Becoming an Officer

APPLICANT TESTING

After the City of Dalton employment application is received and reviewed, the applicant will be contacted to schedule testing.  The following tests are required for selection:

• Written Test - The written test consists of 100 multiple choice questions that are largely based on information from inside the testing booklet.  There are also sentence structure and word usage questions.  The written test provides a measure of verbal comprehension, verbal expression, problem sensitivity, deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, information ordering, and spatial orientation.  Study materials are available for purchase at https://iosolutions.com/.  
• Psychological Test - The psychological test consists of a series of written tests with various questions aimed at making a psychological evaluation of the applicant’s ability to perform law enforcement duties.  The applicant’s only task is to answer the questions truthfully.  The test has safeguards in place to identify individuals trying to manipulate the test by answering questions based on their perception of the “correct” answer.  The grading of the psychological test is done off-site by an independent company called Psychological Resources.  If an applicant fails the psychological test, the application is returned to Human Resources and the applicant must wait one year before reapplying for a position.
• Polygraph Test - The polygraph test, commonly referred to as a “lie detector,” is an important step in the hiring process.  It accounts for the majority of applicants being eliminated from the hiring process.  While the polygraph is a time-consuming exam, we feel it is necessary because honesty is the foundation of everything a police officer does. The Dalton Police Department, as well as other law enforcement agencies, cannot tolerate dishonesty in any form.
• Oral Board Interview - The oral board interview is a structured question and answer session that tests the applicants ability to organize thoughts, make appropriate decisions, and effectively communicate.
• Physical Readiness Assessment - The Dalton Police Department utilizes the Physical Agility Test, the same test implemented by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council for those candidates wishing to attend Basic Law Enforcement Training.  The Physical Agility Test course description includes:

1. The course measures a total of 870 feet (290 yards/265.2 meters) (half-court basketball court).
2. There is a time limit of two minutes six seconds (2:06)–time starts on candidate’s movement from the starting line and ends when he/she passes the finish line.
3. The course consists of a series of nine interspersed individual tasks, arranged in a continuous format that may be viewed as being essential (physical) job tasks for law enforcement training:

• Running
• Jumping (low hurdle)
• Climbing stairs
• Low crawling
• Jumping (broad-type)
• Climbing a fence (chain-link/four feet)
• Climbing through a window
• Moving/dragging a weight (150 lbs.)
• Changing direction on the run

SELECTION PROCESS

After completion of the testing process, an extensive background investigation is conducted.  The results of the background investigation, the testing results, and all other application materials are sent to the Chief of Police for review.  From there, the selection process includes:

• Interview with the Chief of Police - The Chief makes a determination, based on all application materials, as to whether an interview with the applicant is warranted.  During this interview, the Chief of Police will review the entire application with the applicant and ask any questions he or she may have.  The Chief will also let the applicant ask questions about the department.  If the Chief decides to hire the applicant, the applicant is sent to a physician’s office for a physical examination.
• Physical Examination - The applicant’s physical exam is conducted by a licensed physician who certifies that the applicant is free from any physical, emotional, or mental conditions that could keep the candidate from exercising the powers or duties of a police officer.  A drug screening is also conducted at this time.
• Physical Agility Test - According to Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council rules, candidates wishing to attend Basic Law Enforcement Training are required to pass the Physical Agility Test (PAT) before they are admitted into the academy.  As part of the selection process, the candidate will be schedule by the department to attend a testing session at one of the regional police academies.  Follow this link for more information about this test:  Physical Agility Test
• Approval by the Public Safety Commission - The applicant is required to attend a meeting of the Dalton Public Safety Commission where the Chief of Police or a designee introduces the applicant to the commission and gives a briefing on the applicant’s background.  The commission then votes to approve or deny the applicant for employment.

After the selection process, the police cadet is given a start date to begin orientation with the department prior to attending the 11-week Police Academy at one of the Georgia Public Safety Training Center’s (GPSTC) regional police academies.

POLICE ACADEMY

The Basic Law Enforcement Training Course is 11 weeks long and includes training in firearms, emergency vehicle operations, criminal law, and criminal procedure.  Most candidates will attend the GPSTC regional academy in Rome.  However there may be times in which a candidate is sent to another regional academy, which are located in Athens, Appling, Columbus, Forsyth, Jasper, Savannah, and Tifton.  

FIELD TRAINING PROGRAM

After completing the 11-week regional police academy, Dalton police officers begin an intense 14-week field training program in order to apply the lessons learned in the classroom to real-world situations.  During this program, new officers are assigned to different Field Training Officers (FTOs) for their training.  While training with the FTOs, new officers are taught all aspects of patrol duty through hands-on experiences, such as answering calls for service, making traffic stops, and working with community members to address a variety of different problems.  New officers generally have the opportunity to work with different patrol shifts during their time in the FTO Program.  When a new officer has satisfactorily completed the FTO Program, he or she is assigned to regular patrol duty with one of the four patrol shifts.

For more information about becoming a Dalton Police Officer, contact Sergeant Matias Castillo at mcastillo@daltonga.gov or 706-278-9085 ext. 352.