3 Methods of Preparing for the Police Test

Wouldn’t it be great if there was one and only one police entrance exam for every department in the nation? However, as many of you know, that’s just not the case. Every police agency has different requirements and different attributes they are looking for in an employee, which means you could take a dozen police entrance exams and none of them would look the same. So how in the world do you properly prepare for an exam that you might not see until you sit down to take it? Here are three basic ideas to keep in mind so you can do to improve your chances of passing any police test.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE: Although the police exam varies from agency to agency, I encourage every applicant to at least look over a police exam study guide beforehand.

Work on Your Reading Comprehension

Police examiners want to know that you are capable of reading a paragraph and then explaining what you just read. Nothing improves your reading comprehension better than actually reading. Read fiction, non-fiction, newspapers, magazines, or anything that is well-written and requires concentration. Your best friend’s MySpace blog or the local sports scores don’t count. You also need to be able to write about what you’ve read. Pick a good book, like Ben Sherwood’s The Survivors Club. Read a chapter at a time and ask yourself questions. Make sure to write these questions down or write a summary of what each chapter meant to you. After this, go back and read that chapter again. Police agencies want to know that you can not only read, but that you can remember and utilize what you’ve just read.

Refresh Your Basic Math and Intellectual Skills

Most police tests will include some form of mathematical equation. This could include measuring an accident scene or figuring out staffing levels for a certain size community. Again, the examiner isn’t interested in finding out if you’re an accountant; they want to know if you can logically apply basic skills. Cops have to know a little about a lot of things; math is one of them. Studying math also helps structure your reasoning skills, so if x = 17 + [(5×12)/3], what is the value of x?

Be a Good Test-Taker

This is a skill that most people have to study for and work at. Practice controlled breathing and other relaxation techniques. Remember, anxiety is a performance killer when it comes to taking tests; don’t let a difficult question hinder your progress. If you don’t readily know the answer, move on and come back to that it later. You’ll be surprised how often the answer comes to you while working on another question. Make sure you read each question carefully. Many times you are able to pull part of the answer from the question itself. Police departments are looking to see if you are logical, observant, and can think critically, that’s why they “test” you.

Only about 30% of police test takers will pass the first test they take. Like any law enforcement survival skill, testing takes practice. Try to find out as much as you can about the type of test you’ll be taking, what the agency is looking for in a candidate, and if there is a study guide available. Just do what you’d do if you’re on the range or on the mats– practice, practice, practice! Good luck! Oh yeah, the answer is 37.

Here’s a list, by rank, of the toughest cities to be a police officer: