1. Tell me about your ability to work under pressure as Traffic Patrol Officer?
Pressure is actually a catalyst to my work. When there is an imperative deadline, I refocus my energy into my work which in fact, has helped me to produce some of my best works. (Give examples) I guess you can say I thrive under pressure.
2. Tell us why are you leaving last job?
Although this would seem like a simple question, it can easily become tricky. You shouldn't mention salary being a factor at this point. If you're currently employed, your response can focus on developing and expanding your career and even yourself. If you're current employer is downsizing, remain positive and brief. If your employer fired you, prepare a solid reason. Under no circumstance should you discuss any drama or negativity, always remain positive.
3. Tell us do you have any police record?
Police officer is one of the most attractive occupations for many young people. Although someone who had a criminal record in the past, they express their interest in this position and decide to take part in an interview. But in the fact that, the questions related to their police record are the integral ones in the interview. As the result, they have no chances to become a police officer.
Obviously, it is easy to answer these questions if you do not have any police record. In contrast, you will be put out of the interview if you own a police record. Why is that, it is because this situation is not in conformity with the law.
4. Tell us what have you done to improve your knowledge since the last year?
• Try to include improvements that are relevant to the job. A wide variety of activities can be mentioned as positive self-improvement. Have some good ones in handy to mention in this circumstance.
• Employers tend to look for goal-oriented applicants. Show a desire for continuous learning by listing your non-work related hobbies. Regardless of what hobbies you choose to present, remember that the goal is to prove self-sufficiency, time management, and motivation.
5. Explain about your qualifications or academic qualifications?
Before becoming an officer, tone must complete and pass a course in the police academy. However, being a police officer does not only mean patrolling the streets and frightening or fighting potential criminals. There are desk jobs, community awareness programs and other tasks that require special talent available within the police force.
If you have an academic background, or have any hobby that is related to some divisions of the police force, you could be a more valuable employee. Therefore, discuss your academic qualifications and any related experience. Be factual and brief.
6. Explain about a major accomplishment you have made with a team of co-workers?
Despite the perception portrayed in the media, law enforcement is not about the lone hero. Rather, officers are required to coordinate their activities throughout the shift as they respond to and investigate activities. During this time, they not only work with a partner, but other officers on their own shift. In addition, they are frequently required to interact with officers in other divisions as a well as other criminal justice agencies, local, state and federal organizations, and private companies.
The successful candidate should be able to describe not only how they worked well with others to successfully accomplish a goal, but also how they played an active part in the process.
7. Tell me what have you done to prepare for a career in law enforcement?
Many candidates may not be able to provide a clear-cut answer to this question. For example, they may have known they wanted to be part of something important, but were not sure about law enforcement as a possible career choice. Regardless, they worked hard in school, developed a strong character, and avoided behavior that would be perceived as bad by a potential employer.
As they matured, they recognized law enforcement was a viable career for them. Others may have taken a more direct path including participation in law enforcement Explorers, criminal justice classes in college, and possibly service in the military. In the end, assessors are seeking to determine whether applying with the department was a passing fancy, to simply get a job, or a step toward a meaningful and rewarding career.
8. Tell us what do you know about their agency or department?
If you go into the interview not knowing anything about this particular job, it makes you look bad. The interviewers will ask themselves, Why would this person apply with us when he or she does not know anything about us? Lacking this knowledge makes it look like you are applying with any agency just to get your foot in the door. Even if this is true you do not want to give the appearance that you will use this agency as a stepping stone to a career with another agency. You do not have to know everything about this agency. However, take the time to read up on this agency. Prepare yourself for this question.
9. Explain what are your goals?
Usually this refers to your goals in law enforcement. However, they may ask you about your goals in life. The key is to give them some specific goals which are obtainable. Saying that your goal is to be the best police officer or agent that you can be is too vague. Is your goal to be the Director or Chief? This may be your goal and one day you may achieve that status. However, at this point in time, you should start with smaller goals. Tell them your first goal is to get into law enforcement. Your second goal may be to join a specialized field within the department. Perhaps you want to be on the SWAT team or serve as a canine officer or become a supervisor. If you are able to articulate your goals, this makes you a more desirable candidate.
