Recruitment and Selection of Police Officers.pdf

BOCA RATON POLICE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Departmental Standards Directive 31.100 RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION Revised: February 13, 2017 I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this departmental standards directive is to provide guidelines for identifying and employing the best candidates available to serve as empl...

BOCA RATON POLICE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Departmental Standards Directive 31.100 RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION Revised: February 13, 2017 I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this departmental standards directive is to provide guidelines for identifying and employing the best candidates available to serve as employees of the Boca Raton Police Services Department. II. POLICY: The City of Boca Raton is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a drug and alcohol-free workplace. It shall be the policy of the Department to hire only those candidates who meet the standards established by Florida Statutes and by the City. The selection process will be periodically reviewed by designated personnel along with City human resources professionals to ensure that selection criteria are reflective of statutory mandates, and the bona fide occupational qualifications. 9.01 The Boca Raton Police Services Department is committed to recruiting the most qualified persons in order to provide quality police services to our citizens while encouraging individual and organizational diversity within the police force. To achieve this goal, a recruitment plan outlining goals and methods for reaching those goals has been established. (See Appendix A) III. PROCEDURE: A. RECRUITMENT PERSONNEL: 1. RECRUITMENT SUPERVISOR: a. A Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) supervisor will monitor recruitment efforts and work with the City of Boca Raton’s Human Resources Division (HR) to ensure that recruitment efforts are consistent with Department and City policy. b. The supervisor shall handle all duties and responsibilities of recruitment in accordance with City and civil service guidelines with the following goals: i. Maintaining a count of all positions that have been authorized and budgeted at full strength ii. Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: February 13, 2017 Seeking and obtaining the best-qualified candidates Recruitment and Selection Directive No. 31.100 Page 1 of 4 2. INVESTIGATORS: a. Investigators assigned to the PSB are authorized by the chief of police to carry out recruitment activities up to the point of selection. b. Investigators shall be familiar with City and civil service guidelines pertaining to recruitment. When a candidate meets the requirements for selection, an investigator will forward a recommendation package to the chief of police through the chain of command. 10.15 c. Investigators will receive and review all applications from HR and monitor, manage and/or assign all further selection activity through hire and permanent status or rejection, within 60 days, if possible. 3. RECRUITMENT POSITION TRAINING: a. Newly appointed investigators shall receive training in the following areas: 10.15 b. i. Pre-employment background investigations ii. Standardized testing scoring, as required for the hiring process Investigators shall receive instruction in the following areas: 10.15 i. The Department’s recruitment needs and commitments ii. Department career opportunities, salaries, benefits, and training iii. Federal and state compliance guidelines iv. The community and its needs, including demographic data, community organizations and educational institutions v. Cultural awareness vi. The record-keeping systems for candidate tracking vii. The selection process including procedures involved in background investigations and written, oral, or physical agility examinations viii. Recruitment programs of other jurisdictions ix. Characteristics that disqualify candidates x. Medical and psychological requirements c. Department investigators will attend all City-sponsored briefings and updates on recruitment policy, contracts, guidelines, etc. Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: February 13, 2017 Recruitment and Selection Directive No. 31.100 Page 2 of 4 B. RECRUITMENT PROCESS: 1. METHODS OF RECRUITMENT: a. Employees who discuss employment opportunities with potential candidates should refer them to HR, the Department's recruitment investigator(s) or the Department’s website. b. If needed, it shall be the responsibility of the PSB supervisor to incorporate objectives in the recruitment plan to encourage more minority group applicants. c. The PSB supervisor will coordinate recruitment efforts with local colleges and local major employers, including but not limited to, Florida Atlantic University (FAU), Palm Beach State College (PBSC) and Broward College (BC). d. A Department representative should be available at all Career Day activities at FAU, PBSC, BC, and Boca Raton area high schools. 2. EMPLOYMENT PROCESS: a. Department investigators will carefully monitor each candidate's employment process and provide counseling and guidance to ensure that minor omissions or inaccuracies do not affect the applicant's employment opportunities. b. Applications that contain minor omissions or deficiencies may be considered if they are corrected before the testing or interview process. 3. RECORDS: a. In-house selection records and materials shall be stored in a secure area in the PSB when not being used. b. Disposal of records shall be conducted in compliance with State records retention schedules. 4. SELECTION PROCESS RESULTS: a. Investigators will ensure that the assigned clerical staff is informed immediately of any status changes in the candidate’s testing process. b. The clerical staff will send the appropriate documentation to HR for disposition. c. If a single test, examination, interview, or investigation results in a candidate not being selected/hired, he/she shall be informed, in writing within 30 calendar days by Human Resources staff. Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: February 13, 2017 Recruitment and Selection Directive No. 31.100 Page 3 of 4 5. STANDARDIZED ADMINISTRATION: a. The selection process shall be administered, scored, evaluated, and interpreted in a uniform manner. 9.01 6. ANNUAL ANALYSIS: a. The PSB commander or his/her designee shall submit an annual analysis evaluating the Department’s effectiveness in achieving the goals set forth in the Department’s Recruitment Plan (Appendix A). Additionally, the annual analysis shall determine if any amendments to the Recruitment Plan are necessary. C. INTERNS: 1. The Department may accept student interns from any accredited college and vocational interns who are not enrolled in a college and employ those interns in all nonenforcement assignments within the Department. 2. Policy and procedures for student intern programs shall be agreed on between the Department and the school or university from which the intern comes. 3. The PSB supervisor or investigators will develop contacts with personnel agencies at the state, county, and local government level and institutions of higher education to aid in the recruitment of applicants for student internships. 4. See Standard Operating Procedure 31.02 Internship Program for guidelines on the operation of the Internship Program. Approved: Daniel C. Alexander Chief of Police Effective: January 1, 1989 Revised: February 13, 2017 Date: Recruitment and Selection Directive No. 31.100 Page 4 of 4