspiciousness or of apathy or "strangeness" and any
		  discovered evidence will be noted. Any unusual emotional expression such as
		  depression, expansiveness, withdrawal or marked anxiety, which is out of
		  keeping with the content of the interview will be noted and carefully
		  evaluated.
2. The
		  results of the evaluation will be recorded. A report of the evaluation will be
		  forwarded to the employing agency. The report will be signed by a licensed
		  psychologist or psychiatrist designating the applicant as
RECOMMENDED or
		  NOT RECOMMENDED.
The results of tests or interviews administered by
		  licensed psychological examiners must be reviewed and countersigned by either a
		  licensed Psychologist or Psychiatrist. The form F-26 or equivalent should be
		  used.