Police Oral Board - Interview Questions To Prepare For The Oral Exam

Police Oral Board – Interview Questions to Prepare for the Oral Exam

by admin on Friday, July 9th, 2010 | No Comments

Police Oral Board – Interview Questions to Prepare for the Oral Exam

If you are looking for some good advice that will help you prepare for the police oral interview, then keep reading.

I am sure if you’re reading this you have either been to an oral board already, are getting ready to go to one, or you are interested in becoming a police officer and want to know what it’s like. You are in luck as this article will cover a lot of ground when it comes to interview success.

Police oral boards are one of the most nerve racking experiences you’ll ever go through. Most people are nervous when they walk in the door and see the oral board panel sitting there. You are before a live audience and it’s time to perform your best!

What is an oral board?

It’s a live panel consisting of usually 3-5 people (sometimes only 1 in small agencies) that ask the applicants a set of questions. They rate your answers and then score them too. These scores are compared with the required passing score and against other applicants. You can, in some agencies, be removed from the application process for not passing the oral board. It’s a step of the application process you must pass. You usually are seated in a room across a table from these people and they ask you questions in turn while taking notes and scoring your answers.

So how can you perform well on these boards? There are a few things that can help you do well and get a better score or make a better impression on the panel.

Police Interview Dress Code

Dress accordingly. This means men should wear a suit and tie (conservative style) and women should wear a pants suit or dress; whichever they are more comfortable in is fine. Also ladies, a conservative cut is always best. Both male and female, you are dressing to impress and not going to a night club, so keep it conservative. Clean and neat hair, clean fingernails, and no gaudy jewelry are simple rules of fashion to follow. No overpowering cologne or perfume is suggested because a board member might have allergies. Make sure you take out all the facial metal piercings and if you have tattoos on your arms, wear a long sleeve to cover them. (I have tats, so no comments about not liking them. This is for those going to an oral board) Nothing makes a worse impression that someone walking into the board in jeans and a tee shirt looking like they just woke up and crawled out of bed minutes before. First impressions are very important, so make a good one.

When you walk in, say hello and reach out to shake the first member’s hand. If they take it, shake the hand of each board member and introduce yourself. Your name is good enough. Shake hand, “John Jones”. They will more than likely introduce themselves by name. TRY TO REMEMBER HOW THEY INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. Remember if they use a title and name or only their name; this will come in later.

Sit down in the chair provided and place your hands on the table in front of you in a comfortable position. Don’t put them down in your lap and don’t pick your nose or ear. Just try to relax and be comfortable; as much as you can that is.

They will tell you what they are doing and how the oral board will be done. If they provide a pencil and paper, use it. Use it to write down the points of the questions they want you to answer.

What kind of questions will be asked? It varies from department to department, but they are generally structured to see if you have any knowledge of law and procedures or see if you will tell the truth. Also, some are designed to see if you will keep the departments interest in mind over other things.

Here are a few police oral exam questions that are frequently asked’ you should prepare to answer:

1. Why do you want to be a police officer?
2. If you witnessed another officer steal something what would you do?
3. If you stopped the Mayor for drunk driving what would you do?
4. If you stopped a family member what would you do?

Those are just a few common questions. Make sure to answer questions in a chronological order. When they give you a scenario and ask you to tell them what you would do, answer from the beginning to the end and don’t jump around.

Always notify your supervisor of anything you may think of as being of that nature your boss would like to know about. And make sure you request him/her to any scene that they need to be present on. One question I remember was, “You respond to a possible suicide. When you arrive it appears to be a suicide. What would you do and who would you notify?” Answer; “First I would see what I have and check the victim for signs of life if that has not been done and I would then close off the scene and notify my supervisor to respond.” While that may not be to the departments exact procedure, it shows your thinking and also you know about chain of command and its proper use.

We know you would not write your family member a ticket (unless it was that brother you hate so much..joking) so be honest and tell them what you would do, here is a good answer I saw to this one: I told them “No I wouldn’t.” They of course began drilling me as to “So its okay if your family speeds?” I said “No its not, but I certainly would not write my own Mother a ticket. However, I would tell my Mother not to speed any more, and explain to her she’s putting me in a bad position.”

Also, make sure you always put the department’s interest first. The typical question of, “You see another officer steal a candy bar from a store while you are there on a burglary call, what do you do?” is actually a very simple one. You would tell the officer you saw what he did and you have no choice but to notify your supervisor immediately. You just observed a crime and you can not overlook that; it places the department in a bad position. Most stores have cameras and if they find out about it after you did not report it, you would also be fired along with the officer for failing to report the crime. Get the idea? Other officers do not pay your rent or put food in your family’s mouth. You do not cover for anyone; you take care of yourself and the department. The days of cover-ups and stuff like that are gone.

Remember the Rank and Title of Panel Participants If They Tell You (Very Important Tip)

Make sure to look at the person that asks you the question. Eye contact is very important; looking from one panel member to the other is a good idea. Here is where remembering the titles and names of the panel members would be a plus. If Lt. Johnson ask you a question, beginning your answer this way is a impressive tactic, “Lt. Johnson I would…” This shows your ability to remember names and titles. It is a good way to make an impression on the panel members and it shows respect for the title they used.

The question, “Why do you want to be a police officer?” is one of the hardest for some people. A simple short decisive answer is best. “I want to be a police officer because I would like a secure, steady occupation I can enjoy and is not the same thing day after day. One I can make a 20 year career of. I want to be able to meet people and see if I can help them when they are in need and I want to be able to protect those that cannot protect themselves. I think I would be very good at that. That’s why I want to be a police officer.” That short answer is a good one and does not go overboard. Please don’t tell them because you want to play with or carry a gun and shoot people. Don’t tell them you want to drive a police car fast and beat up on bad guys. Those are not impressive answers.

Make a lasting impression with your final answer

Most oral boards end with the panel asking you if there is anything you want to add. This is your chance to shine and set yourself apart from the rest. You should research the department you are applying to on the internet and see if you can gather some information on them. When asked this questions you can say (example only), “Yes I would. I have looked closely at your department and I like the fact that it has 4 Districts, a Dive team, and K9 any of which I might be interested in. I like the fact your department has ____ and ____ and that the size of your department, 345 officers, is just right for where I would like to be a member of, it gives me a chance to work at ______. I think I would be a very good officer at your department.” Look up some things you can use to show the panel you have looked at the department and like it and how it is being run. If you have a particular interest and the department has this unit or program, tell them you saw they have such and such and would be interested, in due time, in helping in that program or unit.