10. Tell us are you currently participating in any type of personal fitness program?
Physical fitness is one of the key attributes of a good police officer. The job may require you to chase a suspect, forcefully apprehend a subject or defend yourself from an attacker. These occurrences do not happen every day, but you must be physically prepared for them. The job of a police officer can be very stressful. Stress can lead to several ailments including heart disease. Studies have shown that a body that is in good physical condition is better prepared to handle stress. Therefore, law enforcement agencies are looking for individuals who have developed a healthy and fit lifestyle.
From your general appearance, the panel will be able to assess to a certain degree your physical condition. You will want to provide them with more detailed information on your current level of fitness. You do not have to be a person who works out everyday performing all kinds of cross training exercises. Even if your exercising program has been limited, tell them what you have been doing. It shows them that you care about yourself, and you are doing something to stay in shape. If you have not been exercising, then it would be wise to begin a doctor-approved program. Not only will this help you at the interview, but it will also help you in other stages of the hiring process.
11. Tell me what field experience do you have for a TRAFFIC OFFICER POSITION?
Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.
If you are being asked this question from your employer then you can explain your experience. Tell the employer what responsibilities you were performing during your job. You can tell what programs you developed and what modules you worked on. What were your achievements regarding different programs.
12. What do you consider to be your biggest weakness as Traffic Patrol Officer?
This can be a tricky question to respond to, if you suggest you have no weaknesses you're going to appear as a lair or egotistical. You should respond realistically by mentioning small work related weaknesses. Although many try to answer using a positive skill in disguise as a weakness, like “I expect co-workers to have the same commitment” or “I am a perfectionist”. However, it is recommended that there is some honesty and the weaknesses are true, and then emphasize on how you have overcome it or working to improve it. The purpose of this question is to see how you view and evaluate yourself.
13. Why do you want to work for our department?
Each department in a company has different cultures and procedures. So when applying for a special position the company, candidates should show their passions for which department they are interested in. What the interviewer expects is a persuasive answer given by candidates. It is a good suggestion for candidates to show their true desire to the department which they want to apply in order to let the interviewer know their interest.
I do not hesitate to apply for the position of police officer. Because I want to show my passion for your department where brings me a lot of chances to earn money and I can achieve my goals. Moreover, I am fully confident of having ability in investigating and arresting robbers.
14. Why do you believe we should hire you as Traffic Patrol Officer?
This question needs to be carefully answered as it is your opportunity to stick out from the rest of the applicants. You should focus on skills that you have, including those not yet mentioned. Simply responding “because I'm really good” or “I really need a job” isn't going to work. You shouldn't assume the skills of other applicants or their strengths, focus on yourself. Tell the interviewer why you are a good fit for the position, what makes you a good employee, and what you can provide the company. Keep it brief while highlighting achievements.
15. Tell me why do you decide to choose your career as a police officer?
Nowadays, there are not many people doing something bad for society because they have their conscience guided. Focusing on such things as conscience or loyalty will not help you with this question as such things have become rather vague in daily life and if someone wishes to do something for the society, practical actions would be better than just words.
For example, to answer this question, you may tell the interviewer that you want to become a police because you always dream of protecting the innocent from bad things and those evil or bad things will never win over good things because there are a lot of people like you. If you were a police officer, you would fight against them.
16. What knowledge do you have about the company and its work?
You should do your research prior to the interview. Look into background history of the company, this will help you stick out. Learn about main people, have they been in the news lately? The interviewer doesn't expect you to know dates and certain people, but showing that you have enough interest to research the company is a positive impression.
This scenario is designed to evaluate the candidate's ability to identify unethical behavior and demonstrate his/her ability to withstand negative peer pressure. The candidate should direct his/her partner to properly record the money on the inventory and turn it in. If he/she fails to do so, his/her actions will be immediately reported to a supervisor.
The panel will probably question you about your overall health. They will ask if you are currently taking any medications. They may inquire as to what your vision is. They want to make sure you are physically fit for the job.
19. Tell me one example where you did not lose your cool in spite of trying circumstances?
Being a police officer is quite complex and requires a lot of patience. A trigger happy police man can give a bad name to the entire police force.
Therefore, you will have to give one example in which you kept your cool in spite of the daunting task ahead of you. Select carefully. Consult with friends and rehearse your narrative. Do not memorize a speech, but review it so that you can deliver it smoothly. Be brief and avoid arrogance.
