Notes for Careers in Criminal Justice: Captain DeVito Interview & Personality Typology Discussion

Session Overview

• Instructor hosts a guest from the NYPD for a Careers in Criminal Justice class (two sections taught by the instructor). The guest, Captain DeVito, may sign off early on the 09:11 anniversary date and the class is balancing a live Q&A with ongoing updates.
• Emphasis on on-camera participation to respect the professional guest and avoid black boxes.
• The session blends career storytelling, self-discovery (through personality assessment), and discussion of real-world policing challenges.
• The instructor uses the format to humanize professionals and connect classroom theory to lived experience.

Captain DeVito: Background and Career Path

• Personal background:
  • Grew up in Staten Island; family involved in policing (great grandfather a cop in Staten Island; father a cop in transit).
  • Attended SUNY Albany; earned a sociology degree; joined NYPD within roughly a year after graduation.
  • Spent time in Japan teaching English after college; returned to join the police academy, ultimately choosing policing as a career.
• Timeline and career arc:
  • Joined NYPD in 2007–2008 (senior status similar to Captain DeVito’s generation; currently at 40s age range with retirement looming in the next several years).
  • Early assignments included Manhattan Transit and an Anti-Terrorism Unit in Transit (ATU-Transit) at 50 Ninth Street/Columbus Circle.
  • Transit District 2 (Canal Street area) for ~2.5 years; then assignment to Sunset Park, Brooklyn (72nd Precinct area) for ~4.5 years.
  • Promotion and rank progression:
  • Became a sergeant after taking the sergeant’s examination (a test taken after attaining two years as a sergeant is typical).
  • Promoted to lieutenant, then moved through patrol and other bureaus.
  • Worked in Sunset Park; later transferred to 66th Precinct; spent ~5.5 years there.
  • Mopped up leadership experience on Staten Island (121 Precinct area: Mariners Harbor, Westerly, etc.) for ~16 months as executive officer, then returned to Transit District 2.
  • Entered captain’s track; eventually assigned as commanding officer in Transit District 2 (the current role).
  • Retirement considerations:
  • In the NYPD, retirement eligibility is around the twenty-year mark; captains can potentially retire earlier by accumulating time toward pension (e.g., “nineteenth year” mentions and early retirement with sufficient time).
• Personal reflections on career choices:
  • He emphasizes adaptability, mobility across bureaus, and the importance of building a credible reputation; decisions about transfer and postings can accelerate or delay career progression.
  • He notes the value of building time in rank to maximize pension eligibility and to ensure a steady, sustainable retirement plan.

Police Career Structure and Day-to-Day (NYPD)

• The NYPD is organized into three main bureaus relevant to patrol work:
  • Patrol
  • Housing
  • Transit
• Academy and promotions:
  • Initial police academy training lasts about $6$ months.
  • After the academy, officers advance through appointed postings and must pass promotion exams (e.g., sergeant after two years in rank; lieutenant exam; captain exams). The lieutenant exam is a $100$-question test based on a patrol guide that expands yearly.
  • Promotions depend on test results, seniority, and department needs; timing can vary (e.g., some personnel get promoted faster than others depending on openings and performance).
• Daily routines and duties of a captain (Transit District 2):
  • Start around $06:30$; oversee “turning out” of units downtown (World Trade Center area) and assign personnel.
  • On-call 24/7; radios and camera feeds are constantly monitored; duty captain coverage when needed.
  • Typical day involves communicating with crime analysis, overseeing platoon supervisors, and ensuring proper deployment of resources via the radio and top-side commands.
  • Homicide response: In early tenure at Transit District 2, he encountered multiple homicides (first four months: three homicides; all closed by arrest) – reflecting the intensity and high-stakes nature of transit policing.
  • Overtime: For captains, overtime is time-based rather than cash-based under his contract; other ranks may receive cash overtime in some circumstances.
• Routine operations and decision-making:
  • The captain is a key decision-maker, coordinating with sergeants, lieutenants, and the Executive Officer (EXO) and Chief to ensure strategic direction is followed.
  • He explains that most calls are processed through central dispatch; the captain intervenes if a situation is serious or not progressing as planned.
  • Accountability: if something goes wrong in the district, it’s attributed to leadership decisions; if things go well, the team’s execution is acknowledged—emphasizing a leadership burden of responsibility.
• Key on-the-ground activities:
  • Supervising crime analysis to ensure accurate crime classifications (e.g., 60-1 forms) for reliable COMSTAT reporting and resource allocation.
  • Ensuring proper documentation and classification so that analytical insights can guide targeted deployments.
  • Coordinating with integrity control officers and admin lieutenant for pressing issues.
  • Monitoring on-camera feeds and radio communications to direct units efficiently.
• Interagency and cross-bureau dynamics:
  • Transfers between bureaus ( patrol, transit, housing ) require pre-approval and strategic alignment with career goals.
  • The role emphasizes adaptability to different precincts (e.g., Manhattan, Sunset Park, Staten Island) and knowledge of local areas (e.g., Canal Street, 8th Avenue, Chinatown areas).

