Police Oral Board Interview Questions 

The job of a police officer is one of the top career paths for many men and women. To become a police officer applicants must successfully complete a comprehensive hiring process that includes several stages.

While many candidates focus on passing the written test, which is important, there is another component which is even more important. Applicants must pass the police interview, often called the Police Oral Board Interview, in order to be hired. It is not enough to just pass the interview. Applicants must get one of the top scores. Passing the written exam will get applicants the police interview. Passing the police interview will get them the job.

The police interview is one of the most stressful events applicants have ever experienced, and it is vital to prepare by knowing what questions will be asked and how to answer them.

The interview panel is usually made up of 3 to 5 members. Members include officers who are lieutenants, sergeants, patrol or field training officers, and possibly someone from human resources, a representative of the city council or from the community. Remember that the panelists are neither your enemies nor your friends. They are simply doing their job and trying to select the best candidate for their department.

You will be asked a series of questions in order to determine how suitable are you for the job of the police officer with their agency. Depending on the number of questions and your answers, the interview usually takes between 20 or 40 minutes but in some cases can last longer.

It is vital to use the full amount of time allotted to you for your interview in order to show that you are the best candidate for the job.

Each question will be scored individually by each of the members on the interview panel. The scoring is based upon predetermined criteria for each question, selecting where on the scale the answer you provided falls. Below is an example of how the points could be assigned to each question:

1, 2, 3 – Does not meet requirements for that question
4, 5, 6 – Meets requirements for that question
7, 8, 9 – Exceeds requirements for that question
The panel members are provided the criteria for each answer on what the elements are in answers that would be considered exceeds, meets, and does not meet requirements.

You must receive one of the top scores for your overall interview in order to move on with the hiring process and be offered the job.

This is the one opportunity for the agency to made a decision on whether or not an individual should be hired. Everything about an applicant, their education, training, life experiences, all come together in the interview. It is the information that the applicant provides, and how they explain it to the panel, that is the key.

The interview panel is evaluating:

• Ability to Articulate Ideas clearly
• Oral communication skills
• Decision Making Ability
• Cultural Sensitivity
• Self Confidence, Maturity, and Integrity
• Accurate Understanding and Expectations of the Job
• Will Represent the Department with Professionalism

The police interview questions are basically two types:

• Personal/personality related questions
• Scenario-based questions

Personal/Personality related questions are to learn more about you including your:

• Education
• Preparation for the Job
• Understanding of the Job
• Training or Special skills/abilities
• Motivation for becoming a Police Officer
• Life Experiences
• Cultural Sensitivity

Scenario based questions are an opportunity for the interview panel to look at your ability to access different types of situation, your decision making skills, and then your ability to articulate the process you used making that decision. You do not need any law enforcement experience to answer these questions, and often there isn’t a right or wrong answer. What is important is the judgment you use in making your decisions.

There are certain concepts that you will want to apply to different situations, depending upon the event, such as:

• Providing First Aid
• Securing a Scene
• Notifying a Supervision
• Requesting backup.

You don’t need special training, knowledge or experience in law enforcement in order to provide job winning answers during your interview. What you do need in preparation and the best way to prepare is using an Interview Prep that has the following:

• List of the Most commonly asked Personal/Personal Questions
• How to Answer Personal/Personality Questions
• List of the most commonly asked Scenario Questions
• How to Answer Scenario Questions
• Tips for giving a Job Winning Interview
• Common Mistakes to Avoid

We suggest that you check out Pass the Police Interview Prep by former Special Agent Job Libowsky which contains all of the above and is a great way to prepare for the Police Interview.

Learn more about Pass the Police Interview Prep.