The City of New Orleans Civil Service Department Police Recruit Selection Process Handout and Study Guide

Police Recruit Selection Process

The selection process for Police Recruit is a multi-stage process. On the morning that you report to begin your exam, this multi-stage process will be reviewed. The following is a description of each stage of the process. A. WRITTEN MULTIPLE CHOICE EXAM The first step in the selection process is the written multiple-choice exam. The multiple-choice exam covers the following knowledge, skills and abilities. 1. Written Communication 2. Form Completion 3. Knowledge of Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation 4. Oral Comprehension 5. Reading Comprehension 6. Observation Ability 7. Memory 8. Inductive Reasoning 9. Deductive Reasoning 10. Exercising Judgment 11. Social Judgment/Interpersonal skills 12. Selective Attention 13. Perceptual Accuracy 14. Recognizing Transformed Objects or Persons Each of these skills and abilities is necessary to perform the job of a Police Officer. For example--Written Communication, Form Completion and Knowledge of Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation are all necessary for the extensive amount of paperwork and reports that officers must complete on their jobs. Reading Comprehension and Oral Comprehension are necessary to successfully complete the training that recruits receive at the academy. Social Judgment and Interpersonal Skills are necessary for dealing with the public. You will see examples of some of these types of questions on the practice exam contained in this packet.

SCORING For this exam you will mark your answers on a separate answer sheet, which will be scanned and scored by a computer on site. After this exam, you will take a break and then return to the testing site. At that time you will find out if you passed the exam. If you receive a passing score on the written, multiple-choice exam, you will then take the writing exercise. B. WRITING EXERCISE Those who pass the written, multiple-choice exam will take the writing exercise. For the writing exercise, you will take notes while you watch two videos of police-related incidents. You will then use your notes to write a narrative report describing the incidents. The instructions for the writing exercises are provided in this packet so that you can become familiar with this step of the selection process. You should review rules for grammar, spelling, capitalization and other components of writing. These reports will be scored at a later time by a team of trained raters. C. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION Applicants who pass the writing exercise will be notified by the New Orleans Police Department to be scheduled for a background investigation. The background investigation includes the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Polygraph test Written interview form Oral taped interview Fingerprinting Urinalysis 6. 7. 8. 9. Employment record check Credit record check NCIC check Reference check and more

Male applicants between the ages of 20 and 27 must present their draft card. D. PSYCHOLOGICAL & MEDICAL EXAMS Applicants who pass the background investigation will be scheduled to take a medical examination and two multiple-choice personality teststhe Minnesota Multi-Phasic Inventory II and the California Personality Inventory. If the applicants background investigation is acceptable, these written psychological tests, along with a completed personal history form and the background investigation report, will be evaluated by a psychologist to determine whether the applicant is suitable for police work. If the

4 psychologist determines that additional information is needed, the applicant will be scheduled for an interview with a psychiatrist for further evaluation. Assuming satisfactory completion of the background investigation, the medical exam will then be evaluated. This is to determine whether the applicant is in good physical condition to perform the essential functions of the job. These essential functions include: a) Patrolling a specified beat or district by walking, by motorcycle or by car; b) Operating a car; c) Pursuing and apprehending fleeing suspects, i.e., running after suspects, jumping ditches, climbing through windows, climbing fences, walls and running several blocks; d) Escorting prisoners. E. CERTIFICATION Finally, after you have passed all of these stages, you will be certified for possible hiring by the Police Department. Your acceptance as a police recruit is not guaranteed. The final decision is left to the Police Department.

Exam Taking and Preparation Strategies

The Police Recruit written, multiple-choice exam is not intended to be one you have to study for. Your education and personal experiences have prepared you for being a Police Officer. Yet, if you prepare yourself for the exam, you will be: More familiar with the testing process More familiar with the types of questions on the exam Less nervous And more likely to do your best!

