HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-23-2017 Civil Service Commissionp 04�.
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
Thursday, February 23, 2017
8:15 AM
Helling Conference Room
(Lobby Conference Room)
City Hall
410 E. Washington St.
Iowa City, IA
1. Police Department promotional testing
110.oll P �a
Date: February 21,2O17
To: Civil Service Commission
From: Karen Jennings, Human Resources Administrator
Re: Police Department Promotional Testing
The certified lists for promotional positions in the Police Department expired on February 12,
2017. To enable the Chief to fill future vacancies, we need to hold a new promotional process.
The Iowa Code allows up to ten names to be certified for promotional positions.
After consulting with Chief Matherly and City Administration, we are recommending a testing
process for each rank which includes 2-3 weighted components to establish the rank order
promotional lists required by Chapter 400. The minimum requirements and proposed testing
process (including the recommended weighting) for each rank is summarized in the following
table.
3 years as Iowa City Police Officer
Written exam (25%)'
Associate's degree or 60 hours college
Assessment center (75%)
credit
"Candidate with highest 15 passing scores will
be eligible to participate in assessment center
5 years in law enforcement including 2
Assessment center (65%)
years minimum as a Sergeant
Associate's degree or 60 hours college
Panel Interview with Captains or equivalent from
credit
area agencies (35%)
Bachelors degree is preferred
4 years at Sergeant rank or Higher
Assessment center (30%)
Bachelor's degree
Panel interview with ICPD command staff (30%)
Experience at Lieutenant rank and Master's
I
Panel interview with City
decree Is ereferred
Adminictmtinn/nenadmnnt nirwcfnra rdno 1
As you can see, we are recommending that assessment centers be used in the selection
process for each of these positions. An assessment center is a process whereby assessors
who have held command staff positions in other law enforcement agencies evaluate candidates
for a position based on candidate performance in exercises designed to simulate situations
encountered by a person in the rank they are seeking to hold. Previous assessment center
exercises have included a number of the following: problem -solving, training presentation,
citizen complaint, tactical, oral presentation, in -basket, employee interview or other job related
situations. A consultant with police administration background and experience in administering
civil service promotional testing processes will be hired to design and administer the
assessment centers. Exercises are selected based on the position being tested and are
developed in conjunction with input from ICPD personnel and Human Resources. Following
completion of the assessment center the consultant will be available to meet with candidates to
provide feedback regarding the candidate's participation in the assessment center. This is the
opportunity for candidates to hear the assessors' comments regarding their strengths and
weaknesses. This type of feedback is valuable to candidates as it provides them with
information they can use in their professional development.
February 21, 2017
Page 2
Cayler Consulting is recommended to administer the promotional assessment centers. Jeff
Cayler has had a lengthy career in law enforcement, having served as Police Chief in Carroll,
Iowa for over 30 years before retiring in 2015. He has been administering assessment centers
for law enforcement agencies for approximately 20 years and has both administered
assessment centers and served as an assessor in past City of Iowa City police promotional
testing processes.
A promotional test developed by the International Personnel Management Association (IPMA) is
recommended as the written exam for the rank of Sergeant. This test is a multiple-choice test
designed for entry level law enforcement supervisors. It consists of questions in the following
areas: laws related to police work; police field operations; investigative procedures; supervisory
practices; and reports, records and paperwork. Any candidate who meets the education and
experience requirement for the position and submits an application form in a timely manner will
be eligible to participate in the written Sergeant exam. IPMA suggests that applicants be given
study time. Testing will be scheduled to allow candidates an approximately 90 day study period.
To assist candidates in preparing for this test the City will make multiple copies of the books on
the recommended reading list available through the Iowa City Public Library. It is recommended
that approximately the top 15 applicants who score 70% or higher on the written test (final
number to be determined by a natural break in scoring) be eligible to participate in the
assessment center.
We recommend that City Human Resources staff be authorized to administer the IPMA written
exam for the Sergeant process and the panel interviews for the Lieutenant and Captain
processes on behalf of the Civil Service Commission. Human Resources staff will be involved
at all stages of the process to ensure that legal requirements associated with the hiring process
are met.
Testing is tentatively planned to take place in early summer. I look forward to answering any
questions you may have at your upcoming meeting.
cc: Chief Matherly
Captain Campbell