| You've taken the first step. Your application is in | | | | 3. Reading Comprehension |
| the hands of a police recruiter. Now you're ready | | | | Your ability to understand what you read. You will |
| to take the plunge with the police officer exam. | | | | be given materials to read and will then answer |
| Like everything else in your quest for the badge, | | | | multiple choice questions on that information to |
| the key to success in the written exam is: | | | | show that you understand and can apply |
| preparation. | | | | information you read. |
| First on your prep list is the police officer exam | | | | This exam section evaluates your ability to |
| study guide. Before you leave the recruiter's | | | | perform police-related duties such as: accurately |
| office, ask for one, or where you can get one. | | | | reading and comprehending technical and legal |
| Many agencies have an online guide available on | | | | information - court orders, department policy, |
| their website. These exam guides tell you what | | | | state law, haz-mat warnings and training materials, |
| types of questions to expect and how many | | | | for example. |
| there are per section, how much time you have | | | | Prepare for exam sections 1 - 3 by cornering |
| on each section, and what skills and abilities are | | | | family and friends to give you verbal or written |
| tested. If your agency does not have an exam | | | | answer pop-quizzes on information you've read in |
| guide, ask the recruiter or your department | | | | newspapers and magazines. This is so close to a |
| contact, for information about the exam. Find out | | | | game that you shouldn't have any trouble finding |
| where the exam is taken, the time required to | | | | people to 'play'. |
| complete the exam, what types of questions will | | | | 4. Decision Making/Judgment Skills |
| be on the exam (multiple choice, essay, etc.) and | | | | Your ability to identify and comprehend critical |
| what areas of knowledge will be tested. | | | | elements of a situation and to choose an |
| Ask also if the exam is Civil Service. Civil service | | | | appropriate course of action. You will be given |
| exams are usually only offered once or twice a | | | | written, audio or video materials and then asked |
| year, and re-testing may also be limited. Check | | | | to pick the best response out of several |
| your guide for specifics, but in general, police | | | | responses, within an extremely limited time frame |
| officer exams are timed, contain 100 to 200 | | | | (10 seconds, for example). |
| questions in several sections, require 2-3 hours | | | | This exam section evaluates your ability to |
| time for completion and are scored as pass/fail or | | | | perform police-related duties such as: responding |
| require 70% correct to pass. Most exams are | | | | calmly to provocation, handling authority |
| completed by hand (pencil-marked answer | | | | appropriately, using unbiased enforcement, |
| sheets), but many are taken on computers. | | | | professional ethics and social maturity. |
| Study preparation for the police officer exam is | | | | Prepare for exam section 4 by studying sample |
| simple and straightforward. Read your test guide | | | | questions, reading newspaper accounts of crimes |
| front to back and then read it again. Check out | | | | and proposing what your response would be, and |
| the library, internet and bookstore for more | | | | observing officer response during a police ride |
| resources on police exams, especially for sources | | | | along. |
| with sample questions. Most libraries will have | | | | 5. Navigational Skills/Directional Orientation |
| books in the reference section that contain | | | | Your ability to read maps and recognize the |
| explanations of the exam sections most | | | | direction you are traveling. You will be given |
| commonly used and sample questions for each. If | | | | materials that ask you to find locations on maps, |
| you find an exam section that you feel is a weak | | | | show point to point routes for specific location |
| area for you, spend extra time on it to tone | | | | responses and suspect vehicle and foot chases. |
| down test day anxiety. | | | | This exam section evaluates your ability to |
| Nearly every police officer exam will include 5 | | | | perform police-related duties such as: routing to |
| areas of evaluation. These areas may be covered | | | | calls to decrease response time, knowledge of |
| in separate sections of questions, or may be | | | | street closures and need for re-routing, radio |
| bundled within 2 or 3 sections. They include: | | | | transmissions of a suspect chase, and emergency |
| 1. Accuracy of Observation/Memory | | | | response to officer down/needs assistance. |
| Your ability to retain and recall specific information. | | | | Prepare for exam section 5 by observing the |
| You will be given printed information, allowed to | | | | officer during a ride along, sticking a compass in |
| read and study it (no note-taking) for a certain | | | | your vehicle and learning to use landmarks as |
| amount of time (5 to 25 minutes), then the | | | | orientation guides and lastly, involve friends or |
| materials are returned and you are tested on the | | | | family in imaginary suspect 'chases'. Your 'chase' |
| contents. Tests may be strictly memory recall, or | | | | exercise would be something like this: Both drivers |
| may ask for conclusions to be drawn from the | | | | are in cell phone contact. Your vehicle is 2 blocks |
| information given. | | | | away from your partner's vehicle. You will begin |
| This exam section evaluates your ability to | | | | your imaginary 'chase' of a suspect (at legal |
| perform police-related duties such as: | | | | speeds) while giving directions to your 'backup' |
| remembering suspect descriptions, wanted | | | | over your cell phone. Set a time limit (5 minutes). |
| posters/pictures, department policies and | | | | When the suspect is 'apprehended', see if your |
| procedures, and safety and tactical procedures. | | | | backup finds you. Then switch roles and have |
| 2. Written Skills | | | | your partner be the lead vehicle. Your job will be |
| Your ability to communicate in writing. You will be | | | | to follow, and also to anticipate routes that would |
| given either a spelling or vocabulary test usually | | | | allow you to block the suspects anticipated |
| consisting of 25-50 words to be defined and | | | | direction of travel. Again, this is a great game and |
| spelled correctly. You will also be given, in some | | | | you'll have little trouble finding partners. |
| form, a scenario to read and take notes on. You | | | | The police officer exam is designed to evaluate |
| will then write a report that relates to specific | | | | multiple abilities and skills. In addition to the five |
| test-defined points of the scenario. | | | | evaluation sections noted above, you will also find |
| This exam section evaluates your ability to | | | | simple math and problem-solving math questions, |
| perform police-related duties such as: report | | | | and behavioral questions that indicate character, |
| writing, witness statements and completing | | | | compliance with laws and personal accountability. |
| department forms. | | | | |