I get this question asked all the time by highly enthused pro-police individuals just out of the military or high school.
Should I apply to become a state trooper or a city/county police officer?
I always advise them to apply to both agencies. I tell them to not stop there either. Go ahead and apply to federal and county agencies as well because law enforcement jobs are really competitive. It’s not uncommon to see over 500 applicants for only a handful of openings. Even people in the private sector are leaving that industry in favor of the security that comes with a government jobs.
With that being said, regardless of what agency you decide to pursue, you’ll still have to pass the entrance exam. Let’s take a look at the state trooper entrance exam which is probably one of the toughest. The best way to assure yourself a passing score on the state police test is to prepare beforehand. Don’t be like most recruits and walk into the exam room without any prior knowledge of what’s going to be on the test.
How To Prepare For The State Trooper Exam
First, train yourself to be more observant when out somewhere. For example, if you are at a park, try to pick out a couple people you don’t know and remember everything about them from head to toe. Later, ask a friend to quiz you. If you do this enough, you’ll be ready for the memory recall test.
Being able to recall the description of a person or a vehicle is a very important trait for a state trooper. If you lack this skill, you’ll likely have a tough time on the exam.
