Study Reveals Predictive Scales for Serious Misconduct Among Law Enforcement Officers

This study compared 143 law enforcement officers with a history of serious misconduct to 429 matched comparators who had completed psychological evaluations. The study found significant differences between the two groups in seven Candidate and Officer Personnel Survey-Revised (COPS-R) scales and one Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI-Plus) index. Additionally, analyses were conducted on officers with substance-use-related problems, identifying four COPS-R and two PAI-PPSR scales as significant predictors of serious misconduct. The study suggests that these scales may help predict serious misconduct in law enforcement officers and candidates and highlights the importance of psychological evaluations in identifying high-risk candidates.

Download the study [PDF]