POLICE IN-FORCE/FINAL INTERVIEW TIPS

The police in-force final interview is often carried out in person and there will normally be two or three people on the panel. One or two serving members of the police force, and a member of the human resources team who will ensure the process is consistent and fair, whilst also asking you several interview questions of their own.

The interview questions you will have to answer during the police in-force interview will usually be the same for all candidates. However, the questions asked can vary from force-to-force and they are designed to give the police force the opportunity and flexibility to delve deeper into your motivations for becoming a police officer, why you want to join their force, and whether or not you have the skills, qualities and attributes to meet the expectations of the role.

Let’s now take a look at some essential tips to help you prepare efficiently for your police officer in-force interview.

Remember, you are trying to join a disciplined service, and as such you must demonstrate professionalism, respect, and good manners during the police in-force interview. Wear a smart and professional outfit for your interview, sit upright in the interview chair, and demonstrate good manners throughout. You should work on your communication skills before you attend the police in-force interview and this can be achieved by carrying several mock interviews before the teal thing. Alternatively, consider paying for one-to-one coaching with a police recruitment expert who can help to improve your performance for the real interview.

You must spend time learning as much as possible about the police force you are applying to join. Consider reading up on the following area specific to your chosen police force:

• Police force demographics and locations of police stations;
• Policing responsibilities;
• Police force mission and priorities;
• Crime statistics in the police forces area;
• Police Commanders responsible for specific areas within the police force;
• Action the police is currently taking to combat crime;
• Current policing issues in your local area
• What the police are currently doing to build and maintain positive relationships with the local community.

Before you attend your police in-force interview, consider carefully why you want to become a police officer and why you have chosen their police force. You must give valid and genuine reasons for wanting to become a police officer. In our opinion, the following reasons are valid for someone wanting to become a police officer:

• A desire to make a positive impact in your local community;
• The chance to work in a role where you get to work alongside other like-minded professionals who are all striving towards the same mission and goal;
• The chance to learn new skills, and to put your own diverse set of experiences and qualities to the test;
• The opportunity to have a positive impact on people’s daily lives;
• A job where no two days are ever the same (the variety of being a police officer is like no other!)

We strongly recommend you study the day-to-day duties of a police officer. You should be able to quickly and confidently answer the police in-force interview question, what are the responsibilities of a police officer? The only way you will be able to truly answer this question with confidence is if you have studied the duties that are specific to a police officer from your chosen force. This information can normally be found either in your police recruitment lack or on the police forces website.

Consider the impact being a police officer will have on your personal life before you attend the interview. It’s all well and good saying, “I am prepared for what being a police officer will entail…”, but have you really considered the impact? Not just the impact being a police officer will have on your social life, but the impact it will have on your family, too.

Before you attend your police in-force interview, discuss the pros and cons of being a police officer with your family, the impact of working shifts, and make sure you have their full support! Being a police officer can be very challenging, both physically and mentally, and you will need to demonstrate to the police recruitment team you have carefully considered how becoming a police officer will impact your life before you join.