Contents

1. Becoming a police officer

Introduction

The national selection system

2. Entry requirements and competencies

Entry requirements

Competencies relevant to the role of a police officer

3. The assessment centre

What is an assessment centre?

Timetable

Assessment exercises

Psychometric tests

Written exercises

Role-play exercises

Interview

Conduct of the assessments

Final thoughts

4. How to prepare for the psychometric tests

How practice can make a difference

How to perform to the best of your ability

How to use the practice tests

Interpreting your practice test scores

Making use of feedback from practice tests

Other ways of preparing for the psychometric tests

5. Numerical reasoning test

Introduction

Examples

Test 1

Test 2

Test 3

Test 4

Test 5

Answers to numerical reasoning tests

6. Verbal logical reasoning test

Introduction

Test 1

Test 2

Test 3

Test 4

Test 5

Answers to verbal logical reasoning tests

7. Writing tasks and exercises

The writing tasks

Completing Section 4 of the application form

Assessment centre written test

Final thoughts

8. Role-play exercises

Revisiting the core competencies

Role-play exercises – a worked example

Practice exercises

Final thoughts

9. The interview

Selection interviews

Types of selection interview

Assessment centre interview

Interview practice exercises

Final thoughts

10. Job-related fitness test

The tests

How to improve your test scores

11. Some final thoughts

Developing your reading skills

Developing your listening skills

Emotional intelligence

Final advice

Further Reading from Kogan Page