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Mathematics & the Police Entrance Exam

March 30, 2015 by Chief Russ Ehlers

Math

Get beyond your anxiety

Whether you’re nervous, a bit apprehensive or completely freaking out about the mathematics portion of your police entrance exam, I have good news for you.

I can help you get beyond your anxiety and, I can help you pass your exam.

You’re not alone, most people get a bit uptight about math, at least those that aren’t naturals when it comes to translating equations into answers.

When it comes to the law enforcement entrance exam, for the person that can honestly say math isn’t their strong point, the apprehension is stepped up a few notches for this exam.

Unlike other exams you’ve taken throughout your life, is likely far more impactful and potentially life changing than any other test you’ve taken.

At most agencies, it’s a pass or fail proposition, and you don’t want to bomb any part of the test, particularly the mathematics section.

Preparation

Preparing for the mathematics portion of a police entrance exam is challenging if you’re not certain where to look and, what to look FOR.

Many entrance exams refer to this portion of their test as “Mathematical Reasoning.”

It’s also helpful to know why you’re being tested on your mathematical abilities.  In other words, what type of “reasoning” should you prepare for?

Here’s an excerpt from my training course that I’ve used to assist thousands of law enforcement candidates.

Once you know the “why,” preparing starts to make sense.  In the opening paragraph of my video training course, I make this statement.

As a police officer you’ll call on your math abilities during the course of most every shift that you work. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Police Entrance Exam

An Interview Killer

March 26, 2015 by Chief Russ Ehlers

Bait

Getting Too Comfortable

I’m going to share a little known tactic with you that a good number of oral board panels use, and a few chiefs (myself included) that’s meant to pull from you, something you should never say or do.

If you’re in an oral board interview and the panel is made up of a group of stern faced, stuffed shirts, you’ll likely not be facing the tactic that causes me to write this post.

If, on the other hand, your panel seems to be very, or even exceedingly friendly, read this post in its entirety, you could be in danger.  This can be an interview killer.

I’m not much of a trickster when it comes to interviewing.  What I mean is, I’m a pretty straight forward Chief, but there is a tactic or, better put, maneuver that I employ at EVERY interview.

It’s critical that you’re aware of this stratagem.  I’ve eliminated many, MANY candidates through the years, by way of this interview ruse.

Blue Jeans, at an Interview?

Because I’m not terribly fond of traditional oral board interview practices, in the administration of my agency, I’ve mixed things up a bit over the years.

Once my staff has pared down the number of viable applicants to a reasonable number, before they move on to any phase of the oral board process, I phone the officer candidates and ask them to come to my office for an informal interview.

I do this for two specific reasons. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Police Oral Board

Filming Police Officers on Duty

March 23, 2015 by Chief Russ Ehlers

Filing Police3

Is this even legal?

Admittedly I remain rather perplexed that the general public, referring specifically to the camera handlers, seem to be far more schooled on the state and federal laws that govern such activity,  as well as the protections provided under the United States Constitution, than are many officers themselves regarding the matter filming in public.

Filming police officers on duty has become almost common place with the advent of the smart phone.  The Internet is well fertilized with video of police officers and sheriff deputies performing their duties.  New YouTube accounts are being generated monthly, loaded with video posted by people often referred to as “cop chasers.”

The legality and legitimacy of capturing video of these public servants, when done by the media or a well-established entertainment outlet, seldom if ever creates controversy of any kind.

The equation changes dramatically however, when private citizen John Doe wields a video camera or smart phone anywhere near an on-duty officer.

A very cursory glance of YouTube yields hundreds of videos made and posted by would-be, amateur journalists.  Opinions as to whether or not anyone should so much as even engage in such activity, runs the gamut.

While I won’t necessarily join the debate by jumping in with both feet, I’ll likely put my toe in the water by the end of this article.

Oral board question – Being filmed while on duty…?

In the event that being filmed on duty, by a member of the public, should come up in your interview, how will you respond?

Chances are [Read more…]

Filed Under: Police Oral Board

Police Exam Testing Tricks

March 19, 2015 by Chief Russ Ehlers

Test Trick

Instruction Destruction

Some of the information I impart to law enforcement candidates can get a bit lengthy and that’s primarily due to the fact that there’s a lot to learn as you prepare for the hiring process.

The information I’d like to share with you now is very brief, but it’s potentially going to save you from bombing your first, or your next entrance exam.

