What Part of This Police Entrance Exam Will You Ace?

By: Jonnathan Chadwick
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
What Part of This Police Entrance Exam Will You Ace?
Image: kali9/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Walk into any classroom in the country and you're bound to find at least one student who wants to be a police officer when they grow up. It's almost like being a superhero. You may start out handing out parking tickets, but if you play your cards right and excel in the right places, you could climb the ladder and become anything you want. Even James Bond had to start somewhere! The first step to living your dream of being a police officer, however, is passing the entrance exam. It's not easy, and it will test all your mental and physical skills.

Most police exams vary by state, and they all have to test your psychological wellbeing, physical stamina and knowledge. For the psychological and physical tests, there are no right or wrong answers; you'll just have to try your hardest and be as honest as possible. Preparing for these tests comes down to being as healthy as possible, both physically and mentally. But for the knowledge portion of the test, you can study all you want, and you should. The written portion of the police entrance exam isn't too different than most exams you've taken during schooling, and it's broken up into the usual test sections. 

Let's take a look at which section you would ace if you took the test today!

If you had your choice, which of these positions would you want your first year on the force?
Police officer
Crime scene investigator
Desk job
Detective

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Which tactic do you use when you find yourself in a confrontation?
Yelling
Logic
Listening
Using examples

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Which of these police reports gets you most excited to fill out?
Vehicle accident report
Burglary report
Arrest report
Vice case report

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Of these high-level abilities, which do you think is most valuable for an officer to have?
Solving complex calculations mentally
Speaking multiple languages
Writing efficient and effective police reports
Having a photographic memory

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Your patrol partner makes the same mistake two weeks in a row. What's the first thought that goes through your mind?
My partner isn't too smart.
I wonder if they learned the same thing as I did.
How exactly did that happen?
I may have made that mistake if I hadn't seen them do it.

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A senior officer is stumped by a certain problem, and you have the opportunity to impress them by helping solve it. What do you do?
Teach them a formula you once used to solve a similar problem
Go home and read everything about the problem and find how it was solved in the past
Tell them what you believe is the best way to solve it and explain why
Tell them the answer because you remember it from an old class

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On the day of the test, your proctor says you can take the test in one of the following formats. Which do you choose?
Multiple choice
True/False
Essay/Open-ended
A combination

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When filling out a police report, what's the most important thing you want to achieve?
Getting all the numbers and facts correct
Not missing a single detail
Wording/phrasing that is admissible in court
Being 100% objective

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If you have to spend an entire night filling out reports, how would you choose to do so?
At a desktop computer
In bed
Laptop at a desk
Multiple locations

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Which of these police certifications do you want the most?
RADAR certification
Certification for foreign languages
K-9 certification
Crime scene technician

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Which of the following skills are you most excited to learn as a police officer?
High-level stats to help stop crime nationwide
Being comfortable outside of my comfort zone
Empathy and understanding of different people
My city like the back of my hand

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Which of the following is your preferred method of studying for the test?
With a friend/tutor
In silence
With background noise
In a public place

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If you're asked to shadow along on a crime scene investigation, which method do you use to take notes?
My body camera
Voice recorder
Pen and paper
Sit back and observe everyone and everything

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If you witness your partner do something you believe is unlawful, which course of action would you pursue?
Keep a silent tally of things they've done wrong
Re-read the rules and try to understand whether they did something wrong
Write it down in your personal journal
Ask a senior officer without naming your partner

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If you see curved skid marks left behind after a car crash, which do you believe is the most important skill needed to solve the case?
Geometry and algebra
Finding witnesses willing to talk
Interrogation skills
Identifying the tire tread and car

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You've been tasked with outlining a huge investigation. How do you tackle your first draft?
Computer
Professional program/App
Pen and paper
Ask experienced officers how they've done so in the past

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What makes you think you're cut out to be a police officer?
I have an impeccable record.
I have friends of all different backgrounds.
I have an ability to understand and get along with anyone.
I love learning, helping and protecting.

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What do you hope to gain from a life in law enforcement?
Success
Knowledge
Happiness
Meaning/Purpose

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You park your car in a giant lot full of other patrol cars. How do you remember where you parked?
Ask my partner to help remember
Use an app for that
Write it down in my phone
Make mental notes

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On any given day, what police-related news items are you most likely to read?
Local crime stats
Long-form investigative report
Essay on police corruption
Nationwide crime rates

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What do you believe is the biggest threat to law enforcement today?
Increase in population
Distrust in the police force
Rise in extremist groups
Social media/Technology

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When you first arrive at a crime scene, what is the first thing you notice?
Angles of buildings/trees/windows
Nearby signs
Curious onlookers
Neighborhood and location

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You've been assigned to investigate a kidnapping case. Which of the following do you want to know first?
Is there a ransom?
Does the kidnapped person have enemies?
When were they last seen?
Who reported it?

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If you could study for the test with any one of these people, who would you choose?
Albert Einstein
Shakespeare
Charles Dickens
Galileo Galilei

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When you finish taking the police entrance exam, what's the first thing you're going to do?
Celebrate at a police bar
Unwind alone
Post on social media
Call a friend or family member

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When it comes to being a police officer, what do you think is your biggest weakness?
Writing thorough police reports
Remembering small/obscure details
Calculating vehicle speeds and angles
Being fully present in the moment

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What is your preferred uniform when you enter a life of law enforcement?
Police uniform
Business casual
Suit and tie
Plain clothes

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Why do you want to be a police officer?
I want an admirable career.
To protect and serve
My natural skills fit the position.
It's my childhood dream.

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Which of these is the most powerful tool a police officer has?
Responsibility
Body/Dash camera
Credibility
Authority

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How high do you want to climb within law enforcment?
State police
Military (DOD/NSA)
Federal (FBI/CIA)
Detective/Undercover

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You Got:

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