The police written exam is the first hurdle you’ll face in your pursuit of becoming a police officer. This is true for just about any law enforcement agency in the country. The purpose of the pre-employment exam is to identify good applicants and dismissing those who aren’t as qualified. The police exam typically has around eight different components.
Let’s look at some situational questions below. Read the questions carefully and use sound judgement and common sense to come up with the right answer.
Sample Situational questions #1:
1.You and your backup simultaneously arrive at a house where a domestic violence incident is reported to be occurring. As you approach the house you hear a woman and child scream and a man yelling, “I’ll teach you!” Your backup officer is visibly nervous and says, “We should call a supervisor.” How would you handle this situation?
A. Ask the dispatcher for a call history on the house.
B. Forcibly enter the house and contact a supervisor after the situation is under control.
C. Tell your backup to calm down and knock on the door.
D. Call your supervisor to request permission to enter the home immediately.
WHAT IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE RESPONSE?
WHAT IS THE LEAST APPROPRIATE RESPONSE?
Explanation For Scenario question# 1 – MOST Appropriate Response:
The answer to to question #1 is B. As a police officer if you have solid evidence that one’s life is in IMMEDIATE danger (which is the case here), you can make entry inside some one’s home. Since you’ve over heard both a female and child scream, and then a male yelling “I’ll teach you” you have enough probable cause to kick in the door.
Explanation For Scenario Question # 1 – LEAST Appropriate Response:
The answer to question #1 is A. There’s no need to waste anymore time calling dispatch. There exist enough probably cause to believe that someone is in immediate danger. The only course of action is to make entry inside the house.
Sample situational question #2:
You and your partner respond to a combative male. The suspect spits on your partner after he is handcuffed. Your partner punches the suspect while in custody. How would you handle this situation?
A. Don’t question your partner but report the incident to his supervisor.
B. Don’t tell anyone; just keep the incident to yourself.
C. Tell your partner that his behavior was inappropriate and that if he reacts this way
again that you will report his behavior to his supervisor.
D. Tell the officer that his behavior was inappropriate and that he needs to tell his
supervisor or else you will.
WHAT IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE RESPONSE?
WHAT IS THE LEAST APPROPRIATE RESPONSE?
Explanation For Scenario question# 2 – MOST Appropriate Response:
The answer to question #2 is D. This officer’s actions is unprofessional , and should be reported. You should always put the department’s policy ahead of co-worker friendship. If you don’t report the incident, someone could have seen the incident or worst it could have been captured on video by a passerby. Trust me that is very possible. So the best thing is to report the incident and allow the folks over you to handle the situation.
Explanation For Scenario question# 2 – LEAST Appropriate Response:
The answer to this question is B. This answer is just ridiculous need I say more. As I explained before, there may have been more eyes that saw the incident than you think. So NEVER keep an incident like that under wraps, it will just come back to bite you.
