Study Finds Pre-Hire Misconduct Predicts Future Police Misconduct

Research highlights need for national police hiring standards to address 'looking the other way' on red flags

Mar. 24, 2026 at 12:04am

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A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that law enforcement candidates with a history of professional misconduct, frequent job changes, bad credit, domestic violence, and temper problems were significantly more likely to engage in misconduct after being hired as police officers. The researchers analyzed data on over 6,000 officers and found that more than half of officers with prior law enforcement experience were accused of excessive use of force, sexual harassment, and racism at their new jobs.

Why it matters

The study underscores the need for police departments to thoroughly vet candidates during the hiring process, as pre-hire misconduct is a strong predictor of future misconduct that can have devastating consequences for communities. Currently, police hiring in the U.S. is highly decentralized, with no national standards, allowing officers with histories of misconduct to simply move from one department to the next.

The details

The researchers analyzed pre-hire data and disciplinary records for 6,075 officers at over 150 law enforcement agencies across the U.S. They found that officers with a prior record of professional misconduct were more than six times more likely to be fired at their new jobs. Other red flags included frequent job changes, bad credit, domestic violence, and temper problems. More than half of the officers had prior law enforcement experience, which is often seen as favorable, but these officers were more likely to be accused of excessive use of force, sexual harassment, and racism at their new jobs.

  • The research was published in the Journal of Applied Psychology on March 23, 2026.

The players

Stephan Dilchert

An associate professor of management at Baruch College in the City University of New York and the lead researcher on the study.

Brittany K. Mercado

A co-author of the study and a professor at Elon University.

Deniz S. Ones

A co-author of the study and a professor at the University of Minnesota.

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What they’re saying

“Perhaps most concerning, we found that law enforcement agencies largely ignored these red flags. Candidates with serious prior incidents faced only marginally lower hiring odds. While many departments reacted decisively to misconduct after hiring, they failed to screen out high-risk candidates up front.”

— Stephan Dilchert, Associate Professor of Management, Baruch College, City University of New York

“We need to stop assuming that experience equals better behavior by law enforcement officers. Police misconduct has devastating consequences for communities, yet there are no national standards in police hiring. Agencies have lacked evidence-based guidance on what warning signs to look for during hiring, which is one of the reasons we conducted this study.”

— Stephan Dilchert, Associate Professor of Management, Baruch College, City University of New York

What’s next

The researchers say the study highlights the need for the development of national police hiring standards, as other high-stakes professions use centralized screening and credentialing systems, while police hiring in the U.S. is highly decentralized with thousands of independent agencies relying on inconsistent processes.

The takeaway

This study provides evidence-based guidance on the types of pre-hire red flags that law enforcement agencies should be screening for to help prevent future police misconduct and rebuild public trust in law enforcement. Addressing these issues during the hiring process is crucial, as the consequences of police misconduct can be devastating for communities.