What Are the Next Stages of the Connecticut Police Selection Process?

If you have successfully passed the CPCA Test, you will move on to a multi-tiered selection process, which includes the following stages: CHIP Test (Complete Health & Injury Prevention) – Physical ability assessment conducted by CertyFit. Polygraph test Background investigation Psychological examination CPCA written exam

CPCA Exam 2026: Get Accurate Practice & Sample Questions

The Connecticut Police Chiefs Association (CPCA) Entry-Level Police Officer Exam is an early step in the hiring process.

The exam is administered online through PoliceApp, and your results are typically valid for six months, allowing you to apply to participating departments during that eligibility period.

The test consists of 100 questions and has a three-hour time limit.

The CPCA exam determines whether you are placed on the list of “qualified candidates.” High-scoring applicants move forward to the next stages of the police officer hiring process. If you perform well on the CPCA exam, you may be invited to continue through a multi-step selection process that typically includes a CHIP test, polygraph examination, background investigation, psychological evaluation, and oral interview.

The test will assess the following abilities:

Police Situational Judgement
Basic Math and Numerical Word Problems
Synonyms, Sentence Completion and Spelling
Reading Comprehension

In addition, the CPCA offers four different exam versions, depending on the position you are applying for:

CPCA Entry Level Police Officer Exam
CPCA Certified Police Officer Exam
CPCA Animal Control Officer Exam
CPCA 911 Dispatcher Test

While all CPCA exams assess similar core abilities, each version has its own scoring criteria and passing standards based on the specific role.

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Try these simulated CPCA-style questions to get a real sense of the exam. The questions are similar in structure to both our PrepPack and the real test.

Your ability to analyze and evaluate situations and information, draw logical conclusions, and act accordingly.

Situational Judgement Sample Question

RULE

Mental Health – Security Officer – Functions

During admissions to the psychiatric hospital, the officer must ensure new patients are restrained if they should become abusive to personnel.

The officer is required to monitor visitors’ behavior and ensure proper conduct. Specifically, the officer must ensure that visitors neither physically harm nor threaten to physically harm personnel or patients nor assist a patient in escaping from the facility. Any visitor exhibiting such conduct, or any unauthorized visitors, must be escorted out of the facility by the officer.

Assume the role of a Security Officer in the Mental Health institution in the following situation.

SITUATION

At reception, a wife is admitting her husband to the hospital. The husband appears to gradually become aggravated, shouting and cursing at the receptionist. The wife is trying to calm him down.

According to the RULE, what should you do?

A. Restrain the husband.

B. Escort the woman out of the hospital.

C. Try to calm the man down.

D. Do nothing.

View Explanation

The answer is choice A.

“During admissions to the psychiatric hospital, the officer must ensure new patients are restrained if they should become abusive to personnel.”

The husband is shouting and cursing at the receptionist, he can also become physically abusive.

Your ability to perform basic mathematic calculations (four operations, fractions, etc.) without a calculator.

Basic Math Sample Question

(2 + 1/5) : 3.25 = ?

A. 15/18

B. 44/65

C. 1/4

D. 24/9

E. 143/20

View Explanation

The answer is B.

Step 1 - simplify the expression

i) 2 + 1/5 = 2 1/5 = 11/5

ii) 3.25 = 3 1/4 = 13/4

Step 2 - calculate

(2 + 1/5) : 3.25
= 11/5 : 13/4
= 11/5 x 4/13
= (11x4)/(5x13)
= 44/65

The CPCA Officer Exam Preparation pack has accurate questions just like the ones on the real test. Using them to prepare will maximize your chances of passing and becoming a police officer!

Accurate practice – hundreds of CPCA questions that accurately cover all topics of the test, so you'll know exactly what to expect on test day.

Solving techniques and tips for helping you answer any test question quickly and efficiently,giving you an advantage over your competition.

Full test subject coverage - practice materials covering math, language & grammar, police forms, reading comprehension, reasoning, and anything else you might find on the test- we've got your back!

Your ability to use English properly and formulate correct sentences. Make sure to pay attention to letter capitalization.

Language and Grammar Sample Question

Choose the option that completes the sentence correctly:

____ the current system, children are first ____ at the age of seven.

A. Under, assesed

B. under, processed

C. Unders, assessing

D. Underneath, assessment

E. None of these

View Explanation

The correct answer is E. The correct answer would be: Under the current system, children are first assessed at the age of seven.

Incorrect Answers

The first word must be capitalized, so you can eliminate B.
C has 'under' spelled wrong.
You need a verb to describe what is happening to the children, so D can be eliminated.
A has assessed spelled wrong.

Your ability to correctly interpret facts and ideas in texts.

Reading Comprehension Sample Question

Nuclear power provides 12% of the world's electricity and 20% of the electricity
consumed in the US. There are over 100 nuclear power reactors operating around
the US. Some states generate the majority of their electricity from nuclear power.

