The written psych is, as far as I know, a MPPI. Minnesota Personality Profile Inventory...

I stand corrected!

The_Breeze wrote on Oct 30^th, 2002 at 11:06pm:


So many questions...
Yes, I have a degree in psychology, and I have worked in the field.  However, I am not a psychologist and am hardly qualified to recommend personality screening tests.

What I can tell you is that the MMPI-2 is intended and validated as a general diagnostic tool in the context of a full-blown psychological evaluation.  Generally speaking, it is intended to be used with people already presenting mental health difficulties.  No psychologist worth his or her salt would use the results as definitive or out-of-context (e.g. one cannot deduce that a subject is psychotic simply by looking at the MMPI's scores).

I'm not saying it has no utility in security prescreening, only that the test has not been validated for that purpose.  That's simply a warning; use the results this way at your own risk.  You will likely exclude some people who would make fine officers, or miss things that shouldn't be missed.  Kind of like the polygraph, I suppose.

I'm still waiting on the application process; thanks for asking

Skeptic

Marty wrote on Oct 31^st, 2002 at 3:51am:


Marty,
I agree with you completely regarding the impact on candidates.  However, I also find the particular arbitrariness of the polygraph troubling, not just from the standpoint of the candidate (who should at least be able to expect that the hiring process involves consideration for actual candidate characteristics), but from the larger national security point-of-view, as well.  It is as though a die is rolled, and those who roll certain numbers are deemed good security risks.  Not only is this a bad way to hire good people, but it's a good way to hire bad people, too -- people who can cost lives.

Skeptic

Not to contradict... As without this site and the wonderful contributions and insight from so many I would’ve never passed my poly… And more to the point, I’m sure that we’re all after the same thing for fundamentally decent and moral reasons.

BUT... I'm constantly dismayed at what I see as a fundamentally flawed approach to the dismantling of the Poly-Nation.

I see so many posts that blow a kiss to the unfortunate individual candidate who fails and his feeling of anger, dismay, etc. However, this critical point is then invariably buried with talk of “national security” and assorted big-picture concerns…. This, in my humble opinion, is a huge tactical error.

Concern about the polygraph’s failure to adequately protect “national security” is certainly important and valid; it, however, misses the mark completely. Legislators, government officials, et al will never change their collective position on the use of polygraph examinations because of such an ethereal argument… Why? Because it’s rhetoric… And rhetoric don’t vote. People vote. This is a people issue… 

An honest person that fails a polygraph examination has been denied opportunity to pursue a life-long dream – usually without recourse or adequate explanation. It’s effect on the person can be unbearable. However, we as a “movement” seem to shy away from making this personal cost our main point. It’s as though we ourselves truly believe that this outrageous treatment of citizens is in itself not enough of a reason to abolish this treacherous toy. I suggest that it is.

Instead, our most vociferous pleadings of national security concerns seem almost a collective yelping of a perverse testament of nationalism…  By shying from the personal cost in favor of pointing out “meatier” concerns… National security, spies, and the like. We seem to screaming, “See, WE’RE patriots, too!” The Jews tried that one… Didn’t work.

I mean… Christ, we’re obviously good citizens… Why would I be attempting to become a police officer? 

Instead, I suggest that we utilize a campaign of letters… Of petitions. Of substance… Contacting local media outlets with stories of polygraph abuse. Let “the man” know that a constituent has been treated unfairly, unethically, and cruelly by an arm of the state and something may happen… Let “the man” hear personal stories of despair. These are much more powerful.

No spy has ever been caught by a polygraph… Blah, blah, blather… Better points can be made… The Philadelphia PD’s experience that many candidates who passed polys turned out to have lied about substantial issues during the hiring process (including major crimes)… Let’s dig up some examples…

Bottom line: This toy dishonors and excludes honest men and women who have a calling to serve. It cheats the citizen.