Try these tips. You will do better on the exam. 1. Complete the practice exam. Look at its format and the different types of questions. Work on the areas in which you are weak with additional practice. Test preparation aids for Police Officer tests are available in bookstores and in the Library 2. Be at your best and be well rested the day of the exam. Be on time. Allow yourself sufficient time to arrive and find the exam site. 3. When reading or listening to passages, comprehend the meaning and main ideas. Practice this tip by reading the below passage and answering the question which follows: The three major components of the Louisiana Criminal Justice system are the police, the courts and the corrections agencies. In Louisiana, the police consist of the state police departments, the sheriffs departments and the municipal police. Included in the court system are the State Supreme Court, the Appellate Courts, the District Court and the Municipal Courts. Included in the corrections system are the Louisiana Department of Corrections, as well as the parish jails. Which of the following best describes the topic in this paragraph? A. B. C. D. police departments in Louisiana jailing criminals in Louisiana the parts of the Louisiana Criminal Justice System the major parts of the court system in Louisiana

Answer C is the correct answer because it includes all of the subjects in the passage. Answers A, B and D each deal with specific subjects within the passage.

6 4. Read each exam question completely and carefully Examine what each question asks and what the possible answers convey. Look for key words such as: always, best except, generally, sometimes, not or usually. Eliminating incorrect answers can aid in finding the correct answer. 5. After carefully reading each question and its possible answers, decide and do one of the following: If you know the answer, mark it on a separate answer sheet. If you are fairly sure of the answer but would like to give it further thought, mark your answer on the answer sheet and make a note on scratch paper. If time permits, go back and review the question and answer. If you do not know the answer, guess. 6. Choose the answer that is generally best. Each question on the written choice exam is provided with four or five possible answers. For each question, you must decide which is the best answer. The best answer is the one that is most appropriate under ordinary conditions. It is the answer that most people would consider correct. Example In reading this booklet, it is most important that a person: A. read it more than once B. understand what he/she reads C. read slowly Probably some people will read this booklet slowly and some may benefit from reading it more than once. However, what is most important is that a person understands what he/she reads in this booklet. Therefore, choice B is the best answer. 7. Do not fear questions that test your ability to read, understand and use what you have read. When reading passages are long and complicated, remember to look for the main idea and the information needed to answer the question. Heres another question dealing with the passage about the Louisiana Criminal Justice System:

7 The three major components of the Louisiana Criminal Justice system are the police, the courts, and the corrections agencies. In Louisiana, the police is made up of the state police departments, the sheriffs departments and the municipal police. Included in the court system are the State Supreme Court, the Appellate Courts, the District Court and the Municipal Courts. Included in the corrections system are the Louisiana Department of Corrections as well as the parish jails. Which of the following are the components of the corrections system in Louisiana? A. B. C. D. the State Supreme Court and the parish jail the police departments and Louisiana Department of Corrections the Appellate and Municipal Courts Louisiana Department of Corrections and parish jails

The correct answer is D. Most people would not be able to answer this question without reading the passage. However, the question is relatively simple if one reads the passage. 8. Do not fear questions that ask what a Police Officer should do in a particular situation. Such questions do not require knowledge of Police Department rules but logical reasoning and judgment. Example A Police Officer is walking a beat. Which of the following should he/she attend to first? A. The officer observes a group of youths talking in an alleyway. B. A citizen informs the officer that a poker game is taking place a block away. C. The officer observes two men knock down an elderly woman and take her purse. The correct answer is C. A is not correct because it is not illegal or a threat to a person. B is not correct because it is illegal, but is not a threat to a person as is C. Also, C is more immediate. 9. Do not leave any questions unanswered There is no penalty for guessing. Narrowing down the possible answers to the two most likely answers increases your chance of guessing correctly.

