Quarterly Commentary
| Published date | 01 January 1958 |
| Date | 01 January 1958 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X5803100101 |
| Subject Matter | Quarterly Commentary |
THE
POLICE
JOURNAL
VOL.
XXXI.
No.1
JANUARy-MARCH,
1958
Quarterly
Commentary
SELECTION
PROCESSES
THE perfection of procedure for selecting persons for promotion or
appointment to superior rank and responsibilities is an unceasing
task in every branch of the public service and in most of the vocations.
None of the numerous systems is ideal, and the wisdom or folly of
each method is measured by results which often reveal themselves too
late for extension or improvement, as the case may be. In police forces
no two systems are exactly alike, although arecommendation for the
establishment of selection boards, made in the Oaksey report in 1949,
has been applied or adapted in many forces, with good results if their
value is judged mainly by the degree of confidence which they engender
among both the successful and unsuccessful candidates who appeared
before them.
Selection is made, of course, from those who are qualified, and below
the rank of inspector there are statutory conditions which must be
fulfilled, the main one being the passing of examinations in educational
subjects and police duties. Some selection authorities pay more atten-
tion than others to the marks obtained in getting a "pass," others
disregard the place obtained in examinations and devote more attention
to examination of personal qualities, potential leadership as revealed by
experience and reputation, and professional capacity.
In the Police Service intelligence tests have always been regarded
with misgivings and doubts about their value in the assessment of
ability and personal merit. Although plans for the establishment of the
Police College were made after the war, during which much experience
had been gained in the selection and training for officership in the
armed forces, and opportunities for noting contemporary systems used
by the U.S. and allied forces, no recommendations were included in
the White Paper on the Higher Training of Police Officers for the
conditions of admission to the College to be dependent on the passing
of tests in mental ability or intelligence. The O.C.T.O. type of course
B1
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