Honestly, if I can save just a few good candidates from being asked to leave the testing center, or even just one applicant from extreme embarrassment, my time in sharing this information will have been well spent.

 Bad News – Good News

I always start with the bad news first, ending on a positive note is just a good thing so here’s the bad.

There will be many, many people that fall victim to a little known, but lethal trick that some agencies employ during their entrance exam testing process.

The good news is, it will NEVER be you, because you took the initiative to be prepared and do some research.

Here’s the setting…

You’ve been welcomed to the testing center, or the city hall or wherever it is that your law enforcement agency is conducting their written entrance exam, and the proctor has you all pumped up and ready to put pen to paper.

He starts the clock and states to you, and everyone else in the room, the following.


“Read the instructions on page one, and begin the test on page two when you’re ready.”

About 30 seconds into the test, the proctor stops the clock and gathers everyone’s attention.  “You, you, you and you in the back, yeah, you in the blue shirt, collect your tests and please come up to the front of the room.”

The room is frozen with anticipation, a few are gushing with curiosity, and four people, the “you” that just got plucked from the crowd, are [Read more…]

Filed Under: Police Entrance Exam

Mob Mentality

March 16, 2015 by Chief Russ Ehlers

 Mob Mentality

Will the oral panel ask me about pickets, protests, mobs and riots?

They might, and I want you to be prepared in the event you get grilled on this topic.

It’s the interview panel’s job to determine whether or not you have a reasonable sense of urgency sprinkled with a bit of courage, but that you also know when you’re about to get beaten to a pulp.

Courage is great.   Unadulterated and complete dedication to blindly allowing yourself to get eaten by a pack of wolves, not so great.

As you read this article, you’ll find a great number of statements and observations that will allow you to provide an oral board panel ample articulation of your knowledge on the topic of crowds and riots.

I encourage you to begin forming your own opinion as to how you might approach this, and any other situation that may cause you to be grossly outnumbered, outgunned or in a situation that you believe may not be physically survivable.

Let’s move forward with this disclaimer.  I am, in NO WAY, suggesting that you BAIL when the chips are down.


In most instances, law enforcement officers don’t run away from danger, we run to it.

There are some, few, but some exceptions to that rule and an officer that finds themselves alone, in the midst of a full blown riot, is just one.

So much of what we do is fun

Often our duties are satisfying, rewarding and at the very least, we can take away a sense of accomplishment in so many of the tasks that come our way.

There’s the other end of the spectrum as well.  Those calls for service or the duties assigned to us sometimes cause officers to shudder at the thought.

There are numerous obligations that we don’t care to do, and I’ll be analyzing [Read more…]

Filed Under: Police Oral Board

Officer Discretion

March 13, 2015 by Chief Russ Ehlers

Officer Discretion 2

Getting grounded – Before the oral board

If you intend to pursue a career in law enforcement, the time is now, that you develop an articulable opinion on the topic of officer discretion.

If you can tell the oral panel what officer discretion is, and how you’ll use it on the street, diplomatically, you’re doing well to prepare yourself for a position at their agency.

Few candidates can speak frankly on the topic of officer discretion because, quite honestly, they’ve never really given it much thought.

Yes, they kind’a, sort’a know about it, but kind’a and sort’a has caused countless law enforcement applicants to fall flat on their face when the question of, or discussion of officer discretion comes up in an interview.

Let’s get you planted on solid ground.

Stop or I’ll warn you!

The average person will describe officer discretion as giving, or not giving a speeding ticket.

That same average person, after receiving a well-deserved speeding citation will often grumble under their breath, that the officer COULD have used some discretion for crying out loud!

We’ve all heard it.  Discretion is more, much more than [Read more…]

Filed Under: Police Oral Board

Interdepartmental Change in Law Enforcement

March 9, 2015 by Chief Russ Ehlers

Rope

When you’re in  the interview, will you know how to answer questions about internal change? 

Most applicants don’t!

Adapting to societal changes , can be challenging for any business or organization.  This is so very true for interdepartmental change in law enforcement.

Cops don’t necessarily like to alter how we conduct business and officers can be obstinately resistant to change.  It’s certainly true that traditionally, law enforcement can be slow to recognize the need for change.

Agency supervisors and administrators (those tasked with implementing change) know this all too well.

If the agency for which you’re interviewing is progressive, they’re going to want to know that the applicants they hire are going to welcome modifications to policy if not department wide transformation when or if it’s ever needed.

