Strengthening Psychological Assessment Tools to Elevate Police Hiring and Promotion

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM MT

Location: 403/404, Colorado Convention Center

U.S. law enforcement agencies are undergoing significant demographic shifts among both candidates and the communities they serve. In response to these changes, we propose updating officer selection and promotion tools to enhance performance and build community trust. This panel will examine how psychographic changes in candidates and communities influence psychological traits, highlighting the need for updated psychological assessments. It will also identify the psychological attributes essential for effective 21st-century policing and discuss how these traits should be reflected in selection and promotion processes. Finally, the panel will explore the development and implementation of advanced psychological assessment tools designed to improve officer performance and safety, foster community trust, and address the evolving challenges of public safety.

Submitter and Speaker(s)

Theresa Olson

Consultant
Tess Marie Consulting
South Bend, Indiana, United States

Speaker(s)

Mitchell Davis

Chief of Police
Hazel Crest Police Department
Richton Park, Illinois, United States
Marva Dawkins

President/CEO
Center for Applied Psychology & Forensic Studies
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Daniel Hollar, PhD

Associate Professor & Provost Fellow
Bethune-Cookman University
Daytona Beach, Florida, United States