ENTRY LEVEL POLICE OFFICER EXAMINATION

ORIENTATION AND PREPARATION GUIDE

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION: The Written Examination for POLICE OFFICER
SECTION I: GENERAL WRITTEN TEST INFORMATION
A. Objectives 2
B. General Test-Taking Strategies 3
C. Error Analysis

D. Answer Sheet Procedures 9

SECTION II: ABILITY AREAS
A. Nine Ability Areas and Associated Test-Taking Strategies 11
1. Memorization 11
2. Visualization. 14
3. Spatial Orientation..

16

4. Verbal Expression..

18

5. Verbal Comprehension.. 21
6. Problem Sensitivity.

23

7. Deductive Reasoning.

27

8. Inductive Reasoning 31
9. Information Ordering..

34

B. Sample Test Questions: Answers/Explanations

37

SECTION III: PRACTICE EXAMINATION

A. Practice Examination Instructions. 41
1. Practice Examination Answer Sheet.... 42
2. Memorization Scene.. 43
B. Practice Examination Questions... 44
C. Practice Examination Answer Key and Explanations.... 53

INTRODUCTION
This Entry Level Police Officer Examination Orientation and Preparation Guide has been
developed to help you prepare for the written portion of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Entry Level Police Officer Examination. This Guide covers material for the written examination
only. The written test will consist of 100 multiple-choice questions designed to measure nine
abilities that are important to the performance of the police officer job. This Guide is divided into
three major sections.
Section I: General Written Test Information
The first section of the Guide provides information that you may find useful when taking an
examination with multiple choice format questions. General test-taking strategies will be
presented (e.g. underlining important words; reading the instructions regarding how to record
your answer on the answer sheet).
Section II: Ability Areas
The second section of the Guide focuses on the nine ability areas that will be tested on the
examination. For each ability area, a definition and test-taking strategies that are particular to
the ability area are presented. In addition, there are sample questions that you can answer that
may help you assess how well you have learned the suggested or recommended strategies
applicable to each type of question. (The explanations of the answers to the sample questions
appear at the end of this section.)
Section III: Practice Examination
The third section of the Guide contains a twenty-question practice examination, including
questions covering all nine ability areas and explanations of the correct answers to these
questions. We recommend that you take the practice examination after reviewing the Guide to
assess your understanding of the information and test-taking strategies presented. Taking the
practice examination may help you to identify areas that may need additional study effort on
your part.
We encourage you to review this Guide as many times as is necessary to become familiar
with the content areas that will be tested and the test-taking strategies presented.

SECTION I: GENERAL WRITTEN TEST INFORMATION

A. OBJECTIVES
To inform you of the nine ability areas covered on the test:
This Guide provides you with definitions of the nine ability areas: Memorization, Visualization,
Spatial Orientation, Verbal Expression, Verbal Comprehension, Problem Sensitivity, Deductive
Reasoning, Inductive Reasoning and Information Ordering. Explanations are also provided
regarding how these abilities pertain to the job of an entry-level police officer.
To provide you with some general test-taking strategies:
This Guide provides some general suggestions for taking an examination with multiplechoice format questions.
To provide you with test-taking strategies for each of the nine ability areas:
This Guide contains strategies to help you answer questions for each of the nine ability
areas.
To familiarize you with the procedures and materials you will encounter during the actual
examination session:
This Guide includes the procedures that you should follow during the actual examination.
The sample questions provided in the Abilities section gives you an idea of the types of
questions to expect. Answering the practice questions allows you to assess your own ability and
identify those ability areas on which you should focus your study efforts. In addition, the
familiarity with the test process gained in taking the practice examination could serve to
increase your confidence level and reduce anxiety about taking the test. Some of the anxiety
associated with test-taking situations may be related to the novelty of the situation, that is,
applicants simply are not used to taking tests or taking a test with thousands of other
individuals. Having this first-hand experience with the test-taking situation can help reduce your
anxiety level.
To provide some strategies to offset common test-taking errors:
This Guide explains errors typically made by examinees when taking a test with multiple
choice format questions. It includes steps to identify the types of errors and strategies to help
minimize making the same errors in the future. Please keep in mind the following guidelines:
1. REPETITION and PRACTICE are the key elements to familiarizing yourself with the
strategies.

2. Many of the strategies suggested for each of the nine ability areas apply only to questions
testing those areas. For example, suggestions that pertain to Memory questions apply only
to those types of content questions.

3. Consider using the general test-taking techniques only when you are uncertain or do not
know the answer to a question.

B. GENERAL TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES

Here are some general test-taking strategies that may be helpful:
Understand the test format and requirements
1. Read all of the directions carefully.
2. Understand how to correctly mark the answer sheet. (You will be given specific
instructions at the test site.)
3. Know how many hours and minutes you have to complete the examination. You are
responsible for monitoring your use of the allotted time. (Applicants are typically given
three hours to complete the 100-question entry-level police examination.)
4. Ask for clarification if you do not understand how to take the examination. (Test proctors
will be at the test site to answer questions before the examination begins.)
Understand the test question
1. Read each question carefully. Try to answer the question before you look at the choices.
If you know the answer, compare it to the available choices and pick the choice closest
in meaning to your answer.
2. Mark the test questions to make them easier to read as you may write in your test
booklet. Specifically:
a. Use slash marks to break down sentences into small segments. This approach helps
to separate ideas in long sentences.
b. Circle key words that identify the subject of a sentence or passage. This makes it
easier when you have to look for the answers later.
c. Find and underline clue words such as SOME, ALL, EVERY, SOMETIMES, AND, and
OR.

(1) Words such as ALL, NEVER, NONE, and EVERY harden a statement and indicate
there are no exceptions. As a rule, statements including these words have less
of a chance of being correct.
(2) Words such as SOMETIMES, MAY, GENERALLY, and POSSIBLY soften a
statement and leave more room for the statement to be correct.
(3) The word, AND means that one element of the statement must be present or
true, in addition to another.
(4) The word OR means there is a choice of situations; only one of the elements of
the statement must be true for it to be a correct answer.
Proceed through the questions strategically
1. Answer easy questions first: Answer test questions where you know the answer first.
Skip the unsure or do not know questions and return to these questions after you

have answered all of the questions of which you are sure. This will prevent you from
spending too much time on any one question and ensure that you have the time to
respond to, and receive credit for, every question that you can answer correctly.
Whenever you skip a question, use some type of code to identify it as skipped in your
test booklet and do not forget to return to it.
2. Do not get stuck on words or sentences you do not understand: You may still get the
main idea of the sentence or paragraph without understanding the individual word or the
individual sentence.
3. Use the process of elimination: If you do not know the answer to a question, first
eliminate those choices that are clearly incorrect. Then, put a mark next to each
remaining choice to indicate what you think about it (e.g., maybe, likely, or probable).
This will save you time, particularly if you decide to skip the question and come back to it
later, by reducing the number of answers you have to reread and re-evaluate before
making your final choice.
4. Guess: There is no penalty for selecting an incorrect answer in this examination, so
answer every question. If the examination period is about to end and you not be able to
complete all of the questions, reserve some time (e.g., 1 minute; 3 minutes) toward the
very end of the examination period to answer these questions, even if you must guess.
While your guesses may not be all correct, the alternative is to leave these questions
blank and receive no credit at all.
Use extra time wisely
1. If you finish the examination before the examination period is over, go back and review
your answers. Make any changes that are necessary.
2. Make sure that you have marked your answers on the answer sheet correctly.

C. ERROR ANALYSIS
Strategies for Analyzing and Avoiding Errors
Each one of us has strengths and weaknesses in our test taking behavior. This section is to
provide you with a procedure to help you focus on areas for further study, if desired. The
process of comparing your answers with the answer key and identifying patterns, if any, of
where errors commonly occur is termed, error analysis.
The sample questions contained in the Ability Areas sections within this Guide are very
similar to the types of questions that will appear on the actual examination. After answering
these questions and checking them against the answer key and explanations, complete the
Error Analysis Form contained later in this section of the Guide. Focus on the questions you
answered incorrectly. Read through the test taking strategies presented below and apply the
strategies to help you avoid making the same errors in the future.
There are several possible reasons for choosing an incorrect answer. Seven common
reasons along with suggestions to minimize repeating such errors are presented below.
Reasons for Choosing Incorrect Responses
1. Answer sheet errors and guessing errors.
Since there are a limited number of questions on the examination, errors related to the
proper use of the answer sheet may lower your test score. Check yourself as you mark each
choice on the answer sheet to ensure you are marking the answer you have chosen. Also,
make sure you are filling in the correct circle/space corresponding to the question on which
you are working. As an additional check, after you complete the examination, as time
permits, review every question again.
You may also miss questions because you failed to provide an answer or were forced to
quickly mark any answer (that is, guess) before time was called. If either of these situations
happened, consider why. Possible reasons and suggestions include:
a.

You may have missed a question because you skipped it and failed to return to it later.
If this is the case, be sure to use some kind of code to identify skipped questions in
your test booklet and remember to go back to them before the end of the examination
period.

b.

You may have lost track of the time and been unaware that the examination period
was about to end before you could mark any remaining unanswered questions. Be
sure to check your watch every so often so that you can keep track of how much time
you have left. If you do not wear a timepiece, the classroom proctor is instructed to
write the remaining examination time on the chalkboard or screen so that all
examinees are informed of the remaining minutes left to take the examination. If
necessary, be sure to save the last minute or two to mark any unanswered questions.

c.

You may have been forced to make guesses for questions placed toward the end of
the examination because you spent too much time working on difficult questions
earlier, rather than skipping them and saving them for later. Skipping questions that are

difficult for you, may give you more time with questions that you have a better chance
of answering correctly.
d. You may have skipped difficult questions but in returning to them did not save yourself
time by reducing the number of answer choices (e.g., maybe, likely, or probable). Be
sure to use a coding system for any skipped questions so that when you return to
them, you may decide on an answer based on the reduced numbers of choices
marked earlier.
2. Misreading a question or answer by overlooking a key word or phrase.
The solution to this type of error is underlining. Underlining makes those key words and
phrases stand out when choosing an answer. Once you have underlined the key words and
phrases in a question, check the details of the possible answers with the details you
underlined, one-by-one. If every detail does not match, consider that answer suspect and try
another, always keeping in mind you are looking for the best possible answer.
3. Not knowing the meaning of one or more key terms.
This is a problem of vocabulary. When you come to an unfamiliar word, reread the sentence
to determine its meaning without worrying about the meaning of the unfamiliar word. Try to
understand the general message of the sentence or paragraph. The meaning of the
unfamiliar word should become clearer once you understand the phrases and ideas that
surround it.
4. Having difficulty telling the difference between the important and unimportant parts of a
question because it is complicated or difficult to understand.
First, these are the questions you should skip until the end of the test. These are also the
questions on which you will use the slash mark technique mentioned earlier (general testtaking strategies). It's called divide and conquer. Use slash marks to break up the question
into smaller parts; then concentrate on one part at a time. When you return to these difficult
questions, first read the possible answers before reading the question. This helps you to
direct your concentration while reading the question. Also, focus on the topic sentences that
are usually the first and last sentences in a question. Read these difficult questions twice.
The first time, read for the general idea. Do not spend time on individual words or phrases
you do not understand. The second time, read for more detailed understanding. The first
reading will give you the general meaning so that the second reading will be easier. Lastly,
visualize what the question is asking.
5. Not being familiar with comparing combinations of information.
This is a problem of re-arranging information in the correct way so that it makes sense.
Underline important pieces of information in the question and then compare this information
with the possible answers point-by-point. Concentrate on eliminating the wrong answers
first.

6. Choosing an answer simply because it "looks" good.

Several factors may cause you to choose incorrect answers that "look good":
a. An incorrect answer may contain an exact phrase from the original question.
b. An incorrect answer may contain a phrase or sentence from the original question, but
present it in a different way. For example, an idea that is rejected in the question may
be presented in the answer as an idea that was supported.
c. An incorrect answer may overstate what the question has stated. For example, if the
question says, "Some incidents...," the incorrect answer may say, "All incidents."
Some strategies for avoiding the tendency to select incorrect answers that "look good"
include:
a. Have an answer before you review the answer choices. This will make you less likely to
choose an answer that just "looks good."
b. Use the method of marking each probable answer to indicate what you think about it
(e.g., unlikely, likely, could be) before choosing one.
c.

