Too Smart to Be a Cop? It's Legally Happened

Robert Jordan wanted to be a police officer in New London, Connecticut. He was 46, had a college degree, and aced the department's aptitude test. That last part was the problem.

In 1996, Jordan scored a 33 on the Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test—equivalent to an IQ of about 125. The average score is 21. The New London Police Department had a policy: they wouldn't interview anyone who scored above 27.

Jordan was too smart to be a cop.

The Reasoning Behind the Rejection

The department's logic was simple, if counterintuitive. They believed that highly intelligent officers would get bored with routine police work and leave the force after the city invested in their training. It was a cost-saving measure dressed up as human resources policy.

Jordan wasn't buying it. He sued, claiming the policy discriminated against him and violated his constitutional rights.

The Court's Surprising Decision

In 2000, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Jordan. Their reasoning? The policy applied equally to all applicants regardless of race, gender, or any other protected class. Since "smart people" aren't a protected group under anti-discrimination laws, the department could reject them freely.

The court acknowledged the policy might be unwise, but unwise isn't the same as illegal.

• The cutoff score of 27 translates to roughly an IQ of 104—barely above average
• Jordan's score of 33 put him in approximately the top 5% of test-takers
• The department claimed officers with average intelligence had lower turnover rates

Still Happening Today?

The New London case set a legal precedent that has never been overturned. While most police departments don't actively screen out high scorers, the practice remains completely legal if they choose to do so.

The irony isn't lost on critics. In an era where police departments face scrutiny for poor decision-making, they have court-approved permission to reject candidates specifically because they might think too much.

Jordan never became a police officer. He became a prison guard instead—apparently, that job had no problem with his intelligence.