Correct police department’s flawed merit promotion policy
I am a 21-year veteran detective and a 28-year employee of the Chicago Police Department.
I cannot begin to tell you how devastating the flawed CPD meritorious promotion policy has been to police department members and citizens alike. This abusive policy, hands down, has been the most detrimental factor within CPD for the past 30 years.
The merit system, which recently was suspended, was an embedded part of what historically was a two-part written promotional exam. The first part was a pass/fail exam.
This low bar was set not to reward the highest-scoring test-takers on part one, but instead to “carry” low scoring testtakers onto part two.
In order to accomplish this result, the passing score on part one was set as low as 52%.
Once test-taking candidates were “carried” from part one to part two, they then were not even required to take part two in order to advance as a “merit promote.”
A candidate who scored 52% on the initial exam could then be promoted to a supervisory rank. That same flawed process repeated itself throughout the ranks from sergeant, to lieutenant, to captain and so on.
Candidates with no active policing experience, yet who hold CPD exempt titles, regularly are allowed to nominate merit candidates and have candidates promoted.
When I took my detective’s exam, I was prepared and did quite well.
Alternatively, when I did not prepare for a sergeant exam, I scored just OK. Rightfully so, I was not promoted.
It does not take much to see a problem. Here is a solution.
Give tests regularly and score the tests swiftly. Publish the material so that all groups can better prepare themselves for success.
Stop changing the format of the tests so that test-takers can improve themselves and their technique. Use CPD’s Elearning system to enable candidates to take unlimited practice exams. This is all very simple to do.
If fair transparent tests are given at a regular frequency, CPD will have the most qualified supervisory rank in the nation and probably one that makes up the diversity of its city.