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BOOK NEWS – Canadian Police Officer Exams

575 words – MR

Canadian police officer exams

Publisher: Barron’s Educational Series

Author: Earl Andersen

Reviewer: Morley Lymburner

Earl Andersen’s new reference book is, without a doubt, a real boon for anyone interested in policing. In fact, it would be interesting to almost anyone who likes puzzles, mental agility tests or Canadian trivia challenges. The book was like eating popcorn; I couldn’t put it down.

Published by Barron’s Educational Series out of New York, Andersen’s book includes just about every police aptitude test in Canada. Based on the university SAT tests, this thick volume takes the reader through tests covering the entire gamut of evaluations, from subjective attitudes to powers of observation and mental acuity.

The need for such a title is well recognized by everyone at . We began an online presence in 1996. The instantaneousness of the web was quickly recognized and, with Blue Line being identified as a source and dissemination point of police trade/craft information, we quickly began receiving many questions from would-be police officers.

In answer to this need the added a “Law Enforcement Applicants (FAQ)” category. Its purpose was to discuss the educational and physical requirements, testing processes and background phases involved in the hiring process. This included the experiences and advice of current and past applicants.

The category simply exploded. It was quickly realized we had created a huge success for our readers. As of July 7, this area had 210,802 posts and 5,841 tops and continues to be the most viewed and posted-to section. The first and most popular topic is the “RCMP Applicant General Chit Chat,” which alone had 23,696 posts and more than 2,421,459.

With this volume of interest it should be no surprise a book has been launched to cater to both the keenly interested and casual surveyor of the police profession. The real benefit is that the book supplies the potential applicant with an inside view of what to expect at the recruiting office.

Canadian Police Officer Exams has enduring content. Tests do not fluctuate much and have been derived from a lot of study and research. The tests contained in the book are not the exact questions used but are emblematic of the style and form of questions many agencies prefer to use.

One aspect I liked was the fact the questions and puzzles posed focus on Canadian policing. Math questions might suggest a scenario regarding the number of officers required for a shift cycle while taking into consideration sick time and holidays. Another may involve the distance a car might travel at a given speed within a four second period where distance and speed are measured using metric measurements.

Keeping in tune with the Canadian flavour, an introduction to policing in this country is provided along with various applicant entrance requirements of various police services. The book includes a comprehensive index along with a well laid out table of contents:

1 Police Work in Canada
2 Police Officer Entrance Requirements
3 Resumes and Background Questionnaires
4 Preparing for the Entrance Exam
5 Diagnostic Exam
6 Observation and Memorization
7 Mechanics of Writing and Vocabulary
8 Grammar and Sentence Structure
9 Reading Comprehension
10 Essay Composition
11 Judgment and Logic
12 Problem Solving
13 Next Steps
14 Model Practice Exams

Andersen has come up with a real winner and it is sure to produce even more successful applicants to Canadian police agencies.