Everybody knows that to move up through the ranks at work, you have to jump through various different types of hoop. In the law enforcement profession, these hoops are called police promotional exams. Here, we take a snapshot of policing in America and in other English-speaking nations, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK.
Testing procedures are designed to sort out the wheat from the chaff. Some types of question ask for numerical answers. Others postulate various scenarios and then ask the candidate to select which of the possible answers is the best one. Questions for prospective senior cops in New York, for example, might be targeted toward terrorism.
Most countries have a wealth of resources to support the candidate studying for a promotion. There are books, DVDs, specimen questions. Many law enforcement agencies hold classes, while some people prefer to study with external organizations. If you are serious about moving upward through the ranks, one of the biggest favors you could do yourself is to set up a personal timetable for studying.
The single feature that separates policemen and women in the UK from their counterparts in the rest of the world is their absence of firearms. While there are calls from the Police Memorial Trust and the Essex Police to increase the number of armed officers, the majority of opinion among the forces is that, sadly, arming law enforcement does not result in fewer officers being killed by guns.
On the other side of the world in Victoria, Australia, the local law enforcement contingent enjoy the confidence of the public whom they protect. More than 75 percent of residents there are content with the service they are receiving. Back in the 1820 Melbourne Police force, there were only 12 officers. Fifteen years into the third millennium, the force stood at 14,612 sworn officers, 329 stations and a 2.3 billion dollar budget.
The largest municipal law enforcement agency in Canada is in the city of Toronto. It has a population of more than 2.6 million and it is also the most diverse population in the country. Inequality of opportunity is frequently cited as a major problem here. In 2011, the agency was forced to abandon its testing program and develop a new one. This was because a handful of candidates for promotion got their hands on a copy of the test questions.
If you work as a policeman in New Zealand, you work for two years as a probationary constable and then the world is your oyster. There are dozens of different career pathways, from remaining a constable to forensic work, or going into homicide. Policemen in New Zealand present evidence in court, respond to incidents, work with the victims of crimes, interview witnesses and support and advise their local communities.
Moving up the law enforcement ranks requires integrity, commitment and self-discipline. In return, you get a rewarding, satisfying career with endless diversity.
Testing procedures are designed to sort out the wheat from the chaff. Some types of question ask for numerical answers. Others postulate various scenarios and then ask the candidate to select which of the possible answers is the best one. Questions for prospective senior cops in New York, for example, might be targeted toward terrorism.
Most countries have a wealth of resources to support the candidate studying for a promotion. There are books, DVDs, specimen questions. Many law enforcement agencies hold classes, while some people prefer to study with external organizations. If you are serious about moving upward through the ranks, one of the biggest favors you could do yourself is to set up a personal timetable for studying.
The single feature that separates policemen and women in the UK from their counterparts in the rest of the world is their absence of firearms. While there are calls from the Police Memorial Trust and the Essex Police to increase the number of armed officers, the majority of opinion among the forces is that, sadly, arming law enforcement does not result in fewer officers being killed by guns.
On the other side of the world in Victoria, Australia, the local law enforcement contingent enjoy the confidence of the public whom they protect. More than 75 percent of residents there are content with the service they are receiving. Back in the 1820 Melbourne Police force, there were only 12 officers. Fifteen years into the third millennium, the force stood at 14,612 sworn officers, 329 stations and a 2.3 billion dollar budget.
The largest municipal law enforcement agency in Canada is in the city of Toronto. It has a population of more than 2.6 million and it is also the most diverse population in the country. Inequality of opportunity is frequently cited as a major problem here. In 2011, the agency was forced to abandon its testing program and develop a new one. This was because a handful of candidates for promotion got their hands on a copy of the test questions.
If you work as a policeman in New Zealand, you work for two years as a probationary constable and then the world is your oyster. There are dozens of different career pathways, from remaining a constable to forensic work, or going into homicide. Policemen in New Zealand present evidence in court, respond to incidents, work with the victims of crimes, interview witnesses and support and advise their local communities.
Moving up the law enforcement ranks requires integrity, commitment and self-discipline. In return, you get a rewarding, satisfying career with endless diversity.
