Police Officer Exam

Overview
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.

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

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.

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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