Do you really want to be a police officer?
I’ve created two short videos here to help you make that decision and also get a realistic idea of whether or not you’re ready to do so.
In the first video you will discover the most important (and often overlooked) component of police selection. Get your preparation on track by taking a few moments to complete this video and the simple task that follows.
So go ahead and watch the first video below right now:
Click here to access your free PDF download of ‘Becoming a Police Officer’
The next thing is to understand what are the tasks ahead of you and where do you need to improve the most.
You can watch the second video now or simply read the summary below the video:
For example, you may know that your selection process involves a series of cognitive assessments, writing and/or spelling tests, a physical test and an interview (you can check with your local recruitment office as to the exact content of your tests). Let’s use these four as an example.
1. Cognitive Test
2. Writing Test
3. Physical Test
4. Interview
Now the human tendency is to focus on your strengths as this is more ‘enjoyable’ and you might think that if you do really well in that area, then it will cover up any weaknesses. However this this approach will not lead to success.
A more useful approach is to run a self assessment in each area and decide on which needs the most attention. Then combine this information with the order of testing and you will be on your way to a good training plan. But we’ll talk about the training plan in step three.
Let’s look at the self assessment for now – for the example above. You will need to translate this to your own specific tests.
In the example above, the great news is that if you completed the Basic Sample Police Quiz on day one of this course, you have already completed a short self-assessment of where you are at in cognitive preparation.
Next is the writing test. In this example, the applicant is preparing for a 150 word summary of a short video. So he or she will watch a story on the news and then make a hand written summary of the content. They can then ask a friend or family member to give them feedback.
Now on to the physical test – which in this case is the ‘Beep Test’ or ‘Multi-Stage Shuttle Fitness Assessment’. This may sound basic, but it is incredible how many police applicants fail to take this next step…. GO OUT AND RUN THE BEEP TEST! I cannot stress this enough. Not only will this give you an idea of what level you will achieve, but it is the first step in massive improvement to your scores.
Finally, the interview. Have you had many job interviews? Do you already know whether this is a weak area for you? Most people will know straight away if they are comfortable with this part of selection. You can ask a friend to ask you some questions about why you’re joining the police. Treat it like an interview and you’ll quickly get an idea of whether this is an area for development.
Now rank these four areas (or however many you have for your testing) and have a look at what is most important. What are your weaknesses? What are your strengths?
Make a note of this. We will use this information in the final stage of preparation which we will get to in your next email in a couple of days.
Until then, feel free to check out the other training resources HERE for further tools and exercises to assist you in your police entrance preparation.
John Ashburton
Police Preparation Australia