Police Testing

As a growing number of people seek positions in law enforcement, departments are confronted with the increasingly arduous task of selecting qualified applicants, who possess the basic skills needed to become an effective police officer. To assist with this challenge, the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police has adopted the National Police Officer Selection Test (POST). This validated, entry-level exam is being used in over 2,500 agencies across the country, including those in Iowa, Utah and Wyoming, where use of the test has been mandated.

Developed in accordance with EEOC and professional guidelines, the POST assesses an individual’s abilities in the areas of arithmetic, reading comprehension, grammar and incident report writing. Backed by extensive research and development, the POST provides numerous benefits to departments that are seeking a reliable, cost-effective screening tool, including:

• An easy-to-administer format
• Multiple test versions to reduce incidence of inflated scores
• Flexible scoring options that allow you to score it yourself or have it scored for you
• Statistical evidence linking test performance to higher training academy performance
• Validity research conducted with Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Academies

Police Officer Selection Test

The Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police, in conjunction with Stanard & Associates, Inc., offers a legally defensible, nationally validated examination that is designed to identify candidates who possess the skills necessary to function successfully as an entry level police officer. This service offered by the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police is designed to help departments throughout Mississippi select the best officers possible through inexpensive and highly effective applicant testing. Currently, 12 state chief associations have adopted the National Police Officer Selection test: Oregon, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Michigan, Oklahoma and Texas.

Background Information

Stanard & Associates, Inc., a Chicago-based firm of psychologists, began working in the area of police testing in 1976. Over the years, their work with police agencies consistently indicated a need for an instrument to assess skills such as reading comprehension, writing ability and arithmetic and grammar proficiency before candidates progressed further in the selection process. So S&A initiated an extensive review of existing entry-level police tests targeted for a national market. This confirmed the need for a relatively short and easy exam to determine whether an entry-level police applicant possessed adequate basic reading, writing/grammar and mathematics skills.

To meet this need, Stanard & Associates developed the National Police Officer Selection Test (POST), a content-valid, job-related, fair and objective pre-employment test designed to identify those candidates who have the essential basic skills necessary to perform successfully as a police officer.

Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police Testing Services

The Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police provides the National Police Officer Selection Test (POST). This exam is used by a variety of agencies and municipalities to select police officers and firefighters, including the U.S. Secret Service (Uniform Division); U.S. Capitol Police; Kansas City, MO; Portsmouth, VA; Palm Springs, CA; New Jersey State Police and Providence, RI. In addition, the POST has been mandated as the statewide entry-level test by the states of Iowa, Utah, and Wyoming. All these agencies and municipalities thoroughly researched the available exams and determined that those offered by Stanard & Associates were of the highest quality.Both the POST and NFST meet all ADA and EEOC guidelines.

The Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police offers two forms of this test. One is scored by the individual department or municipality and the other is scored by Stanard & Associates and results provided within 10 working days.

 **There is a .50 discount per test for Active Association Members.**