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About the Police Officer Exam

Overview

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The written examination is nearly always the first step in the screening process for Police Officer candidates and is used to identify unqualified candidates without any possible accusation of favoritism or prejudice. Entry-level examinations do not presuppose knowledge. You are not expected to know police rules, regulations, or procedures, but rather to reason and think like a Police Officer.


Test Dates

Most civil service exams are administered as needed. Contact the city or state administering your exam for more information.

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Test Locations

Contact the city or state administering your exam for more information.

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Test Structure

The Police Officer Entry Exam is made up of multiple-choice questions drawing from the following categories:

  • Reading-based questions
  • Practical judgment questions
  • Observation and memory questions
  • Grammar and expression questions
  • Reading maps
  • Filling out forms

Miscellaneous questions, if included, tend not to comprise a significant part of the exam. These may include questions on arithmetic, synonyms, verbal analogies, spelling, and various types of coding.

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Scoring

Your answer sheet will be read by a machine to determine your raw score. Then, using a confidential process, your raw score will be converted into a scaled score, from 1-100. A scaled score of 70 is a passing score.

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Did You Know?

In many cases, law enforcement officers may retire with pension after only 25 or 30 years.

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