8 10. Limit the changing of your answers. Most often when test answers are changed, the original answer selected was the correct response. Choose your answers based on facts given in the question. Remember to read the whole question, look for the main idea and select the best answer. 11. When listening to passages or police-related incidents, take notes carefully and efficiently. Concentrate on the most essential elements. 12. Use your time efficiently. Do not spend too much time on any one question. Quickly review each section of the exam before answering its questions to know how many questions you have to complete within the allotted time. Eliminate possible answers which you know are wrong and direct your full attention to those answers which are wrong and direct your full attention to those answers which are potentially correct 13. Mark your answers carefully When taking the written multiple-choice exam, you will mark your answers on a separate answer sheet. For each question, you are to carefully darken the circled letter on the answer sheet which corresponds to the letter of the answer you think is best. Example 1. A. B. C. D. Which month has the fewest days? January February September November

1. A B C D [] [] [] []

Answer B is the best and the B space has been darkened During the actual exam, check your work often to make sure you are at the right place on the answer sheet. When changing an answer, completely erase the incorrect response before darkening the correct response.

Police Recruit Practice Exam

Directions: For each question, circle the appropriate answer. Questions on the following sections will not appear on this practice exam because they require live administration; however, a description of these sections is provided in this practice exam: Associated Memory, Verbal Memory, Selective Attention, Oral Comprehension, Observation Ability and Written Communication. SECTION 1: PERCEPTUAL ACCURACY EXAMPLE FOR PART 1 Find the number-letter combination that exactly matches the one on the left. 5259B6 A 5259A6 B 5289B6 C *5259B6 D 5229B6

Find the number-letter combination that exactly matches the one on the left. You have one minute to complete this section. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 4669L74E 814M7158 06952J917 173N87881 128C9269 2GV87B9 9158X17 E235P4 68917293 72F9SW1 A 4669L47E 814M1758 06952J197 173N87881 128C2969 2GV78B9 9158X17 E235P4 68971293 72F9SV1 B 4696L74E 814M7158 06952J917 173N7881 128C9269 2GW87B9 9518X17 E253P4 68917923 72FSW1 C 4669L7E 814M7518 06925J917 173N8781 128C9529 2GV87B9 9158X71 E235F4 68917293 72F9SW1 D 4669L74E 814M9158 06952J717 173N87818 128C7269 2GV87B7 9128X17 E285P4 6897273 72F7SW1

10 PERCEPTUAL ACCURACY: PART 2 Compare the following pairs of names and addresses. The name and address on the left is correct. There may be errors in the name and address on the right. You are to determine how many errors (if any) there are in the name and address on the right. Rules for determining what is an error: Each word, initial, abbreviation or number sequence (such as house number or zip code) that is incorrect is to be counted as an error. You have one minute to complete this section. 1. Elmo C. LeConte 1224 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans, LA 70112 A. B. C. D. E. 2. 0 1 2 3 4 Bobi Macgee 1288 Clevland Ave. New Orleans, LA 70118 Elmo E. LeConti 1224 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans, LA 70112

Bobbie Magee 1238 Cleveland Ave. New Orleans, LA 70118 A. B. C. D. E. 0 1 2 3 4

3.

Joseph Keith 128 River Road A113 Houma, LA 70358 A. B. C. D. E. 2 3 4 5 6

Joseph Kieth 128 River Road A118 Houma, LA 70358

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Practice Exam: Section 2

ASSOCIATED MEMORY ITEMS For this portion of the test you will be shown wanted bulletins that include a face, name, crime and other descriptive information. You will have 45 seconds to look at each bulletin and take notes. Several bulletins will be shown. You will use your notes and memory of the faces on the bulletins to identify the correct individual from drawings of a group of suspects on the exam. Questions might involve the suspects name, crime or other information.

VERBAL MEMORY ITEMS

For this section of the exam, you will listen to an audiotape of a brief description of an incident. You will not be able to take notes while listening to the tape. After listening to the tape, you will answer questions about the incident based on the information you remember.

