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Dr. Ostrov’s work includes assisting in the development of the Minnesota

Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) specifically designed for measurements for

law enforcement officers and candidates (Grossman, et al., (1990).

Purpose

The purpose of this qualitative study is to research sustained, high performance,

and results oriented federal law enforcement agents working with United States Customs

and Border Protection along the U.S.-Mexico border in McAllen, Texas, in an effort to

identify common character traits. The central phenomena are determining whether high

performance can be predicted through study and examination of the officer’s character,

world view, and life experiences.

The intent of this body of research is to find those predictive characteristics and

them to measure later performance with the eye towards recruitment and retention. At

present, the identified participant pool is the United States Customs and Border

Protection agents. There will be 15 to 20 biographic related interview studies and

possible scenario reactions to delineate between the high-performance officers and

others.

Background

The 2015 President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing revealed the need for

trust between law enforcement agencies and the community as a core component to

maintaining the strength of the United States. (Lum, et al., 2016). Law enforcement

agencies have traditionally struggled to identify, hire, and retain the best candidates for

the job of police officer. Border enforcement agencies suffer the same challenge.