SHEILA A. MATHEWS :::
Pre-employment testing records for former GPD Officer Tyler Cooper indicate some portions raised questions regarding whether he should have been hired to police the city of Griffin.
As part of the hiring process, the GPD administers an examination called the Personnel Evaluation Profile (PEP), which is commonly referred to as a psychological evaluation.
The results of Cooper’s 180-question exam shed insight into the information GPD officials had prior to recommending him to be hired.
The results, as they are broken down by section, are shown below.
VALIDITY
Comprehension: It appears that Tyler Cooper read and understood the survey items and did not respond in a random manner.
Distortion: This appears to be a valid survey. It appears in general that Tyler Cooper read the items carefully and the responses appear to be realistically truthful and likely to reflect his current status.
ETHICS
The Ethics scale measures the applicant’s responses to items related to their value system. The items cover areas such as past misconduct, reporting theft, inter-thief loyalty, hypothetical theft situations, etc. A high score is generally consistent with an applicant who rejects dishonest behavior and dishonest values. Studies show that applicants with good values are less likely to engage in a significant misconduct on the job. Tyler Cooper scored at the 95 percentile on the Ethics scale.
REPORTING
This scale has items related to reporting dishonest behavior. Inter-thief loyalty and the importance of reporting dishonest behavior. A high score on this scale indicates that the applicant understands the importance of reporting dishonest behavior and is therefore more likely to report job related dishonest. Tyler Cooper scored at the 100 percentile on the Reporting scale.
SOCIALIZATION
The Socialization scale items relate to patience, flexibility, tolerance for frustration, and rule conformance. A high score on the Socialization scale indicates the applicant perceives himself as more sensitive and conforming to social customs than other applicants. Thus, persons in the high percentile range are reflecting moral uprightness, tolerance for frustration, and sensitivity towards others. Tyler Cooper scored at the 85 percentile on the Socialization scale.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
The Customer Service Scale has items regarding customer care, approach and involvement with customers, empathy, tolerance and problem solving. A high score on this scales correlates with employees that have been rated above average on customer orientation, product focus, attentiveness, reliability and rule conformance. Tyler Cooper scored at the 69 percentile on the Customer Service scale.
ILLEGAL DRUG ATTITUDES
The Drug Use scale is designed to assess the applicant’s views concerning illegal drug use. A high score on this scale generally indicates that the applicant reported negative views about the use of illegal drugs. Someone who believes illegal drug usage is wrong is unlikely to cause the company any significant drug related problems. Tyler Cooper scored at the 100 percentile on the Drug Use scale.
EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND
The Employment Background scale has items reflecting rule conformance, interpersonal conflict, longevity, and job performance. A low score indicates that a significant number of questions were answered in a manner that would make thorough reference checking advisable. Tyler Cooper scored at the 17 percentile on the Employment Background scale.
WORK ETHIC
The Work Ethic scale has questions relating to the applicant’s ability to get along with bosses and co-workers, longevity, initiative, work drive, and overall work attitude. A high score is believed to represent someone who is likely to be conscientious, hard-working, and task oriented. Tyler Cooper scored at the 70 percentile on the Work Ethic scale.
ABSENTEEISM
The Absenteeism scale has items focusing on dependability and attitudes regarding missing days. A high score indicates that the applicant is conscientious about coming to work and is unlikely to miss days from work without good cause. Tyler Cooper scored at the 76 percentile on the Absenteeism scale.
TARDINESS
The Tardiness scale has questions which focus on the applicant’s beliefs about coming to work late or taking long breaks. A high score indicates that the applicant recognizes the importance of being timely and is therefore less likely to be late or take long breaks without good cause. Tyler Cooper scored at the 100 percentile on the Tardiness scale.
OVERALL RECOMMENDATION
The Overall Recommendation scale is a blend of questions from throughout the survey. These items were selected because they statistically differentiated whether or not professional interviewers would overall recommend or not recommend the applicant for the job. A high score generally reflects those applicants who are considered a “good hiring risk” by professional employment interviewers. Tyler Cooper scored at the 56 percentile on the Overall Recommendation scale.
DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF SURVEY RESPONSES
Item responses should not be used as the sole basis for making a hiring decision. Occasionally an applicant may inadvertently mark the wrong circle. These responses are printed to give employers insight into the applicant’s value system and to prompt further inquiry or investigation.
ETHICS
Admissions: Tyler Cooper indicated he:
Has broken company rules he could have been fired for
Has taken property from jobs without approval (question 95) No answer given
Has intentionally cheated a company he worked for
It is suggested that this applicant be given a security interview to determine the extent of the misconduct and whether it is relevant to this job.
Tyler Cooper indicated he has been at least a little tempted to commit a crime.
REPORTING
No reportable items
SOCIALIZATION
Getting along: Tyler Cooper indicated that:
He gets frustrated if interrupted while working on something important.
He has raised his voice in an argument at work or school.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Customer Interaction: Tyler Cooper indicated he would prefer to work alone rather than with a group of people.
ILLEGAL DRUG ATTITUDES
No reportable items
EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND
Work History: Tyler Cooper indicated he:
Will probably get at least one bad reference (question 123) Unclear answer given.
Has received a verbal warning at a job.
Has received a written warning at a job.
Has had a boss that expressed concern over his job performance.
WORK ETHIC
Work Drive: Tyler Cooper indicated that he believes past bosses might say he should work harder.
ABSENTEEISM
No reportable items.
TARDIENSS
No reportable items.