Beware of choosing answers based on common sense or previous knowledge and

experience. Answer only on the basis of the material presented in the test question
itself.

d. Stick strictly to the facts or rules described in the test question itself. Do not be drawn
to answers that stretch or exaggerate these facts or rules. This is the time to watch out
for words such as "only," "never," "always," "whenever," "all, etc.
e. Beware of answers containing exact words or phrases from the question material. Do
not simply assume that such answers are correct.
f.

Prepare a defense for your answer choice. Find something in the test question that will
allow you to give a strong defense for your particular answer choice.

7. You may not know why you missed a question.

Finally, if you just do not know why you missed a question, we suggest you review the
Preparation Guide again. Also, talk with someone else who may be taking the test to
compare answers and information or ask a tutor, friend, or a family member for help.
Remember, as you review your answers to the sample questions contained in the Ability Areas
section, use the Error Analysis form to evaluate your test-taking behavior.

Instructions for Using the Error Analysis Form

Use the form below to analyze the sample questions that you answer incorrectly in the
Ability Areas section of this Guide. As you work through the Ability Areas section, review each
sample question as follows.
1. If you answered the question correctly, place a check mark in the blank in the column
labeled "CORRECT."
2. If you answered the question incorrectly:
a. identify which of the seven reasons was the likely basis in making the error.
b. mark the appropriate blank in the set of columns labeled "REASONS FOR INCORRECT
ANSWERS."
c. total the number of marks in each column.
3. If errors occur in the same ability area (row), focus your study in the ability area.
4. If errors are concentrated in one or more columns, go back and review the test taking
strategies for the specific ability area or areas.
5. Concentrate on the ability area or areas where errors that occur most often.
Error Analysis Form: Sample Test Questions in the Ability Areas Section
REASONS FOR INCORRECT ANSWERS
SAMPLE
QUESTION
NUMBER

ABILITY
AREA

1
2
3
4
5
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9
10
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12
13
14
15
16
17
18

MEM
MEM
VISUAL
VISUAL
SPATIAL
SPATIAL
VERB EXP
VERB EXP
VERB COMP
VERB COMP
PROB SENS
PROB SENS
DED REAS
DED REAS
IND REAS
IND REAS
INF ORD
INF ORD

CORRECT

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TOTAL FOR EACH ERROR TYPE _______

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TOTAL QUESTIONS CORRECT

D. ANSWER SHEET PROCEDURES

Instructions for Using the Answer Sheet
This section describes the procedures to complete the answer sheet during the actual
examination. All of the questions on the examination will be multiple-choice format. You will
mark your answers on a separate answer sheet that will be distributed at the examination site. A
sample of a portion of this answer sheet is included on the bottom of this page. The procedure
for marking the answer sheet is described below.
When marking the answer sheet:
1. Be sure that the test item number in the test booklet matches the test item number you
are marking on the answer sheet. For example, if you are on question 12 in the test
booklet, be sure you are marking question 12 on the answer sheet.
2. Be sure to place all of your answers on the answer sheet. Do not make any stray marks
or notes on the answer sheet. Instead, use your test booklet for scratch work or to mark
questions to return to later. Although you may write in your test booklet, your score will
be based only on the answers that appear on your answer sheet.
3. Although the answer sheet provides space for five responses, there are only four answer
choices to each question, that is, A, B, C, or D. Do not mark circle "E" under any
condition.
Sample Test Answer Sheet
This is a sample of a portion of the answer sheet that you will use during the actual
examination. Use this sample to record your answers to the 18 questions contained in the Ability
Areas section of this Guide. Since you will not use question number 20, we have filled in that
question number to show you the correct way to record each answer on the answer sheet.
Notice that circle "B" is filled to indicate that answer choice "B" was selected as the correct
answer. Also note that the entire circle has been filled and no stray marks extend outside the
circle.

SECTION II: ABILITY AREAS

This section of the Guide is organized around the nine ability areas that will be measured in
the examination. There are some test taking strategies which are specific to each ability area.
The strategies are provided for those who may not be familiar with or may want some guidance
in taking tests.
For each ability area, the following information is provided:
Definition: The ability area is defined. In addition, examples of how the ability applies to the
job of an entry-level police officer are presented.
Techniques: One or more strategies are provided to help you answer the questions. The
technique often explains how to approach answering the question or steps to review before
selecting the best answer. For some examples, explanations of why each choice was not
selected are made so that you can see how applying the strategies can help with narrowing
the selection of the best answer.
Sample Test Questions: Two sample test questions are provided for each ability area. By
answering the sample test questions you will be able to check your understanding of the
test-taking strategies provided.
Answers to the sample questions are provided after all nine ability types are presented.
Completing the sample questions may help you to determine your current ability level and to
identify those ability areas upon which you may want to focus your preparation efforts. Use the
sample answer sheet provided on the previous page to record your answers to these sample
questions. Also, use the Error Analysis Form to help you assess your test performance.

10

A. NINE ABILITY AREAS AND ASSOCIATED TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES

1. Memorization
Definition: This is the ability to recall and retain new information as an integral part of the job.
For example: An officer changes a patrol sector and must be able to remember the new streets
and business layout. This includes remembering new names, faces and vehicles that may
appear in the patrol sector while the officer is patrolling. This ability would also include
memorizing geographic locations, maps, and patrol patterns. This ability does not include the
ability to memorize procedures or memorization of information that occurs out of the task
situation, such as newspaper articles about events in other cities.
Techniques: The first set of questions on the examination will be memorization questions. They
will relate to a large scene or picture you will be asked to study. This picture will depict a
situation of relevance to a police officer. You will be given five minutes to study the picture. You
will not be allowed to go back to the picture, so it is important that you study it carefully. The
five-minute study period will be followed by another five-minute "hold" period to allow you to
absorb the details of the picture. You will not be allowed to use your pencil to write on anything
during this portion of the examination but you can substitute with your fingers. Use your finger to
circle, underline, and emphasize important details, such as circling the time on clocks, signs in
windows, etc.
Specifically, use your finger to DRAW two imaginary lines through the picture to divide the
picture into quarters. Then study a quarter of the picture at a time and compare the contents of
each quarter. REPEAT details that you observe to yourself. You are exercising your memory
this way. Also, test your memory continuously. Keep checking to see if you can remember
sections you have already worked on. Test yourself by asking over and over the four W's: Who?
What? When? Where? INSPECT key information in each section of the picture through which
you have drawn the imaginary lines. Remember the key details; remember the little details.
VISUALIZE objects, events, and people in your mind whether it is pictures or words. Lastly,
order or arrange EVENTS and things in your mind. Information that is in some order is easier to
remember. Get the time order of events in sequence. These are all techniques you can practice
at home.
To summarize, remember the following code word: DRIVE
D
R
I
V
E

=
=
=
=
=

Draw imaginary lines

Repeat details
Inspect information
Visualize things
Event ordering makes information easier to remember

Use the memory picture on the next page to answer Sample Test Questions 1 and 2, but do
not look at the sample questions until after studying the picture. As noted above, study the
picture for five minutes. Then put the picture aside for five minutes. Finally, answer Sample Test
Questions 1 and 2 found on the page after the picture.

11

12

Sample Test Questions: Record your answers to the two questions below on the Sample Test
Answer Sheet found on page 9. Consider the scene you just studied when answering sample
questions 1 and 2. Be sure that you have studied the picture before looking at these
questions. Do not look back at the picture when answering these questions since this is a test
of Memorization.
1. The following numbers of motor vehicles are visible in the scene:
A.
B.
C.
D.

7.
9.
17.
45.

2. The number visible on one of the police cars in the scene was:
A.
B.
C.
D.

6.
8.
32.
101.

13

2. Visualization
Definition: This ability involves forming mental images of what objects look like after they have
been changed or transformed in some way. For example, if a pick-up truck with a cap on the
back were observed leaving the scene of a crime, the person with this ability would be able to
visualize what this truck would look like without the cap. In the same way, the person with this
ability would be able to visualize what a suspect would look like with a hat, sunglasses, different
clothing, or different types of facial hair (see examples below).
Techniques: As shown in the example below, some of the visualization questions will consist of
a drawing or photo of a face followed by a line-up of four other faces. One of these other faces
is the original face in disguise. You must see through the disguise and pick out the original face.
When responding to these questions, follow these suggestions:
1. Focus your attention on unchanging parts of the face. Ignore changing parts, such as hair or
changes in facial expression. The parts of the face least likely to change are the nose and
the eyes. The hair is the feature most likely to be changed, including beards and mustaches,
but a change in hair also can make the mouth, chin, and shape of face look different.
2. When possible, focus on parts of the face which are most influenced by the shape of the
bones. The same face may be fat or thin, depending on gain or loss of weight. However,
bones do not change much. For example, pay attention to shape of the chin and cheek
bones when they are visible.
3. Make point-by-point comparisons between the original face and the disguised faces. Do not
try to judge the face as a whole. Rule out false figures one by one on the basis of specific
details.
Example:
The first face, on the left, is a sketch of an alleged criminal based on witnesses' descriptions at
the crime scene. One of the four sketches to the right is the way the suspect looked after
changing his/her appearance. Assume that NO surgery has been conducted on the suspect.
Select the face to the right that is most likely to be that of the suspect on the left:

Explanation of example question:

The correct answer is choice D. All critical features match the features of the suspect. In
addition, all other answer choices have at least one critical difference.
Choice A is incorrect because the lips are too small AND the eyebrows are too bushy.
Choice B is incorrect because the lips are too small, the eyebrows are too bushy, AND the nose
is too short (or high on the face).
Choice C is incorrect because the chin is rounded AND the eyebrows are too bushy.

14

Sample Test Questions: Record your answers to the two questions below on the Sample Test
Answer Sheet found on page 9.
3. Answer this question on the basis of the following sketches. The first face that appears on

the left is a sketch of an alleged criminal, based on witnesses' descriptions at the crime
scene. One of the four sketches to the right is the way the suspect looked after changing
his/her appearance. Assume that NO surgery has been conducted on the suspect. Select
the face that is most likely to be the suspect.

4. Answer this question on the basis of the following sketches. The first vehicle, which appears
on the left, is a sketch of a vehicle used in a recent crime, based on witnesses' descriptions
at the crime scene. One of the four sketches to the right is the way the vehicle looked after
its appearance was changed. Assume no bodywork was performed when changing the
vehicle's appearance. Select the vehicle that is most likely to be the vehicle used in the
crime.

15

3. Spatial Orientation
Definition: This is the ability to keep a clear idea of where you are situated in relation to the
wider space in which you happen to be. This ability helps an individual avoid becoming lost in a
particular space whether that space is a city, a building, a park, or a subway system. With this
ability, an individual should be able to look at a map or a layout of the area and determine his or
her position in that area. In the same way, the individual with this ability should be able to arrive
at a particular place or location through use of a map or layout of an area. The question that this
ability allows the person to answer is, "If the environment looks like this, what is my position?"
Technique: Spatial orientation questions will often utilize a full-page map and ask you how to get
from one point to another. Use your pencil on this type of question. Trace a route and erase it
completely if you make an error. Turn the map in any way necessary (for example, sideways,
upside down) to make it easier for you to understand the directions. If there is more than one
question using the same map, erase the line you made in answering the first question. If you do
not erase the line you made in answering the first question, your lines will clutter the map and
confuse you. Finally, when responding to these questions, you should take note of two things
the compass identifying the directions, and the arrows indicating the flow of traffic.
Sample Test Questions: Record your answers to the two questions below on the Sample Test
Answer Sheet on page 9. Use the map on the next page to answer the two sample questions
below:
5. You are at the Police Station preparing to go out on patrol when you are dispatched to
respond to a vandalism incident in progress at the auto school on High Street (between
Dudley Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue). The most direct route to the auto school, from the
Police Station, without breaking any traffic laws, is as follows:
A. Travel north on Spruce, west on Marquette, north on Dudley, and east on High to the
auto school.
B. Travel north on Spruce, west on Garfield, north on Dudley, east on Marble, north on
Jefferson, and west on High to the auto school.
C. Travel north on Spruce, west on Garfield, north on Dudley, and east on High to the auto
school.
D. Travel north on Spruce, east on Marquette, north on Jefferson, and west on High to the
auto school.
6. You are located at the intersection of Oak Street and Jefferson Avenue and are out on patrol
in your district. You turn north and travel for 1 block, then turn west and travel for 4 blocks,
then turn north and travel for 2 blocks, then turn east and travel for 5 blocks, and finally turn
south and travel for 1 block before stopping. You have stopped at the intersection of:
A.
B.
C.
D.

Jefferson and Tucker.

