Traffic Patrol Officer Interview Question:

Please explain an example of a situation when you had to deal with someone who you perceived was being unreasonable, irate or hostile toward you?

Submitted by: Muhammad

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.
Submitted by: Muhammad