Can You Pass a Police Entrance Exam?

By: Becky Stigall

6 Min Quiz

Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a police officer? Do you think you have what it takes to pass a police entrance exam? Take this quiz to find out.

The Police Officer Selection Test (POST) is much like many other civil service exams in that it is a test of basic skills, not necessarily specific law enforcement knowledge. Remember, when you take a police entrance exam, you are not expected to know a whole lot about law enforcement, but you are expected to be able to prove that you have the basic skills that you will need to learn how to be a police officer. To that end, you will need to know basic math and English, primarily. You will learn all about how to be a law enforcement officer if you pass the entrance exam and continue your law enforcement training.

The police officer entrance exam will test you on basic reading comprehension (necessary to complete your coursework), basic communication skills (necessary to be able to communicate with the public), and basic math (necessary to prove problem-solving skills). The exam is typically not difficult, but you may want to brush up on these basic skills before test day.

Do you think you can pass this quiz? Prove it.

An officer comes upon a young man with an obvious gunshot wound. The man says that he accidentally shot himself while cleaning his gun. What should the officer do?

Send the man to the hospital, accompanied by police

Tell the man to be more careful next time
Tell the man to come to the station when he feels better

Tell the man to see a doctor to attend to the wound.

While on patrol, Office Kandy saw glass falling from a building under construction. A crowd of people gathered to watch. What should Officer Kandy's first action be?

Tell folks to put on glasses to protect their eyes

Get a broom from her car and sweep up the glass
Call the city planner to report the construction crew

Move the people away from the building

The corner pharmacy has been robbed. The drugs stolen include: $7,000 in analgesics, $3,000 in barbiturates, $19,000 in narcotics, and $400 in miscellaneous medications. Which category of drugs represents the most costly loss to the pharmacy?

Narcotics

Barbiturates
Analgesics

Stimulants

While you are on your beat, you see rival gangs about to start a fight. What should be your first course of action?

Fire a warning shot at the gang members

Use your nightstick to break up the fight
Call for reinforcements

Arrest everyone involved

The corner pharmacy has been robbed. The drugs stolen include: $19,000 in narcotics; $3,000 in barbiturates; $7,000 in analgesics; and $400 in miscellaneous medications. What was the total value of the drugs that were stolen?

$9,400

$19,400
$29,400

$39,400

GSW is short for what?

Girl seeking work

Garage short worker
Gunshot wound

Gunshot where

Cassidy has a bank balance of $347.08. She withdraws $230.00. What is her balance after the withdrawal?

$115.08

$113.08
$117.08

$201.08

Which word is spelled incorrectly? "The crime occured early Friday morning."

Occured

Crime
Morning

Friday

The suspects said that ______ leaving town today.

They're

Their
There

Thare

A robbery victim testified that, while she was at work between 9/1/16 at 7 a.m. and 9/1/16 at 6 p.m., her residence was broken into and her flat screen TV was stolen. When did the victim discover the burglary to her home?

9/1/16 at 7 a.m.

9/1/16 at 9 a.m.
9/1/16 at 5 p.m.

9/1/16 at 6 p.m. or later

Which sentence is correct?

Yesterday, the sergeants has sensitivity training.

Yesterday, the sergeants have sensitivity training.
Yesterday, the sergeants had sensitivity training.

Yesterday, the sergeants haved sensitivity training.

What does the acronym DWI stand for?

Driving while intoxicated

Driving while under investigation
Driving without insurance

Driving with injuries

Which amendment states that citizens have the right to remain silent instead of giving incriminating information?

Fifth

First
Fourth

Second

Which word means the same as "lacerated"?

Cut

Stitched
Broken

New

The witness said _______ were two suspects involved.

Their

There
They're

Thare

Officer Colon prepared a police report on a theft from a beauty shop. He listed the stolen property as: Microdermabrasion Machine - $600; Hair Dryer - $100; Waxing Table - $250; Facial Steamer - $500. What is the value of the stolen property, not including the hair dryer?

$1,250

$1,350
$1,450

$1,550

As part of his duties, Office Clarke attends three block club meetings every week, except during his two-week vacation. How many meetings does he attend each year?

15

150
250

25

Which sentence is correct?

Officer Jane and me solved the case.

Officer Jane and I solved the case.
I and Officer Jane solved the case.

Me and Officer Jane solved the case.

A police department's Special Weapons and Tactics unit is known as which of the following?

Special forces

Green Berets
SWAT

Snipers

Select the word or phrase that most clearly completes the sentence: When the suspect refused to turn himself in, the police _______ a search warrant.

Typed up

Thought about
Wrote

Executed

Solve this equation: 18 - 4 + (- 6) =

8

10
14

9

The corner pharmacy has been robbed. The drugs stolen include: $19,000 in narcotics; $3,000 in barbiturates; $7,000 in analgesics; and $4,000 in miscellaneous medications. Which category of drugs represents the least costly loss to the pharmacy?

Narcotics

Barbiturates
Analgesics

Miscellaneous medications

The judge in the case of a drunk and disorderly suspect has set bail at two million dollars. The bail bondsman requires a 10% deposit to issue a bail bond. What amount of money does the suspect need for bail?

$2

$200
$2,000

$200,000

Which word is the opposite of the word "inebriated"?

Sober

Drunk
Tipsy

Intelligent

A police officer may refer to a perpetrator as what?

Criminal

Bad guy
Perp

Meanie head

Officer Carey works as a gang prevention liaison officer in the schools in his district. He visits four schools a week, 50 weeks each year. How many schools does he visit each year?

20

200
2,000

2

Choose the correct word or phrase to complete the following sentence: As soon as they arrived at the scene of the crime, police officers decided to ________ evacuating people right away.

Begin

Begun
Began

None of the above.

An officer who uses force must do which of the following?

Warn the suspect

Explain the type of force to be used
Check with his/her partner to see if force is necessary

Fill out a report justifying the use of force

Starting from the ground floor, Chrissy takes an elevator to the 12th floor. She then goes down 3 floors, then up 6 floors. Chrissy is on what floor?

5

10
15

20

Which word is misspelled? "The man who commited the crime received a sentence of five years in the county penitentiary."

Commited

Received
County

Penitentiary

The U.S. Constitution provides that persons shall not be subject to unreasonable searches and/or seizures. This means that:

Certain types of searches are not permitted by the U.S. Constitution

The government can't take your property
The police cannot hold you against your will

The police can do anything with a search warrant

Officer Colon prepared a police report on a theft from a beauty shop. He listed the stolen property as: Microdermabrasion Machine - $600; Hair Dryer - $100; Waxing Table - $250; Facial Steamer - $500. What is the total value of the stolen property?

$1,250

$1,350
$1,450

$1,550

The city has a policy that allows searches to be carried out on any employee's city-owned property (lockers, desks, vehicles, etc.) even if the employee is not present. On what basis can an employee's city-owned property be searched?

City policy

Search Warrant
Court Order

Eminent domain

Which word is misspelled? "The two suspects were having an arguement over a car."

Arguement

Suspects
Automobile

Having

There were three ____________ to the robbery.

Witnesses

Witness
Witness's

Witness'

7 Minute Quiz 7 Min

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