MA State Police Exam 2023: Get Test Prep & Free practice
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What is the Massachusetts State Police Exam?

The MA state police exam is a 2.5 hour test that assesses a candidate's potential for becoming a police officer. The test is divided into three distinct sections - abilities, work styles, and life experience. A score of 70% is required to continue in the hiring process. 

The MA state police exam uses the EB Jacobs Law Enforcement Aptitude Battery (LEAB) in its hiring process, which is a popular assessment tool used widely in law enforcement to select candidates. As mentioned the test is divided into three sections which differ significantly in their question types, length and format. Although the sections are distinct, they are not timed separately and must all be completed within the 2.5 hour time limit. Let's review each one, and then dive deeper:

  • Ability Test - this section measures verbal, inductive, deductive, information ordering and problem sensitivity abilities. It is considered to be the more challenging section of the MA state police exam, contains 30 multiple choice questions, and takes approximately 75 minutes to complete. 
  • Work Styles Questionnaire - this section measures personal characteristics that are vital to your performance as a police officer. It includes 135 short statements, and your job is to answer how much each one applies to you. This section of the Massachusetts state police exam takes around 25 minutes to complete. 
  • Life Experience Survey - this section measures personal attributes related to your experience and history. It includes 75 questions and takes approximately 35 minutes to complete. 

The Mass state police exam is geared to the traits, abilities, work preferences, on-the-job judgment and personal experience that lead to a high-quality performance in the police department. Therefore, most questions on the MA Police Civil Service Exam involve the everyday working environment of police officers.

Looking for a different police exam? Visit our main police page for more options. 

 Massachusetts State Police Exam Practice Questions

Deductive Reasoning Question: 

Read the following definition: 

"Selective enforcement is the use of judgment to decide which laws to enforce and how to enforce them."

 

According to the definition given, which of the following is the worst example of selective enforcement?

A. Officer Kinsley gives speeding tickets to anyone driving more than 15 miles above the speed limit. 

B. Officer Jacobs does not give tickets to women.
C. Officer Codey calls the parents of all children violating the state curfew.
D. Officer Brian uses racial profiling to decide who to check more carefully.
Correct Answer
Incorrect Answer
The correct answer is C. 

Explanation:
Officer Codey is not selective in the way he enforces the law, as he calls the parents of all children violating the state curfew. 

It should be noted that since we are not told how the state curfew is supposed to be enforced officially, this may also be a case of selective enforcement. For example, if those who violate curfew are supposed to receive a fine, Officer Codey would have been using selective enforcement by letting the fine go. Nonetheless, this is still the worst example of selective enforcement among the options given, as Officer Codey remains consistent in the way in which he enforces the law. 

 

Inductive Reasoning Question: 

Police officer Henry reported to the scene of an accident and saw the following: a jeep in the middle of an intersection with the hood smashed in and the windshield cracked, and a sedan twenty feet past the intersection with a large dent on the passenger side and the driver side smashed into a pole.

Based on the description above, which of the following is LEAST likely to have caused the accident?

A. The Jeep ran a red light

B. The sedan ran a red light
C. The Jeep tried cutting off the sedan
D. The Jeep slipped on ice and slid into oncoming traffic
Correct Answer
Incorrect Answer

The correct answer is C.

When Officer Henry arrives at the scene he sees that the front of the Jeep is smashed in and the windshield is cracked. Based on this we can conclude the front of the Jeep collided with something else. Officer Henry also sees a large dent in the side of the sedan and the other side is smashed into a pole. It is reasonable to conclude that the sedan was hit on the side and then slid and collided into the pole. 

Let’s now examine each of the answer choices:

A) If the Jeep ran a red light, it is very plausible that it would have crashed headfirst into the side of a sedan that was going through a green light. This could have caused the sedan to slide into a pole and the Jeep to stop in the middle of the intersection.

B) If the sedan ran a red light, it is very plausible that a Jeep going through a green light could have crashed headfirst into the side of the sedan, causing it to slide into a pole. 

C) If a Jeep tried cutting off a sedan, it is not likely that the front
of the Jeep would be damaged. The side of the Jeep would have hit the sedan. 

D) If a Jeep and a sedan are both driving towards each other, and the Jeep slides ninety degrees into oncoming traffic, it may crash headfirst into the side of the sedan causing it to slide into a pole. 

Written Expression Question: 

Read the sentences

  • The puppies were playing in the grass outside of the house before it was time for dinner.
  • The puppies are great for children to learn responsibilities.
  • The grass outside of the house needs to be cleaned.

