Ohio Law Enforcement
First Line Supervisor
Promotional & Developmental Battery
OH-FLS Knowledge & OH-FLS Competency
The Ohio Law Enforcement Foundation, Inc. and I/O Solutions, Inc. have collaborated to develop a system to assist Ohio law enforcement agencies in identifying the most qualified candidates for first line supervisor (FLS) positions. Our goals were to develop a comprehensive set of promotional tools, which can be administered in a written format, that are of the highest technical quality, provide the best possible assessment of Ohio FLS candidates and address many of the challenges in police promotional testing.
By working with police chiefs and command staff members throughout Ohio, we have developed a state-of-the-art battery of promotional assessments that are tailor- made for Ohio police agencies. A multiple-choice job knowledge exam (OH-FLS Knowledge) is now available for promotional assessments. We are completing the development of a competency tool (OH-FLS Competency) that can be used as either an assessment of FLS candidate skills and abilities or as a robust developmental tool that identifies supervisory strengths and weaknesses.
I/O Solutions and the Law Enforcement Foundation are committed to excellence in the promotion and development of law enforcement’s future leaders and we are confident that this dedication will be evident in our new state-of-the-art assessment tools.
Features:
• A job knowledge exam that is specific to the state of Ohio and assesses knowledge areas deemed essential by command staff members from OH agencies
• A single, custom-made text that combines content from a variety of national law enforcement texts. Candidates only need to purchase one study resource.
• Rapid scoring services: 48-hour scoring service or access to scoring over-lays.
• Exams can be computer administered.
• Multiple exam forms.
• A competency-based test to assess supervisory candidates’ skills and abilities or to develop existing supervisors.
• Developed and validated by the nations premier public safety test publisher and human resources consulting firm.
Commonly Asked Questions:
What is the OH-FLS Knowledge?
The OH-FLS Knowledge (Knowledge) exam was developed with the help of over 50 police chiefs and command staff members from around the state. This written job knowledge exam assesses the critical knowledge areas needed to succeed as a first line supervisor (FLS) in any Ohio law enforcement agency. It contains 100 multiple-choice questions that assess the following critical knowledge areas:
• Management and Supervision Principles
• Law Enforcement Administration
• Ethics
• State Law and Traffic Code
• Constitutional Law
• Policy/Procedure
• Contemporary Policing Issues/Community Policing
• Training/Development Principles
• Field Operations
• Criminal Investigation
The Knowledge exam attempts to avoid measuring only rote-memorization skills by using situationally-based questions that force the candidate to apply critical job knowledge to making job-related decisions.
How do candidates prepare for the OH-FLS Knowledge?
The Knowledge exam assesses knowledge from a breadth of popular law enforcement training and development texts and the Ohio Revised Code. The common headache associated with procuring numerous law enforcement text books from national retailers has been eliminated by integrating select sections of popular law enforcement texts into a single preparation text. This book is directly available to candidates and agencies through I/O Solutions and the Law Enforcement Foundation.
What study period is recommended for candidates to prepare for the OH-FLS Knowledge?
I/O Solutions recommends a study period ranging from 30 days to 90 days. While in an ideal world it would not be necessary to allow a study period, the nature of promotional exams is such that specific texts must be relied on as the foundation of a knowledge test. Because these texts present knowledge in a specific manner, it is necessary to allow candidates to familiarize themselves with this information. A reference list will be provided that specifies the particular chapters that candidates should study.
How is the OH-FLS Knowledge administered?
When you order the Knowledge exam, you will receive an Administrator’s Guide. This guide provides an administration script that allows you to administer the exam in a standardized manner. If you prefer to have an independent party administer the exam, 110 Solutions will advise the coordinator of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police Advisory Services to contact you to make arrangements for proctoring the test.
How is the OH-FLS Knowledge scored?
Answers to the Knowledge exam are collected on a computer-scannable form. Most agencies will want to send completed answer sheets to our test scoring services center where exams will be scored within 48-hours of receipt. However, if an agency wishes to score exams on site, I/O Solutions can either provide an over-lay for manual scoring or can enable clients to use our computer-based testing application, which allows for immediate scoring.
Do I have to administer the same test from year to year?
Currently, there are two forms of the Knowledge exam. As demand increases, we expect to develop additional alternate forms.
How do I handle candidate challenges to the OH-FLS Knowledge?
I/O Solutions is happy to assist agencies in responding to candidate challenges. Please contact I/O Solution for more details about how we can assist you.
What is the OH-FLS Competency?
In addition to the Knowledge exam, we are currently completing the development of a selection instrument to assess critical FLS skills and abilities, or competencies. The OH-FLS Competency assessment will be a written tool that measures a range of job-related skills and abilities. As an assessment tool, it can compliment an assessment center by providing supplemental information about a candidate’s management and supervisory skills and abilities.
This instrument can also be used as a development tool to detect skills and abilities that an incumbent first line supervisor can focus on and develop. Using situational judgment scenarios, candidates or incumbent supervisors will be assessed according to how appropriately they handle numerous job-related challenges and the degree to which they exercise important FLS competencies in the process.
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