Oral Board Interview Tips

[sirlancelot]

These are the type of question that YOU need to be able to answer WITHOUT any help. The measure of your future worth is based upon your ability to do well in current tests. You are not expected to have the knowledge of a veteran officer so don't think you have to be or act like one to get hired.

I'm not asking for any help in answering them. I'm asking for ideas of what kinds of situational questions may be asked so that not only I, but others as well, have opportunities to think them through beforehand.

[taylorplayer]

I'm not asking for any help in answering them. I'm asking for ideas of what kinds of situational questions may be asked so that not only I, but others as well, have opportunities to think them through beforehand.

Ummm, that's the point. They don't want you to think them over beforehand and calculate an answer. They want your gut reaction about what you would immediately do in a situation.

[Greenhed]

Thanks for this thread guys...I have been turned down multiple times by different departments, and this helps me see what I have been doing wrong. I'm a glutton for punishment and have another oral board tomorrow afternoon.

[sjsjsj]

can some few please post more oral board interview sample questions it'd be much appreciated in preparing

[Roger Dat]

Not much can be said to help you. Know your strengths and weaknesses know why you want the job, why u want it there and what your aspirations are if hired. Other then that they are going to ask you questions you may not be prepared for, they want to watch you think on your feet.

[Lena]

From my own experience and from the advice of friends of mine that are in LE:

Go in with confidence and answer honestly and with conviction. Look the person asking you the question in the eye and try not to think TOO much about the process before hand or you will be more nervous than you need to be. Be professional.

I wasn't asked what my strengths/weaknesses were. There's a million questions they could ask you. Just use what ya have in that brain and answer as best as you can. That is all you can do.

[Wyattp]

Edited since website link given is being investigated by moderator staff - Mods

[tigersrme]

Hey officers.... appreciate all the good stuff... I did take a few oral and I am still not sure how to answer these questions. What kind of answers are we looking for?

For instance, one of my questions was: "would you be able to shoot and kill someone?"

Obviously my first thought is 'of course I could otherwise I wouldn't be applying for a police job'. However I was also thinking that they probably didn't want to hear that answer (might make me more of a criminal then a police officer)

So I answered kind of like this " I have never shot anyone therefor it would be hard to say. I beleive with my intense training and depending on the situation, if it meant life or dealth I am sure I will have the right instincts even if it meant to take somone's life."

Granted, they did not hire me, and they also did not tell me if that was the right answer or not so was that a good answer?

[bizzyaka]

How can I prepare myself for the written psyscological and oral psychological?

[Roger Dat]

Answer truthfully, simple as that. If you try to answer how you think thy want you to answer you'll get jammed up.

[shark2k]

Ummm, that's the point. They don't want you to think them over beforehand and calculate an answer. They want your gut reaction about what you would immediately do in a situation.

Sorry to bring up an old thread and I'm not trying to get answers. I am wondering though, for these type of situational answers, you want to answer honestly right? So like the one about pulling over your mother, my honest answer would be to say something like, if she was not driving recklessly and I pulled her over doing, say 5 miles over the speed limit, I would not giver her a ticket. If on the other hand she was weaving in and out of traffic, I would give her a ticket because that is unacceptable. Now that is my honest answer. That would be better than thinking about it and trying to think of what they "want" me to answer, correct? I guess what I am really trying to ask, is they don't want me giving them an answer I think they would want to hear, right?

Thanks for all the help. I actually have an oral exam (is that different from the interview?) July 17th for Wayne PD. So any advice would be greatly appreciated. I do have family that is in Law Enforcement right now and my cousin is helping me out and giving me advice, but all help is appreciated.

-Shark2k

[Stormrage]

You have to answer honestly throughout the whole thing - anything less and like Rogerdat said, you'll get confused and they will see right through you.

Besides, if you are deceptive in your interviews or would even consider actually doing so, you have no business being a cop.

[ShadowWarrior]

The Police Oral Board..what and how???

I am sure if your reading this you have either been to an oral board already or are getting ready to go to one, or you are interested in becoming a police officer and want to know what an oral board is and what its like, and maybe even get lucky and get some tips on how to do well in one. Well I will try to do all of those things here for you. How’s that for help!!

Police oral boards are one of the most nerve racking things you will do. Most people are very nervous when they walk in the door of the room and see the oral board panel sitting there. Your before a live audience and it’s time to perform your best!

What is an oral board? It’s a live panel of people, usually 3-5 people (sometimes only 1 in small agencies) that ask the applicants a set of questions that they rate your answers too and then score them. These scores are compared with the required passing score, and against other applicants. You can in some agencies be removed from the application process for not passing the oral board. It’s a must pass part of the application process. You usually are seated in a room across a table from these people, they ask you questions in turn and then listen too, take notes on, and score your answers to the questions.

So how can you perform well on these boards? There are a few things that can help you do well and get a better score or make a better impression on the panel, and I will cover those here.

First thing is dress accordingly. That means for men, a suit and tie (conservative style) and women should wear a pants suit or dress. Whichever they are more comfortable in. Also ladies, a conservative cut is always best. Both male and female, you are dressing to impress, not get a date. Clean and neat hair (conservative cut), clean fingernails and no gaudy jewelry. No overpowering cologne or perfume. Take out all the facial metal piercings, and if you have tattoos on your arms, wear a long sleeve to cover them. (I have tats, so no comments about not liking them, this is for those going to an oral board) Nothing makes a worse impression that someone walking into the board in jeans and tee shirt and looking like they just woke up and crawled out of bed minutes before. First impressions are very important, so make a good one.