Select the sentence that best expresses the ideas contained in the sentences above it:  
(Remember to be aware of grammatical errors, inappropriate transitions, unsupported opinions, incorrect usage, wordiness, and illogical sentence order.)

A. The house needs to be cleaned because the puppies were outside playing before dinner. Puppies are great for children to learn responsibilities.

B. Children learn responsibilities by cleaning the grass outside of the house. The puppies were outside playing before dinner.
C. Children are great for puppies to learn responsibilities. The grass outside of the house needs to be cleaned because the puppies were outside playing before dinner.
D. The grass outside of the house needs to be cleaned because the puppies were outside playing before dinner. Puppies are great for children to learn responsibilities.
Correct Answer
Incorrect Answer

The correct answer is D.

Explanation:

Answer A is incorrect because the house does not need to be cleaned; the grass needs to be cleaned.

Answer B is incorrect because the facts do not state that children learn responsibilities from cleaning the grass.

Answer C is incorrect because the facts do not mention anything about children being great for puppies, but rather that puppies are great for children.

Answer D is correct because it best expresses the ideas in the sentences above.

Interested in more practice questions? Click here! 

How to Prepare for the Mass State Police Test

The Mass state police test is tough, but this doesn't mean it should stand between you and your goal of becoming a police officer in the New England Commonwealth of Massachusetts. With accurate prep and and hard work, you will be able to maximize your abilities and stand out above the competition. 

MA State Police Ability Test 

The Ability section of the Mass state police test contains 30 questions and is composed of six parts:

  • Written Expression - crucial for good communication and many standard police department duties, such as writing reports. 
  • Reading Comprehension - as a police officer, being able to effectively read and understand written information such as guidelines or rules is elementary. 
  • Problem Sensitivity - measures your ability to handle complex situations in the professional manner required from a police officer. 
  • Deductive Questions - the ability to implement a rule on a specific situation, such as deciding if a law is relevant for an event you are responding to. 
  • Inductive Reasoning - the ability to create a logical pattern or rule from given facts, such as analyzing a crime scene. 
  • Information Ordering - these questions measure your ability to take jumbled information and create a logical sequence. 

Massachusetts Police Exam Ability Test Tips

  • The recommended time frame for this section of the MA state police exam is 75 minutes.
  • Answer the easier questions of the written test first, then answer the harder questions without dwelling on any question.
  • Since blank answers are considered as being incorrect for scoring purposes, it is best to answer every question. Guess if necessary - this is a plus of having multiple choice questions.
  • Read every question carefully before marking your answer.

 

Massachusetts Police Exam Work Styles Questionnaire (WSQ)

WSQ is a personality profiling test and the psychological component of the Massachusetts police exam. Among other traits, it assesses your teamwork, leadership propensity, sensitivity to negative remarks, and decision-making ability - all central to your work as a police officer. You will read a statement, then select the rating that most closely reflects your views.

There are five ratings to choose from: Strongly Disagree (1) through Strongly Agree (5). You must answer every question or the disqualification of your application may be the result.

Massachusetts Police Exam Life Experience Survey (LES)

In this section, you will encounter 75 questions covering a wide range of topics. Each question is followed by five alternatives. The job is to pick the response that best describes you and your past experiences. The assessments contained in LES concern characteristics that are vital in a police department such as work ethic and community-based involvement.

Massachusetts Police Exam Basic Requirements

To pass the selection process and be considered as a future police officer in one of Massachusetts' many police departments, you must comply with several basic entrance requirements:

  • Medical examination
  • High school diploma
  • Valid driving license 
  • Physical fitness test
  • Written exam

Format & Content of the Mass State Police Test

Paper & Pencil is the format for the commonwealth of Massachusetts state police test. In accordance with the scoring mechanism, a No. 2 pencil must be used when marking the answer sheet. Regarding the question format, you will find a multiple-choice system throughout the written exam.

Scoring– Each section of the written exam is scored separately; the three scores are combined to formulate the test result. Applicants must take and pass the MA police exam in order to be placed on the eligibility list for police officer vacancies. 

 

The Massachusetts police exam is a challenging test that combines cognitive ability questions with behavioral and life experience questionnaires in order to give your future police department an in-depth understanding of whether you have what it takes to become a police officer in Massachusetts state.

To ensure that your strengths are reflected through your answers and you put yourself in a strong position to begin a rewarding career as a police officer, coming prepared is key. 

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