Jefferson and Stover.
Broad and Tucker.
Ridge and Broad.

16

17

4. Verbal Expression
Definition: This ability involves using language (either oral or written) to communicate
information or ideas to other people. These other people might include suspects, victims,
witnesses, other patrol officers, supervisors, shop owners, or any individuals with whom the
officer might come in contact. This ability includes knowledge of vocabulary, knowledge of
distinctions among words, and knowledge of grammar and the way words are ordered.
Examples might include explaining a new departmental procedure or policy to a patrol officer or
group of officers at roll call, explaining investigation procedures to a victim, or explaining a union
contract clause to a patrol officer.
Techniques: There are two types of verbal expression questions that you may encounter. The
first type requires that you identify the most appropriate way to communicate a particular
thought or idea to another individual. For these questions, it is important to ensure that the
answer chosen accurately reflects the content of the original idea, and also expresses the
original idea in the most clear and concise manner. Consider the Example Questions below.
Example of the First Type of Verbal Expression: When a police officer arrived at the scene of a
disturbance in an abandoned warehouse, she noticed a van leaving the site. Since her
investigation revealed that the warehouse had been vandalized, the officer felt she should
include her observation of the van in her report. The most effective way for the police officer to
report this fact is by saying:
A.
B.
C.
D.

"When I arrived at the warehouse, I saw a van driving away from the site."
"A van which should not have been there was at the warehouse."
"The vandals escaped in a van."
"I do not know if it's important but when I got there, I saw a vehicle leaving the scene."

Explanation of Example Question: A is the correct answer because it correctly reflects the facts
given in the question.
Answers B and C are incorrect because they provide details that have not been
established (the van should not have been there AND the vandals escaped in the
van). The police officer was only able to state that the vehicle left the site as she
arrived.
Answer D is not the best answer because it leaves out the important fact that the
vehicle was a van.
The second type of verbal expression question requires that you order your thoughts or
statements in a logical sequence so that others will understand you. Such questions will start
with a list of statements to be made by an individual. For example, the statements may
represent sentences contained within a police report describing the sequence of events that
occurred at an incident. These statements will not be presented in the correct order. The answer
choices will present you with several possible orderings of the statements, only one of which
makes sense.

18

Example of Second Type of Verbal Expression: Police Officer Wilkins is preparing a report after
leaving the scene of an accident. The report will include the following five sentences: (These
sentences are NOT listed in the correct order.)
1.
2.
3.
4.

The Dodge struck the right rear fender of Mrs. Smith's Ford, and continued on its way.
Mrs. Smith stated she was making a left turn from 40th St. onto Third Avenue.
As the car passed, Mrs. Smith noticed the dangling rear license plate #412AEJ.
Mrs. Smith complained to police of back pains and was taken by ambulance to Bellevue
Hospital.
5. An old green Dodge traveling up Third Avenue went through the red light at 40th St. and
Third Avenue.
The most logical order for the above sentences to appear is as follows:
A.
B.
C.
D.

5, 3, 1, 2, 4.
1, 3, 2, 5, 4.
4, 5, 1, 2, 3.
2, 5, 1, 3, 4.

Explanation of Example Question: The correct answer is D. To identify the correct order, the
sentences for the report need to be organized according to the proper time sequence for the
accident. Sentences 1, 2, 3 and 5 describe the events of the accident. The proper sequence for
these four events is 2, 5, 1, 3. (Mrs. Smith is attempting a left turn, a Dodge ran the red light,
struck her vehicle and continued on its way, and as it passed she noticed its license plate
number.) Answer D is the only answer choice with this sequence.
When working with a question like this, look at the content of each statement or phrase
separately and determine whether it can stand alone or if it must precede or follow another
statement. If it cannot stand alone, look for the statement that contains the information you
need. However, do not forget to evaluate that statement in the same way as the first. Ask the
questions, what happened first and what happened next? Similarly, consider whether there are
statements that the statement under consideration cannot precede or follow. This also will help
to narrow down the choices.
While you should identify the pairs of statements that must (or cannot) go together, you
should not attempt to determine the correct order of all of the statements before checking the
answer choices provided. There may be several logical ways in which to order the statements;
however, only one possibility will be included among the answer choices provided. Therefore,
you should work through each of the answer choices presented one by one, keeping in mind the
statements that must (or cannot) appear together. Answer choices that are not feasible should
be eliminated until you find the one answer choice that places the statements in the appropriate
order.

19

Sample Test Questions: Record your answers to the two questions below on the Sample Test
Answer Sheet on page 9.
7. A police officer is talking to a local citizens' group on the role police play in problems of
domestic violence. The officer has explained that police officers are often called because a
domestic conflict is disturbing neighbors. In addition, the officer has pointed out that many
calls occur prior to a crime being committed. This is important since one of the objectives of
police officers is to stop crime before it starts. The most effective way for the officer to
accurately sum up the role of the police in domestic conflicts is as follows:
A.
B.
C.
D.

8.

"Since frequently no crime has been committed, the role of the police in domestic
conflicts is fairly limited."
"In resolving domestic conflicts, the officer's function is to restore order and prevent
possible crimes from occurring."
"The officer's main goal in responding to domestic crimes is to protect the innocent."
"Many people involved in domestic conflicts call the police in order to have an objective
authority help settle disputes."

Police Officer Turner is writing a report regarding the criminal homicide he investigated this
morning. The report will include the following sentences: (These sentences are NOT listed
in the correct order.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

I noticed a display case for handguns was open, but there were no guns in it.
We got a call reporting that the front door of a pawnshop was open, but the owner was
not there.
We interviewed tenants of the apartments in the upstairs sections of the same building.
On arrival, we discovered the body of the shop owner, apparently dead from knife
wounds to the chest.
I called an ambulance to pick up the victim.

Officer Turner could communicate the above sentences most effectively if he presented
them in the following order:
A.
B.
C.
D.

4, 5, 2, 3, 1.
2, 1, 4, 5, 3.
2, 4, 5, 1, 3.
2, 5, 1, 3, 4.

20

5. Verbal Comprehension
Definition: This is the ability to understand language, either written or spoken. This ability
involves both the understanding of individual words as well as patterns of words (sentences and
phrases), so it is more than simply possessing a good vocabulary. It is the ability to hear a
description of an event and understand what happened. It is also the ability to read a sentence
or series of sentences and understand the meaning. This involves listening, not giving it. This
ability is used in reading materials such as an offense report, listening to descriptions of events,
places, or people, receiving radio communications, or following instructions.
Techniques: To test verbal comprehension, you will be provided with a passage describing a
police-related incident or set of operating procedures. These passages will be approximately 1/2
to 2/3 of a page in length and will be followed by two or more test questions. These questions
will test your ability to understand instructions.
For some candidates, these questions may prove to be difficult simply because of the initial
amount of information presented. Some of the techniques you can use on these questions have
already been discussed as part of the general test-taking strategies.
A. One of the most useful techniques involves reading the test questions and possible answers
before reading the passage to help you identify and focus on the information that is being
sought. You may find that you locate the answer to one of the questions related to a
passage before you even finish reading the passage for the first time. If so, answer the
question right away. As you go from one sentence or paragraph to the next in the initial
passage, you may have to glance back at the questions to remind yourself of the specific
details for which you are searching.
B. Another extremely useful technique is to circle key words in the passage after you have read
the questions related to the passage. For example, if the questions related to the passage
seek information about a particular person (e.g., Mr. Jones), then circle Mr. Jones's name
when you come to it in the passage so you don't waste time looking back through the
passage later. You may also use slash marks between key phrases to make the passage
easier to understand.
C. A third technique is to initially read for understanding and avoid becoming bogged down by
individual words that you do not understand. (These tend to be time-consuming questions
that you may not have the opportunity to read more than once.) Sometimes the meaning of
a word can be realized from the context in which it is used, or you may not need to
understand the word at all to understand the passage. We caution you, however, do not try
to read faster than you can read with comprehension.
D. Try to form a picture in your mind as you read. Schoolbooks used to teach reading contain
many pictures as pictures aid comprehension.
E. Ask yourself questions as you read. When you finish reading a paragraph or a long
sentence, ask yourself what the passage was saying. What was the point of the paragraph
or sentence?
It's important to note that most of the suggested strategies for verbal comprehension
questions are directed toward helping applicants understand the relatively lengthy passages of
information which tend to precede these questions. Thus, these strategies would be useful with
any type of question that requires applicants to read and understand a considerable amount of
information.

21

Sample Test Questions: Record your answers to the two questions below on the Sample Test
Answer Sheet on page 9.
Use the information in the following passage to answer the next two questions.
At 9:47 p.m., two patrol units were dispatched to a suburban home on the evening of June 12.
The dispatcher stated that the owner had reported a robbery, which took place earlier that
evening when he and his wife were not at home. The owner also stated that the suspects were
in the home at the time of their arrival, but that they fled the scene in a dark blue sedan.
Upon arrival at the home, Officers Baker and Reigner began to question Mr. Corneal, the owner
of the home. In the meantime, Officers Lucas and Gentry conducted a preliminary investigation
of the home to determine the activities of the suspects and the extent of damage. The
questioning revealed that Mr. Corneal collected exotic guns and had accumulated an extensive
collection. In addition, Mrs. Corneal had several sets of antique jewelry. When questioned as to
individuals who knew about the collections, Mr. Corneal stated that only friends of the family and
members of the rifle club were aware of them. He was further questioned to determine whether
any unusual events had occurred recently that might be related to this incident. Mr. Corneal
stated that they had extensive remodeling done to the interior of the home during the past
month and a half by several different companies. Officer Reigner asked if they had reason to
suspect any of the workers. Mr. Corneal stated that several of the workers had shown an
interest in seeing and discussing his collection of guns, but that it would be very difficult to
determine which individuals, if any, may have been involved. Officer Reigner requested the
names of the companies and the services they performed.
After a few minutes, Officers Lucas and Gentry returned from their search of the home. Since
the only other areas that were disturbed were ones that typically contain money (e.g., dresser
top and dresser drawers), they determined that the robbers concentrated their efforts on the two
gun collections. They concluded that the robbers must have been aware of the gun collections
before entering the home.
9. According to the above passage, when the Corneals arrived home on the evening of June
12, they discovered that their home had been:
A.
B.
C.
D.

ransacked, but nothing was stolen.

entered, and the television, stereo, and computer were stolen.
entered, and the robbers were still in the home.
robbed, and five antique guns and several pieces of exotic jewelry were the items
that were taken.

10. According to the robbery and subsequent investigation described above, the ONLY
statement that accurately reflects the information gathered is:
A.
B.
C.
D.

Officer Reigner requested the names of the companies doing the remodeling.
Mrs. Corneal seemed to be the one to answer all of the police officer's questions.
Officer Baker helped with the search of the home.
The robbers were reported to have fled the scene in a dark blue van.

22

6. Problem Sensitivity
Definition: This is the ability to recognize or identify the existence of problems. It involves both
the recognition of the problem as a whole and the elements of the problem. This ability does not
include the ability to solve the problem, only the ability to identify or recognize the problem.
Examples of this ability are recognizing when to: stop and question a group of individuals; treat
an injured person; wait for medical assistance; call in information about roadway conditions; or
report a malfunction in the patrol car. This ability would also involve recognizing an explanation
that someone provides in a particular situation is farfetched and probably not a truthful
explanation.
Techniques: There are two types of Problem Sensitivity questions that you may encounter. The
first type (see example below) will often begin with the presentation of some rules, procedures,
or recommended practices followed by the description of an incident or situation in which these
rules should be applied. Based on the applicable rules, you will be required to identify a problem
(or the most serious of several problems) in the way the incident was handled. Because this first
type of Problem Sensitivity question typically involves the presentation of a large amount of
initial information, many of the suggested strategies for verbal comprehension questions (e.g.,
underlining key information) will assist you with these types of questions.
Example: The Divisions of Police and Fire have standard procedures for handling bomb threats
and bomb-related incidents including the following:
1. Trained police personnel direct operations at the scene; fire personnel stand by and typically
assist in rescue operations.
2. While radios may be left on at the scene of an unexploded device to receive instructions
from the Communications Office, no radio transmissions are to be made from the scene,
since radio signals can detonate an explosive device.
3. The decision to evacuate a building is to be made by the management of the building unless
an explosive device has been found; in such an instance, the police personnel in charge of
the operation make the evacuation decision.
4. No public statements are to be made to the media by police or fire personnel.
5. If one device detonates, there is always the possibility of a second or third device, so police
and fire personnel should stay clear of the area until it has been determined (usually by
police bomb squad personnel) to be safe.
Given the above procedures, the most potentially dangerous mistake has been made in which
of the following situations?
A. Immediately after a second bomb exploded in a bank, Firefighter Thomas entered the
bank to conduct rescue operations.
B. While standing by at the scene of a bomb threat, Police Lieutenant Caffey provided
information regarding the incident to a reporter.
C. While standing by at the scene of a bomb threat, Fire Lieutenant Griffin received
instructions from the Communications Office via his radio.
D. After an unexploded device was discovered in an apartment building, Assistant Fire
Chief Johnson ordered the apartment building manager to evacuate the building.

