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AGENDA ITEM REPORT

Title: Report on the Peace Officer Job Analysis Project
REPORT PROFILE
MEETING DATE
10/23/2014		 BUREAU SUBMITTING THIS REPORT
Strategic Communications and Research Bureau
RESEARCHED BY (PRINT NAME)
Irene L. Wong-Chi		 REVIEWED BY (PRINT NAME)
Bob Holmgren
REPORT DATE
09/25/2014		 APPROVED BY
Robert A. Stresak		 DATE APPROVED
10/06/14
PURPOSE
Information Only		 FINANCIAL IMPACT
No

ISSUE:
This is an informational report on the status of the peace officer job analysis project.  
BACKGROUND:

The first California peace officer job analysis was completed in 1979.  The second job analysis was completed in 1998.  In September 2012, POST began a project to update the 1998 entry-level peace officer job analysis.  The purpose of the job analysis is to identify the tasks, skills, abilities, and traits which are critical to successful job performance as a peace officer. Results of the job analysis will be used to validate the content of training and testing used in the Basic Course (including the Work Sample Test Battery and skills testing) and guide the update of the Post Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLETB) and other related POST projects (e.g., physical ability testing).

ANALYSIS:
POST is following the professional training and testing standards and guidelines to develop a legally defensible task and content area outline for peace officers.  A content validation strategy is employed to identify and describe the content of the peace officer’s job.  This strategy is followed in all phases of the project, including the completion of 20 site visits, interviews, and ride-alongs with law enforcement agencies throughout the state, the facilitation of three focus group workshops with subject matter experts (SMEs), and the development of a job analysis survey.

The job analysis survey is currently open for collecting responses from officers with less than five years of total law enforcement experience.  This restriction is used in order to maintain the integrity of the entry-level peace officer perspective.  

As of September 26, 2014, responses to the the job analysis survey are summarized as follows:
  • 71 completed surveys
  • 50 incomplete surveys (i.e., surveys in progress)
  • 15 disqualified surveys (i.e., respondents did not meet the less than five years total  law enforcement experience criteria)
  • 92% are patrol officers
  • 72% are from police departments, 27% specialized (i.e., California State Parks, Fish and Wildlife, Social Services), 1% Campus-based
  • 48% are from medium-sized agencies (i.e., 151-300)
  •  68% are male, 32% are female
  •  20 out of the 58 counties are represented
  •  37 agencies contacted POST to participate
  • Approximately equal representation of work shifts (i.e., morning, swing, and night shifts)

Beginning in November 2014, staff will assess the agencies that are under-represented and seek specific additional participation.  It is critically important that a large representative sample of officers complete the survey in order to obtain sufficient data to establish the effective minimum standards and requirements needed for entry into the profession.
RECOMMENDATION:
This report is presented for information only.  No action is required.
 
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