Professional competences scale for police officers: evidence of psychometric adequacy

Abstract This research evaluated the factorial structure and psychometric adequacy of a Professional Competences Scale for Police Officers (ECPP). The development of the scale was carried out in three steps, with the participation of police officers and university professors holding PhDs in psychology and administration. The study applied a questionnaire to a non-probabilistic sample of 916 state police officers. The exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses pointed to a bi-dimensional structure of 16 items. The first factor (behavioral competencies) regards aspects that involve complex relationships between skills related to the individual and attitudes. The second (technical competencies) refers to the knowledge and skills necessary for the good performance of activities in the police service. The results support the structure and point to internal consistency and adequate psychometric validity.