23

Explanation of Example Question: Choice A is the correct answer. Choices A and B represent
the only mistakes. With respect to choice A, Firefighter Thomas should wait to enter the bank
until the bomb squad personnel determine that it is safe (according to procedure 5). With
respect to choice B, no police personnel, including Lieutenant Caffey, should make a public
statement to the media (according to procedure 4). Since the question asks for the "most
potentially dangerous mistake," the best response is choice A since entering the bank without
proper safety clearance is a direct risk to one's own life and the life of anyone who follows.
Choice C is incorrect because (according to procedure 2) it is okay to receive instructions via
the radio as long as no transmissions are made. Choice D is incorrect because (according to
procedure 3) the actions of Assistant Fire Chief Johnson were appropriate.
The second type of Problem Sensitivity question will consist of stories or descriptions by
victims and witnesses. For these questions, a problem exists when a victim or witness gives
information that is different from information supplied by other witnesses. Consider the example
below.
Example: Police Officer Dunn interviews four witnesses to a murder which took place in a
crowded bar and grill. Each of the witnesses observed the perpetrator of the shooting as he was
leaving the bar and grill. They described him as follows:
Witness #1: "He was a White male, about 25 to 30 years of age, with brown shoulder length
hair. He was about 6'0" and weighed about 185 pounds. He wore blue jeans and a brown
leather jacket. He had a small scar on his forehead."
Witness #2: "He was a male, White or Hispanic, late twenties, 5'10", 190 pounds, with long
brown hair. He was stocky and wore dark pants and a brownish jacket."
Witness #3: "He was a light skinned male, possibly White or Hispanic, in his mid twenties,
about 6'0" and weighed about 180 pounds. He had a tattoo of a panther on his right forearm.
He had moderately long hair and wore a brown shirt and dark pants."
Witness #4: "He was a White male, around 25 years old, about 5'11" and weighed about 185
lbs. His hair was brown and over his ears, fairly long. He wore darkish clothes, I'm not sure of
the color of his jacket or pants."
Based on the above information, Officer Dunn should recognize that there is a problem with the
description given by Witness #:
A.
B.
C.
D.

1.
2.
3.
4.

Explanation of Example Question: Choice C is the correct answer. There is agreement that the
perpetrator was a White or Hispanic male in his mid to late twenties with long brown hair who
was approximately 6' tall and 185 lbs. In addition, his pants and jacket were dark in color. There
were only two discrepancies across the descriptions. Witness #1 reported that the perpetrator
had a small scar on his forehead. Witness #3 reported a tattoo of a panther on the perpetrator's
right forearm. Of the two, it is much harder to explain how a tattoo of a panther could be
overlooked by three of four witnesses AND how one witness could see it when the other three
witnesses all stated that the perpetrator had a jacket on during the incident. Thus, choice C is
the best answer.

24

Sample Test Questions: Record your answers to the next two questions on the Sample Test
Answer Sheet on page 9.
11. Police officers should follow the guidelines presented below when dealing with individuals
suspected of driving while under the influence of alcohol:
1. A SEPARATE citation shall be issued for any traffic offense that originally brought the
offender to the attention of the officers (e.g., reckless operation of motor vehicle).
2. If the driver refuses to submit to a blood alcohol test OR submits to such tests and
scores above the limit, the arresting officer should order the driver to surrender his/her
operator's license and issue a citation for driving under the influence.
3. If the violator scores below the legal limit on the blood alcohol test, the operator's license
SHALL NOT be confiscated. The results of field tests (e.g., walking heel to toe on a
straight line) have no influence on this guideline.
4. Even if the violator scores below the legal limit, the violator can still be charged with
driving under the influence if the officer can justify the charge through the use of field
tests.
Officer Kelley notices a car swerving in and out of its lane. Officer Kelley stops the car and
asks the driver to submit to a test for driving under the influence of alcohol. The driver
submits to the test and scores below the legal limit. However, based on several field tests,
Officer Kelley still charges the driver with driving under the influence. Officer Kelley writes a
citation for reckless operation (i.e., swerving from lane to lane), a citation for driving under
the influence, and a citation for failing the field tests. Officer Kelley then confiscates the
operator's driver's license and takes the driver to the station for booking.
According to the guidelines presented above, Officer Kelley's actions were:
A. appropriate because they were consistent with the guidelines provided.
B. problematic because the driver was forced to surrender his license.
C. problematic because Officer Kelley did not have a witness to the field tests.
D. problematic because Officer Kelley gave the driver a citation for driving under the
influence even though the driver passed the blood alcohol test.

25

12. Officer Johnson received the following four statements from witnesses who were in The
First National Bank during a robbery:
Witness #1 - "There were two of them. Both male, about 6'2" tall with medium builds. One
of them had dark hair and was wearing jeans, a leather jacket, and sunglasses. The other
had short blond hair and was wearing jeans and a red lightweight jacket. Only the one with
the sunglasses spoke, and he had a southern accent."
Witness #2 - "Both of the men were about the same size, maybe 6', about 180 lbs. One of
them was wearing a leather jacket and the other one was wearing a lightweight red jacket.
I could not see their faces because one had on a ski mask and the other had on dark
sunglasses. The one with the sunglasses had dark hair."
Witness #3 - "The two men were both about 6'1" and 180 lbs. One had on a leather jacket,
the other a red windbreaker. Both men were wearing jeans and tennis shoes. One had
dark hair and was wearing sunglasses. The other one was wearing some kind of stocking
cap that was pulled down over his face."
Witness #4 - "Both men had on jeans, tennis shoes and jackets. One jacket was leather,
the other bright red. One of the men had dark hair and I could not see the other one's face
because of a ski mask. They both looked a little over 6 feet tall. Only the one with the dark
hair spoke."
Based on the description presented above, Officer Johnson should recognize that there is
a problem with the account provided by Witness #:
A.
B.
C.
D.

1.
2.
3.
4.

26

7. Deductive Reasoning
Definition: This is the ability to take an idea from the general to the specific. That is, this ability
involves applying general rules or regulations to specific cases, or proceeding from stated
principles to logical conclusions. Rules and procedures help to assure that police officers make
the correct decisions and take the correct action in all types of situations. For example:
Identifying a particular situation as a civil or criminal case; distinguishing between burglary and
trespass, or between assault and harassment; determining whether a homeless person should
be referred to a charitable organization or a public welfare agency. This ability might also
include determining which factors to take into account when drawing a weapon. There are two
types of Deductive Reasoning questions that you may see, that is, questions based on rules
and procedures AND questions based on the interpretation of law.
A. Techniques for questions based on rules and procedures: The first type of question will start
with the presentation of some general rules and procedures and require the candidate to
apply the general rules to specific cases. Rules and procedures are intended to ensure that
police officers make the correct decisions in a wide variety of situations. There are four
factors to consider when answering questions about rules and procedures:
1. PAY ATTENTION TO THE DEFINITE ORDER THAT STEPS ARE TAKEN: Many rules and
procedures require the police officer to go through a series of actions. There is often a
correct order for these actions. Make sure the answer you choose has that same correct
order of steps.
2. PAY ATTENTION TO WHEN A RULE OR PROCEDURE IS IN EFFECT: Some rules apply
only to certain types of situations or during certain periods of time. Make sure the correct
answer applies to the situation and time in question.
3. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO EXCEPTIONS: Pay particular attention to any exceptions
given in the rule or procedure. Underline key words such as EXCEPT, UNLESS, IF, and
ONLY.
4. PAY ATTENTION TO COMPLETENESS: If a procedure requires that a police officer do
several things, make certain the correct answer ensures that all those things can be
done. However, if the question is just focusing on a few things or on a series of many,
make sure the correct answer does not eliminate the possibility of the events taking
place.
B. Techniques for questions pertaining to interpreting a law: The second type of Deductive
Reasoning question will provide you with a definition of a police-related term (usually a
crime) and ask you to interpret the term with respect to a specific police-related situation.
Similar to questions based on police department procedures, these questions require great
attention to detail. You must carefully analyze the definition of a crime.
ANALYZE THE DEFINITION: The definition of a crime usually has several parts. Each part is

referred to as an "element" in the definition. The elements are like the pieces of a puzzle; all
the elements must be present to assert a crime has occurred. If any one of the elements is
missing, then by definition the particular crime has not been committed.
1. There are usually several essential elements in a legal definition. The definition must be
broken down into these separate elements. Then one must check to see if the elements
apply to the case. The elements must be compared to the case on a one-by-one basis.

27

2. Break up the definition using one or more of the following techniques.

a. Use slash marks to separate the elements of a legal definition.
b. Underline key words in the definition.
c. Be attentive to the key words AND and OR.

The word, AND means that one element must be present in addition to another
for the crime to be present.

The word, OR means there is a choice of situation; only one of the choices
must be present for the crime to be committed.

EXAMPLE: Consider the following definition. Disorderly conduct is the act of an

individual engaging in fighting or violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior
with the intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm or by
recklessly creating a risk thereof.
Use of slash marks: Disorderly conduct is / the act of an individual engaging in
fighting or violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior/ with intent to cause public
inconvenience, annoyance or alarm or by recklessly creating a risk thereof.
Use of underlining key words by asking yourself:

Is it necessary to intend public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm? No.

The definition says, intent to cause... or recklessly create a risk thereof.

Is it necessary to be fighting? No. The definition says, engaging in

fighting or violent, tumultuous or threatening behavior.

Try using the techniques with the practice question below.

Practice Question: Answer this question solely on the basis of the definition given below.
Criminal Mischief - The crime of criminal mischief is committed when (1) a person
intentionally damages property belonging to another and the amount of the damage is $250
or more; or (2) a person intentionally damages property in any amount by means of an
explosive.
According to the definition given above, which of the following represents the best example
of criminal mischief?
A. Frank is playing baseball with his pals when he hits a ball that breaks the $2,000.00
window of Ford Motors.
B. Tony is chopping down a tree in his backyard. The tree falls the wrong way and gets the
neighbor's house, causing $3,500.00 worth of damage.
C. Harold gets mad after an argument with his wife and throws his $600.00 television
through the $200.00 picture window of his house.
D. Lloyd decides to get even with a neighbor and throws an M-80 firecracker on his
neighbor's porch on Halloween night. The only damage is to his neighbor's mailbox,
about $15.00.

28

Explanation of Example Question: Choice D is the correct answer. Intentional damage using
explosives fits part 2 of the Criminal Mischief definition. Choices A and B are incorrect because
there was no intent in either case to damage property (the window or the house, respectively).
Choice C is incorrect because, although there was intent, no explosives were used AND the
amount of damage to property belonging to another did not exceed $250.00.
Sample Test Questions: Record your answers to the two following questions on the Sample
Test Answer Sheet on page 9.
13. Use ONLY the definitions provided below to answer this question.
Aggravated Burglary - The crime of aggravated burglary is committed when an individual
trespasses by force or deception into an occupied structure with intent to commit a theft
or felony. Also, during the trespass, the individual must harm another or carry a deadly
weapon.
Burglary - The crime of burglary is committed when an individual uses force or deception
in order to trespass in an occupied structure with intent to commit a felony or theft.
Breaking And Entering - The crime of breaking and entering is committed when an
individual, intent on committing a theft or felony, trespasses in an unoccupied structure
by force or deception.
Consider the following situation: A janitor enters a busy office building, identifies himself as
a janitor, and begins cleaning. While cleaning one office, he notices an appointment book on
the floor. When he mops, he picks up the book and places it in his pocket while he finishes
the job. Once completed, he leaves the building. It turns out that this janitor was really one
of the competitors of the company occupying the building and that he planned to take any
documents he could get.
Given the definitions described above, this scenario is best categorized as:
A.
B.
C.
E.

aggravated burglary.
burglary.
breaking and entering.
none of the above.

