Services
The Institute for Forensic Psychology (IFP) has provided high quality psychological services for police and other public safety agencies since 1972. These include psychological screening of public safety recruits, promotional assessments, fitness for duty examinations, special team screenings and custom training and personnel projects. This is our only work.
To date, over 70,000 persons, from over seven hundred agencies worldwide, have been examined, or served, through our headquarters and IFP's independent branch offices. Our methods and procedures conform to all applicable state and Federal regulations, the guidelines of the Psychological Services Section of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and of the American Psychological Association.
IFP makes clear and feasible recommendations (including hire-no hire) based on professional assessments and standards. We stand by our recommendations. All professional personnel are licensed, and extensively experienced in dealing with public safety issues. They have been certified as expert witnesses in courts of all levels as well as before administrative bodies.
- Psychological assessment of police recruits, special officers, firefighters, correction officers and other candidates for sensitive public service and security jobs, with ratings of risk and suitability for hiring.
- Evaluations (and rankings if desired) of candidates for promotion including all superior ranks. This process involves a modified assessment center approach including video-taped exercises, extensive testing and focused, structured interviews which address the issues most relevant to the role the candidate is seeking. Examiners often work in teams, especially with candidates for top level positions.
- Fitness for duty examinations of problem personnel with recommendations for disposition, assessments of dangerousness and specific suggestions for treatment, if appropriate.
- Assessments for the private sector, especially involving persons in sensitive positions or responsible for the safety of others..
- Assessment of dangerousness in the workplace for both private and public clients.
- Licensing of the IFP system to public safety agencies having their own in-house psychological staff. This normally includes the provision of training and ongoing consultation to client agencies in order to assure the most effective use of the overall system. Beyond certain standard tests, proprietary instruments, specialized interviewing formats, job- related judgment exercises and other assessment tools are provided. For further information please contact our headquarters
- IFP maintains a strict separation of assessment and treatment services so as to assure that there is no conflict of interest. We may refer persons to suitable providers but conduct no in-house treatment.
- Management consulting to aid administrators, improve morale and efficiency and reduce intra-departmental frictions.
- Critical incident debriefings, including PTSD assessments.
- In service training programs, including stress reduction, dealing with the mentally disturbed, managing suicide risk, cross cultural sensitivity and police- community relations. IFP can also design specialized programs within our areas of expertise. For further information, on this or any other matter of interest, please contact us.
TEST DEVELOPMENT
IFP's techniques are research based. The Candidate and Officer Personnel Survey (The 'COPS' Test) is a proprietary result of this research. It has demonstrated predictive validity (for field performance) in police and other public safety personnel, and is now available on-line for use by qualified professionals and agencies. For more information, click on the 'Contact IFP' link below. All clients receive friendly and timely services in accordance with legal and best practice requirements at the lowest feasible cost.