UN Selection Assistance and Assessment Team (SAAT) UN Selection Assistance and Assessment Teams assess police in their home

countries prior to deployment to:

Test fluency in the mission language (English/French) Test proficiency in firearms (for deployment in armed Missions) Assess driving abilities

What is the UN SAAT?

The UNSelection Assistance and Assessment Team (SAAT)is established to oversee the Assessment for Mission Service (AMS) that is carried out in a Member State. The UN SAAT runs the assessment tests in the PCCs for the selection of national law enforcement personnel for deployment to a peacekeeping operation. The Selection and Recruitment Section (SRS) in the UN Police Division selects the members of the team and their roles. SAAT members are certified by the SRS prior to selection. This ensures that the members are aware of applicable UN SAAT policies, guidelines and procedures.

What does the UN SAAT do?

Conduct the mandatory field mission pre-deployment assessments tests. These are a set of exercises aimed at identifying the capacity and ability of the candidate to qualify for UN Police operations. The exercises cover four main areas: interview, language skills, driving, and handling of weapons and shooting. Conduct a pre-deployment briefing including information on policy guidelines with respect to service in peacekeeping operations, a mission-information package and mission-specific training materials. The briefing is aimed to raise the awareness of candidates about the tasks, operational environment and current conditions in the field mission where they will be deployed.

When is the UN SAAT deployed to a police-contributing country (PCC)?

PCCs need to request a visit by the UN SAAT in written to the UN Police Advisor at least three months in advance. The UN encourages that UN SAAT assessments be carried out in PCCs. In 2010, about 45 of 100 PCCs requested UN SAAT predeployment examinations. Pre-deployment assessments have increased the overall efficiency and operational effectiveness of the missions by reducing the period required for the induction of officers and the time lost due to re-tests and repatriations. In addition, they have contributed to a smooth and expeditious deployment of police officers to the field.

Responsibilities of the PCC:

Conduct a pre-selection process of personnel taking into consideration the minimum UN requirements. Ensure gender balance in the presented candidates with a minimum of 20 percent female police officers or the same percentage as the national police service if it is higher. One month prior to the SAAT visit, submit information on preselected candidates, including name, gender, date of birth, valid ID numbers and date of entry into the police service for each candidate. Once the PCChas submitted the list, no additions or substitutions can be made to it. One month before the start of the SAAT visit, nominate a Liaison Officer for the visit and inform the UN Police Division of the name and contact details of this person. Before the start of the SAAT visit, certify in writing that preselected candidates have not been convicted of, are not under investigation or being prosecuted for any criminal, human rights or disciplinary offence.

Pre-deployment assessment tests: These are conducted on a sequential basis starting with the language assessment (including writing and oral tests), followed by the driving assessment and ending with the handling of weapons and shooting assessment. Candidates have to pass the minimum requirements for each test before being allowed to continue to the next test. Those who do not pass a test will be eliminated and will not be able to continue to the next test. Validity: The UN SAAT assessments are valid for 24 months from the date of completion of the assessment.

UN SAAT Language Competency Assessment

Reading comprehension Report writing Oral interview

The language test assesses the ability of an officer to understand written and spoken language and to communicate comfortably, both orally and written. It consists of three sections and administered in the following order:

Reading exercise: The candidate receives a document describing a United Nations mission related incident. They have 20 minutes to read the document and answer 10 questions related to the incident. A candidate requires a minimum of seven (7) correct answers to pass the reading exercise. Report writing exercise: The candidate listens to an audio recording that provides additional information on the same incident. The candidates may take notes while listening and then have 30 minutes to write a comprehensive police report about the incident. The report should include and summarize all relevant facts. Spelling, grammar and style is also assessed. Oral interview: The oral assessment is part of the candidates interview with a UN SAAT member.

Officers who have passed the UN SAAT assessments shall not be subjected to any other language tests in the mission upon arrival.

UN Police officers arriving in the mission area without the UN SAAT clearance must take the mandatory language test in the mission. The concerned candidate who fails this test will be repatriated and the travel costs shall be borne by the Member State. UN SAAT Interview

The interview lasts a minimum of twenty (20) minutes per candidate. A PCC representative may attend the interviews as a monitor if the PCC so desires. The interview involves

Questions related to the candidates police career and to skills needed in complex integrated operations. Questions on the candidates understanding of United Nations core values and peacekeeping guiding principles, including gender-related issues. A practical computer exercise

The SAAT instructor(s) use(s) a standard scoring matrix to evaluate the oral communication skills of the candidate and their professional skills.