9/11 Memory and Duty Context in Public Service

• DeVito mentions a duty-related obligation on significant anniversary dates (09:11) to acknowledge fallen colleagues and the memorials related to the 9/11 attacks.
• He notes the heavy responsibilities that come with public service, including personal time and family considerations due to the on-call requirement.
• This context helps illustrate the emotional and ethical load carried by police leadership in major urban centers.

Challenges in Modern Policing (NYPD) and Institutional Dynamics

• Probable cause vs. stop-and-frisk/stop decisions:
  • Officers can stop someone for less than probable cause, but arrests require probable cause; this tension shapes daily policing efficiency.
• Quality-of-life enforcement and prosecution:
  • QA issues: many offenders have extensive prior records; the DA’s office decisions heavily shape what gets prosecuted.
  • A common challenge is repeat offenders who cycle through arrests and rapid releases; addressing recidivism requires multi-pronged strategies.
  • NYPD has experimented with a quality-of-life enforcement stance to address ongoing nuisance crimes and reduce opportunities for more serious offenses.
• Emotionally disturbed persons (EDPs) and mental health:
  • EDPs can be unpredictable and dangerous; mental health treatment adherence is a challenge (relapse when medications stop; rationales for med adherence vary).
  • The need for de-escalation and supportive interventions, alongside enforcement, is critical.
• Departmental and inter-agency dynamics:
  • Variation across boroughs in prosecution philosophy and enforcement practices can lead to inconsistent outcomes.
  • Leadership must balance enforcement with civil liberties and community relations, especially in a diverse city environment.
• Operational stressors for officers and leadership:
  • The on-call culture and exposure to violence and life-threatening incidents contribute to morale and mental health concerns.
  • Officers may become morally exhausted or demoralized when repeat offenses lead to limited long-term consequences for offenders.
• Real-time decision-making under pressure:
  • The cadence of incident responses, the need to coordinate multiple units, and rapid adjustments to changing conditions require strong situational awareness and effective communication.
• The role of personal resilience and self-understanding:
  • The conversation around personality types is framed as a way to understand one’s own strengths and stress responses, potentially reducing burnout by aligning work with personal tendencies.

Personality Typology and Self-Discovery (Humanmetrics)

• The class uses a typology test to help students understand themselves and align career paths accordingly.
• Test mechanics:
  • Website: humanmetrics.com (linked in the chat and on Blackboard for students).
  • The test measures personality across 16 types; common shorthand typologies include INTJ, ENFP, etc.
  • Test design features:
  • 64 questions; answers typically require quick, intuitive responses (yes/no) to capture a natural preference rather than deliberate overthinking.
  • The psychologist-driven approach focuses on underlying personality dimensions rather than superficial traits.
• Rationale for the test:
  • Self-awareness is essential for choosing compatible career paths and for advising students effectively.
  • The test aims to provide actionable career suggestions that align with personality types (e.g., INTJ often gravitate toward strategic, analytic, leadership-oriented roles in academia, research, or high-level policy work).
• Process guidance for taking the test:
  • Be honest and quick in responses to capture the subconscious tendency rather than overanalyzed decisions.
  • The instructor emphasizes avoiding overthinking to preserve diagnostic validity and to reflect unconscious dispositions.
• Real-world example used in class:
  • Naval Ravikant anecdote: A self-made billionaire who immigrated from India; his mother predicted he would be a successful business owner. The interviewer mentions this to illustrate how others (especially trusted insiders) may see capabilities more clearly than individuals can see themselves.
  • The point: We often misjudge ourselves; external perspectives can illuminate natural strengths and potential paths.
• The role of the psychologist-like test in advising:
  • The results help students explore careers that align with their intrinsic preferences and talents.
  • The lecturer cautions that personality is not destiny; people can evolve and adapt through experience and leadership roles (e.g., moving from INTJ tendencies toward leadership or communication roles over time).
• Brief note on the four-letter codes:
  • Examples discussed include INTJ and INTP; these shorthand codes summarize core cognitive preferences (e.g., introversion, intuition, thinking, judging vs. perceiving).
  • The discussion emphasizes that letters can shift with growth and changing life roles; tests provide a snapshot, not a fixed ceiling.

