to talk and act out what should be said to the mentally challenged individual in the video. The recording 
of the candidate is then watched at a later time by a panel of evaluators from the department and graded 
accordingly. 
Hiring Example 
Candidates are often terrified when it comes to the psych eval and the medical physical. One common question 
I usually get is: “I am currently taking a prescription of an anti-depressant, prescribed by my family doctor because 
I am bi-polar. Will this keep me from being a police officer?” My answer is always, “I do not know.” But I further 
explain that this is not a decision made by the police agency itself, instead the recommendation to hire or not, 
is made by the psychlogist (who evaluated the psychological evaluation) and the medical doctor (who evaluated 
the medical/physical). Both doctors will look at the entire psychological and medical profile of the candidate and 
together make a recommendation to the hiring agency on whether or not the medication and reason for the use of 
the medication could be an issue. 
Background Investigation-LET Prep 
The background investigation is probably one of the most critical portions of the testing process. After 
the candiate passes the written, phyiscal fitness/agility, oral board interview, and assessment center portions 
of the test, the candidate is given a background packet to fill out. The packet is very thorough and asks 
the candidate everything from where the candidate went to school, worked, prior drug use, prior arrests, 
prior illegal actions/criminal activity (even if not arrested). The background investigator can spend days to 
weeks, investigating the candidate to ensure honesty and a good moral compass. The biggest issues in this 
portion of the testing, centers around prior drug use and criminal activity. Unfortunately, most agencies do 
not list their requirements on past drug use openly. A lot of agencies utilize the FBI’s prior drug use police. 
However, most agencies hold the right to make their own decisions for each individual candidate. 
Psychological Evaluation- LET Prep 
The psychological evaluation (psych eval) is one of the least understood of the hiring process. When asked, 
a majority of the candidates openly state they have nothing to worry about since the psych eval only tests for 
psychos, but they will also admit that they quietly fear the psych eval since it is the unknown that causes the 
most fear. There is no way to study for the psych eval. The best advice given is to tell the truth and this holds 
true for every part of the L.E.T. Process. However, do understand that the psych eval is not just looking for 
those candidates with mental illnesses, it is also looking for those that will not make good police officers or 
have aggression issues or controlling issues to name a few. 
Medical Examination- LET Prep 
The state where the candidate is going to work as a police officer will determine the depth at which the 
medical/physical is completed. Possible testing that could occur during this phase of the testing process is: 
• Blood/urine/hair drug tests 
• Hearing test 
• Eye examination 
• Lung capacity 
Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System
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