An Analysis of the "Screening Out" Model of Police Officer Selection

Psychological selection criteria for police officers have traditionally been part of a "screening out" model. This model has targeted for elimination from further consideration candidates with problems in one or more of the following areas: inability to tolerate stress; prejudicial attitudes toward ethnic minority groups, homosexuals, women, or the homeless; poor interpersonal relationships; poor judgment; disordered thought processes; and lack of impulse control. The screening out model is reviewed, including selected individual components and their effectiveness. Both positive and negative aspects of screening out problematic candidates are evaluated, along with the rationale for the development of an alternative, prosocial selection system that can be implemented using the assessment center approach.