Queensland Police Service Entrance Exam Preparation – 2024
What Is the Queensland Police Service (QPS)?
If you have always dreamed of being a police officer, and are committed to a career in law enforcement then you know what a competitive field it can be. It can be an intense process with many steps along the way, and achieving your goal depends on successfully completing each step. Before you can even submit an application for the police force, you are required to take an entrance exam.
The stress of the recruitment process only helps to prepare you for the stress of the job. If you are ready to pursue your career in law enforcement, it helps to know the steps you need to complete. Here you will learn the Queensland Police hiring process, and how you can best prepare yourself for the challenges you will face.
What Is Queensland Police Service Hiring Process?
Before you can even apply for the Queensland Police Department (QPD), you need to demonstrate that you will be a suitable candidate. You need to prove that you meet the eligibility requirements. Following this, you will be asked to take the Queensland Police Service Entrance Exam, aka the QPSea.
Upon successful completion of the QPSea, you will be invited to submit your application.
Once your application has been reviewed, the first of several integrity checks will begin. These are given to all candidates to ensure that only people who demonstrate they are trustworthy, honest, and fair are placed in positions of authority and public trust.
You will need to complete the QPS Recruit Entry Fitness Assessment. Part of this is the Beep test, which tests aerobic fitness by having recruits run a set number of laps based on their age and gender.
Next will be a panel interview. It will take about an hour, and there will be a police officer present, as well as a community representative. The questions will revolve around your level of community involvement, your personal experience, your ability to communicate, and your suitability for the job.
As part of the testing, you will have to undergo, you will need to take a written psychological assessment. This can take up to three hours depending on the type of assessments you are given.
You will be required to take medical tests to ensure physical health.
You may be asked to undergo a psychological interview which will take around an hour.
Finally, a background check and further integrity checks will be performed.
The Queensland Police Service Entrance Assessment (QPSea)
As of 2024 the QPS no longer uses the Wonderlic test as an assessment tool. The QPSea was developed for Queensland Police Services by ACER to assess the suitability of police service hopefuls prior to application. The exam measures the test takers competency in the areas of:
Literacy – You will have 35 minutes to answer 30 multiple-choice and “yes” or “no”, and “true” or “false” questions. This assessment measures how well you understand, interpret, and can draw conclusions from written information.
Numeracy – During this portion of the test, you will be demonstrating number fluency. You will need to be able to show that you can figure out the context of the problem you are solving, and find the right solution. You will not be able to use a calculator, but an on-screen calculator will be provided for you. You will have 35 minutes in which to complete all 30 questions.
Abstract Reasoning – This test shows how well you can track a sequence in a diagram, and find the missing piece. This section is multiple-choice and has 30 questions. You will have 35 minutes to complete it.
Written Assessment – You will be required to write a report online. You will be given a topic to write about, and sources to use. Ideally, your report should be between 300-350 words. The report should be cohesive, organized, and you should use the sources you are given to support your conclusions.
Digital Literacy – Here you will show your ability to work with a computer, and other digital tools. You will need to show skills such as performing an internet search, manage commonly used software, and show knowledge of privacy rules. You will have 20 minutes to complete the 20 questions in this section.
You will need to register to take the exam. It will be given at an ACER assessment centre. The entire test day will take around 4 hours. The test itself will take around 2.5 hours to complete and you will have a 10-minute break.
How to Prepare for the QPSea?
To pass the QPSea on your first try and get an invitation to apply to the Queensland Police Service, you need to study for the test. The QPSea is given on specific dates and you will need to register in advance. This gives you plenty of time that you should utilize for studying and test prep.
Literacy is easy to practice, just by reading. Work on finding and describing the main point of an article or short story. You may find it helpful to look for literature practice tests online that are aimed at helping students.
Sudoku and online puzzles are good tools for boosting your pattern recognition abilities. You can also use apps designed for helping cognitive function.
Don’t just practice basic arithmetic. Work with word problems, so you are comfortable deciphering the function you need to use to solve a problem.
Digital literacy is something we use every day. Use your daily internet surfing as a study session. Go offline and work with the software you may have ignored. Familiarize yourself with things like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and anti-virus software.
On test day, be punctual so you have time to settle in and hear all the directions. Listen carefully so your test score isn’t lowered by a simple mistake. If you get to questions that you have difficulty with, try to make an educated guess. Don’t spend too much time on one question, find a solution that makes sense, and move on so you can complete as much of the test as possible.
Use all of the tools you have available to you so you can begin on the road to your law enforcement career.
