The Assessment Center Handbook for Police and Fire Personnel (4th Ed.)

Assessment centers continue to be widely used as the preferred and accepted manner of evaluating potential members of police and fire departments as a part of their standardized promotional examination process. This third edition of this most successful book expands upon the concepts and principles of the first two editions and introduces new innovations. Chapters have been extensively edited and reformatted. New sections have been added covering the tactical EMS problem and public education exercises. An entirely new chapter, “Best Practices in Assessment Center Exercises,” provides many examples of how candidates can achieve superior performance in many different kinds of assessment exercises. An additional new section offers opportunities for incorporating advancing technologies in assessment center programs. The text continues to offer invaluable insight concerning the reliability, cost-effectiveness, and objective methods for the selection of candidates for higher appointments. Reviewed are the advantages of an assessment center, typical assessment center exercises, design and administration, selection and training, candidate evaluation and scoring methods, and preparation. A substantial appendix provides many valuable resource tools, including exercise plans, typical schedules, candidate evaluation and assessor feedback forms, room configurations, and feedback questionnaires. The text continues to be the authoritative source for assessment center administrators. This book provides an overview of the assessment center process for both the future candidate and for the municipal administrator. Assessment centers continue to be widely used as the preferred and accepted manner of evaluating the potential of members of police and fire departments as a part of their standardized promotional examination process. This publication draws on the author's current knowledge and his own extensive experience, and provides a thorough overview of the design and administration of an assessment center for fire and police personnel. It offers invaluable insight concerning the reliability, cost-effectiveness, and objective methods for the selection of candidates for higher appointments. Topics include the advantages of an assessment center, typical assessment center exercises, design and administration, selection and training, candidate evaluation and scoring methods, preparation, and an overall summary. Among the many important features of this book, the discussion on how or why an assessment center should be conducted, and the manner in which candidates are evaluated by the assessors is paramount. Concluding with numerous exercise plans, typical assessment center schedules, candidate evaluation and assessor feedback forms, this volume serves as a comprehensive textbook in administrator preparatory programs. Figures, appendixes, and index Drawing on current knowledge and his own extensive experience, the author provides a thorough overview of the design and administration of an assessment center for fire and police personnel. He offers invaluable insight concerning the reliability, cost-effectiveness, and objective methods for the selection of candidates for higher appointments. Topics include the advantages of an assessment center, typical assessment center exercises, design and administration, selection and training, candidate evaluation and scoring methods, preparation, and an overall summary. How or why an assessment center should be conducted, and the manner in which candidates are evaluated by the assessors, are among the many important features of this book. Concluding with numerous exercise plans, typical assessment center schedules, candidate evaluation and assessor feedback forms, this volume will serve as an excellent textbook in administrator preparatory programs.