Police & Public Safety Police & Public Safety PsychologyPsychology

(PPSP)(PPSP)

Council of Organizations in Police Council of Organizations in Police Psychology (COPP)Psychology (COPP)

November 2013November 2013

Prepared by: Prepared by:

JoAnne Brewster, Ph.D., ABPP & Dave Corey, Ph.D., ABPPJoAnne Brewster, Ph.D., ABPP & Dave Corey, Ph.D., ABPP

DefinitionDefinition Police & Public Safety Psychology is

concerned with assisting law enforcement and other public safety personnel and agencies in carrying out their missions and societal functions with optimal effectiveness, safety, health, and conformity to laws and ethics. It consists of the application of the science and profession of psychology in four domains of practice: assessment, clinical intervention, operational support, and organizational consulting.

Brief History of Police & Brief History of Police & Public Safety PsychologyPublic Safety Psychology

Origins of the fieldOrigins of the field• Psychology and Police SelectionPsychology and Police Selection

1916 Louis Terman1916 Louis Terman• Measured IQ in police officersMeasured IQ in police officers

1922 Louis Thurstone1922 Louis Thurstone• Stressed importance of intelligence in hiring Stressed importance of intelligence in hiring

police officerspolice officers

Brief History of PPSPBrief History of PPSP 1968 President’s Commission on Law 1968 President’s Commission on Law

Enforcement and the Administration of Enforcement and the Administration of JusticeJustice• Recommended use of psychological tests Recommended use of psychological tests

in selection of police to:in selection of police to: Screen-out inappropriate candidatesScreen-out inappropriate candidates Select most appropriate candidatesSelect most appropriate candidates

Brief History of PPSPBrief History of PPSP Police psychology expanded into other Police psychology expanded into other

areas in the 1960s, including recognition of areas in the 1960s, including recognition of • Stresses related to police work and need Stresses related to police work and need

for mental health services for officersfor mental health services for officers• Need for training of officers in Need for training of officers in

psychological principles related to their psychological principles related to their workwork

1972 Dr. Martin Reiser became the first full-1972 Dr. Martin Reiser became the first full-time U.S. police psychologist in a major time U.S. police psychologist in a major agency (Los Angeles Police Department)agency (Los Angeles Police Department)

PPSP TodayPPSP Today

Focused on 4 “Domains” of Psychological Focused on 4 “Domains” of Psychological Services to Law EnforcementServices to Law Enforcement• AssessmentAssessment• InterventionIntervention• Operational SupportOperational Support• Organizational ConsultingOrganizational Consulting

Assessment DomainAssessment Domain

Examples:Examples:• Preemployment psychological Preemployment psychological

evaluations of job candidatesevaluations of job candidates• Psychological fitness-for-duty Psychological fitness-for-duty

evaluations of working police officersevaluations of working police officers• Evaluations for high-risk assignmentsEvaluations for high-risk assignments• Test developmentTest development

Intervention DomainIntervention Domain

Examples:Examples:• Employee assistance counselingEmployee assistance counseling• Individual, group, couple, and family Individual, group, couple, and family

therapy or counselingtherapy or counseling• Critical incident debriefingCritical incident debriefing• Wellness programsWellness programs• Mental attitude preparation Mental attitude preparation

Operational Support DomainOperational Support Domain

Examples:Examples:• Criminal profilingCriminal profiling• Psychological autopsyPsychological autopsy• Crisis and hostage negotiationCrisis and hostage negotiation• Threat assessmentThreat assessment

Organizational Consulting Organizational Consulting DomainDomain

Examples:Examples:• Organizational developmentOrganizational development• Executive, management, and supervisor Executive, management, and supervisor

consultationconsultation• MediationMediation• Development of performance appraisal Development of performance appraisal

systemssystems

Recent Milestones in PPSPRecent Milestones in PPSP

2011 American Board of Professional 2011 American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) recognized PPSP as a Psychology (ABPP) recognized PPSP as a specialtyspecialty• Board certification in PPSP now possibleBoard certification in PPSP now possible

2013 American Psychological Association 2013 American Psychological Association recognized PPSP as a specialtyrecognized PPSP as a specialty

Training in PPSPTraining in PPSP

Becoming a Police & Public Safety Becoming a Police & Public Safety psychologist requires advanced psychologist requires advanced education and trainingeducation and training• Ph.D. or Psy.D. in Clinical or Counseling Ph.D. or Psy.D. in Clinical or Counseling

Psychology (licensure typically required)Psychology (licensure typically required)• Specialized coursework/continuing Specialized coursework/continuing

education in PPSPeducation in PPSP• Experience working with policeExperience working with police

Careers in PPSPCareers in PPSP

Employment OpportunitiesEmployment Opportunities• Research (colleges, universities, government, Research (colleges, universities, government,

private agencies)private agencies)• In-house psychologist at a law enforcement In-house psychologist at a law enforcement

agency (usually large agencies like NYPD, agency (usually large agencies like NYPD, LAPD, Dallas PD, Miami-Dade PD, etc.)LAPD, Dallas PD, Miami-Dade PD, etc.)

• Independent consultant to a law enforcement Independent consultant to a law enforcement agency (most common)agency (most common)

Professional OrganizationsProfessional Organizations American Psychological Association Division American Psychological Association Division

18: Police & Public Safety Section18: Police & Public Safety Section http://www.apadivisions.org/division-18/sections/http://www.apadivisions.org/division-18/sections/

police/index.aspx police/index.aspx

Society for Police & Criminal Psychology Society for Police & Criminal Psychology (SPCP)(SPCP)

http://psychweb.cisat.jmu.edu/spcphttp://psychweb.cisat.jmu.edu/spcp// International Association of Chiefs of Police-International Association of Chiefs of Police-

Police Psychological Services Section Police Psychological Services Section (IACP–PPSS)(IACP–PPSS)

http://www.theiacp.org/psych_services_section/http://www.theiacp.org/psych_services_section/

Further Information on PPSPFurther Information on PPSP

Professional JournalsProfessional Journals• Psychological Services (Division 18)Psychological Services (Division 18)• Journal of Police & Criminal Psychology Journal of Police & Criminal Psychology

(Society for Police & Criminal (Society for Police & Criminal Psychology)Psychology)

Current Issues in PPSPCurrent Issues in PPSP

In process of developing PPSP-In process of developing PPSP-specific doctoral training programs & specific doctoral training programs & internshipsinternships