Written Exam

Preparation

One of the very first steps in the hiring process is the written examination. It is designed to evaluate your skills of comprehension, retention, and interpretation. The best preparation you can do for yourself is to regularly read articles, books, and documents in the English language from a variety of sources and covering a broad range of topics. Choosing material that is slightly more difficult than you are normally comfortable with will force your brain to begin understanding contextual clues, which is an additional element that you will find incorporated in the written test.

Practice

The Irvine Police Department offers its own unique police written exam, not the PELLETB. Therefore, we will not accept t-scores in lieu of taking the Irvine Police Written Exam either. Our test is comprised of four segments: observation and memory, written communication, reading comprehension, and analytical abilities. Applicants will be challenged in spelling, grammar, number/letter accuracy, vocabulary, sentence structure, and mapping. The company (CPS) that produces the test offers their own practice test for a nominal fee. Click the following link if you wish to purchase the test: crc.cpshr.us/default.aspx?ID=Law202999.

Examination

The written exam is being offered both in person (once a month) or online via ProctorU. On your test date, you will be given the related materials and further instructions on how to complete the test. Follow these instructions carefully! Ensure that you are filling your answers in on the required lines, and if you have a question about something prior to the test starting, speak up and ask for clarification. When completing the test, allow yourself enough time to complete as many of the questions as possible. This may mean that you will need to skip one question to proceed through the rest, and then return to it later if you have additional time. As a final check, ensure your name and your candidate ID is on your paperwork before you turn it back in! Candidates will typically be notified the same day of their results. Those who pass will be invited to the next Oral Interview and will be required to complete a Pre-Poly Questionnaire (which you will bring to the Oral Interview).