The purpose of these questions is to measure the candidate's judgment and moral resolute. When deciding the appropriate response, it is common to be torn between violating department policy and potentially being insubordinate. Operational policy is designed to give officers direction regarding acceptable behavior in compliance with established legal and professional standards.
History is filled with instances of individuals who claimed they “were just following orders.” The correct answer is to advise the supervisor that he/she perceives the directive to be a violation of department policy. This gives the supervisor the opportunity to clarify the issue or change the directive. If the supervisor insists on violating policy, the officer must decide between refusing and complying with an improper directive. When responding to the follow-up question regarding an order that violates the law, the candidate should always respond that he/she would not follow the order.
This is a behaviorally based question that is founded upon the premise that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. These types of questions focus on competencies that are critical for performing as an officer such as conflict resolution, problem solving, teamwork, and integrity.
When responding to a behavioral question, the candidate should provide a three-part response that includes a description of the situation, the action the candidate took in response to the situation, and the results of their action.
For example, in response to this question, a candidate may describe how he/she was working at a fast-food establishment. A customer came in who was very angry and confronted him/her about ketchup being on his hamburger when he specifically asked for ‘no ketchup.' The angry customer went on to make a number of unflattering comments about the quality of service he had received and the inadequacies of the staff. As customer voiced his complaint, he became very loud and was starting to disturb the other customers.
The candidate respectfully responded, “Yes, Sir. I remember you placing your order and the request. I am sorry for the mix-up. Either the cooks did not see the request or I picked up the wrong items. Regardless, I am very sorry. I will fix the mistake and include a couple of desert pies for the inconvenience.” Before he left, the customer apologized for being rude and thanked the candidate for his/her efforts to resolve the issue.
There are an unlimited number of responses to this question. But in this example, the candidate spoke of a situation when a person who was angry and acting very hostile. He/she initiated action to address the problem and resolve the conflict. In the end, the result was a happy customer.
22. What do you see yourself doing in five years as Traffic Patrol Officer?
This is another question looking towards job commitment. Some people go through jobs like socks because they don't have a life plan, and your answer can show insight into this. It can also be used for finding out if you are the type that sets goals at all in life, because those that make long-term goals are usually more reliable. Also, your goals can provide insight on your personality too.
You should respond with an answer that shows progression in your career is on track with your route in the company. It's important to do your research on company prospects, this way you understand what to expect and if it's in your long-term goal. Interviewers don't want to set you on a path that won't provide the results you want, resulting in you resigning.
The candidate has no way of knowing what skills the other candidates may possess and should acknowledge it. The purpose of this question is to determine if the department will receive an adequate return-on-investment from the required training they must provide for a new employee. When preparing for this question, view the issue from the perspective of an employer.
Departments do not want to hire an officer only to learn he/she is incompetent, lazy, or are looking to move on to another agency. The candidate should be able to describe how he/she has always been a dedicated and hard worker with other employers. Candidates who are highly motivated may describe how they continuously seek to enhance their knowledge, skills, performance, and do not expect the department to always provide this development. They may also describe a desire to stay with the department because of ties to family and friends in the community and department.
24. Tell me have you ever been involved in a motor vehicle accident or received a speeding ticket?
You can be sure they will run a computer check to see if you have had any motor vehicle violations. This is one example of where your ability to tell the truth will be verified. Just because you were ticketed for speeding, illegal parking, or for an accident does not mean you are immediately disqualified from obtaining a position with them. Every agency will accept a person who has minor infractions. Nobody is perfect. The agency may have a certain number of violations they will accept. If you exceed the set number, then you are disqualified. For example, four or more speeding tickets in the past two years may be unacceptable. Each agency usually sets the standards they deem appropriate.
What they are looking for is a pattern of deviant behavior. You are applying for a job which enforces the law. If you have demonstrated that you continually break the law, no matter how minor the violation, they are not going to hire you. The other concern is that a police officer spends a great deal of time in a motor vehicle. They want to make sure you can properly handle a vehicle and that you are not going to get into an accident.
The interviewee should ensure that he or she has studied all the seven stages of action points, and can recite them freely.
