4 Hours / 4 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Assessing Bias in Police & Other Public Safety Candidates is presented by David M. Corey, PhD, ABPP in partnership with The American Board of Police and Public Safety Psychology (ABPPSP).

This program provides an overview of the rationale and content of the California POST Bias Assessment Framework, its use in conducting suitability evaluations of peace officers and other public safety candidates (e.g., correctional officers, dispatchers, firefighters/medics), and methods for evaluating biased behaviors, biased attitudes, and other bias-relevant traits and attributes. 

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the three components of the California POST Bias Assessment Framework
  • 2 Identify at least two strategies for assessing each component of the framework
  • 3 Explain the empirical rationale for the framework

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for psychologists who specialize in forensic, occupational, or clinical psychology and are responsible for evaluating the suitability of peace officers and other public safety candidates. It focuses on structured assessment frameworks, bias evaluation, and the analysis of behavioral and attitudinal traits, equipping professionals to conduct pre-employment and fitness-for-duty evaluations and assess psychological suitability for high-stakes public safety roles.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:

    • Forensic Psychologists
    • Occupational Psychologists
    • Clinical Psychologists
    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Pre-employment Evaluators
    • Fitness-for-Duty Assessors
    • Public Safety Psychologists
    • Police and Law Enforcement Psychologists

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at various stages of experience with suitability evaluations and bias assessment in public safety settings.

    • Beginner: Participants new to suitability evaluations or the California POST Bias Assessment Framework who seek foundational knowledge of its components, rationale, and application.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in public safety evaluations who wish to deepen their understanding of bias assessment methods and strategies for applying the framework in practice.

    • Advanced: Participants with extensive experience in conducting suitability evaluations and bias assessments who are looking to refine their expertise and integrate advanced empirical approaches within the framework.

  • Practice Setting

    Practice occurs within public safety and governmental contexts where psychologists conduct pre-employment and fitness-for-duty evaluations for law enforcement and allied roles. Work is performed in structured, high-stakes environments with secure record review, standardized testing and interviews, collaboration with hiring authorities, and application of the California POST Bias Assessment Framework to evaluate biased behaviors, attitudes, and related traits.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Police departments and sheriff’s offices (psychological services/pre-employment units)
    • Public safety HR and civil service agencies
    • Correctional facilities and probation/parole departments
    • 911 dispatch/communications centers
    • Fire departments and EMS agencies
    • POST-aligned training academies and background investigation units (e.g., California POST)
    • Hospital or clinic-based occupational health/EAP programs serving public safety
    • Independent forensic/occupational psychology practices contracting with agencies
Presented By

David M. Corey, PhD, ABPP

Dr. David Corey is a board certified specialist in both forensic psychology and police and public safety psychology with the American Board of Professional Psychology. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, founding president of the American Board of Police & Public Safety Psychology, and current chair of the Specialty Council for Police & Public Safety Psychology. Dr. Corey’s practice consists primarily of conducting and researching evaluations of suitability and fitness for duty for local, state, and federal police and other public safety agencies. He chaired the California POST Subject Matter Expert Panel on Implementation of AB-846 and is co-author of the California POST Psychological Screening Manual (Spilberg & Corey, 2020), in addition to more than 30 peer-reviewed books, chapters, and journal articles.

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Overview and Rationale
    -Purpose and foundation of the California POST Bias Assessment Framework

  • Application in Suitability Evaluations
    -Use with peace officers and other public safety candidates
    -(e.g., correctional officers, dispatchers, firefighters, medics)

  • Assessment Targets and Methods
    -Evaluation of biased behaviors
    -Evaluation of biased attitudes
    -Assessment of bias-relevant traits and attributes

We are proud to partner with

American Board of Police and Public Safety Psychology (ABPPSP)

American Board of Police and Public Safety Psychology (ABPPSP)

We are proud to partner with The American Board of Police and Public Safety Psychology (ABPPSP) for this training. ABPPSP became a fully affiliated specialty board of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) on October 21, 2011. Police and Public Safety Psychology is concerned with assisting law enforcement and other public safety personnel and agencies in carrying out their missions and societal functions with optimal effectiveness, safety, health, and conformity to laws and ethics. It consists of the application of the science and profession of psychology in four primary domains of practice: assessment, clinical intervention, operational support, and organizational consultation.

Learn More About Our Partner

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).


Sponsorship Approval Statements

Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Palo Alto University maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073.