Can You Pass a Police Entrance Exam?

By: Becky Stigall
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Can You Pass a Police Entrance Exam?
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.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The officer should help the man get medical attention but make sure he is accompanied by an officer who can question him later.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An officer's first action should be to remove the public from the immediate danger.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

$19,000 worth of narcotics were stolen.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Always call for backup first.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

$19,000 + $3,000 + $7,000 + $400 = $29,400

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GSW is short for what?
Girl seeking work
Garage short worker
Gunshot wound
Gunshot where
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

GSW is short for gunshot wound.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

$347.08 - $230.00 = $117.08. Don't be confused!

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Which word is spelled incorrectly? "The crime occured early Friday morning."
Occured
Crime
Morning
Friday
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Occurred is spelled with two "r"s.

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The suspects said that ______ leaving town today.
They're
Their
There
Thare
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The suspects said that they're (they are) leaving town today

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The victim discovered the robbery when she returned home from work on 9/1/16 at 6 p.m. or later.

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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.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The correct sentence is "Yesterday, the sergeants had sensitivity training."

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What does the acronym DWI stand for?
Driving while intoxicated
Driving while under investigation
Driving without insurance
Driving with injuries
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

DWI stands for driving while intoxicated. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with DUI (Driving Under the Influence).

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Which amendment states that citizens have the right to remain silent instead of giving incriminating information?
Fifth
First
Fourth
Second
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Fifth Amendment gives you the right to remain silent.

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Which word means the same as "lacerated"?
Cut
Stitched
Broken
New
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The word "lacerated" means cut or torn.

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The witness said _______ were two suspects involved.
Their
There
They're
Thare
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The witness said there were two suspects involved.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

$600 + $250 + $500 = $1350.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Officer Clarke attends 150 meetings every year. That's fifty weeks, three meetings per week.

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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.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The correct sentence is "Officer Jane and I solved the case."

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A police department's Special Weapons and Tactics unit is known as which of the following?
Special forces
Green Berets
SWAT
Snipers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

SWAT is the name for a police department's Special Weapons and Tactics unit. These units were first assembled to manage riot control.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Carrying out search warrants is a duty of police officers.

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Solve this equation: 18 - 4 + (- 6) =
8
10
14
9
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

18 - 4 + (- 6) = 8. Simply put, adding -6 is the same as subtracting six.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

$3,000 worth of barbiturates were stolen.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ten percent of two million dollars is $200,000. The suspect will need $200,000 for bail.

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Which word is the opposite of the word "inebriated"?
Sober
Drunk
Tipsy
Intelligent
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Inebriated" means intoxicated or drunk.

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A police officer may refer to a perpetrator as what?
Criminal
Bad guy
Perp
Meanie head
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although any of the answer selections might be appropriate, we were looking for the word "perp."

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Officer Carey visits 200 schools every year.

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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.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

As soon as they arrived at the scene of the crime, police officers decided to begin evacuating people right away.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Officers must always be able to justify the use of force.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

12 - 3 + 6 = 15. That's a lot of elevator rides.

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Which word is misspelled? "The man who commited the crime received a sentence of five years in the county penitentiary."
Commited
Received
County
Penitentiary
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The word committed is spelled incorrectly in this sentence.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The U.S. Constitution guarantees that people can't be searched for just any reason.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

$600 + $100 + $250 + $500 = $1,450.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Because searches are allowed by city policy, no further permission is necessary.

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Which word is misspelled? "The two suspects were having an arguement over a car."
Arguement
Suspects
Automobile
Having
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Argument is spelled with only one "e."

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There were three ____________ to the robbery.
Witnesses
Witness
Witness's
Witness'
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There were three witnesses to the robbery.

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You Got:
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