Court OKs Barring High IQs for Cops

[The Question]

This is completely messed up.

http://politix.topix.com/homepage/5876-court-oks-barring-high-iqs-for-cops

Police are allowed to rule out applicants for having high IQs, a federal court has ruled.

The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals judged that the city of New London did not discriminate when they rejected Robert Jordan's application, because everyone who took the test was evaluated by the same standards.

Jordan scored 33 points in the test, equating to an IQ of roughly 125. New London police interview only candidates who score between 20 and 27, "on the theory that those who scored too high could get bored with police work and leave soon after undergoing costly training," ABC reports. Nationally cops score on average 21-22, an IQ of 104.

Jordan became a prison guard after failing to join the police.

Via ABC News.

 

[zeroapoc]

Yeah great policy. By those standards they wouldn't even let me take the test.

 

[Thundercrack85]

...boy this doesn't really help with the stereotypes.

 

[Marvolo]

Plenty of companys will not hire you for a position if you are over qualified. I've known several people who got turned down for different jobs due to it. Has to do with diversification or some such BS.

 

[The Question]

Plenty of companys will not hire you for a position if you are over qualified. I've known several people who got turned down for different jobs due to it. Has to do with diversification or some such BS.

Yeah, but most jobs don't give you the authority and ability to arrest and shoot people.

 

[Thundercrack85]

But a police officer?

Then again, how hard is it to fake being an idiot?

 

[Matt Mortem]

Too smart to be a cop? WTF?

 

[zeroapoc]

125 isn't even outrageously high.

 

[Marvolo]

Yeah, but most jobs don't give you the authority and ability to arrest and shoot people.

Very good point.

Beat cops I can understand not needing high IQs, but anyone aspiring to be a detective needs a decent IQ. And seriously what kind of morale does this set? Hiring someone cause of their low IQ isn't the way to instill confidence and encouragement.

 

[zeroapoc]

Very good point.

Beat cops I can understand not needing high IQs, but anyone aspiring to be a detective needs a decent IQ.

You'd think right?

 

[Thundercrack85]

Can't they just whack him a couple of times in the head with a nightstick and call it even?

 

[NickNitro]

Next they're going to bar people who don't like donuts or coffee

 

[Warhammer]

Someone with a high IQ can get turned down? How do you even say that sentence without questioning yourself? Holy s***...

 

[Hobgoblin]

You would think that you would want officers with high IQs.

 

[Teelie]

If you want to be cynical you could say they don't want anyone too smart to be on the payroll. I'm not that cynical though and I can understand their line of thinking even if I don't agree with it.

 

[Warhammer]

If you want to be cynical you could say they don't want anyone too smart to be on the payroll. I'm not that cynical though and I can understand their line of thinking even if I don't agree with it.

Yep, I understand their motive as well. My question to any high ranking police officer is why would you want to operate that way? These are people that we pay our tax dollars to serve and protect us. These are people who (for the most part I hope) chose to be civil servants. Clearly, they aren't doing it for the money (which is whole different but significant issue). The best person qualified for the job gets turned down? Horrible.

 

[Thundercrack85]

So, the highest IQ they'll accept is what?

 

[Doctor Evo]

So, the highest IQ they'll accept is what?

Assuming it is a linear relationship, approximately 115.

 

[Mike_D202]

I work with a few cops and I can understand this concept. They're college grads and pretty smart guys, when they first started they had high hopes and believed they were gonna help people (criminals) and rehabilitate them. About 3-4 years later they are miserable and have little to no faith in the justice system and arresting the same people over and over again and wishing they would have chosen a different career path. But the other cops who aren't too "smart" seem to like what they do and are pretty nice guys about it. It's just an odd thing to see over time on how it changes people.

 

[The Question]

Beat cops I can understand not needing high IQs,

I don't. Beat cops have to deal with citizens on a daily basis in situations where wether or not they arrest a person, shoot them, or leave them alone is left largely up to their judgement in the field. I want them to be fairly intelligent.

 

[BrollySupersj]

Alright, I quit. I'm going to space.

 

[regwec]

At first I thought it was April 1st, and I somehow lost nine months.

125 isn't even outrageously high.

Correct. This, to me, would exclude the possibility that someone intelligent might join the force at the grassroots, then work their way up to a senior position of strategic influence, having accrued a great deal of valuable experience along the way. Isn't the best possible scenario being prevented?

 

[cherokeesam]

Your Tax Dollars At Work

 

[Duke]

This is completely stupid.

 

[James]

Evidently you don't need to be all that clever to work in the federal court either.