When you walk in, say hello and reach out to shake the first members hand. If they take it, shake the hand of each board member and introduce yourself. Your name is good enough. Shake hand, “John Jones”. They will more than likely introduce themselves by name. TRY TO REMEMBER HOW THEY INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, if they use a title and name or only their name, this will come in later.

Sit down in the chair provided and place your hands on the table in front of you in a comfortable position. Don’t put them down in your lap and don’t pick your nose or ear. Just try to relax and be comfortable. As much as you can that is.

They will tell you what they are doing and how the oral board will be done. If they provide a pencil and paper, use it. Use it to write down the points of the questions they want you to answer. In some oral interviews I have been a part of they will purposely ask multi-part questions and see if the interviewee writes things down to keep track of the points, and then answers them in the order they were asked.

What kind of questions will be asked? Well it varies from department to department, but they are generally structured to see if you have any knowledge of law and procedures, and to see if you will tell the truth. Also some are designed to see if you will keep the departments interest in mind over other things.

Here are a few I have seen or heard of:

1. Why do you want to be a police officer?
2. If you witnessed another officer steal something what would you do?
3. If you stopped the Mayor for drunk driving what would you do?
4. If you stopped a family member what would you do?

Those are just a few common ones. Answer questions in a chronological order. When they give you a scenario and ask you to tell them what you would do, answer from the beginning to the end and don't jump around.

Always notify your supervisor of anything that you may think of as being of that nature your boss would like to know about. And make sure you request him/her to any scene that they need to be present on. One question I remember from the boards I sat on was "You respond to a possible suicide. When you arrive it appears to be a suicide, what would you do and who would you notify?" Answer; “First I would see what I have and check the victim for signs of life if that has not been done, then I would close off the scene and notify my supervisor to respond.” While that may not be to the departments exact procedure, it shows your thinking and also you know about chain of command and its proper use.

We know you would not write your family member a ticket (unless it was that brother you hate so much..jking..) so be honest and tell them what you would do, here is a good answer I saw to this one: I told them "No I wouldn't." They of course began drilling me as to "So its ok if your family speeds?" I said "No its not, but I certainly would not write my own Mother a ticket. However, I would tell my Mother not to speed any more, and explain that she's putting me in a bad position.”

Also make sure you ALWAYS put the departments interest first. The typical question of "You see another officer steal a candy bar from a store while you are there on a burglary call, what do you do?" is actually a very simple one. You would tell the officer you saw what he did, and you have no choice but to notify your supervisor immediately. You just observed a crime and you can not overlook that. And it places the department in a bad position. Most stores have cameras, and if they find out about it and you did not report it, you would also be fired along with the officer for failing to report the crime. get the idea? Other officers do not pay your rent or put food in your families’ mouth. You do not cover for anyone, you take care of yourself and the department. The days of cover-ups and stuff like that are gone, about 20 years ago.

Make sure to look at the person that asks you the question. Eye contact is very important, looking from one panel member to the other is a good idea. In fact here is where remembering the titles and names of the panel members would be a plus. If Lt. Johnson ask you a question, beginning your answer this way is a impressive tactic; “Lt. Johnson I would………..” showing your ability to remember names and titles is a good way to make an impression on the panel members. And it shows respect for the title they used.

The question “why do you want to be a police officer?” is one of the hardest for some reason for people. A simple short decisive answer is best. “I want to be a police officer because I would like a secure, steady occupation that I can enjoy and is not the same thing day after day. One I can make a 20 year career of. I want to be able to meet people and see if I can help them when they are in need, and I want to be able to protect those that cannot protect themselves, and I think I would be very good at that. That’s why I want to be a police officer.” That short answer is a good one and does not go overboard. Please don’t tell them because you want to play with or carry a gun and shoot people. Or Tell them that you want to drive a police car fast and beat up on bad guys. Thos are not impressive answers.. LOL

Most oral boards end with the panel asking you if there is anything you want to add. This is your chance to shine and put yourself apart from the rest. You should research the department you are applying to on the internet and see if you can gather some information on the department. When asked do you want to say or add anything, you can say (JUST AN EXAMPLE!) “Yes I would, I have looked closely at your department and I like the fact that it has 4 Districts, and a Dive team and K9 both of which I might be interested in. I like the fact your department has ____ and ____ and that the size of your department, 345 officers, is just right for where I would like to be a member of, it gives me a chance to work at ______. I think I would be a very good officer at your department.” Look up some things that you can use to show the panel you have looked at the department and like it and how it is being run. If you have a particular interest and the department has this unit or program, tell them you saw they have such and such and would be interested, in due time, looking onto helping in that program or unit.

Always stick to the truth, honesty, and ethics. Its what your supposed to stand for.

Then when they say your done, get up, thank the panel for having you there, and excuse yourself.

If you follow those simple guidelines, you should do well enough to pass, and you may even stand out just enough to be the one at the top of the list.

[scubadiver]

Just a quick thanks to all that posted information in this thread. It really helped me with my Board interview, and passing it at that.

[Whats_Ur_Twenty]

=
Why do you want to become a Police Recruit with the City of __________ ?

My response to this question in all honesty would be that yes I do want to get on the job to help people, thats the obvious answer. But it goes beyond that. Personally, I have a deep seated hatred for genuinely evil people who are parasites to society and hurt/ take advantage of innocent people. I'd find it rewarding day in and day out to be entrusted with finding and locking up individuals like this.

I'm gonna say that either way, but if you LEO's were on the board would that come off wrong?? I don't want to sound like batman, but its how I feel.