NCJ Number
32025
Date Published
1975
Length
119 pages
Annotation
REPORT ON A 1974 STUDY WHICH ANALYZED DATA FROM FIVE POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE WAS ANY CORRELATION BETWEEN POLICE OFFICER HEIGHT AND PERFORMANCE.
Abstract
INCLUDED IN THIS RESEARCH STUDY WERE THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS OF DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, DALLAS, TEXAS, DES MOINES, IOWA, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, AND NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK. DATA COLLECTION WAS DIVIDED INTO TWO PHASES. THE FIRST PHASE INVOLVED THE PREPARATION OF INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTAL TABLES SHOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF HEIGHTS OF OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO PATROL AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE HEIGHTS OF OFFICERS WHO HAD RECENTLY BEEN ASSAULTED. PHASE TWO PROVIDED AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF REASONS FOR ANY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES DUE TO HEIGHT.THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OFFICER HEIGHT AND FIFTEEN OTHER VARIABLES (INCLUDING SUSTAINED CITIZEN COMPLAINTS, SICK LEAVE, AND ON-DUTY INJURIES) WAS ALSO EXAMINED. NEITHER STUDY RESULTS NOR A REVIEW OF THE AVAILABLE LITERATURE IN THIS AREA POINTED TO ANY IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE IN LIKE PERFORMANCE OF TALL AND SHORT (UNDER 67 INCHES) OFFICERS WITH SIMILAR SENIORITY AND ASSIGNMENTS. (HOWEVER, DATA FROM OAKLAND DID INDICATE THAT SHORTER OFFICERS WERE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE LESS SENIORITY AND MORE NEGATIVE ENCOUNTERS WITH CITIZENS.) IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT POLICE DEPARTMENTS ELIMINATE THE HEIGHT REQUIREMENT AND USE A SELECTION SYSTEM BASED ON THE OVERALL POTENTIAL OF THE APPLICANT FOR SUCCESSFUL POLICE WORK. IT IS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT SKILL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING BE PROVIDED FOR SHORTER OFFICERS IN THOSE AREAS THOUGHT TO INVOLVE A HEIGHT-PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS AN EXPLANATION OF THE STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY USED, A COPY OF THE STUDY DATA COLLECTION FORM, AND A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON HEIGHT AND POLICE OFFICER PERFORMANCE. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (SNI ABSTRACT)