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Required Continuing Training (AZPOST) And The Avondale Police Department

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Police Selection Process and Assignments The police selection process is comprehensive, testing an individual’s mental, physical, and intellectual abilities. The following essay will examine and compare the hiring criteria for Arizona Police Officer Standards and Training (AZPOST) and the Avondale Police Department. Required continuing training hours and mandated areas to be certified will be identified, and the role AZOST plays in ensuring standards are met statewide will be explained. An argument will be made as to whether the hiring standards in Phoenix and Avondale, Arizona, should be the same. Hiring Criteria The article “Arizona Administrative Code,” published by the Office of the Secretary of State, explains that the hiring process for …show more content…

The Avondale Police Department explicitly states a preference for candidates with previous law enforcement experience, but it is not required. Applicants must complete a written exam, panel interview, background interview and investigation, a polygraph, a psychological exam, and a medical exam (2023). Required Continuing Training, Mandated Areas, and the Role of AZ Post According to notes from an Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board meeting in February 2022, AZPOST rules stipulate that “every peace officer has must have eight hours of continuing training each year and four hours of proficiency training annually” (Sherlock, 2022). Continuing training may include topics like legal updates, use of force, ethics, and crisis intervention. Additionally, officers must regularly undergo firearms qualifications and defensive tactics. AZPOST plays an important role in establishing and enforcing physical, mental, and moral fitness standards as “all basic academies and local law enforcement agencies comply with standards established by a certifying state authority” (AJS 230 Lesson 3: Police Selection Process and …show more content…

The Phoenix Police Department is one of many struggling to find qualified applicants, resulting in some agencies lowering hiring requirements to be fully staffed (Klemko, 2023). According to a transcript from a March 18th, 2024, interview with “The Show” host Lauren Gilger on KJZZ, Phoenix Police Lt. Bryan Hanania explained a standardized written test was eliminated from the hiring process. Applicants are required to pass the Arizona Post Certification exam (Gilger, 2024). Since this test was not a good indicator of how well one would perform, eliminating this requirement does not lower hiring standards. Conclusion: It is important to balance the need to find qualified applicants while addressing ongoing recruitment challenges. If police departments in the state of Arizona continue to adhere to AZPOST requirements, waiving written test requirements during the hiring process would allow otherwise qualified applicants to become officers. This could help alleviate the police officer shortage. References City of Avondale, IL. 2023, June 26. Join our team | City of Avondale. City of

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