Practical Exercise and Student Guidance

• Student activity: Complete the 64-question personality test now (the link is shared in chat and posted on Blackboard).
• Post-test discussion:
  • Students report their four-letter type; the instructor aligns suggested careers with the type and discusses fit with their own goals.
  • The session demonstrates how personality frameworks can guide career exploration and self-knowledge.
• Expected outcomes by next class:
  • Ideally, all students will have their four-letter type identified and discussed in relation to potential career paths.
  • The instructor plans to begin the next lesson from the point of understanding each student’s personality type.

Naval Ravikant, Self-Discovery, and Growth Mindset

• The lecturer revisits Naval Ravikant’s story to illustrate the value of self-knowledge and external insight:
  • Ravikant’s high school mentor-style reflection on his path from science/engineering aspirations to entrepreneurship and business success.
  • The broader message: People often grow into roles they didn’t expect; early self-assessment should be combined with external feedback to chart a viable path.
• Takeaway for students:
  • Self-awareness is a lifelong process; even successful people continue to refine their identity and goals as circumstances change.
  • Embrace opportunities for leadership, decision-making, and mentorship; these experiences can reveal latent talents and steer you toward fulfilling careers.

Attendance and Course Logistics

• Attendance is taken for the in-person cohort; an online attendance note is provided for online students.
• Next steps for the course:
  • In-person meeting next week; a reading assignment will be posted on Blackboard.
  • A short quiz will be administered at the start of class (to ensure engagement with the readings).
  • The personality test results will serve as a foundation for the next week’s lesson focus.
• Student questions and accessibility:
  • The instructor emphasizes that guest professionals will continue to join via Zoom when feasible to accommodate travel constraints; if a guest cannot attend in person, Zoom is used to keep sessions accessible.
  • If a student misses prior steps, the instructor will “bump” links back into the chat so everyone can access the test.

Ethical, Philosophical, and Real-World Implications

• Ethical considerations:
  • Use of personality tests as a tool for self-understanding and career planning should be complemented by critical thinking and professional experience.
  • Recognition that personality does not determine destiny; growth, learning, mentorship, and opportunities can alter paths.
• Philosophical reflections:
  • The tension between free will and structural constraints in policing (e.g., DA decisions, prosecution norms, and policy shifts) shapes career trajectories and everyday job satisfaction.
  • The idea that leadership involves responsibility for outcomes (positive and negative) and requires resilience and adaptive thinking.
• Practical implications:
  • For students: use the personality typology as a compass, not a cage; seek internships and experiences that align with identified strengths.
  • For future professionals: prepare for a demanding schedule (on-call, rapid decision-making, exposure to violence) and prioritize mental health and support systems.

Quick Takeaways

• The NYPD path is non-linear and geography-dependent; promotions depend on exams, time in rank, and opportunities across bureaus.
• Daily leadership involves coordinating units, validating data (60-1 forms), and deploying resources to maximize safety and efficiency.
• Homicide responses and major incidents in transit require rapid mobilization and inter-unit coordination.
• Quality-of-life enforcement and DA policy significantly influence enforcement outcomes and officer morale.
• Personality tests (64 questions, 16 types) offer a structured way to understand preferences; results should be integrated with experience and growth opportunities.
• Personal growth in leadership roles often requires evolving beyond initial personality tendencies; leadership can amplify strengths in new directions.

Key Numbers and LaTeX-Formatted References

• Test mechanics and typology:
  • 64 questions: $64$ questions in the personality assessment.
  • 16 personality types: $16$ distinct types (e.g., INTJ, INTP, etc.).
• Promotion and retirement timelines:
  • Sergeant eligibility: after $2$ years in rank (sergeant exam timing).
  • Lieutenant exam cadence is variable and can occur on roughly a multi-year schedule depending on openings.
  • Retirement eligibility discussions reference $20$ years of service; also mentions potential retirement in the $$ year window depending on time accrued.
• Day timings:
  • Start times such as $06:30$; overnight shifts from $11:30$ PM to $08:00$ AM (example shift).
• Patrol and assignment geography mentioned:
  • Transit District 2 includes Canal Street up to the ferry terminals and areas near the West Side; Sunset Park corresponds to the 72nd Precinct area; Staten Island 121 Precinct covers Mariners Harbor, Westerly, etc.

Connections to Foundational Principles and Real-World Relevance

• The session links foundational concepts (self-knowledge, career alignment, and ethics in policing) to concrete practices (accountability, data-driven patrol deployment, and inter-agency collaboration).
• It illustrates how foundational principles (e.g., probable cause in policing, the tension between enforcement and civil liberties, and mental health considerations) play out in a large urban environment.
• The discussion of personality tests and growth demonstrates a practical application of psychology in education and career planning, emphasizing lifelong learning and adaptability.