SELECTIVE ATTENTION
This section of the exam requires you to listen to an audiotape of a simulated radio dispatch and to review a written report at the same time. You will assume the role of an officer in a certain police car and must listen to information pertaining only to that police car. You may take notes on the information on the tape and in the report. Following this, you will use your notes to answer questions about the written report, and any information that pertains to the police car for which you were assigned.

ORAL COMPREHENSION
For this section of the exam you will listen to an audiotape of a short lecture on a policerelated topic. During this lecture you are encouraged to take notes. After the tape is finished, you will use your notes to answer questions about the information on the tape.

OBSERVATION ABILITY
This section of the exam requires you to examine photographs and answer questions based on the photographs.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
This section of the exam requires you to examine photographs and answer questions based on the photographs. The remaining items on the practice exam are included. Complete the practice exam by circling the appropriate answers and then compare them to the key on page 29.

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DEDUCTIVE REASONING
Answer questions 1 and 2 on page 15 after carefully reading the information below. You may refer back to this material if you wish. DEPARTMENT POLICY REGARDING RADIO AND SOUND RECORDING EQUIPMENT 1. An employee of the Department, while on duty, shall possess and/or use only that radio and sound recording equipment issued by the Department except when other radio and sound recording equipment is specifically authorized by the Superintendent and except as provided herein. The use of pocket pagers (beepers) while on duty is prohibited unless approved in writing by the appropriate Bureau Chief. Request for authorization shall be made in a 105, forwarded through the chain of command. Upon obtaining written approval from the appropriate Bureau Chief, the member shall immediately forward a copy of the approved 105, containing the pager number, to the commander of the Technical Support Division. When he/she is no longer in possession of the approved pager, the member shall notify the commander of the Technical Support Division of this fact via 105. 3. Commanding Officers may authorize the use of sound recording equipment for investigative purposes.

2.

13

Questions 1. If Officer Donahue wants to use a beeper while on duty, he must receive written approval from: A. the Superintendent of Police B. his Bureau Chief C. his District Commander D. his immediate Supervisor Officer Hammond is using a micro-tape recorder to investigate an alleged drug dealer. She must have received authorization from: A. B. C. D. her Commanding Officer the Technical Support Division the Bureau Chief the Superintendent of Police

2.

14 INDUCTIVE REASONING This part of the test involves the ability to identify similarities and differences in the groups of objects. Look at the things or objects in each frame and find the one which does not appear to belong with the others in the group.

3.

4.

15 READING COMPREHENSION Answer questions 5 and 6 on page 18 after carefully reading the information below. You may refer back to this material if you wish. I. SEARCH OF VEHICLES A. 1. Stopping Cars The Police must have reason to stop a car. Although stopping a car is a very limited invasion of the drivers right of privacy, the Police Officer may not lawfully make even this limited invasion of the drivers privacy unless he or she has a reason. Courts have held that if an Officer stops a car for absolutely no reason, a technical arrest has occurred. Thus, any incriminating evidence discovered by the Officer after stopping the car would not be allowable in court. Therefore, the first rule regarding vehicles is: You must have a reason to stop a car. II. VEHICLES ARE "EMERGENCIES" A. The Supreme Court has specifically declared that the great mobility of motor vehicles makes them, in certain situations, Police emergencies. The courts have recognized that when confronted with a problem concerning an automobile, Police must act immediately or not at all. The Officer who is investigating someone in a car rarely gets a second chance. The Officer's time is limited and the decisions are final. Consequently, investigations focusing on people in mobile cars are extreme situations where Police judgments must come quickly. SEARCHING VEHICLES WITHOUT A WARRANT A. Even though the mobile motor vehicle is viewed in certain situations by the courts as a Police emergency, the law is that searches of vehicles without warrants may be made only when Police have probable cause to believe that someone in the car has committed a crime, or that the vehicle contains contraband or the fruits of a crime. Only when the Police have probable cause to make the search, may they make a search of a motor vehicle and then the search should be made immediately.

2.

III.

