5 years ago Governor Sonny Perdue asked me and 4 other long time private detective agency owners to write a new test for agency license applicants.
We met for 3 days in Macon, Ga. at the Ga. Secretary of State Professional Licensing Division.
And what a joke it was as they had a dude with a PHD in test writing in charge.
Now those of us in the real world know that there was also heavy pressure from my industry to make this test very hard. And why? TURF PROTECTION to limit competition.
WELL DUH.
And we ignored the 2 professional associations here and their lobbying for a very hard test.
But the net result was a complete joke because of the test writers and bureaucrats.
Same as the Boston Police Test.
Best to listen to those of us that have been around the block for decades.
Testing is one of the worst indicators of job performance in law enforcement.
I hear you, and I agree to a certain extent. But there are some things you just have to understand by rote.
Even in my industry, the dumbest trucker has to pass written test after written test. Combination vehicles, air brakes, hazardous materials, load securement...and then be recertified in most every three years.
And these tests, have real life applications.
Do you want a guy hauling chlorine gas and a pyrophoric liquid together through your neighborhood?
I sure as hell wouldn't, and understanding these concepts could be the difference between life or death, which is why it is so important that we test for comprehension.
A police supervisor decisions will also have life altering ramifications. If an applicant is unable to meet the standard knowledge threshold to pass the advancement exam, they are obviously not prepared for promotion.