CASE STUDY APPLICANT TESTING AT THE RCMP Applicants to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police must pass a written examination. an interview, and a physical ability test before being accepted for basic training at the RCMP's training centre in Regina. As a federally regulated agency, the RCMP falls under the jurisdiction of the Employment Equity Act, designed to further the employment of women, visible minorities, and other designated groups. The RCMP has had difficulty meeting recruiting targets of 20 percent women, 4.5 per cent Aboriginal people, and 8.3 percent visible minorities that were set in compli- ice with the objectives of the Act. A review of testing data showed that Aboriginal peoples and visible minorities scored slightly lower than other groups on the written rests and that 40-50 percent of women applicants fail the physical ability test, a rate considerably higher than that for men. In response to concerns over failing to meet its recruiting objectives, the RCMP undertook a revision of the examination, which assesses cognitive ability. The new test returns academic items related to composition and computation, but it also has new lems in the form of scenarios that are directed at problem solving. The new questions are more job directed and operational in nature. Test items were rewritten to minimize the impact of different regional language styles to ensure that the ques tos are fair and equitable for all applicants. With respect to the physical ability test, women had particular difficulty with the upper body strength requirements. To deal with this problem, the RCMP insti- tuted six-week pre-training fitness program to help women prepare for the fitness CSc. It also revised the evaluation procedure. The following document provides information on the new physical ability requirements and provides information on how to prepare for the test. https://www.sprc.ab.ca/files/furms_documents/ PARinfo.pdf QUESTIONS 1. Did the RCMP do the right thing in revising its written examination and fitness test? Did the RCMP reduce the rigour of its entrance require- menis? Base your response on what you have learned in this chapter. 2. It appears that the RCMP is trying to incorporate a "practical intelli- gence component into its examinations. Is this appropriate? What type of ob knowledge" should be assessed of applicants? 3. If physical ability is a job requirement for police officers, is it appropriate to have different standards for male and female applicants to the RCMP? Argue your point. 4. Is the existing test fair and equitable for all candidates? 5. Design and describe a rectuiting campaign to attract more women and visible-minority applicants to the RCMP. 6. Chapter 10 looks at another method that can be used to improve the number of axmority applicants: banding. This procedure is also contro- versial. You may want to read that section now and discuss this as an option. How would the public likely react to using banding? ENDNOTES 1. Johns, G. 1993. "Constraints on the Adoption of Psychology-Based Personnel Practices, Lessons from Organizational Innovation. Personnd Psycholog 46: 569-592. 2. Catomo, V.M. 2001. "Empirically Supported Interventions and HR Practice