16 5. The first rule for Police Officers in regard to stopping vehicles is: A. vehicles are "emergencies." B. you must have a reason to stop a car. C. the Officer investigating someone in a car rarely gets a second chance. D. stopping a car is a very limited invasion of the driver's right to privacy. Searches of vehicles without warrants may be made by Police only when they have probable cause to believe that: A. B. C. D. someone in the car has committed a crime. the vehicle contains contraband. the vehicle contains the fruits of a crime. any of the above.

6.

17 EXERCISING JUDGMENT A Police Officer is walking a beat. Which of the following situations should he/she respond to first? (Note: the word "respond" means to attend to personally). 7. A. B. C. 8. A. B. C. A 2-year old child is standing near the deep end of a crowded public pool with no supervision. A woman is running from a teenager who is carrying a knife. A man is pouring a container of waste oil into a sewerage drain. A woman in is in the middle of a busy street fixing her flat tire A fender-bender has occurred on the side of a nearby street corner. A car is going down the road without a muffler or license plate.

18 FILLING OUT FORMS For this section of the test, you should read the instructions on this page for filling out the "Event Section of a NOPD Incident Form." Questions 9 and 10 on pages 22 and 23 require you to examine a filled in "Event Section" and decide which box, if any, is filled out incorrectly according to the instructions given below. You may refer back to this page. Instructions for completing the Event Section Of a NOPD Incident Form Box #1 - SIGNAL: Indicate the complaint number as described on the following page "Police Complaint Calls." Box #2 - INCIDENT: Give a brief, concise description of the incident being investigated. Example "Armed Robbery", "Natural Death." Box #3 -DATE/TIME OF OCCURRENCE: The dated and time of the occurrence as determined by the preliminary investigation. Box #4 - DISTRICT: Enter district where the incident occurred. Box #5 - LOCATION OF OCCURRENCE: Enter the complete location of the incident including the street address and apartment, if applicable. When no specific address can be connected with the location of occurrence, indicate as: "S/W corner of Canal and Broad," "1-2/10ths miles W of I-10." Box #6 - DATE/TIME OF REPORT: Indicate the appropriate code number that describes the weather conditions at the time of the incident. Box #7 - WEATHER: Indicate the appropriate code number that describes the weather conditions at the time of the incident. Box #8 - TEMPERATURE: Indicate the estimated temperature in degrees Fahrenheit at the time of the incident. Box #9 - LIGHTING: Indicate the appropriate code letter that describes the lighting conditions at the time of the incident.

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POLICE COMPLAINT CALLS 19 20 20-F 29 29-S 30 30-C 30-S 34 34-C 34-S 35 37 38 42 43 44 51 52 60 62-B 62-C 62-R 64 64-G 64-K 65-P 67 67-A 67-P 67-S 69 81 82 83 94 95 95-G 95-K 98 99 100 103-D Drunk Auto Accident Fatal Accident Death Suicide Homicide Homicide by Cutting Homicide by Shooting Aggravated Battery Cutting Shooting Simple Battery Aggravated Assault Simple Assault Aggravated Rape Simple Rape Aggravated Kidnapping Arson Fire Aggravated Burglary Business Burglary Theft from Interior of Auto Residence Burglary Armed Robbery Armed Robbery (Gun) Armed Robbery (Knife) Purse Snatching Theft Auto Theft Pickpocket Shoplifting Possession of Stolen Property Indecent Behavior Prostitution Soliciting for Prostitution Illegal Use of a Weapon (Discharging Firearm) Illegal Carrying of a Weapon Illegal Carrying of Weapon (concealed weapon - gun) Illegal Carrying of Weapon (concealed weapon - knife) D.W.I. Reckless Driving Hit and Run Disturbance

20 103106284 966 M Mental Obscenity (Exposing person, etc.) Peeping Tom Drug Law Violation

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9.

