Police Test Preparation Materials

Most police officers take the NPOST.

If you want to be a police officer, you'll probably have to take the National Police Officer Selection Test (NPOST). Law enforcement agencies across the country require their officers to take this written exam as part of their job application and testing process.

Qualifications

Qualifications for becoming a police officer vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. You should contact the police department you want to work for to find out what education, experience, and physical fitness level the department requires from its applicants. Most candidates must also undergo physical and psychological testing in addition to the NPOST.

Test format

The NPOST is made up of four sections: 20 questions in math, 25 questions in reading comprehension, 20 questions in grammar and 10 questions in incident report writing. The first three sections are multiple choice and true/false. The fourth section requires writing in complete sentences on a sample report form.

Studying and scoring

Many police departments publish NPOST prep materials and sample tests free of charge on their web sites. No prior law enforcement knowledge is required to pass the test. The test is timed, so don't spend all your time on a few questions. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so don't leave any answers blank. You must score at least 70 percent in every section to pass.

References

• Montana Department of Justice: Applicant Study Guide and Overview for the National Police Officer Test
• Weber State University Police Academy: NPOST Testing