Latest Weather Blog
Two-time applicant and former interim chief gives insight into what is on the police chief exam
Related Story
BATON ROUGE - With 23 names in the mix, former interim Police Chief Jonny Dunnam says the test will likely weed out a few applicants.
Thursdays test-takers included current media spokesperson Lt. Ljean Mckneely, Deputy Chief Myron Daniels, and a handful of people not currently in the department.
They will have two and a half hours to answer 120 multiple choice questions.
"They're usually about police supervision, management techniques, there are some budgeting questions as well as communication questions -- dealing with the media, and some other managerial type questions," said Dunnam.
Because Baton Rouge is a larger metropolitan area, the test doesn't stop there. Applicants will then have to show they can handle the job.
"They'll get a packet that has the scenario basically saying that they are the new chief for 'Anytown, USA'," Dunnam said. "There will be a relevant issue that's related to law enforcement that they will have to work through. They are given a mythical budget."
Dunnam says the scenarios can be anything including community-relations or minority hiring.
"They write down what they're going to say," Dunnam said. "They'll have about three minutes. They'll take them into another room with a video camera and they will present to a mythical city council"
Those videos are then reviewed one by one by members of the state examiners board, and applicants need a 75 percent or greater to pass.
Because of the number of test-takers, it may take up to 6 weeks for the tests to be graded. The state board will accept the scores at its October 23rd meeting.
News
