Several Tulsa police promotion exams have been postponed and are being revamped after rumors recently emerged that some officers gained access to a portion of the exam's grading terms, records show.
The tests were postponed July 17 after discussions about the situation with officials of the city Human Resources Department, the Tulsa Police Department, the city Legal Department and Tulsa's Fraternal Order of Police.
"We felt that since the possibility that this may have actually occurred was strong enough we ultimately made the decision to postpone this part of the process," according to a July 19 memo from Martin A. Drobinko, city of Tulsa testing coordinator, to all promotional test participants.
The part of the test in question is known as the "oral resume," in which promotion candidates must list their experiences in a resume that is given points for weighted criteria, said Tulsa Personnel Director Erica Felix-Warwick.
City officials met with a group of officers representing the Tulsa Fraternal Order of Police and gave group members copies of the criteria, which may have leaked to officers planning to take the tests, Felix-Warwick said.
"As a part of that (meeting), there were documents that were given as examples," she said. "They were picked back up, and it's our understanding that they were all given back."
The FOP group only agreed with city officials on the grading guidelines to be used and would not have had any part in administering the test, Felix-Warwick said.
"The testing that was in jeopardy -- it's a TPD personnel thing -- that would be up to the chief on how he would want to investigate that," Felix-Warwick said.
Tulsa Police Capt. Jonathan Brooks said he is not aware of an investigation into the matter. Brooks said Police Chief Chuck Jordan has taken steps to address the rumors and make sure the test is given as fairly as possible.
Jordan sent a copy of the portion rumored to be leaked to all sworn officers, Brooks said.
"That's why it was postponed," Brooks said. "He (Jordan) just wanted to make sure there was no unfairness or impropriety to any degree."
In addition to all officers being provided the possibly leaked version, the city's human resources department asked the independent test vendor, IO Solutions, to form its own resume-grading criteria, Felix-Warwick said.
"IO Solutions has done brand new validation," she said. "They've been partnering with us during the whole situation."
Felix-Warwick said the postponement should not cost much. She said postponing the test should help avoid any possible legal action taken against the city as a result of the allegedly leaked documents.
The entire testing process for all promotion candidates should be completed by November, she said.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