If you’re the candidate that can speak openly and comfortably about the need for, and your desire to accept a change-filled environment, you’re going to set yourself apart from the applicants that haven’t so much as given this topic an ounce of thought, let alone, any amount of research.

Because you’re reading this post, you’re already miles ahead of your competition.

The infection of the traditionalist 

Amongst the troops, the street cops, there is a common opinion shared by many.  The idea of changing how cops conduct business is akin to turning one’s back on good old fashioned, traditional police work.

Some of the more hard-nosed cops will go so far as to [Read more…]

Filed Under: Police Oral Board

Police Oral Board Tactics – Good Cop, Bad Cop

February 23, 2015 by Chief Russ Ehlers

Good Cop Bad Cop

Oral board personalities

The makeup, disposition, character and even the personality of any law enforcement oral board panel can and does vary from agency to agency, but there is a common fear among law enforcement candidates and it is, the “mean cop” panel member.

This fear is common because unfortunately, the practice of putting a hard-nosed cop on the panel is common.  I have never allowed this to take place on any of the panels that I’ve conducted for my own agency, but over the years I’ve assisted other departments that employ this tactic.

For that reason, I want to share a few tips with you as they relate to interviewing before a panel such as the one I’ll describe.

In doing so, I’m going to share some insider knowledge of police oral board tactics, some of which might be a bit surprising to you, particularly if you’ve never interviewed before a panel.

As you read my dissertation, please don’t assume that I’m referring to all oral board panels.  If I’m guilty of anything in this article, it’ll be the fact that I’m generalizing.

That’s not a disclaimer nor is it a veiled apology to anyone who might read this and who have themselves served on a panel, it’s just fact.  Sometimes truth offends people.

I’m okay with that, so here’s the somewhat dirty side of some law enforcement interview panels.

Good cop, bad cop, new cop!

Every oral board panel is different, just by virtue of the fact that they’re made up of people, and all people are different.  With that said, [Read more…]

Filed Under: Police Oral Board

Eliminating Stress At Your Police Oral Board Interview

February 23, 2015 by Chief Russ Ehlers

Stress2

One little secret to eliminate stress

I’ve had the pleasure over the many years of my career, to meet, talk with and get to know an amazing array of interesting, talented and very skilled people.

I recently met a doctor who specializes in public safety consultation.  He provides a multitude of police agencies with assisting their administrative teams, and officers, in appreciating and managing the unique stressors faced by those serving in law enforcement.

While we were discussing the basic principles of work related stress and how it can affect the agency as a whole, he said something that’s not only true for law enforcement, it’s true throughout life.

We were talking specifically about on the job stress, when he said this.


“Stress can always be eliminated with a plan.”

One of the most profound and true statements I think I’ve ever heard.  Stress can always be eliminated with a plan.  A truly remarkable statement in its simplicity.

I was stressed too…

I’ve spent a good part of my near 30 year law enforcement career, focusing on a multitude of chiefly duties, but my passion revolved around three areas. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Police Oral Board

Winning the Affection of the Oral Board Panel

February 23, 2015 by Chief Russ Ehlers

Likeability

When your name is called and you march into the oral board interview room…

You need to be a powerhouse, a virtual force to be reckoned with, so dripping with confidence that you’re almost mean!  So sure of yourself that they’d be simply foolish to not give you a job offer half way through the interview, right?

Well, no, and I’m not trying to trick you, I’m suggesting that I’ve seen this attitude a gazillion times, and it absolutely never works, ever!

Or, how about we take this approach?

Maybe you should be that candidate that SO badly wants the job and you’ve portrayed that burning desire SO well, they can’t help but hire you for cryin’ out loud, if for no other reason other than the fact that you’ve convinced them of your want for this job more than anyone else!  Right?

Nope, again however, far too common an attribute in the oral board setting.  Panels greatly dislike both types of applicant, and we don’t hire them.

The not-so-secret, secret ingredient

Not secret?  Then why doesn’t every candidate to it, use it, exploit it for all it’s worth?  The harsh answer is, they think they know better and that thought is so powerful they act on that emotion, and in the end, it hurts their interview and more likely, ruins it.

Candidates that feel they must do or act in a certain manner during their interview simply aren’t prepared with proper, job winning interview skills.

I say this so often because it’s so true:


“The great majority of law enforcement applicants interview poorly”

Do you know why that is?  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Police Oral Board

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