Section 501.2.2. Mandatory psychological testing and administrative procedures.

In no case shall any person be selected or appointed as a law enforcement officer unless that person has performed satisfactorily in preemployment cognitive or personality tests, or both, prescribed by the Iowa law enforcement academy.

       2.2(1) Required cognitive test.

        a.           Entry-level applicants for all law enforcement positions in the state of Iowa shall take the Stanard & Associates’ National Police Officer Selection Test (POST).

        b.           The minimum satisfactory score to be eligible for employment is 70 percent on each of the four sections of this examination. Agencies and civil service commissions may require a higher satisfactory score than 70 percent on each or any of the sections of the test.

       2.2(2) Required personality test.

        a.           The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) test shall be taken by all applicants in the final selection process for a law enforcement position.

        b.           The prescribed personality test for an applicant in the final selection process shall be administered, scored and interpreted by the academy or by an individual who has been approved by the academy. The prescribed personality test for an applicant in the final selection process shall be evaluated by the Iowa law enforcement academy. These tests shall be evaluated and test results and evaluations shall be forwarded to a law enforcement agency for selection purposes only by the Iowa law enforcement academy upon proper waiver by the applicant.

       2.2(3) Test administration.

        a.           Test results may be forwarded by the academy to a law enforcement agency for selection purposes only upon proper waiver by the applicant.

        b.           The Iowa law enforcement academy shall have prescheduled testing dates each fiscal year. Nonscheduled testing dates may also be provided.

       2.2(4) Cognitive test.

        a.           At the discretion of the employing agency, the cognitive test (POST) may be administered by qualified individuals.

        b.           Arrangements for and administration of the Stanard & Associates’ National Police Officer Selection Test (POST) shall be in accordance with directions of the Iowa law enforcement academy.

       2.2(5) Personality tests.

        a.           Those law enforcement agencies which choose to administer, score, or interpret the MMPI without using the academy’s testing services shall forward to the academy psychological testing information on any individual hired within 14 days of the date hired. Such information shall include, but not be limited to, all scores from MMPI scales used in the evaluation, the MMPI answer sheet, and any resulting reports.

        b.           The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) test may be administered to applicants who are not in the final selection process.

       2.2(6) Cost of tests. The academy will establish and post fee schedules for costs of administering and evaluating the psychological and cognitive test or tests mandated by the academy for agencies who choose to utilize academy testing services.

The cost of the POST test shall be paid by the agencies for which testing is conducted to Stanard & Associates in accordance with the fee schedule approved by and posted at the Iowa law enforcement academy.

       2.2(7) Availability of tests scores.

        a.           Forwarding of cognitive test results. Individual cognitive test scores of cognitive tests purchased through the Iowa law enforcement academy shall be provided by the Iowa law enforcement academy to prospective employing agencies upon request and proper waiver by the applicant for a minimal handling fee.

        b.           Forwarding of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) test results. The evaluation by the Iowa law enforcement academy of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory tests will be available to any prospective employing agency upon request and proper waiver by the applicant for a minimal handling fee.

        c.           Certified law enforcement officers. Law enforcement officers certified through training by the Iowa law enforcement academy are not required to take a cognitive test but may be required to do so at the discretion of the employing agency.

        d.           Rescinded IAB 9/22/99, effective 10/27/99.

        e.           Individual POST test scores shall be forwarded by Stanard & Associates to prospective employing agencies upon request and payment of a fee in accordance with the fee schedule approved by and posted at the Iowa law enforcement academy.

        f.            Individual POST test scores must be postmarked and forwarded to Stanard & Associates within one business day of the date of the examination.

        g.           Only scores forwarded to Stanard & Associates will be recognized as valid and become part of the Iowa database.

       2.2(8) Tests are valid for specific period.

        a.           The Iowa law enforcement academy evaluations of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory may only be used for 12 months to comply with these testing rules. Any applicant who has not been hired or placed upon a civil service certified list within 12 months of taking the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory test must retake the examination and, before the applicant is hired, the results of the examination must be considered by the hiring authority.

        b.           Rescinded IAB 9/22/99, effective 10/27/99.

        c.           At its discretion the employing agency may elect to require an applicant to retake any Iowa law enforcement academy required psychological test as well as any other tests that it may deem necessary in its selection process.

        d.           POST test scores shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of the examination. An applicant who has not been hired or placed upon a civil service certified list within one year of taking this test must retake and successfully pass the examination before being hired. A person may retest on the same version of the POST examination once within a 12-month period, with a minimum required delay of 90 days before the retest. No delay in retesting is required when a person is given an alternate version of the POST examination.

        e.           The employing law enforcement agency or appropriate civil service commission retains the exclusive right to decide whether an individual shall be allowed to retest or take an alternate version of the POST examination as provided by these rules.

       2.2(9) Construction. Nothing in these rules should be construed to preclude a Civil Service Commission or employing agency from requiring an applicant for a law enforcement position to take tests other than those mandated by these rules so long as the applicant in the final selection process has complied with these rules. These rules shall not be construed as altering or changing the current authority of a Civil Service Commission.