Heather Gray

CJS/210
Career Exploration into Policing

Identify the steps in the department's recruitment process.

Recruiting can start will an individual is in high school, or college. “The Commission on
Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies” has several standards in recruiting individuals as police
officers. The major standard set is that individuals should be aware of the “Equal Opportunity
Employment Regulations and the Affirmative Action Regulations.” This lets citizens know that no
matter what state they live in they can become a police officer.

In Baton Rouge, La. where I currently reside the recruiting can be done through newspaper,
websites, and through the Civil Service office. In order to to qualify you must be a U.S. citizen, over
the age of 21, passed the physical, have a high school diploma or GED. Complete and pass the
Standard and Association test, and have a full background check.

Identify the steps in the selection process.

This is a length process that includes examinations, interviews, and showing investigation steps,
this way the best person for the job will be chosen. “According the the Bureau of Justice the following
screen procedures:
1. Written Aptitude Test
2. Personal Interviews
3. Physical Agility
4. Polygraph Examinations
5. Voice Stress Analyzer
6. Psychological evaluation
7. Drug Test
8. Medical Examinations
9. Background investigation”
After filling out an application and passing written exams, and other test, individuals' go through a
internal review panel. Once they have passed this individuals' are required to do a physical exam, if the
internal review panel approves their scores they move on to an oral interview. The final parts of be
selected is done with the Chief of Police. The final parts include: background checks, going out in the
field with a Field Training Officer, interviews, and personality assessments.

Once passed the recruitment stage in Baton Rouge, La. you must pass the Civil Service test in
order to be considered eligible for hire. Have gotten three letters of personal reference during the
recruiting process. Finally pass the following “screen procedures:
1. A physical Assessment Examination
2. Academic Examination
3. Polygraph
4. Oral Interview
5. Psychological Evaluation
6. Physical Examination which includes a Drug Screening”
Describe the department's training process.

After passing the recruiting, and selection individuals have to be trained. Officers learn the state
laws, state procedures, as well as the department hired for mission, goals, and objectives. Individuals
also go to the police academy. According to the 1967 recommendations by the President, while in the
academy officers must complete a minimum of 400 hours in a classroom over a four to six month time-
frame. Have in-service training at least once a year. Once the training in the academy is over, officers
begin field training.

In conclusion, in order to be a police officer there are steps one must take. The process may
vary from state to state, but all have the same code to “protect and serve”. Police training never ends, as
times change so will procedures to keep qualified officers.
 References:

Baton Rouge Police. (1997-2010). Baton Rouge Police Department. Retrieved from
http://www.brgov.com/dept/brpd/recruit.htm#. Retrieved on November 6, 2010.

Dempsey, J. S. & Forst, L. S. (2005). Introduction to policing (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA:
Thomson/Wadsworth. ISBN: 0-534-64290-X

Gray, Heather (2010). University of Phoenix.