Each of the five Police SJT practice tests contains detailed answers and explanations for the following categories
- Police Values Hierarchy
- Police Functions Hierarchy
- Police Key Principles
- Police Competencies
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Here you'll find free police situational judgment test questions along with info on police SJT competencies and values with tips for passing the exam.
What Is the Police Situational Judgment Test?
The Police Situational Judgment Test assesses the candidate's decision-making ability by confronting him with realistic police scenarios and asking him to identify the most appropriate response using the following three fundamentals: Common sense, police priorities, and police hierarchies.
Using these guidelines, you will get the correct responses to police situational judgment questions.
Here are some examples of law enforcement professionals that purchased the JobTestPrep Civil Service Police SJT preparation:
- Corrections Officer.
- Deputy sheriff.
- Entry-level police officer.
- Police Officer.
Answering Police Judgement Scenarios
When answering police judgment scenarios on the written police exam, it is important to maintain the mindset of a police officer. police officers should think in a simple and straightforward manner, and must take effective actions with quick decision-making.
Common Sense
Using common sense is essential for police officers, and thus it is to be utilized when answering police situational judgment questions. Common sense should also prompt officers to maintain composure rather than jump to conclusions. This includes properly sizing up situations and not reacting based on one's first glance.
Police Priorities
Though these priorities may vary, as each law enforcement department defines them differently, they can be generally identified for the police SJT. Police priorities, along with common sense, are necessary when assessing situations. They enable officers to properly determine the most appropriate and effective courses of action. Generally, the most significant police priorities are as follows:
- Protect others
- Secure public order
- Uphold the law
- Provide non-emergency assistance
- Maintain order
- Maintain traffic flow
On the job, law enforcement officers are often faced with situations that can be filled with conflicting values. Police priorities are set in place to support the decision-making abilities of officers so that the actions taken are determined based on values and priorities accepted and designated by the department.
Police Hierarchy
The police hierarchy deals with rank and authority of the value system within the parameters of order, regimens, policies, and regulations of law enforcement.
Generally, the police hierarchy is as follows:
- Protect life & limb
- Obey orders
- Protect property
- Maintain assigned duties
Since police officials work as a team, their combined efforts are most efficient when everyone works under the same rules and hierarchy. The procedures of rank and authority formed in police hierarchy guarantee the smooth operation of the whole department. They also allow individual officers to make necessary decisions based on their own judgement, based on their own experience.
Free Police Situational Judgment Test Practice Questions
The following police scenarios test questions can give you a taste of the type of questions you can expect on the real police situational judgment test.
SJT Police Test Question 1
On patrol, a man approaches you and says that there's smoke coming out of the apartment next to his. He's worried that a fire has started.
What should you do?
A. Go to his building and knock on his neighbor's door.
B. Break down his neighbor's door and try to extinguish the fire until firefighters arrive.
C. Advise headquarters and have them inform the fire department.
D. Help him calm down and instruct him to call the fire department.
Best response: C
Explanation: This question addresses the role of a police officer. You are being asked to help in the case of a fire. You are a police officer and are not qualified to extinguish fires.
Trying to control the situation yourself (as in responses A and B) might escalate it and cause more danger. It's important for you to know the role of police officers and the functions that you are required to fulfill. However, it's also important for you to be aware of the boundaries of your role.
In this situation, the best way you can help the man is to report the scene so that headquarters can transfer the report to the fire department (response C). There's no need for the man to call the fire department himself after talking to you (response D), and the quicker they are notified the better. Since you take more active action to help the man in response C (by calling the fire department), this response is more effective than response D.
SJT Police Test Question 2
Officer Jones stops a car for a minor violation. She approaches the car, explains the violation to the driver, and asks him for his license and registration. Eventually, she writes him a ticket. After concluding the traffic stop and permitting the driver to continue on his way, the driver asks her if it would be alright for him to take her phone number and ask her out on a date. Officer Jones agrees and hands him her number.
Was Officer Jones' behavior acceptable?
A. Acceptable. Since the driver was the one who asked her out, there was no inappropriate use of her authority.
B. Acceptable. The non-official interaction took after the officer issued the citation.
C. Unacceptable. This kind of interaction is unethical and unprofessional.
D. Unacceptable officers are not supposed to interact with traffic violators once the traffic stop is complete.
Best response: C
Explanation: This is a question about ethics. The scenario provides different justifications for a relationship between the officer and the driver – he’s the one who makes the offer, she impartially gave him a ticket, etc.
Nonetheless, an officer's interaction with a person he or she has pulled over should be confined to professional duties only. The officer is a uniformed authority figure and the driver could be influenced by this information.
Transforming the interaction into anything which is not professional is unethical, as is stated in answer choice C.
Note that response D also claims the officer’s behavior was unacceptable, but the rationalization in this answer choice is less accurate. The emphasis in this question is on ethics and law and the importance of following them without exception.
Hints & Tips for Police SJT
- Make sure to pay very close attention to the provided information.
- Read closely and thoroughly.
- Use the three fundamentals: common sense, police priorities, and police hierarchies.
- Before reaching a decision, consider all the facts; don’t jump to conclusions or make assumptions.
- Make a decision, then review your decision - does it work within the framework of the three fundamentals?
- Trust your own instincts.
Many police departments set clear parameters for various situations. However, due to the nature of the job, police officers face unexpected situations every day and the clear parameters cannot cover such situations.
Therefore, your practical judgment and common sense are tested extremely thoroughly. It is also important to be familiar with the priority lists and know their order of importance in order to succeed on the Situational Judgment Test.
Prepare for Your Police SJT & Apply With Confidence
JobTestPrep offers a variety of preparatory tools such as the SJT practice tests. JobTestPrep's practice tests enable you to familiarize yourself with the various types of questions found on the SJT. Familiarity with the test structure inspires confidence so start studying now with JobTestPrep and succeed on your SJT test. We also offer the Free SJT Sample Questions and FireFighter SJT Test Preparation.
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