Conducting Psychological Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations for Law Enforcement Officers

Law enforcement agencies have a legal and societal obligation to ensure their officers are mentally and emotionally suited to perform their jobs. Psychological fitness-for-duty evaluations (FFDE) in law enforcement are a specialized examination to assess an individual’s capacity to safely and effectively perform their essential duties. FFDEs generally require a multi-method, multi-source approach to assessment. In this presentation, Dr. Lowmaster will review the current professional guidelines established by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), legal and ethical considerations relevant to FFDEs. Key components of the evaluation process will be discussed, including commonly used psychological assessment instruments.  A clinical case example will be presented to illustrate the application of the FFDE process. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the purpose of a psychological fitness-for-duty evaluation.
2. Identify at least two circumstances that may prompt a fitness-for-duty evaluation.
3. Describe at least three sources of information used in a fitness-for-duty evaluation and explain their relevance to the assessment process.
4. Discuss factors involved in selecting appropriate psychological assessment instruments for a fitness-for-duty evaluation.