Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Prepare For The Written Examination?
There are around 100 questions covering reading, writing, and logical reasoning on the written examination.
You will need to have excellent reading and writing skills, such as spelling, English comprehension, grammar and vocabulary.
We recommend you read articles, magazines, publications and books and then quiz yourself later on in the day on items you read.
Practice writing without the use of spell-checking software or electronic devices.
There are several resources online to help people improve these skills.
What Is The Memory Recall Portion Of The Test?
As a police officer, it is imperative that you be able to quickly and accurately recall information you see, hear, or read.
During the exam, you may be shown a picture or series of pictures to study for a period of time. You will then continue a different portion of the exam. After a period of time, questions about what you saw in the photo or photos will be asked to see if you retained the information.
Why Is Spelling and Grammar Important?
Everything we do in law enforcement is documented. This documentation is then viewed by other police officers, supervisors, attorneys, judges, all parties to a crime, and can be released to the public.
Your credibility and the department’s professionalism is on view for the world to see. Although it may seem small, when people find errors in your written documentation, they may wonder what errors were made in the arrest of a subject or an investigation.
What Should I Wear Or Look Like For My Testing?
Part of the hiring process is the constant evaluation of applicants. From the day you pick up or turn in any paperwork, to your physical agility, to various testing appointments, you will be observed.
You should practice good hygiene, such as having clean fingernails. Your hair should be neat and professional in appearance.
Clean, professional business attire should be considered any time you make an appearance. Obviously, this isn’t the case for the physical agility, where you should be wearing appropriate training clothing.
For the oral interview, you should wear a properly tailored suit, with shined shoes. Don’t wear outlandish ties or colors, or have any lapel pins or jewelry on which would cause a distraction.
Do Traffic Tickets Affect My Ability To Get Hired?
Traffic tickets themselves do not necessarily pose a problem in the hiring process; however, repetitious receiving of traffic tickets can have an impact on your processing.
What Should I know For The Oral Interview?
During the interview, we’re going to ask questions about you as a person, as well as questions pertaining to why you want to work for us, and the skills you possess.
We’re also going to see how well you have prepared, and your specific desire to work at the Montclair Police Department. What do you know about our department? Who is our leadership team? What’s the population, square mileage, and ethnicity of our community?
The interview panel will also be looking at your attire, your hygiene, and how you handle yourself in the interview. Are you confident or reserved? Are you arrogant or militant? Can you speak confidently, or are you scared and intimidated?
Do You Check Social Media Activity?
We will view your online activities, as this is a good way for us to see how you conduct yourself in life.
We want to know answers to questions like: Are you hostile or confrontational with people expressing different opinions? Do you bully people online? Who are your friends or followers? What do you like to do or not like to do?
In today’s climate, social media can reveal a great deal about a person. If you exercise good judgment, display a positive attitude, and behave in a manner desired of a member of the law enforcement community, your social media activities will be viewed favorably.
I've Had Some Credit Issues. Will This Hurt Me?
Having good credit is a good indicator of who you are as a person, in terms of meeting obligations, making wise decisions, maturity, and adhering to deadlines.
We also understand things happen in a person’s life, such as a divorce or catastrophic event, that may negatively impact your credit. We take this into consideration when reviewing your credit information.
What are the top reasons people don't get hired?
There are a number of reasons why people fail, but the top reasons are typically:
Dishonesty
Either omitting or failing to disclose anything on paperwork or verbally will always cause a disqualification.
Attention To Detail
Not fully completing paperwork or caring about personal appearance.
Not Meeting Obligations
Arriving late or forgetting appointments.
Lack Of Soft Skills
Unable to shake hands, make eye contact or finish a sentence.
How Does a Candidate Get Disqualified?
General Disqualifications
- Incomplete, false, or illegible Personal History Statement
- Falsification and/or omission of any requested information
- Rude, belligerent, or otherwise unacceptable behavior towards staff
- Untruthfulness to staff
- Knowingly remaining in place where illegal drugs were used/sold
- Prior arrests and convictions
- Felony probation/parole
- DUI conviction(s)
- License suspension(s)
- Traffic accident(s)/citations(s)
- Poor employment or education history/performance (i.e. continual firing, poor grades/performance reviews)
- Financial concerns (i.e. bankruptcies/collection accounts/failure to pay child support, etc.)
Medical and Psychological Disqualifications
- Failure to meet the standards as determined by the department psychologist (written and oral interview)
- Failure to meet the standards for the position as determined by the department physician
Polygraph Disqualifications
- Continued responses indicating deception on questions asked
- Failure to appear for the exam without notification or refusal to complete the exam
- Attempts to defeat the machine (i.e., holding breath, hyperventilating, or taking drugs/alcohol before testing)
- Withholding information from polygraph examiner
- Admissions to conduct deemed unacceptable by Department or POST standards
- Information uncovered by examiner which deviates from the information provided to background investigation
Don’t See Your Question?
If you do not see your question, send it to one of our recruiters and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.
A Bonus Just for You…
Like we mentioned above, we want you to pass our exams. That’s why we’re offering you this FREE guide offering more information and helpful tips for each phase of our hiring process.
