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My name is Mike and I have been actively involved in the hiring process at one of my local departments since the beginning of February.  I made it through the written, physical fitness, the first interview, the polygraph, and the oral boards.  After I took the written exam, the class that I was in was told by the recruiting officer that if we made it through the oral boards we could consider ourselves hired.  I had my psychological evaluation a few weeks back, and I felt pretty good about it.  After all, I'm thirty-two years old; I have never been on any medication for any type of mental illness; I don't have have any anger issues; I have never been fired from a job in the twenty-two years that I have been working; and to the best of my knowledge their is nothing about my character that says that I could not do the job.  With that being said, I got a letter a couple of days ago saying that they appreciate my interest in the department...  Long story short, I was dropped from the process with no explanation as to why.  Common sense tells me that it has something to do with my psych. test.  But like I stated before, their is nothing about me that I know of would be a good reason to drop me after they have spent so much time and money to get me were I was.

After receiving the letter, and getting little help from the recruiting officer, I sent an email to the chief.  It was as professional of a letter as I could type asking for any explanation he could offer as to why this might of happened.  Of course I have yet to receive a reply (not that I was really expecting one).

I have a couple of questions that I hope someone may be able answer.  First, is it common for a police department to not give an explanation, only a letter, to someone that has made it as far in the hiring process as I did?  Second, If I in fact did fail the psychological evaluation, will that make it impossible for me to get hired any were else?  And last, was it a bad idea to email the chief?

I apologize for the length of this question.  Any information or advise would be greatly appreciated.  And I thank all the cops that I have gotten advise from in the past on PL.  It definitely helped me get as far as I did.  Thanks again and stay safe.

Mike

I was told by the psychologist that I was too optomistic to be a cop and that I'd never make it through the first year. I told him he was wrong (but that was probably the optomism talking). I've now been at my department for almost two years and I LOVE it! Psychology is really only guessing anyway; quite a few departments don't put a lot of stock in their voodoo. Don't give up; keep trying! 

I had to take a new Psych Exam after a shooting back in 2001  the Doctor said he did not know how I lasted that long I was not crazy enough  believe me there will be other depts  and other test do not give up but if the doctor says you are 100% sane then look for another job

How do you fail a psych. evaluation?

You walk into the shrink's office and say "I wanna kill." 

But seriously......

One thing to consider is what all the psych eval consisted of..... interviews, MMPI battery tests, etc.... it may be you, it may be a conflict between you & the shrink.... When I first went to get hired by the agency, they said I "half-failed" the eval and sent me for a 2nd one with a different shrink and I wound up getting hired.... then had to be "shrunk" annually as part of agency requirements...

anyone get the "Alice's Restaurant" reference?

Since the men in white suits didn't come to get you and you received no feedback as to why you weren't hired I wouldn't sweat it.  Maybe the chief's nephew needed a job, maybe it was the psyc eval, unless they tell you why you weren't hired you will never know.  Depending on the laws in your state they may or may not have to tell you why you did not get hired.  I would press a bit, like maybe a follow up letter to the chief or hiring body if it is different, requesting feedback.  This should not be an angry letter, but a letter asking why you were not hired.  It may simply have come down to another applicant being more to thier liking which is not unusual.  I would not beat myself up over this.  If you want to work in law enforcement just keep trying and gook luck.

Keep trying. I have very little faith in shrinks.

psych's are a joke!  My wife took a psych for one dept and failed it.  She then took the psych for her current dept and passed.  You would assume it was two different psycologist (Wrong) same guy and the test was taken a week apart from each other!

There are 11 characteristics of a serial killer, you had 9 of them. just kidding I saw that on a show.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Those tests are so fussy, not many professionals that I know take too much stock in them. You can fail those things if you're in too good of a mood that particular day. Keep applying...:) I wish you all the best!!

Sue 

We do not say why a candidate is passed over or removed from our eligibility lists. They are told, in the letter,  that they may request a civil service hearing, which will tell them the exact reasons. The hearings are considered a public record, so sometimes the candidate is better off not having the hearing. 

You don't so much "fail" a pysch test, as show tendencies that might disqualify you to be an officer, or might cause you to be a poor officer. For instance, the test may determine that you regard truthfulness as an unimportant character trait,  or that you have a problem getting along with other people. Both are problematic from a police liability standpoint.

The "Alice" reference was excellent!  Now, go sit on the Group W bench with the rest of your kind!