Following an investigation that found they scored less than satisfactory on psychological tests, dozens of California county sheriff’s deputy officers were stripped of their weapons and badges.
The outlet reported that Devon Williams, a 24-year-old Alameda County deputy, failed his psychological test and was arrested for allegedly murdering a woman he was in a relationship. A case-related audit revealed that other Alameda County deputy officers had received “unsatisfactory results” in psychological tests back to 2016 and that 47 of them were told Friday they could not carry guns or arrest anyone.
47 Alameda Co. sheriff’s deputies stripped of guns, duties due to ‘unsatisfactory’ psych exam scores https://t.co/rMbtje2gwn pic.twitter.com/mUcla4pRpd
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) September 27, 2022
According to data compiled by the Public Policy Institute of California, Alameda County had 584.7 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2019. This is higher than the state average of 436.5 violent crimes per 100,000.
Lt. Ray Kelly, the spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office, stated that all deputies in the case scored “D-Not Suited” on an “A”-to-F scale. The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training gave the green light to hire applicants who achieved this result in 2016, The Mercury News reported. Multiple choice and oral portions of the exams are available.
According to the 2022 manual, the state’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards has recognized testing standards partially developed by American Psychological Association.
Alameda County Sheriff’s Sgt. said, “A lot of young people out college don’t do as well as someone with more life experience.” According to the outlet, Ray Kelly was not included. “This does not have anything to do with substance abuse or mental disorders. Based on years of service, we believe that testing scores will rise.
According to ABC 7 News, the Santa Rita Jail was the place where the majority of the deputies worked.
According to ABC 7 News, the sheriff’s office announced Monday that officers were given desk jobs and would be screened again. This indicates that standards for psychological testing have improved since 2016.