Nuclear energy is environment-friendly since it does not emit greenhouse gases. In addition, it is a stable and economical resource. The cost of electricity production by means of nuclear power became over the years lower than production by many other available resources, such as coal and natural gas.

Nuclear plants generate electricity by boiling water into steam; the steam then turns turbines which activate an electricity generator. Nuclear plants differ from other fossil-fueled power plants in what serves as a heat source to turn water into steam. Nuclear plants do not burn fuel: instead, they use a process called "fission". During the fission process, an atom (in this case, uranium) splits into smaller parts releasing neutrons from its nucleus. These neutrons hit other atoms and cause them to split as well- thus, creating a self-sustaining chain reaction which releases an enormous amount of heat.

Currently, there are two types of nuclear reactors in the US: pressurized water
reactor (PWR) and boiling water reactor (BWR). The PWR maintains water under pressure so that it heats, but prevents it from boiling. The heated water is pumped through a steam generator, where it transfers thermal energy to a secondary system where steam is generated and flows to turbines which, in turn, spin an electric generator that produces electricity. The water from the reactor and the water that is turned into steam are in separate systems and do not mix. In the BWR, the water flows upward through the core, where it is heated by fission and allowed to boil in the reactor vessel. The water then turns into steam which is carried by pipes to spin the turbine, which drives the generator to produce electricity. In PWRs and BWRs, the steam is turned back into water for reuse. In addition, the water serves both as a coolant and as a moderator, to slow neutrons.

Despite the elegancy and evident efficiency of the nuclear method, many wonder why we need it when we can harness renewable energy sources like the wind and the sun. The answer, others may argue, is that nuclear power is able to reliably supply a substantial amount of electricity in every hour of every day of the year, hence, it is an important resource for meeting the ever-increasing demand for electricity.

What portion of the US' electricity consumption is provided by nuclear power?

A. 12%

B. One-fifth

C. 32%

D. One-third

View Explanation

The correct answer is B: "One-fifth"

In the first sentence of the passage, we are told: "Nuclear power provides [...] 20% of the electricity consumed in the US." 20% = 20/100 = 1/5, therefore fifth is the correct answer.

At JobTestPrep, we have over thirty years experience in preparing candidates for challenging tests, and pride ourselves in providing the most accurate prep materials. Our test research specialists have recently finished updating the CPCA test PrepPack, meaning it is even more accurate than ever, allowing you to increase your chances of acing the test.

Here's some important information when taking the test:

Once you are invited to take the test, you will have 12 hours to enter and complete it.
You will not be able to go back to previous questions and must complete the exam in one 3-hour sitting.
You will need to be able to download the reading section & audio recordings, as well as paper & a pencil/pen (for the math section).
Upon signing into your PoliceApp account you will see a call-out box at the top of the screen. Clicking "Star the Exam Now" will start the test.
Looking up answers on the internet or using a calculator may cause your elimination from the process. You may be asked about cheating during the following stages of the process, as well.

Here are the three most crucial elements to focus on in order to pass the CPCA Test:

Practice CPCA Questions

Although it seems to go without saying, that is a point many candidates tend to overlook. If you had the time and funds to take a complete math, reading, and critical reasoning course before the test, you probably would have.

As that is hardly ever the case, focus on getting used to the CPCA Test questions by solving as many questions as you can that mimic the actual CPCA test.

Knowledge and skill are only one aspect of the CPCA Test. The other is time: On average, you will have 40 seconds for each question.

To make it to the top CPCA test scorers, practice questions "vertically" (that is, many questions of the same type in a short amount of time). This strategy will get you used to fast-paced solving.

Any question you solve is a chance to learn and improve. Unlike other psychometric test providers, PoliceApp.com does not provide you with a CPCA score analysis.

So that’s on you.

After solving, read each explanation thoroughly, even if you were correct. That will give you useful insights both for the way to better and quicker solving techniques, as well as understanding of your weaker areas.

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There is no fixed passing score for the CPCA test. Candidates are ranked against others who have taken the exam within the last six months.
As a general benchmark (according to PoliceApp.com), scoring around 80% or higher is typically needed to be considered “qualified,” though results are competitive. In a recent exam of 286 applicants, only six candidates scored above 90%.

You can re-take the CPCA at any time, with no waiting time. However, you will be required to pay the testing fee again.

The CPCA score is valid for six months. To renew your eligibility afterwards, you need to re-take the exam and pay the testing fee.

No. The CHIP physical ability assessment is part of the selection process which comes AFTER the CPCA Test.

If you have successfully passed the CPCA Test, you will move on to a multi-tiered selection process, which includes the following stages:

CHIP Test (Complete Health & Injury Prevention) – Physical ability assessment conducted by CertyFit.
Polygraph test
Background investigation
Psychological examination
CPCA written exam

CPCA Exam 2026: Get Accurate Practice & Sample Questions

The CPCA Prep Course Includes:

What is the CPCA Exam?

What Is Tested on the Connecticut CPCA Police Exam?

CPCA Exam Versions in Connecticut

CPCA Exam Sample Questions