The interview serves three main purposes: i) to assess the candidates oral communication skills; ii) to assess the candidates professional experience, mission-specific skills, and general understanding of the core values of the United Nations; and iii) to assess the candidates basic level of computer proficiency. The interview lasts a minimum of twenty (20) minutes per candidate and a representative from the PCC may attend the interviews as a monitor if the PCC so desires. During the interview, the AMS instructor asks the candidate a set of general questions related to his or her police career and to skills needed in complex integrated peacekeeping operations (PKOs) or special political missions (SPMs). The instructor also asks the candidate about his or her understanding of United Nations core values and peacekeeping guiding principles, including gender-related issues. The AMS instructor(s) then conduct(s) a practical computer exercise with the candidate to determine his or her computer proficiency. The computer skills are not included in the grade of the interview but candidates with demonstrated computer skills will be given preference over other candidates for deployment. The United Nations recognizes that, not only is it essential to assess a persons technical competence for a particular role, but that it is equally important to assess their behavioral fit for that role, and their cultural fit within the organization. Below provides samples questions for a shortened interview including competency based questions as well as technical questions. For the AMS interview the AMS instructor should use at least one question from each sub-heading per interview (Integrity, Professionalism,

Respect for Diversity and Technical). All interviews should include at least one question regarding gender mainstreaming. The interview generally starts with a wide perspective asking about relevant experiences then for concrete examples from those past experiences. Follow-up questions may be asked to make sure the interviewer gets the information needed to make a fair assessment. Sample professional and technical expertise questions: o Tell me about your experience from (skill indicated on the onepager handed over by the interviewee). Follow-up: What was your specific role? o Which of your skills do you think would be most useful in a UN mission? o Tell me about a situation when you have had to transfer your skills to somebody else. Follow-up: How did you do this? UN SAAT Driving Competency Assessment

Phase 1: Handling exercise Phase 2: Road exercise

The candidate must identify him- or herself with a valid national driving license at the outset of the driving competency assessment. An official translation prepared by the PCC authorities must accompany the original license if it is not in the Latin alphabet. The driving competency assessment consists of two parts: (1) the handling exercise and (2) the road exercise. Each candidate must pass the handling exercise before being allowed to continue on to the road exercise. Given the fact that the mission driving and road conditions likely differ from those in the candidates home country, deployed police officers are required to pass another driving test in the mission area, under mission conditions and with mission vehicles, to obtain a United Nations
driving permit.

UN SAAT Driving Competency Assessment

Phase I Handling exercise: Within five minutes, the candidate will need to prove his or her ability to safely reverse and park a manual gear four-wheel drive vehicle on a standard driving range. A candidate who fails the handling exercise receives one more chance. A candidate who fails the handling exercise twice is disqualified and shall not be admitted to the road exercise.

Phase 2: Road exercise: The candidate will need to drive safely on a predetermined route during low traffic. The exercise will test the candidate on various maneuvers in everyday driving.

UN SAAT cleared officers who failed tests when deployed in the mission are repatriated at the cost of the UN. Officers deployed to a mission without being UN SAAT cleared and who failed the test in the mission are repatriated at the cost of the Member State. It is essential that driving tests be done adequately since missions can be dangerous environments. Ensuring that UNPOLs have the necessary driving skills will eliminate risks of vehicle accidents and other unnecessary risks. See sample assessment of road exercise below:

UN SAAT Handling of Weapons and Shooting Exercises

Weapon handling exercise Shooting exercises

For service in an armed peacekeeping operation, a candidate must pass the handling of firearms and shooting assessment that consists of two parts: (1) a firearm handling exercise and (2) a shooting exercise. The two parts of the assessment should be conducted with the same type of sidearm that the Member State provides to its deployed police officers. Handling exercise Safely clean the cylinder of a revolver within one (1)minute. Alternatively, safely disassemble and reassemble a pistol within three (3) minutes.

Weapon handling exercise: Candidates are tested on their ability to safely handle a weapon, safe cleaning (for revolvers), to dissemble and reassemble the firearm (for pistols) within three minutes. Shooting exercise Step 1: Five (5) rounds on a target of 45 cm x 45 cm from a five (5) meter distance. Step 2: Five (5) rounds on a target of 45 cm x 45 cm from a distance of seven (7) meters.

In step one; the candidate has to shoot a total of five (5) rounds on atarget of 45 cm x 45 cm from a five (5) meter distance. In order to proceed to step two of the shooting exercise, the candidatehas to hit the target in four (4) out of the five (5) rounds. In step two, the candidate has to shoot a total of five (5) rounds on atarget of 45 cm x 45 cm from a distance of seven (7) meters. To pass the shooting exercise, the candidate must hit the target in at least nine (9) rounds out of the total of ten (10) rounds in both steps and demonstrate safe handling of the weapon throughout the process. Only in case of misfire due to technical reasons beyond the candidates control will s/he be given a second chance to pass the shooting assessment. Candidates who fail the firearms handling and shooting assessment may be deployed to non-armed missions.

A candidate is selected if s/he meets the language, driving and firing (in case of armed missions) minimum standards. UN SAAT Pre-deployment briefing

Generic Mission-specific

At the end of the UN SAAT assessment, a generic and a missionspecific pre-deployment briefing will be conducted. This is intended to complement but not substitute a pre-deployment training provided by the PCC. The generic briefing includes:

Organisation of DPKO Organisation and functions of the Police Division/DPKO Role of UN Police in peacekeeping operations Current deployment of UNPOLs

The mission-specific briefing includes:

Mandate and tasks for the UN Police component of the mission Organisation of the mission and structure of the police component Status of the implementation of the mandate Living conditions in the mission Administrative preparation for deployment Security scenario in the mission Notes for guidance

Publications and training materials will be supplied if required:

United Nations Civilian Police Principles and Guidelines Mission Pre-Deployment Briefing Package Notes for the Guideance of UN Civilian Police Officers on Assignment Blue Helmets Code of Conduct English Course for UN Civilian Police UN Civilian Police Language Handbook UN Stress Management Booklet

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