29

14. The following dress code guidelines apply to Police Officers. Consider only the information
presented here when answering the question.
1. The Antron Jacket will be worn for outside duty during the months of November
through February and whenever the temperature is expected to drop below 55
degrees.
2. The Eisenhower Jacket shall be worn for outside duty during the months of
March, April, May, September, and October only if the temperature is below 65
degrees. Officers with the rank of Captain or higher may wear the Double
Breasted Blouse instead of the Eisenhower Jacket.
3. A navy blue long sleeve uniform shirt shall be the standard to be worn with the
jackets. All individuals at the rank of Captain or above will substitute a white
shirt.
4. The short sleeve shirt may be worn whenever the temperature is to rise above
70 degrees during the months of May through September.
5. Officers assigned to indoor duty may also substitute the short sleeve shirt for the
long sleeve shirt.
6. Regulation trousers shall be worn. The black trouser braid or stripe shall be worn
by individuals at the rank of Lieutenant and above.
Typical Police Officer Ranks (from highest to lowest):
Police Chief
Deputy Chief
Captain
Lieutenant
Sergeant
Police Officer
Consider the following circumstance: The temperature for the day is expected to stay
right around 60 degrees. The date is September 15th. According to the regulations
outlined above, Captain Cross would be dressed appropriately for outside duty if he
wore:
A. an Eisenhower Jacket, a white long sleeve shirt, and regulation trousers with a
black stripe.
B. a Double Breasted Blouse, a navy blue long sleeve shirt, and regulation
trousers.
C. an Antron Jacket, a white long sleeve shirt, and regulation trousers with a
black braid.
D. a Double Breasted Blouse, a white short sleeve shirt, and regulation trousers
with a black braid.

30

8. Inductive Reasoning
Definition: This is the ability to find a rule or concept that describes a situation or explains a
series of events that might initially seem to be unrelated. In finding a rule or principle that fits a
situation or series of events, you are drawing on your ability to reason from the specific to the
general. An example of this might be coming upon an accident scene and correctly describing
what must have happened from the position of the cars, the skid marks, and the road
conditions. In addition, this ability involves understanding how a string of objects or events might
be connected. An example might be recognizing that the same objects or events apply to a
series of burglaries or purse snatchings. This might also include examining a logbook over a
period of days in order to see if there is some pattern that can be found for a series of events.
Techniques: Inductive reasoning requires that you notice something common among a series of
events or objects. In order to do this, you have to be able to identify the details that are
important to answering a question. The majority of questions for inductive reasoning will require
that you start with a reading passage and then answer the questions. The questions may ask
you to identify which parts of the passage are similar or different. For example, a description of
the perpetrator from four different rape incidents is presented and you will be asked to
determine which incident, if any, might have been committed by the same person. In this case,
compare the four descriptions, point-by-point, and to note differences that would rule out the
same person. For example, if one rape was committed by a heavy white male, average height,
you might find it useful to set up a table for keeping track of the suspects characteristics being
compared. The question would be "Are they the same or different?" In the case of the male
suspects, the table might look like this:

********************Suspect Description********************
Incident

Height

Weight

Race

Age

Hair Color

5'10"

160

30

Chestnut

5'3"

120

16

Brown

5'8"

155

26

Black

5'9"

170

35

Gray

Looking at this table, you can be pretty sure that the perpetrator in incident #3 was not
involved in incidents #1, #2, or #4 since the suspect was described as Black and the others are
White. Also, the suspect in incident #2 was probably not involved in #1 or #4 because he is not
of average height (i.e., 5' 3") and the other two perpetrators are described as average in height.
This means that incidents #1 and #4 could have been committed by the same person based on
the remaining descriptive characteristics (i.e., estimated height, weight, and age).
Remember, when you are reading the question, underline key or important information. This
might include time of day, a color of clothing or the physical characteristics of a suspect. Making
notes in your test booklet may help you narrow your choices. When considering the example on
the next page, construct a table similar to the one above.

31

Example: Police Officer Crawford received a series of reports from several people who were
mugged in the early evening as they were exiting from the Spruce Street subway station. The
description of each suspect is as follows:
Report No. 1 (November 16): Male, White, early 30s, 5'10", 180 pounds, dark hair,
mustache, one gold earring, blue jeans, black jacket, running shoes.
Report No. 2 (November 20): Male, White, 25-30, 5'6", 120 pounds, dark hair, dark glasses,
one gold earring, blue jeans, green sweat shirt, running shoes.
Report No. 3 (November 21): Male, White, 40-45, 5'10", 130-140 pounds, dark hair,
mustache, one gold earring, blue jeans, black jacket, running shoes.
On November 23rd, another person was mugged by a male who was loitering near the
subway station exit. The clerk selling tokens witnessed the mugging, called 911, and the
male was apprehended two blocks away. The description of the suspect is as follows:
Report No. 4 (November 23): Male, White, 25-30, 5'10", 175 pounds, dark hair, mustache,
blue jeans, black jacket, green ski cap, boots.
Based on the description of the suspects in the first three reports, the suspect in Report No. 4
should also be considered a suspect in:
A.
B.
C.
D.

Report No. 1, but not in Report Nos. 2 or 3.

Report Nos. 1 and 2, but not in Report No. 3.
Report Nos. 2 and 3, but not in Report No. 1.
Report Nos. 1, 2, and 3.

Explanation of Example Question: After setting up a table with the characteristics of the four
reports, similarities are easily identified. In addition, the critical dimensions can be identified.
The important differences center around three characteristics -- age, height, and weight. Report
No. 4 does not match Report No. 2 because the muggers differ substantially with respect to
height and weight. Report No. 4 does not match Report No. 3 because the muggers differ
substantially with respect to age and weight. Report No. 4 does closely match Report No. 1.
Using this information, the correct answer is A.

32

Sample Test Questions: Record your answers to the two questions below on the Sample Test
Answer Sheet on page 9.
15. Police Officer Thompson has noticed that in the district of the city that he patrols, all of
the assaults occur in the eastern and northern sections, all of the auto thefts occur in
the southern and western sections, and all of the traffic accidents occur in the western
section.
The majority of the auto thefts take place between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. Most of the traffic
accidents occur either between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. or between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Most of
the assaults occur between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. or between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m.
In addition, the traffic accidents almost always occur on Mondays and Fridays, the
assaults take place on any day from Wednesday through Saturday, and auto thefts
typically take place on weekday mornings.
Police Officer Thompson would be most likely to reduce the number of assaults by
patrolling the:
A.
B.
C.
D.

eastern section between 5 a.m. and 1 p.m.

western section between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
eastern section between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
northern section between 5 p.m. and 1 a.m.

16. During the first half of the month of May, Police Officer Riggins received a series of reports
from people who were mugged outside the South Side Shopping Plaza. The description of
each suspect appears below:
#1 (May 7) - male, Black, early 20s, 5'9", 170 lbs., black hair, tattoo on his upper arm, blue
jeans and T-shirt.
#2 (May 13) - male, Black, 20-26, 5'10", 175 lbs., black hair, tattoo on left hand, tank top,
jeans, and sneakers.
#3 (May 15) - male, Black, late teens, 5'11", 190 lbs., brown hair, snake tattoos on both
upper arms, and red tank top.
#4 (May 20) - male, Black, 17-21, 6'1", 210 lbs., brown hair, brown pants, a three-quarter
length sleeve shirt, and no jewelry.
#5 (May 21) - male, Black, 16-20, 6'7", 230 lbs., black hair, an earring in the left ear, blue
jeans, and a tank top.
Officer Riggins referred to this information when examining the incident described below.
On June 3rd, a Black male was arrested near the Plaza. In the description that led to the
arrest, a witness described the suspect as a Black male who looked about 23 years old. He
was about 5'10" tall and weighed about 180 lbs. He had black hair, a tattoo of a cobra on
his bicep, a muscle shirt, and blue jean cut-offs.
Based on this description and the information from the five incidents that occurred in May,
this suspect should also be considered a suspect for incident number:
A.
B.
C.
D.

1.
2.
3.
5.

33

9. Information Ordering
Definition: This is the ability to apply rules to a situation for the purpose of putting the
information in the best or most appropriate sequence. An example might be arranging the
importance of certain activities in a traffic accident or domestic dispute. In order to use this
ability, rules or instructions must exist for the person to know what is the correct order of
information. For example, in a first aid situation, the officer must have been instructed about or
have access to a set of instructions concerning what should be done first, second, third, etc.
This ability also involves the application of specified sequences or procedures to a given
situation. This ability would come into play particularly when deciding which set of procedures to
follow first and which to follow next, as would be the case in a traffic accident on a busy street
when a serious injury was involved. The officer might have to weigh traffic backup against first
aid requirements.
Techniques: These questions usually start off with the relevant rules, procedures, or other
questions of information. In some instances, procedures are presented in the order in which
they must be performed. Applicants are then given a specific set of events and asked to identify
the next step that must be followed. Such questions require you to closely follow the sequence
of procedures presented in the initial passage.
Example: Upon arrival at the scene of a person needing medical aid, a police officer should do
the following in the order given:
1. Render reasonable aid to the sick or injured person.
2. Request an ambulance or doctor, if necessary.
3. Notify the Radio Dispatcher if the person is wearing a Medic-Alert emblem, indicating
that the person suffers from diabetes, heart disease, or other serious medical
problems.
4. Wait to direct the ambulance to the scene or have some responsible person do so.
5. Make a second call in 20 minutes if the ambulance does not arrive.
6. Make an Activity Log entry, including the name of the person notified regarding the
Medic-Alert emblem.
While on foot patrol, Police Officer Grayson is approached by a woman who informs the Police
Officer that an elderly man has just collapsed on the sidewalk around the corner. Police Officer
Grayson, while offering aid, notices that the man is wearing a Medic-Alert emblem indicating
heart disease. Police Officer Grayson now requests an ambulance to respond. The next step
the police officer should take is to:
A.
B.
C.
D.

wait for the ambulance to arrive.

have a responsible person direct the ambulance to the scene.
place a second call for the ambulance after 20 minutes.
inform the Radio Dispatcher of the Medic-Alert emblem.

Explanation of Example Question: The correct answer is choice D. There are two key points to
this question. First, the last step completed by Officer Grayson was to request an ambulance
(step 2). Second, the next step is a conditional one. The radio dispatcher is notified only if "the
person is wearing a Medic-Alert emblem." According to the description of the incident, prior to
calling for the ambulance, Grayson "notices that the man is wearing a Medic-Alert emblem."
Thus, the next step would be number 3 (as indicated by choice D). Choices A, B and C are
incorrect because they correspond to steps 4 and 5, respectively.

34

In other Information Ordering questions, the initial items of information may be presented out of
order and applicants may be asked to arrange the information in the most logical order.
Sometimes it is just a matter of arranging information in the correct time order. At other times, it
may be arranging information in order of importance.
Example: When firearms are located at a crime scene, there is a specific set of procedures that
should be performed in sequence before the firearm is removed from the scene. These
procedures are listed below. (These procedures have NOT been listed in the correct order.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Note the position of the hammer and whether the safety latch is on or off.
Unload weapon, if possible, to ensure safe transportation.
Place each recovered spent cartridge separately in an envelope or box.
Carefully transport weapon, cartridges, and cartridge casings to the lab for analysis.
Photograph the weapon close up and sketch each cartridge case position.
Wrap recovered cartridges in tissue paper.

The above procedures should be performed in the following order:

A.
B.
C.
D.

2, 6, 3, 5, 1, 4.
1, 5, 2, 6, 3, 4.
5, 4, 1, 6, 3, 2.
5, 1, 3, 6, 2, 4.

Explanation of Example Question: The correct answer is choice B. To determine the correct
answer, the procedures must be listed in the correct time sequence. Procedures 2, 3, 5 and 6
deal with the handling of the cartridges (or cartridge casings) that are either in the weapon or
ejected to the ground. In terms of these four tasks, 5 must occur before 2, 2 before 6, and 6
before 3. In other words, you must sketch the cartridge positions before unloading cartridges
from the gun. Once cartridges are recovered, they are then placed in a separate envelope or
box. The only answer with the 5, 2, 6, 3 sequence is choice B.
The approach recommended for these types of questions is similar to the approach
recommended for the second type of Verbal Expression question. That is, put in order only as
much information as you need to answer the question. Do not try to put all of the pieces or items
of information in correct order. You could be wasting valuable time doing this because you
usually do not need to put all of the steps in order to identify the correct answer. Consider only
the order shown in each of the answer choices. Go through the answer choices one by one.
Examine each answer choice only as far as the point where you find it to be wrong. Then
proceed to the next response answer choice.
If you are not sure which item should be first on the list, you may find it easier to note which item
should be last. This will help you considerably in eliminating obviously wrong choices. If you do
not know which should be first or last, then go by what you know for sure. In other words, even if
you do not know the proper order of all of the items, or which item should come first or last, you
may know that one of the items should come after another. If so, you may be able to choose the
correct answer by using just those two items to answer the question. Once you have made
some decisions about the order of the information, go through the answer choices one by one.
Examine each one only as far as the point where you find it to be wrong. Then go on to the next
possible answer. THE KEY TO REMEMBER IS THAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO KNOW THE CORRECT
ORDER OF ALL OF THE ITEMS TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS.

