Prepare for the Police Oral Board

The Oral Board is also referred to as the Oral Board Interview or the Oral Interview. There is no standard Oral Board, every Oral Interview is different. But you only get to this stage in the hiring process if you have passed the written and physical exams. The Oral Board/Interview may be in front of a panel of 3-5 people or in front of one person. The police oral board exam measures your ability to use the English language correctly. It is meant to see how you answer questions and your ability to stay calm. Each test has a time limit. The times vary from one department to another.

The police oral interview measures not only how you answer questions during the interview, but how you present yourself when you enter the room. You will be judged on everything you do from the time the interview begins until it ends. Your tone of voice will also be judged, make sure you use a calm and even tone when speaking. The types of questions that may be asked are personal or police related. The interviewers are interested in how you communicate verbally and how honest you are. Preparing for the oral board will get you one step closer to becoming a police officer.

Although each police interview question may be different, they all measure skills and abilities needed to be a successful police officer. Below is a list of characteristics and attributes that may be looked for on the exam.

• Decision-making: Your ability to make sound and timely decisions. Seeing that you can pay attention to and takes into account all relevant information in making decisions and developing effective solutions to problems. It is also the ability to make rational decisions under pressure and/or without direction from another person.
  
  
• Empathy: Showing that you have an understanding and sensitivity to another individual’s situation or feelings. That you desire to understand a problem from another’s perspective and show willingness to consider how you would want to be treated in a similar situation.
  
  
• Expression/Communication: This is the ability to use language orally and to communicate information or ideas to other people. This ability involves organizing information or ideas and expressing them in a clear and logical manner using a tone and vocabulary that is appropriate.
  
  
• Honesty: That you demonstrate a desire to do the right thing and accurately report events as they occur. You will also need to show that you adhere to societal rules and laws.
  
  
• Initiative: This is your ability to take proactive actions and persists in efforts to reach goals by overcoming difficult obstacles. You show that you are motivated to take effective action without requiring direct orders from another person.
  
  
• Self-confidence: Showing your belief in personal ability to judge and handle situations successfully and that you appear comfortable in diverse situations and projects an image of confidence when under pressure without appearing arrogant.
  
  
• Self-control: Your ability to remain calm and maintain awareness of the consequences of personal actions in difficult situations and you show a level of respect for the other individuals in a situation.

During the oral board you will be asked a various questions related to police work. Here are two questions that are similar to questions that could be asked during the interview.

1. Police officers must be able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people.
   What steps do you feel are useful in ensuring that others clearly understand what you are saying?
   Describe a situation that demonstrates your ability to communicate effectively.
   
   
2. Police officers must be able to observe an event or hear a description of an event and then summarize the details in a report.
   What steps do you feel are useful in ensuring that your summaries are accurate and complete?
   Describe a situation in which you were required to summarize information.

Steps in the Police Hiring Process:

1. Physical Ability Test
2. Oral Board Interview
3. Psychological Exam