Criminology

Police force is very vital department in dealing with maintenance of law and order, peacekeeping, community services and fighting crimes in the nation, therefore it is essential to make informed decisions when selecting the ideal police recruits. The purpose of the report assessment is to come up with suitable information in choosing the ideal police recruits. Report is limited to two applicants and assessments are based on their personality features, educational profiles and other relevant information which is applicable in recruitment. The process of selection (Ban, 2008) is used in evaluating the recruits qualification for positions by identifying their operational knowledge, analytical capacity and communication skills. This ensures that individuals meet formal educational requirements to qualify for the positions. Assessments are done by reviewing relevant papers and CVs to look for technical knowledge, personality, communication skills and how one is motivated by career.  Personality is measured by big five personal traits to evaluate possibility of good performance by police force. Traits are openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism which have been used in police and non-police occupational studies to foretell job-related outcomes (Black, 2001).

Choosing the Ideal Police Recruits
In todays society social injustices and security threats are on increase giving rise to demand for more police force to keep law and order. Police services are not limited to fighting crimes only but also helping the sick, victims of accidents, abused, neglected and mentally challenged people. These services call for wise decision when choosing appropriate police who possesses good qualities ranging from academic, personal characteristics and other relevant information which are necessary (McCafferty, 2003).

Recruitment is gender sensitive the applicants are mature male and female. Most of metropolitan police force recruitments face a major challenge in recruiting minorities and women (Wilson and Grammich, 2009).

Profile 1 applicant is mature female who is very careful in thinking before acting with the need for achievements, moderate in accommodating social situations, enthusiastic and able to endure negative emotions with average level of attentiveness to inner feelings and posses poor personal comfort in embracing new ideas where as Profile 2 applicant is mature man who is thorough in thinking, very assertive, averagely concerned with cooperation and experiences. He has average feeling of anxiety, anger or guilt mood and moderate active imaginations.

Both applicants are suitable candidates  for police force despite few differences, their level of maturity, integrity and dependability are desirable features which give police department an opportunity of obtaining best services (Leach, 2002).

Education
Good leadership and service provision is characterized by formal education which is main requirement for qualification for policing followed by experiences. Training and education are main focuses in reforming police force (Wimshurst, 1995). Recruits applicant have different levels of education profile 1 academic level is postgraduate of masters in criminology with 7 years experience while profile 2 is undergraduate  of  bachelors of science with 5 years working experiences. Advanced certification in policing with areas of specialization such as social and behavioral science, communication, law and professional ethics are equivalent to degree in criminal justice (Wimshurst, 1995).

Personality Features
Specific generations display different characteristics depending on time of birth and these features should not be used against generations in recruitment. Police officers should possess positive personality. Honesty, fairness and service to others are foundational values in provision of police service, though todays policing are dependent on skills, knowledge and competencies (Cleveland and Saville, 2007). Personnel joining police force must be in possession of attributes that make a candidate qualify for recruit positions in police department, these attributes are being free criminal records, good health and well being. One must be comfortable in working under stress, unusual environments and a team player who is motivated by career achievements (Leach, 2002).

Profile 1 is very precise in making decisions before acting while profile 2 is thorough in decision making.  For todays candidates to qualify for police recruitment, they are expected to have strong focus on strategic thinking, problem solving skills and ability to collaborate with society (Wilson and Grammich, 2009). Since the police force was diversified, women have been found to be successful in dealing with some situations because of willingness to listen and arbitrate rather than taking actions quickly (Ban, 2008). This applies to profile 1, ability of being decisive.

Both recruits are moderately agreeable, they are pleasant in accommodating social situations. Women are professionals and have entered into police force because they have strong opinion of public service orientation. Women have used police services as means of accessing formal social control by promoting safety of women, children, and wider community by using the legal power they have (Wimshurst, 1995).
 
Applicants have average level of neuroticism. This suggests that recruits are able to be attentive to their inner feelings. Individuals are independent in making decisions. They are aggressive and active in pursuing their goals and maintaining own point of view by rejecting self blame. These enable them to cope with a job pressures and negative feeling which may hinder their performance (Aamodt, Brewster and Raynes, 1998). Women tend to open up in reporting feelings of being stressed and work related pressure while men will externalize pressure by treating people like impersonated piece of objects (Wimshurst, 1995).

Other Relevant Information
Police officers must be emotionally stable to perform various difficult duties which are tedious, stressful and unpredictable. Experimental efforts are required due to increase in complexity of police tasks. Police officers must possess good communication, counseling and analytical skills to collect, analyze and interpret information in order to negotiate for agreements incase of conflicts (Watson and Kenney, 1990).  Both applicants are in possession of good communication skills which are helpful in dealing with difficult situations.

For police service to be effective, career motivation and interests are mandatory, both applicants are highly motivated to police roles. Cynicism is an evolving character among police and not trait of individuals who choose to be police. Its negative influence outweighs positive aspects of cynicism as it can be a valuable tool in police force which makes police proactive in crime-fighting (Caplan, 2003). Job cynicism is experienced by both men and women, better educated women are more cynical later in their careers while men display it early (Wimshurst, 1995).  Other relevant qualities include physical fitness where weight must be proportional to height and eyesight must be of normal eye color. Other factor to be considered is mental capacity, physical agitation and potential to perform police duties.

Candidates should not have been convicted to punishment or imprisonment due to any crime. Persons joining police departments must be a citizen or have acquired citizenship and must have attributes that make them eligible for police recruits positions. These include being free from criminal records, good health, accustomed to working under pressure, odd working environments and team players motivated to accomplishing police duties (Leach, 2002).

Recommendations
From the observations made in the report, police force is highly dependent on knowledge, understanding and judgment rather than physical ability to be effective in peacekeeping, provision of communal services, maintenance of law and order and crime fighting (McCafferty, 2003).
 
Recruit profile 1 is ideal in police service since educated police officers had better oral and written communication skills and high analytical capacity. This is further characterized by great openness to embrace change in judiciary, better understanding of police force services and criminal justice system with comprehension of civil rights issues (Paynich, 2009). Profile 1 recruit has excellent knowledge in criminology and policing, the removal of past obstacles regarding women on careers have encouraged many women to be police. Since the removal of restriction, recruitment of best applicants as possible has been emphasized. Women have presented better opportunities in exploring gender related issues (Wimshurst, 1995). The ideal candidate should either be an experienced with police supervisory or a well conversant with police supervision. A well balanced career, with experience in administration will provide the foundation for success. The candidate must have demonstrated leadership ability coupled with a record of commitment to community service. Recruits must have received essential training in police work including first aid, communication skills and marksmanship (Leach, 2002). Profile 1 will be successful due to her academics and experiences.

Despite the academic qualifications, working experience is also a factor to be considered in selection. Profile 1 has seven years of working experience, this is influential in type of department an individual will be recruited to and will be  rewarding and motivating  factor in career thus experience  results to mutual satisfaction for both police force and individual (Leach, 2002). Associates Degree in Law Enforcement with professional police experience or any combination of education and experience that provides equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities are necessary in selecting ideal recruits.

The high level of conscientiousness will enable the recruit to act carefully and accordingly in solving problem at hand by being decisive in coming up with action plans. The personality will enhance carefulness in striving for achievements while on duty. People with conscientiousness traits tend to be successful in performance since they are careful in planning, reliable, dutiful and persistent though they might be workaholics and perfectionists. (Gates and Whalen, 2007).