Anyone who intends to be a respectable police officer must bear in mind that a qualification exam, in this case the Westchester county police exam, must be passed with flying colors in order to be recruited for the police force. While some may dismiss the test as formality, remember that of the thousands who take it, only a few hundred actually get in.
General Requirements
According to the human resources department of Westchester, there are several entry requirements that you would have to accomplish to even be allowed to take the examination. These include:
- Minimum age of 20 at the time of appointment; maximum age of 35 at the time of examination;
- Possession of a driver’s license valid in New York State at the time of appointment;
- A high school diploma
For more information regarding the requirements, you could always visit the website of the government of Westchester which is accessible through http://humanresources.westchestergov.com.
The Recruitment Process
What many aspiring police officers tend to forget is that after the Westchester County exams, there are still more steps to be followed. In short, taking and passing the exam is just the first step. If you pass the Westchester police exam, then you would then have to pass a mental and physical agility examination next. As you can see, aptitude is one thing, but the physical requirements that this profession requires is also challenging for many candidates.
Another exam that you would have to pass with flying colors is the civil service exam held by the same department, which is required for most individuals working in a government position, which serves as an opportunity not just for promotion through the police officer ranks, but also for other possible civil service positions.
Review Centers and Programs: Are They Worth It?
Someone’s paradise could be somebody else’s hell, which is why it’s necessary to find out if review centers are going to be worth your money. These review centers exist for the mere reason of helping people like yourself, aspiring police officers, to prepare well and be guided regarding the content and format of the exam, regardless if it is for the Westchester county civil service exams or any other exam you need to pass.
Keep in mind that the review center will NOT take the exam on your behalf. Whatever help they could give would pertain to preparation and getting the information you need. Whether you will be diligent in reviewing and preparing for the test is up to you.
Westchester County Exam Tips
The Westchester county police exam is almost similar in format with other police department recruitment tests, which is why review programs such as those offered by http://passthepoliceexam.com is considered by many as an all-in-one preparation exam regardless which state you are located.
Aside from features which include tips and tricks regarding the preparation of necessary documents and how to prepare mentally and physically for the exam day, they also focus on several particular aspects such as the type of exam and how you could better answer test questions in such a manner that you would also be able to manage your time effectively, given the time limited nature of such exams.
Here are some of the sample tips you can get from the website:
- Revise your study materials along with your review techniques. No matter how good your study materials are, if the manner by which you study them is tedious and boring, then your brain would end up absorbing nothing.
- Ask for detailed answers to simulated test questions. Good review programs would do this because your objective is not just to have the answers to the questions but to know those answers by heart.
- Seek help on how to improve various skills related to problem solving, good judgment, writing skills, verbal skills, physical orientation, memory, observation techniques, as well as general direction and distance assessment. These skills are practical ones which would prove to be helpful to you not only during the exam but also in the field.
- Know a trick question when you see one. Some of these questions are included in the exam to test your level of alertness and common sense. Being able to successfully answer them simply means you are paying attention.
- Rely on inference, which involves intelligent guesswork and a proven technique of elimination.
A Degree in Criminology
If you want to have many opportunities in the field of law enforcement, then keep in mind that being a police officer is not the only option you have, given the wealth of positions, mostly administrative, to be filled in the government. This is why some people would opt for a career in Criminology that are being offered by numerous universities and colleges all over the state. One such school, the SUNY Westchester Community College offers an associate degree program for those willing to get a primary qualification, with detailed information regarding admission posted on their website at http://www.sunywcc.edu. Keep in mind, though, that tuition could be quite prohibitive, and that you really do not need such qualification as a prerequisite to qualify for certain positions including becoming a police officer. It’s not a requirement before you can take the Westchester police exam.
Contrary to what many people are saying, you do NOT need a Criminology degree to pass the Westchester police exam. If anything, all you need is a solid foundation which could come in the form of review centers or review programs, which are capable of guiding you regarding the format of the tests and what to expect during exam day. But more importantly, these review centers also provide you the knowledge you need to be able to answer the questions that will be included in the tests.
With such guides to help you, you increase your chances of passing the Westchester police exam and become part of your city’s highly esteemed police department.