Research-specific suggestions Cop culture-specific suggestions 1. A combination of subjective and objective assessment tools serves both informative and qualitative purposes 1. Face valid instruments should not be used as the only type of assessment tools within any given study, certainly not with police officers 2. The use of a mixed battery of assessment tools should be consistently administered throughout the study to the same sample, in the same order and under the same conditions 2. The use of record checks (absenteeism, sick leave, family leave) provides some of the most valid assessments of police officers response to any given event and should be used in combination with other assessment tools whenever, ethically, possible