An officer responds to a shooting outside an apartment at 2701 Decatur in the Eighth District at 2:00 pm on 6/13/04. The shooting had reportedly taken place 15 minutes earlier. It was a clear, sunny day and the temperature was approximately 97 degrees.

NOPD INCIDENT REPORT EVENT SECTION

1. Signal 2. Incident 3. Date/Time of Occurrence

34 - S
4. District

Shooting
5. Location of Occurrence

6/13/94 6/13/94
9. Lighting

1:45pm 2:00pm

6. Date/Time of Report

8th
7. Weather

2701 Decatur
8. Temperature

1 CODES
Weather 1. Clear 2. Cloudy 3. Rain 4. Fog 5. Other Lighting G- Good F- Fair P- Poor

97

Which box is filled out INCORRECTLY? A. B. C. D. E. Box #1 Box #2 Box #3 Box #9 All of the above have been completed correctly.

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10.

An officer pulls over a woman for reckless driving at the corner of Read and Hamilton in the Seventh District at 4:00 p.m. on 5/21/04. The weather was cloudy and the temperature was 90 degrees. The lighting was fair.

NOPD INCIDENT REPORT EVENT SECTION

1. Signal 2. Incident 3. Date/Time of Occurrence

99
4. District

Reckless Driving
5. Location of Occurrence

7/21/94 7/21/94
9. Lighting

4:00pm 4:00pm

6. Date/Time of Report

7th
7. Weather

Corner Read & Hamilton

8. Temperature

2 CODES
Weather 1. Clear 2. Cloudy 3. Rain 4. Fog 5. Other Lighting G- Good F- Fair P- Poor

90

Which box is filled out INCORRECTLY? A. B. C. D. E. Box #2 Box #3 Box #6 Box #7 All of the above have been completed correctly.

23 RECOGNIZING TRANSFORMED OBJECTS 11. Below is a picture of Steve Hartley. Steve Hartley is wanted by the Police. Which of the four lettered pictures is Steve Hartley in disguise? Choose "E" if the best response is "none of the above."

24 12. Below is a picture of Mike Jones. Which of the four lettered pictures is Mike Jones in disguise? Choose "E" if the answer is "none of the above."

25 GRAMMAR, SPELLING & PUNCTUATION Please read each sentence for grammar, punctuation and spelling and select the one that is most correct. 13. A. B. C. D. 14. A. B. C. D. The witness stated that three shots were fired from the apartment downstairs. The witness stated that three shoting was heared from the downstair apartment. The witness stated that three shots were fired from the downstairs apartment. The witness stated that three shots were fired form the downstair apartment building. After they shoots the grocery clerk, they took the money. After they shoot the grocery clerk, they took the money. They took the money after they shot the grocery clerk. After shooting the grocery clerk, they took the money.

26 SOCIAL JUDGMENT/INTERPERSONAL SKILLS 15. Put these pictures in their proper sequence. A. B. C. D. DBAC DABC CDBA BDAC

27 16. Put these pictures in their proper sequence. A. B. C. D. CADB CDBA CABD CDAB

28 KEY Section 1 Part 1 1. D 2. B 3. B 4. A 5. B 6. C 7. A 8. A 9. C 10.C Part 2 1. C 2. E 3. A Section 2 1. B 2. A 3. B 4. B 5. B 6. D 7. A 8. B 9. D 10. E 11. B 12. C 13. C 14. A 15. A 16 D