35

Sample Test Questions: Record your answers to the two questions below on the Sample Test
Answer Sheet on page 9.
17. The technique for dusting for fingerprints involves the following procedures: (These
techniques are presented in the correct order).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Choose a powder color in contrast with the surface to be dusted.

Dip a brush into the powder and work the powder into the fibers of the brush.
Lift the brush out of the powder, checking to make sure there isn't too much powder on
the brush.
Holding the brush lightly, shake a light dusting of powder onto the suspected area.
If a light pattern shows up, brush more powder into the pattern lightly with the flow of
the ridges.
Lightly clean up the pattern by brushing excess powder out of the voids between the
ridges to define the print.
Photograph the impression and proceed to lift the impression with transparent tape.

An officer has followed correct procedure when dusting for fingerprints and finally notices a
pattern emerging. The next step the officer should do is:
A.
B.
C.
D.

follow along the pattern with additional powder on the brush.

shake a light dusting of powder over the entire area.
shake the brush lightly to make sure there is no excess powder on it.
try to define the print by brushing excess powder out of the voids.

18. When a prisoner is brought in to be booked, a basic search is conducted. The steps
involved in a search are listed below: (These steps are NOT presented in the correct
order.)
1. Lower both of your hands to the base of the prisoner's neck and proceed with the
search by covering the chest, stomach, and back.
2. Have the inmate empty all pockets in trousers, shirt, coat, and jacket.
3. Be sure no other inmates are in the room when the search takes place.
4. From the waistline, proceed down the legs, using both hands on one leg, then the other.
5. Have the inmate stand facing a wall with his back to you, legs spread, and arms
extended straight out.
6. From behind, using both hands, start at the forehead and run your fingers or a comb
through the inmate's hair.
The above procedures should be performed in the following order:
A.
B.
C.
D.

2, 1, 4, 3, 5, 6.
3, 5, 2, 6, 4, 1.
3, 2, 5, 6, 1, 4.
3, 5, 4, 2, 6, 1.

36

B. SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS: ANSWERS//EXPLNATIONS

The answers to the Ability Areas sample test questions are listed below. Explanations of the
answers follow this list.
1. A
2. C
3. A

4. B
5. D
6. C

7. B
8. C
9. C

10. A
11. B
12. A

13. B
14. A
15. D

16. A
17. A
18. C

Memory questions - 1 and 2. These questions are based on the memory picture provided. The
answers can be explained by looking back at the memory picture.
Visualization questions - 3 and 4.
3. The correct answer is choice A. All critical features match the features of the suspect. In
addition, all other answer choices have at least one critical difference.
Choice B is incorrect because the nose is too high on the face (resulting in too much
space between the nose and mouth) AND the features on the neck are different.
Choice C is incorrect because the lips are not only bigger, but also shaped differently
AND there are two distinct lines between the upper lip and the bottom of the nose.
Choice D is incorrect because both the ears AND the nose are shaped differently than
the suspect's ears and nose.
4. The correct answer is choice B. Although the truck has been painted a darker color and a
bed cap has been added, the body of the truck matches the picture of the vehicle used in
this crime. All of the other answer choices have at least one discrepancy that could only
have occurred as a result of bodywork to the truck.
Choice A is incorrect because the bed of the truck is too long.
Choice C is incorrect because the truck has a high back end that extends to the top of
the cab, similar to a rental truck.
Choice D is incorrect because the vehicle also has a high back end that includes an
extra door and window, resembling a Range Rover or Suburban type vehicle.
Spatial Orientation questions - 5 and 6.
5. Choice D provides the only route to the incident without breaking any traffic law.
Choice A is incorrect because it suggests the candidate travel in the wrong direction (i.e.,
east) on High.
Choice B is incorrect because it suggests the candidate travel in the wrong direction (i.e.,
west) on Garfield.
Choice C is incorrect because it suggests the candidate travel in the wrong direction (i.e.,
west) on Garfield AND (that is, east) on High.

37

6. The correct answer is Choice C, Broad and Tucker Streets. Beginning from Oak and
Jefferson, you travel north 1 block to Jefferson and Market. Then, travel west 4 blocks to
Market and Spruce, north 2 blocks to Spruce and Stover, and east 5 blocks to Stover and
Broad. Finally, you travel south 1 block to Broad and Tucker.
Verbal Expression questions - 7 and 8.
7. Choice B is the correct answer. It correctly reflects the two roles police play in problems of
domestic violence: 1) handling a conflict that disturbs the neighbors; AND 2) stopping crime
before it starts. Although answer choices A, C, and D do relate (in varying degree) to other
aspects of police involvement in domestic violence issues, none of these aspects are
directly mentioned in the information in the question and none include the notion of the dual
roles of the police.
8. The correct answer is choice C. To identify the correct order, the sentences for the report
need to be ordered into the proper time sequence. The clearest clues involve sentences 4
and 2.
Sentence 4 begins "On arrival..." Therefore, sentence 4 must separate the actions that
occurred prior to the arrival at the scene from those events occurring after the arrival.
Sentence 2 is the only statement regarding actions prior to arrival, that is, getting the call.
Thus, sentence 2 must occur first and be followed by sentence 4. Only answer choice C
begins with the sequence 2, 4. In addition, the rest of the sequence (5, 1, 3) is also
appropriate.
Verbal Comprehension questions - 9 and 10.
9. Choice C is the correct answer. As stated in the passage, "The owner of the home had
reported a robbery..."AND"... that the suspects were in the home at the time of their arrival."
Although the information in the passage does not indicate the exact number and type of
questions taken from the Corneal home, Officers Lucas and Gentry did determine that the
robbers concentrated their efforts on the exotic gun collection, the antique jewelry collection,
and the areas of the house that typically contain money. Therefore, answer choice A is
incorrect because it states that nothing was stolen; answer choice B is incorrect because the
wrong questions are listed; and answer choice D is incorrect because there was no mention
of money being stolen from the kitchen.
10. Choice A is the correct answer. Officer Reigner was the officer who "requested the names of
the companies and the services they performed."
Choice B is incorrect. Mr. Corneal seemed to answer all of the officers' questions.
Choice C is incorrect because Officers Lucas and Gentry searched the home. Officer Baker
assisted with the questioning of the owners.
Choice D is also incorrect. The robbers were reported to have fled the scene in a dark blue
sedan, not a dark blue van.
Problem Sensitivity questions - 11 and 12.
11. Choice B is the correct answer. The driver submitted to the blood alcohol test and scored
below the legal limit. According to guideline 3, under these conditions, "the operator's
license SHALL NOT be confiscated." Officer Kelley did take the operator's license and that
was problematic.

38

Given the fact that there was a problem with the license (choice B), choice A is incorrect.
Choice C is incorrect because the original guidelines did not mention any need for a
witness to the field tests.
Choice D is incorrect because (according to guideline 4) even if a violator passes the blood
alcohol test, "the violator can still be charged with driving under the influence, if the officer
can justify the charge through the use of field tests." Both conditions have been met since
Kelley's citations included driving under the influence AND failing the field tests.
12. Choice A is the correct answer because witness #1 gave the only inconsistency between
the various accounts. There is agreement that there were two males with similar builds
(about 6' tall and 180 lbs.). In addition, from all accounts, the first robber had dark hair,
jeans, a leather jacket, sunglasses, tennis shoes and spoke AND the second robber had
jeans, a red jacket and tennis shoes. The only difference is witnesses #2, #3 and #4 state
that the second robber's face was hidden by a ski mask/stocking cap. Witness #1 not only
failed to mention the mask but also was the only witness who claimed that this individual
had blonde hair. All other details were confirmed by at least two of the four witnesses.
Deductive Reasoning questions - 13 and 14.
13. Choice B is the correct answer. When comparing these three crimes, the common
elements are: 1) trespassing by force or deception; AND 2) intent to commit a theft or
felony. This individual did both by the use of deception to gain entry and his plan to "take
any documents he could get. Because none of the definitions describe any exceptions if
items are found on the floor, choice D is incorrect. Choice A is incorrect because there was
no mention that the intruder harmed another OR carried a deadly weapon. Choice C is also
incorrect because the structure was occupied. (Upon entering the building, the individual
"identified himself..." to someone else in the building "...as a janitor.")
14. Choice A is the correct answer. Based on the Captain's work situation and the date and
temperature, Captain Cross may wear either the Eisenhower Jacket or the Double
Breasted Blouse, a white long sleeved shirt, and regulation trousers with either the black
trouser braid or stripe.
Choice B is incorrect because, according to guideline 3, a Captain "will substitute a white
shirt" for the navy blue long sleeved shirt.
Choice C is incorrect because, according to guideline 1, it is too early in the year
(September) and too warm (60 degrees) to justify wearing the Antron Jacket.
Choice D is incorrect because, according to guidelines 4 and 5, the Captain CANNOT wear
the short sleeved shirt because the temperature is too cold (60 degrees) and the Captain is
serving outside duty.
Inductive Reasoning questions - 15 and 16.
15. Choice D is the correct answer. It includes both an appropriate section of the city
and an appropriate time of day. When examining the choices, the answer choices
include the section of the city and the time of day. There is no indication of the day of the
week. Thus, the information in paragraph 3 is irrelevant to this decision. According to the
first two paragraphs, assaults occur "in the eastern and northern sections" and "between
7 p.m. and 9 p.m. OR between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m." Choice B is incorrect because it is the

39

wrong section of the city for assaults. Choices A and C are incorrect because they do NOT
include any of the hours of the day when assaults are more likely to occur.
16. Choice A is the correct answer. To answer this question it is helpful to create a table with all
of the various features for incidents 1, 2, 3 and 5 (4 is NOT one of the answers) and for the
June 3rd incident. Using this method, the other three answer choices can be eliminated.
Choice B is incorrect because the only tattoo is on the left hand, not on the bicep. Since
this suspect had on a tank top, a cobra tattoo on the arm would be hard to miss. Choice C
is incorrect because the suspect's hair is brown, not black. Choice D is incorrect because
the suspect is too tall and heavy (6'7" and 230 lbs.).
Information Ordering questions - 17 and 18.
17. The correct answer is choice A. The key phrase in this question is "finally notices a pattern
emerging." Procedure number 5 reads "If a light pattern shows up,..." the next step is to
"...brush more powder into the pattern lightly with the flow of the ridges." Choices B, C and
D are incorrect because they correspond to procedures 4, 3 and 6 respectively.
18. The correct answer is Choice C. To determine the correct answer, the procedures must be
listed in the correct time sequence. Procedures 2, 3 and 5 deal with the preparation for the
search and procedures 1, 4 and 6 deal with the actual search. In terms of the last three
tasks, 6 must be first because it instructs the officer to "start at the forehead." Procedure 1
must be next because it states: "Lower both of your hands to the base of the prisoner's
neck and proceed. Procedure 4 is the continuation of procedure 1 since the officer
finishes #1 at the mid-section and begins #4 at the waistline. Choice C is the only one
ending with the sequence 6, 1, 4 AND having the appropriate order for the initial three
procedures (3,2,5).

