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The issue here is that the stated motivation, 'overqualification' is likely a justification to obscure the real motivation: ensuring obedience and conformity wi

by dbspin 6y ago

The issue here is that the stated motivation, 'overqualification' is likely a justification to obscure the real motivation: ensuring obedience and conformity within the force, especially when it comes to the day to day reality of ignoring or colluding with corruption, participating in unnecessary and biased use of violence, and facilitating enforcement of systematic oppression (e.g.: destroying homeless encampments).

onemoresoop 6y ago
This is an excellent point. People with high IQ can become a liability as they understand better the situation and may refuse to obey orders that are counter to their values. Or they could raise in rank and interfere with how the whole force is being operated: they could change things from the inside
tialaramex 6y ago
If you want people to do what the rules say you're not looking for more or less intelligence, you're looking for Compliance. For example British mainline railways require Compliance as a (psychologically tested) trait of train drivers and the lack of such a requirement was cited as a contributing factor to a death on a light rail system in a report I read years ago. Why? Because Compliance says: This speed restriction says 45mph, I personally think 60mph should be safe but there's a speed restriction so I shall limit to 45mph even though I don't understand why. Whereas without that some drivers will say "In my judgement 60mph seems fine here so I'll disregard the 45mph limit" and when they kill somebody and investigators ask "Why were you going too fast to stop?" their answer is that they didn't realise that would happen. Compliance is probably a completely reasonable thing to want from regular cops, maybe even all your cops. On a TV show breaking the rules is often portrayed as admirable, but those rules are usually there for a good reason. In particular rule-obedience is very important for a community's perception of police as members of that community subject to its rules, rather than as oppressors.
- kyshoc 6y ago
  OTOH, optimizing for a highly-compliant police force could set you up for trouble if they end up executing orders that a less compliant force would refuse to follow on moral grounds.

by dbspin 6y ago

onemoresoop 6y ago

This is an excellent point. People with high IQ can become a liability as they understand better the situation and may refuse to obey orders that are counter to their values. Or they could raise in rank and interfere with how the whole force is being operated: they could change things from the inside

tialaramex 6y ago

If you want people to do what the rules say you're not looking for more or less intelligence, you're looking for Compliance. For example British mainline railways require Compliance as a (psychologically tested) trait of train drivers and the lack of such a requirement was cited as a contributing factor to a death on a light rail system in a report I read years ago. Why? Because Compliance says: This speed restriction says 45mph, I personally think 60mph should be safe but there's a speed restriction so I shall limit to 45mph even though I don't understand why. Whereas without that some drivers will say "In my judgement 60mph seems fine here so I'll disregard the 45mph limit" and when they kill somebody and investigators ask "Why were you going too fast to stop?" their answer is that they didn't realise that would happen. Compliance is probably a completely reasonable thing to want from regular cops, maybe even all your cops. On a TV show breaking the rules is often portrayed as admirable, but those rules are usually there for a good reason. In particular rule-obedience is very important for a community's perception of police as members of that community subject to its rules, rather than as oppressors.

kyshoc 6y ago
OTOH, optimizing for a highly-compliant police force could set you up for trouble if they end up executing orders that a less compliant force would refuse to follow on moral grounds.