W9fore

87b001268a76e9141876b2aa9700cbce.docx

Police and Investigative Psychology Information

Police psychology includes many different roles and responsibilities for the forensic psychology professional who has had training and experience in law enforcement and public safety. These responsibilities can include assisting in the screening and selection of law enforcement officers and conducting fitness-for-duty (FFD) evaluations. Also, forensic psychology professionals who are trained in counseling may provide supportive assistance to law enforcement officers for stress or trauma management. Certain qualified individuals may also serve on hostage or other crisis teams. Qualifications for the forensic psychology professional who works with law enforcement vary depending on the task. Law enforcement agencies are typically viewed as a tightly knit fraternity, and often the forensic psychology professional has served as an officer first. Most state statutes require that psychological assessments to screen officer applicants or determine fitness for duty be conducted by a licensed psychologist. Those who have completed a graduate degree program in counseling provide supportive assistance to officers.

Investigative psychology contributes to the investigation of crimes. Criminal profiling is one aspect of investigative psychology that has been somewhat misrepresented in TV shows and movies because it has been depicted as a swift manner to identify and apprehend criminals. In real life, criminal profiling is based on disciplined ongoing research to catalogue features of crime scenes, offender demographics and psychological characteristics, and geographical locations that can be used to identify a potential pool of suspects. Other investigative techniques include interviewing, interrogation, and detection of deception. Qualifications for the forensic psychology professional who works in investigative psychology typically include former work as a law enforcement officer and graduate education in forensic psychology.