40

SECTION III: PRACTICE EXAMINATION

A. PRACTICE EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
This part of the Guide contains a Practice Examination consisting of 20 questions that are very
similar to the questions that will appear on the actual examination. We recommend you take this
Practice Examination just as if you were taking the actual examination. Also, read and study the
entire Guide before you begin.
Use the blank answer sheet on the next page to record your answers to the Practice
Examination.
After you have finished this Practice Examination, compare your answers and review the
explanations to those in the Answer Key and Explanations section that follows the Practice
Examination. Also, complete the Error Analysis Form for the Practice Examination. For the
questions that you did not answer correctly, review the section on Error Analysis and determine
why you chose the incorrect answers.
Before you start the Practice Examination, read the following instructions carefully:
Have a friend or family member time you. When he or she says the word "Go," turn to the page
after the answer sheet. The memorization picture that you must study before beginning the
Practice Examination appears on this page. You will have five minutes to study this picture.
When the person timing you says the word "Stop," close the Guide and spend the next five
minutes recalling or thinking what you studied. You should not take any notes or write on the
picture during the five-minute study and recall/review period, but you may use your finger to
draw imaginary circles around and imaginary lines under key parts of the picture. After you have
spent five minutes studying the picture and five minutes thinking about the picture, begin the
examination. When the person timing you says the word "Begin," open the Guide to the Practice
Examination section and begin answering the Practice Examination questions.
The first five questions relate to the memorization picture you will have just studied. Do not look
back at the picture while answering these questions. Allow yourself 30 minutes to complete the
Practice Examination. (This does not include the 10 minutes you will take to study and think
about the memorization picture.) When the person timing you says the word "Stop," close the
Guide. After you have completed the Practice Examination, check your answers against the
answer key and analyze your errors using the explanations and Error Analysis Form.
DO NOT PROCEED TO THE PRACTICE EXAMINATION STARTING ON THE PAGE AFTER THE
ANSWER SHEET UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO TAKE IT!

41

42

Click here for larger view of image

43

B. PRACTICE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

DO NOT LOOK AT THIS PRACTICE EXAMINATION UNTIL YOU HAVE REVIEWED THE
GUIDE, FOLLOWED THE PRACTICE EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS, AND ARE READY TO
TAKE THE EXAMINATION.
Consider the picture you have just studied when you answer questions 1 through 5. DO NOT
LOOK BACK AT THE PICTURE.
1. How many police vehicles are there in the scene?
A.
B.
C.
D.

2.
3.
4
5.

2. Where does the major incident occur?

A.
B.
C.
D.

On Ash Street.
In Perkins Square.
On Vine Street.
In front of Sal's Barber Shop.

3. As far as can be determined, the major incident involves:

A.
B.
C.
D.

a car and a truck.

a car and a police vehicle.
two cars.
a car and a building.

4. The name on the moving truck in the scene was:

A.
B.
C.
D.

Giant Movers.
E-Z Movers.
Gentle Movers.
Prime Movers.

5. The license plate numbers of the police vehicles in the scene all begin with the letter:
A.
B.
C.
D.

J.
K.
P.
S.

44

6. Answer this question on the basis of the following sketches. The sketch appearing to the
left of the bolded line represents the face of an alleged criminal, based on witnesses'
descriptions at the crime scene. One of the four sketches to the right of the bolded line
represents the way the suspect looked after changing his/her appearance. Assume that
NO surgery has been conducted on the suspect. Select the sketch that most likely
represents the face of the suspect.

7. Answer this question on the basis of the following sketches. The sketch appearing to the
left of the bolded line represents the face of an alleged criminal, based on witnesses'
descriptions at the crime scene. One of the four sketches to the right of the bolded line
represents the way the suspect looked after changing his/her appearance. Assume that
NO surgery has been conducted on the suspect. Select the sketch that most likely
represents the face of the suspect.

45

46

8. You are on duty patrol at the nursery school and you are dispatched to investigate a breakin at the apartment building. According to the map on the preceding page, the MOST
DIRECT route to the apartment building from the nursery school, without breaking any
traffic laws, is as follows:
A. travel north on Bridger, west on Coral, south on Hart, and west on Allen to the
apartment building.
B. travel north on Bridger, west on Coral, south on Riders, and east on Allen to the
apartment building.
C. travel south on Bridger, west on Fairmont, south on Bottle, northwest on
Tamarack, south on Hart, and west on Allen to the apartment building.
D. travel south on Bridger, west on Duncan, north on Hart, and west on Allen to the
apartment building.
9. You are a patrol officer finishing up a report at the police station, when you are dispatched
to investigate a riot on the baseball field. According to the map on the preceding page, the
MOST DIRECT route to the baseball field from the police station, without breaking any
traffic laws, is as follows:
A. travel east on Lemont, south on Bridger, west on Fairmont, and north on Bottle to
the baseball field.
B. travel west on Lemont, southeast on Angle, west on Fairmont, and north on Bottle
to the baseball field.
C. travel west on Lemont, north on Bottle, west on Coral, south on Hart, southeast
on Angle, and south on Bottle to the baseball field.
D. travel west on Lemont, southeast on Angle, south on Bridger, west on Boise, and
north on Bottle to the baseball field.
10. Officer Berrigan is giving an address to a high school class warning of the dangers of drug
use. As part of the presentation, Berrigan is stressing the importance of realizing that
alcohol is a drug. The most effective way for Officer Berrigan to say this is:
A. "If you do drink at a party, make sure that you have a designated driver."
B. "Don't drink alcohol unless you are the legal age."
C. "When you talk about drugs, you need to realize that alcohol is a drug and can be
every bit as harmful to you as illegal drugs like heroin and cocaine.
D. "Drugs can kill especially cocaine and heroin. Be careful with alcohol also."
11. Officer Sherman arrived at the scene of a traffic stop to back up Officer Garroway. Officer
Garroway had pulled over a car for a broken taillight. After calling in the plate number,
Garroway discovered that the owner of the car had missed a court appearance for drunk
driving. The most effective way for Officer Garroway to report this information to Officer
Sherman is to say:
A. "The driver of the car did not go to court."
B. "The car owner failed to appear in court for a drunk driving charge."
C. "For a drunk driving charge, the driver skipped a court appearance."

47

D. "The owner of the car failed to appear for his charge of driving while he was blotto."
Directions: Consider only the information contained in the following passage when answering
questions 12 and 13.
Reasonable Suspicion:
The reasonable suspicion standard has never been clearly defined. Reasonable suspicion is
a lesser level of proof than probable cause, a less stringent analysis, yet it is a level of proof that
is far more than just a hunch or a gut feeling. Allowing police officers to stop motorists based
solely on "hunches" does not fulfill the reasonable suspicion standard and is an unfounded
invasion of an individual's liberty. To permit police officers to make traffic stops based simply on
their "hunches" would "leave law abiding citizens at the mercy of the officers' whim or caprice."
So while reasonable suspicion generally requires less than probable cause to make a stop, it is
not so lenient as to permit any stops. It is based on an officer's observations, and the
reasonable inference from which he or she can draw, based on his/her training and experience
that lead him/her to believe the suspect is acting on unlawful design. An officer making a stop
must be able to "point to specific articulable facts which taken together with rational inferences
from those facts reasonably warrant the intrusion."
The United States Supreme Court has invalidated totally random stops of automobiles. Nor
do the courts permit officers to rely on a "hunch" that is based on perfectly non-criminal
circumstances or characteristics. This practice is exactly what courts should prohibit. However,
police officers may stop a motor vehicle when circumstances are beyond the ordinary, even if
they are not criminally suspicious. An officer must be able to point to specific, identifiable,
objective facts that lead him/her to believe that a person is of unlawful design. Whether specific
facts exist to justify the particular traffic stop must be determined from the totality of the
circumstances that led the officer to stop the vehicle.
12. According to the information contained in the passage above, it can be concluded that
reasonable suspicion:
A.
B.
C.
D.

allows police officers to make random stops on motorists.

requires a far more stringent standard than does probable cause.
is comparable to a hunch or a gut feeling.
exists when an officer is able to point to specific, identifiable, objective facts.

13. According to the information contained in the passage above, which of the following
statements is TRUE?
A. The courts should be prohibiting the use of reasonable suspicion.
B. Police officers should not stop motorists when circumstances are not criminally
suspicious.
C. The reasonable suspicion standard has never been clearly defined.
D. Reasonable suspicion puts law-abiding citizens at the mercy of an officer's whim.

48

14. Officer Kraemer and Officer Marchand were dispatched to investigate a reported
disturbance that had taken place between two neighbors. Witnesses at the disturbance
gave these statements to the police officers:
Witness #1 - "Andy and Brett were yelling at each other on Brett's front porch. I
saw Andy punch Brett hard in the belly. Then Brett, while doubled over from the
hit, grabbed a baseball bat from the porch and hit Andy on the back with it."
Witness #2 -"Andy ran over to Brett's house. While Brett was standing on his front
porch, Andy began yelling at Brett. Andy began to threaten Brett, and use abusive
language toward him. Andy then punched Brett right in the stomach. Brett picked
up a baseball bat and hit Andy with it."
Witness #3 - "Andy and Brett fight all the time. This time Andy was pounding on
Brett's front door. When Brett came out on the porch to tell Andy to leave before
he got hurt, Andy punched him. Brett looked around and grabbed the nearest
thing to him, a wooden bat, and hit Andy with it."
Witness #4 - "Brett swore at Andy while Andy was walking by Brett's house. Andy
headed toward Brett's yard and just as he got to the porch, Brett swung a baseball
bat at him. As Andy tried to flee, Brett threw the bat at Andy and hit him in the back."
Based on the statements above, Officers Kraemer and Marchand should recognize that
there is a problem with the account of Witness #:
A.
B.
C.
D.

1.
2.
3.
4.

Directions: Answer questions 15 and 16 based solely on the information in the rule and case
that follow.
Rule of Conduct of Trained Dogs:
Evidence of the conduct of a dog in tracking a suspect has been held to be competent in
both civil and criminal cases, providing that the proper foundation has been laid. However, such
evidence of competency is admissible merely as circumstantial evidence against a defendant.
To make such evidence admissible, it must be established that the dog has been trained or
tested in the tracking of human beings. These facts must be ascertained from the testimony of a
person who has personal knowledge of the dog's training and testing.
Before any evidence pertaining to the results of the dog's tracking is admitted, the handler of
the dog must testify as to his/her own qualifications and experience as well as to those of the
dog, along with an account of the dog's skill and ability to track. The circumstance pertaining to
the tracking itself must be shown. It must be established that there was no interference with the
dog while it was tracking. Once the proper foundation has been laid, the evidence may be used
to identify the accused as the perpetrator, as long as the evidence is corroborated.

49

Consider the following case:

A suspect was accused of attempting to enter a federally insured bank with intent to commit
a felony therein. The officer and the dog, Theseus, assigned to the case had successfully
completed a 10-day detection and tracking course. Additionally, both had practiced tracking at
least three times a week and had worked on approximately 25 cases. Theseus had also
successfully tracked objects and people on hundreds of prior occasions in training and in actual
police work.
The officer instructed Theseus to sniff the night deposit box at the bank and to track the
individual whose scent was detected on the box. Theseus first led the officer to a path leading
into the woods, and then to the location of two burlap bags and copper tubing. A few yards
down the path, Theseus motioned it could smell the suspect nearby. As the suspect was then
detained by another police officer, the search was halted.
The following morning, after the suspect had been apprehended, the officer and Theseus
went to the bank where it sniffed the suspect's trousers and was again instructed to track the
scent. Theseus led the officer from the bank into the woods and past the spot where the bags
and copper tubing were found. The dog then turned back to where the officer apprehended the
suspect at the bank.
15. According to the information given in the rule and case above, it can be concluded that:
A. Theseus could produce no significant evidence regarding the suspect.
B. No proper foundation regarding the tracking conduct of Theseus had been established.
C. The evidence produced by Theseus could be considered reliable and admissible by
definition.
D. The path Theseus led the officer into the woods was different from that of the suspect.
16. According to the information in the rule and case on the preceding page, it can be
concluded that the reason why the dog went past the spot where the bags and copper
tubing were found was because:
A.
B.
C.
D.

the suspect had nothing to do with the bags and copper tubing.
the dog was following the exact track that the suspect had taken.
the suspect's scent was probably no longer there.
the dog could not track properly.

NOTE: Consider the following information relative to juvenile runaways, when answering
question 17 below.
During the past year, 182,045 persons of age 17 and under were arrested as runaways. There
were probably many more who were not arrested or who were not even reported to the police.
More girls than boys were arrested: 56 percent versus 44 percent. A majority of the runaways,
88.2 percent, were White; 10.1 percent were Black, and 1.2 percent were Native American.
While there were 3,890 arrests in the age bracket of 10 and under, runaways between the ages
of 13 and 16 years numbered 149,115.

50

17. According to the information in the passage above, of the following persons, which one
would be the most likely to be a juvenile runaway?
A.
B.
C.
D.

A ten-year-old Black girl.

A twelve-year-old Native American boy.
A fourteen-year old White girl.
A seventeen-year old Black boy.

