Commission discusses interview format and time limits for police applicants

Board members debated whether the candidate interviews should be evaluated using a point system or a pass/fail standard and how much time to allot per candidate. One committee member said plainly, "This is a point system," explaining that panelists assign numeric scores that are averaged across raters. Another member recommended following the testing professionals' guidance and starting with 20 minutes per candidate.

Members expressed concern about fairness and time management: one said a cap prevents unequal interview windows and the perception that one candidate received extra time. The group agreed to adopt the professional recommendation (20 minutes per candidate for this round) with the option to revisit the timing if the board finds the format does not serve the small applicant pool.