Determination of the predictive validity of the assessment center approach to selecting police managers

In recent years, assessment centers have become an increasingly popular approach to selecting and promoting police managers. Yet few empirical studies have been conducted on the validity of these assessment centers. The intent of this investigation was to conduct one of the first criterion-related validity studies of an assessment center in law enforcement. Findings indicate that this center was capable of differentiating between effective and ineffective managerial performance, as measured by a follow-up evaluation of performance two years later. The study also revealed that the dimensions of communication skills and interpersonal skills were the major determinants of assessment ratings. In addition, a closer analysis of the conduct of the assessment center suggests that its effectiveness cannot be attributed to the commonly cited assessment factors contributing to the success of assessment centers in the private sector.