18. Police Officer Sullivan was sorting through a series of reports received from several small
businesses in the Lemmington area, which were recently the targets of vandalism. The
description of the suspect in each report is as follows:
Report #1 - (Feb. 6th): Female, white, 30-34 years old, 5'4", 135 pounds, blond
straight hair, wool pea coat, boots and a mole on left side of face.
Report #2 - (Feb.10th) Female, white, 31-35 yeas old, 5'3", 145 pounds, blond hair,
pea coat, boots, and a mole on left side of face.
Report #3 - (Feb. 15th) Female, white, early thirties, 5'2", 135 pounds, blond hair,
camel coat, blue jeans, boots, no distinguishing marks.
On February 22nd, another store was shoplifted several blocks away from the store
involved in report number 1. A police officer patrolling that block witnessed the
suspect fleeing the store and apprehended the suspect. She is described as
follows:
Report #4 - (February 22nd) Female, white 32 years old, 5'3", 135 to 140 pounds,
blond straight hair, wool pea coat, boots, and a mole on the left side of the face.
Based on the description of suspects in the first three reports, the suspect in Report #4
should also be considered a suspect in:
A.
B.
C.
D.

Reports 1 and 2 only.

Reports 1 and 3 only.
Reports 2 and 3 only.
Reports 1, 2, and 3.

51

19. Officer Buford is writing an incident report regarding the decision to initiate a high-speed
chase. She wants to use a real-life situation to show when such a chase may be warranted.
Officer Buford wants to use the following statements to describe the situation. (These
statements are NOT listed in the correct order.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

When Officer Falstaff attempted to stop them, he was shot in the thigh.
Three inmates escaped from a medium security prison.
The second officer chased the black van down the country dirt road.
Officer Falstaff observed them stealing a black van from a grocery store parking lot.
Officer Scherer made the decision to begin the chase because there was little
danger to the public on the almost-deserted country road.
6. Officer Falstaff put out an all points Bulletin and a second officer, Officer Scherer
spotted the van turning onto a country road.

Officer Buford would describe this situation most effectively by presenting the above
statements in the following order:
A.
B.
C.
D.

1, 4, 3, 6, 2, 5.
2, 1, 3, 4, 6, 5.
2, 4, 1, 6, 3, 5.
4, 6, 5, 1, 2, 3.

20. Officer Cahill must prepare a manual on report writing for part of a seminar she is giving to
new recruits. She wants to include the following six steps to describe the report writing
process in the manual. (These steps are NOT listed in the correct order.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Prepare a rough draft.

Prepare an outline.
Define the purpose and scope of the report.
Write the final copy.
Expand the outline.
Gather the facts.

Officer Cahill would describe the steps involved in writing a report most logically, by
presenting the above steps in the following order:
A.
B.
C.
D.

3, 1, 5, 6, 2, 4.
3, 6, 2, 5, 1, 4.
5, 4, 1, 3, 6, 2.
6, 4, 2, 3, 1, 5.

52

This is the end of the Practice Examination for Police Officer.

53

C. PRACTICE EXAMINATION ANSWER KEY AND EXPLANATIONS

The answers to the Practice Examination are listed below. Explanations of the answers follow
the list.
1.
2.
3.
4.

B
B
C
C

5.
6.
7.
8.

C
A
A
A

9.
10.
11.
12.

B
C
B
D

13.
14.
15.
16.

C
D
C
B

17.
18.
19.
20.

C
A
C
B

Memorization questions - 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. These questions are based on the memorization

picture provided. The answers can be explained by looking back at the memorization picture.
Visualization questions - 6 and 7.
6. The correct answer is choice A. All critical features match the features of the suspect. In
addition, all other answer choices have at least one critical difference.
Choice B is incorrect because the nose is smaller and the lips are both thinner and are
shaped much differently.
Choice C is incorrect because the mouth is smaller and the lips are shaped differently.
Choice D is incorrect because the eyes are darker and closer together. Also, the nose is
larger and shaped differently.
7. The correct answer is choice A. Even though the hair has been styled in a different way,
longer and shaggier, all critical features match the features of the suspect. In addition, all
other answer choices have at least one critical difference.
Choice B is incorrect because the mouth is shaped differently.
Choice C is incorrect because the nose is much shorter, leaving a larger space between the
nose and the mouth. There is also no defining crease in the forehead.
Choice D is incorrect because the eyes are much smaller and are sloped downward. The
eyebrows are shaped much differently and again there is no defining crease in the forehead.
Spatial Orientation questions - 8 and 9.
8. Choice A is the correct answer because it provides the most direct route to the incident
without breaking any traffic laws.
Choice B is incorrect because the candidate would travel in the wrong direction on Allen and
break a traffic law.
Choice C is incorrect because the candidate would travel in the wrong direction on Bottle and
break a traffic law.
Choice D is incorrect because the candidate would travel in the wrong direction on Hart and
break a traffic law.

54

9. The correct answer is choice B because it is the most direct route to the baseball field
without breaking any traffic laws.
Choice A is incorrect. The candidate would break a traffic law by driving the wrong way on
Lemont.
Choice C is incorrect. The candidate would break a traffic law by driving the wrong way on
Bottle.
Choice D is incorrect. The candidate would breaks a traffic law by driving the wrong way on
Boise.
Verbal Expression questions - 10 and 11.
10. The correct answer is choice C because it gets across the message intended, namely, that
alcohol is a drug and as a drug can be harmful as other drugs.
Choice A is clearly incorrect. The targeted audience is below the legal age for drinking
alcohol.
Choice B is incorrect. While the message is all right, it does not identify alcohol as a drug.
Choice D is incorrect. While a cautionary note regarding alcohol is mentioned in this
answer choice, it is only mentioned as an afterthought and even then does not get across
the idea that alcohol is a drug and, as such, can be harmful.
11. The correct answer is choice B because it clearly identifies all three considerations, namely,
who, where and what.
Choice A is incorrect because it refers to the driver of the car not the owner and the driver
and owner can be two different persons. It also fails to state why the owner did not go to
court or why the person was expected in court.
Choice C is incorrect because it is both worded awkwardly and is backwards. Again, it
refers to the driver of the car not the owner of the car.
Choice D is incorrect because it does not state the facts correctly. It is so important in
police work especially in reference to the law, to state the charges exactly, and to avoid
using slang.
Verbal Comprehension questions -12 and 13.
12. The correct answer is choice D. This is the only answer, according to the information in the
passage.
Choice A is incorrect because it is refuted in the third sentence of the first paragraph of the
passage.
Choice B is incorrect because sentence two of the first paragraph states that reasonable
suspicion, as a lesser level of proof than probable cause, requires a less stringent analysis.
Choice C is incorrect because the first paragraph states that reasonable suspicion is more
than just a hunch or a gut feeling.
13. The correct answer is choice C. This is documented in the very first sentence of the first
paragraph which reads, "the reasonable suspicion standard has never been clearly defined."

55

Choice A is incorrect because the passage states that the courts should be prohibiting the
stopping of motor vehicles by police officers who rely on hunches based entirely on
perfectly non-criminal circumstances.
Choice B is incorrect since the third sentence of the second paragraph states that police
officers may stop a motor vehicle when circumstances are beyond the ordinary, even if
these circumstances are not criminally suspicious.
Choice D is incorrect because it is the making of vehicle stops based on solely on hunches
that puts law-abiding citizens at the mercy of an officer's whim, while requiring reasonable
suspicion prevents this.
Problem Sensitivity question - 14.
14. The correct answer is choice D because it fails to confirm the pattern of the other three
accounts, which consistently state that it was Andy who punched Brett prior to Brett's hitting
back with a baseball bat.
Deductive Reasoning questions - 15 and 16.
15. The correct answer is choice C. The second paragraph of the Rule sets forth the criteria for
competent testimony and the first paragraph of the case supports Theseus' required
background.
Choice A is incorrect because Theseus did find the evidence of the scent of the suspect.
Choice B is incorrect because proper foundation had been laid by establishing the
background of the dog's training.
Choice D is incorrect because the path on which the dog led the officer was the one on
which the bags and copper tubing were found. Also the dog continued tracking the scent of
the suspect by showing how the suspect had doubled back where the suspect had been
apprehended at the bank.
16. The correct answer is choice B since the dog was following the exact path the suspect had
taken, which included going past the paraphernalia and to the bank.
Choice A is incorrect because the suspect was connected to the bags and the copper tubing.
Choice C is incorrect because the dog could and did track the scent that was still there.
Choice D is incorrect since the case had fully established that the dog, Theseus, was fully
instructed and trained in tracking.
Inductive Reasoning questions - 17 and 18.
17. The correct answer is choice C since: a) the majority of runaways are under 17; b) the
largest number of arrests were of runaways between the ages of 13 and 16; c) the majority
of runaways were of white ethnicity; and d) the runaways were more often girls. You can
best approach this question by jotting down the various statistics on runaways, including
percentage in age bracket, percentage by gender identity, percentage by racial identity and
number of arrest records. Once you establish this chart, you can easily determine any
question regarding the passage just by looking at the organized data.

56

18. The correct answer is choice A. Remember that, when answering this question, it is best to
create a table with the characteristics of the four reports. After setting up the table, you can
easily identify similarities and determine critical dimensions. Important differences or
similarities will usually center around three characteristics--age, height and weight.
By using this method, you can see that Report #3 differs from #1 and #2 in describing the
suspect as having no distinguishing marks. Reports 1 and 2 note a mole on the left side of
the suspect's face. Now look at the description in Report 4. This report also describes a
suspect with the inclusion of a mole on the left side of the face, the suspect in this report
could be considered as the suspect in the Reports of 1 and 2.
Information Ordering questions 19 and 20.
19. The correct answer is choice C. Since the actual chronology of events is an unknown, use
logic to determine the right order. Obviously, the police cannot initiate a high-speed chase
without a reason. Thus, the event that happens first must involve a suspect. In this case the
first event would be #2 or three inmates escaped from a medium security prison. By
ordering this event first, you have successfully eliminated choices A and D as possible
answers since neither choice A nor D lists event #2 first.
Now you must carefully select the next most logical event. Look at your two possible
answer choices B and C. Both 1 and 4 could be probable second events. Since you
cannot eliminate either one yet, you must consider the most logical third answer choice.
Choice B involves the action of a second officer who has not been mentioned yet. The only
answer choice that makes sense is choice C, the correct answer. By reading through the
sequence of events of choice C, you can see that they fall into a logical order.
20. The correct answer is choice B. Again, ask yourself, what action must be accomplished
before the second one can be started? First, you need to define the purpose and scope of
the report before you can do anything else. Only two answer choices list this step first,
namely, choices A and B. But choice A lists writing a rough draft as the second event, while
choice B lists gather the facts as the second event. Obviously gathering facts must be
accomplished prior to writing even a rough draft. Thus only choice B can be the correct
answer.
Suppose you think that step (6) "gather the facts" is the most logical first step in preparing
a report. The only answer choice that lists this event first is choice D. But choice D lists (4)
"write the final copy," as the most logical second step. So you can eliminate your first
premise that "gathering the facts" is the first event since writing the final copy can't possibly
be the second event.
You do not need prior knowledge of the material used in Information Ordering questions; or
for any other material used in the different kinds of questions you will encounter in this
examination. You just need sound thinking and to be able to select the most logical
sequence of events and to discard all other choices.

This is the end of the Practice Examination Answer Explanation Section.

57

ERROR ANALYSIS FORM for the Police Officer Practice Examination

REASON FOR INCORRECT ANSWER
PRACTICE EXAM.
QUESTION NO.

ABILITY AREA

MEM

MEM

MEM

MEM

MEM

VISUAL

VISUAL

SPATIAL

SPATIAL

10

VERB EXP

11

VERB EXP

12

VERB COMP

13

VERB COMP

14

PROB SENS

15

DED REAS

16

DED REAS

17

IND REAS

18

IND REAS

19

INF ORD

20

INF ORD

CORRECT

TOTAL FOR EACH TYPE OF ERROR

TOTAL QUESTIONS CORRECT

57

7_

************************************************************************
CONCLUSION
This Orientation and Preparation Guide was
prepared to familiarize you with the major aspects
of the Entry Level Police Officer written
examination. It includes the ability areas to be
measured in the examination, definitions, some
test-taking strategies, sample questions, a
procedure to analyze errors, and a practice
examination. The information provided in this Guide
is not exhaustive. We encourage you to act upon
whatever additional course of study or strategies
you believe will enhance your chances of
performing effectively on the written examination
and on the job.
***********************************************************************

58