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In order to assure fair and consistent treatment of applicants for policing positions and to maintain the confidentiality of examination materials and the testing process, the following guidelines are to be reviewed and strictly followed by all test administrators, proctors, and assessors assigned to administer any component of the Police Series examination instruments.

Section 37 of the State Universities Civil Service Act (Act) (110 ILCS 70/37) is intended to protect the interests of persons who take Civil Service examinations so that no person may gain special advantage by having improper access to the examination material. Section 37 of the Act provides, in relevant part:

No person or officer shall willfully or corruptly, by himself, or in cooperation with one or more persons, defeat, deceive or obstruct any person in respect to his or her right of examination hereunder; or corruptly or falsely mark, grade, estimate or report upon the examination or proper standing of any person examined hereunder or aid in so doing; or willfully or corruptly make any false representation concerning the same or concerning the person examined; or willfully or corruptly furnish to any person any special or secret information for the purpose of either improving or injuring the prospects or chances of any person so examined, or to be examined, being appointed, employed or promoted (emphasis added).

Police Series Test Administrators, proctors and assessors, should protect confidential examination information and avoid disclosures that may influence the integrity of any component in the examination process. They should not reveal the nature or content of any question appearing on the examination, or any examination procedure, to any individual or entity, and should report to the State Universities Civil Service System (University System) office any solicitations or disclosures of which they become aware. They should not reproduce or disseminate any portion of the confidential examination materials provided to them from the University System office or the employing university, which include materials contained in the Assessor materials those sent to and/or distributed to those participating in the Structured Oral Interview/Structured Oral Board process. They should not retain in any form the original or copies of the confidential examination materials. Any breach of such confidentiality, on review of the situation in its entirety, may result in removal of the Test Administrator from the panel of approved proctors and assessors, and require the matter to be referred to the employing university and/or the Office of the Executive Inspector General for further action.

Structured Oral Interview/Structured Oral Board examination materials must be handled and stored in a manner that prevents access to unauthorized persons. Police Series Structured Oral Interview/Structured Oral Board assessors have a continuing obligation to exercise all reasonable precautions to preserve the security of examination materials in their possession.

Any assessor who learns of any breach of security or loss of materials should immediately report it to the University System office. Assessors are expected to return all examination materials immediately following the examination. The University System auditors may inquire about the implementation of test security procedures during a regularly scheduled University System audit.

Assessors should excuse themselves from rating any applicant when, in the judgment of the assessor, it would be difficult to rate the applicant impartially. For example, assessors should not participate in rating an applicant who is related to them or in rating an applicant if any strong personal or working association exists between them and that applicant. Assessors should excuse themselves from any situation that would make it difficult to provide an impartial rating or that would create an appearance of impropriety. Any challenge or concern raised by an applicant or an assessor should be made immediately prior to the examination and brought to the attention of the human resources office, if the examination is conducted at the university, or to the University System staff, if the examination is conducted by university system staff or at the university system Office.

Test Administrators, proctors and assessors should not engage in actions which may constitute an actual, apparent, or potential conflict of interest with the integrity of the examination process. Test Administrators, proctors, and assessors are entrusted with confidential information and are required to exercise their duties solely in the interest of administering an examination process based on merit and fitness and therefore they must avoid any situation where that trust would be violated. Even the appearance of impropriety must be avoided in order to maintain integrity and confidence in the examination process.

For human resource staff, more detailed instructions, procedures, and exam materials are available in the SUCSS apps.