Sunday, 1 March 2015

What Does It Take To Pass Police Promotional Exams

By Olivia Cross


The job recruitment process is a minefield for both candidates and prospective employers. How does the employer know the candidate in front of them, who looks well turned out and great on paper, won't run away with the company silver? How does the candidate know that the guy on the other side of the desk interviewing him won't turn out to be a raving psychopath, tyrannical, control-freak? Law enforcement agencies get around at least some of the pitfalls by holding police promotional exams.

Whatever the rank, individuals taking law enforcement examinations must be able to show the capacity to think. Examiners for the Lieutenant/Captain examination in New York, for example, might ask what to do in the case of a bomb threat or after an inspection is carried out and no bomb is discovered. They also love to write questions where the answer is in the form of a number.

Within the United Kingdom, there are lots of resources to support the candidate who is pursuing a promotion. Some times classes are held within the force itself, although some candidates like to use outside sources of preparation, as well. Many successful candidates recommend having a personal study schedule. Specialist websites sell useful books, DVDs and other instructional material.

The single feature that separates policemen and women in the UK from their counterparts in the rest of the world is their absence of firearms. While there are calls from the Police Memorial Trust and the Essex Police to increase the number of armed officers, the majority of opinion among the forces is that, sadly, arming law enforcement does not result in fewer officers being killed by guns.

On the other side of the world in Victoria, Australia, the local law enforcement contingent enjoy the confidence of the public whom they protect. More than 75 percent of residents there are content with the service they are receiving. Back in the 1820 Melbourne Police force, there were only 12 officers. Fifteen years into the third millennium, the force stood at 14,612 sworn officers, 329 stations and a 2.3 billion dollar budget.

The largest municipal law enforcement agency in Canada is in the city of Toronto. It has a population of more than 2.6 million and it is also the most diverse population in the country. Inequality of opportunity is frequently cited as a major problem here. In 2011, the agency was forced to abandon its testing program and develop a new one. This was because a handful of candidates for promotion got their hands on a copy of the test questions.

Just the other side of the Tasman Sea from Australia, police constables serve on probation for two years and then get their choice of a variety of different career paths. They may go into forensics, personal protection, join Interpol, or even remain as constables and move up the ranks from there. The duties of a constable include advising and supporting the community, responding to incidents, interviewing witnesses, working with crime victims and presenting evidence in court.

Advancing through the ranks in law enforcement takes commitment, self-discipline to study for promotion examinations, and the ability to reason. It is a satisfying career with many interesting and diverse possibilities.




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