29 WRITING EXERCISE The instructions for the writing exercise are provided for you ahead of time so that you can become more familiar with the format of the exercise. Reading through these instructions will let you know what to expect. We recommend that you brush up on your writing skills prior to the training session. POLICE RECRUIT Writing Exercise Instructions Police Officers must be able to accurately record the details of the incidents to which they respond. They must also be able to write a clear, thorough and organized report of the incident, describing exactly what happened. This writing exercise will require you to view a video of an incident, take detailed notes of what occurred and write a report of the incident. In a moment you will be viewing two videos. Each video depicts an officer responding to an incident and collecting information from the individuals involved. You are to assume the role of the officer's partner. While your partner interviews the victims, you must also take notes so that you can later write a report of the incident. Each video will be shown only ONCE, thus it is important that you listen closely and make detailed notes. After each video, you will be given 20 minutes to write a report, based on the information in your notes. This report MUST include each of the five basic elements of a report that are relevant to the incident. The five basic elements of a report are: who, what, where, when and why. 1. 2. Who Was Involved - Identify all persons directly involved in the incident in as much detail as possible. What Happened - State what happened and who did what to whom, including what was said or done by those involved and a complete description of any materials involved. When It Happened - Tell the time and date of the incident. Where It Happened - Identify where the incident took place Why It Happened - Explain what caused the incident, if there is a cause.

3. 4. 5.

Note: Sometimes one or more of the five elements will not be relevant or available to include in reports. This is often true of the "why" element.

30 In addition, your report should include only the FACTS. Do not include opinions or assumptions. These facts and details should be written in complete sentences, in narrative form. Finally, your report must be written or printed legible on the paper provided. If the people scoring your report cannot read what you have written, you will not be given the benefit of the doubt that your information is correct. If you print in all upper case letters, be sure that your punctuation and capitalization are clearly identifiable. For example, you might underline letters that should be capitalized to distinguish them from your other capital letters. You will receive paper and pencil to prepare and write your repots. When writing your report, if more paper is needed, raise your hand to notify the test proctor. The final report must be written or printed on the """Writing Exercise Form." If you use the scrap paper to organize your thoughts, keep in mind that there may not be enough time to write the complete report on the scrap paper and to copy it on the "Writing Exercise Form." IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU ALLOW YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME TO WRITE THE FINAL REPORT ON THE "WRITING EXERCISE FORM." You will be given a warning when five minutes and one minute remain. Also you must be certain to put your name and social security number on both the Writing Exercise Forms. SCORING PROCEDURES Your report will be scored based on the following two factors: 1. CONTENT The report must be accurate in the description of the five elements that make up the incident. All applicable elements must be included in complete detail. The report must also be accurate in the description of the statements made by the witnesses. 2. WRITING STYLE AND MECHANICS The information should be included in the report in the order in which it occurred. Correct words should be used. Correct spellings, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and logical sentence structures should also be used.

31 SUMMARY OF INSTRUCTIONS For each video: 1. 2. 3. Remember that you are the officer's partner. Remember that the video will be played only ONCE. Watch the incident carefully and take DETAILED notes while your partner is interviewing the victim(s). Remember that you are interested in details related to the five basic elements: who, what, when, where, and why. Take notes with the scrap paper and pencils provided. Refer to the notes to write a report of the incident. This report must include the five basic elements: who, what, when, where and why. You will be given 20 minutes to write your report. We recommend that you first organize your thoughts on the scrap paper provided before writing your report on the "Writing Exercise Form." If you decide to organize your report first, remember to ALLOW YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME TO WRITE THE FINAL REPORT ON THE "WRITING EXERCISE FORM." Be sure to print or write the report on the "Writing Exercise Form." If you print in all uppercase letters, be sure to make your capitalization and punctuation clear. Raise your hand to notify a test monitor if you need any additional paper. Put your name and social security number at the top of your final report on the "Writing Exercise Form."

4. 5.

6.

7. 8.

An example of a well-written report and a list of errors that would have caused the report to be scored lower is provided on the next page.

32 Sample Report

The following are examples of mistakes that would detract from a report on the training scenario: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Ms. Blanchard lives at 2636 Memphis Avenue. (incorrect address) The radar detector is valued at $150. (incorrect value) The items taken from the car was a radar detector and a cellular telephone. (incorrect verb tense) A motorola cellular phone was stolen from the car (Motorola is a proper noun and should be capitalized.) Ms. Blanchard's car was broken into on September 27 1995. (comma missing between 27 and 1995) Ms. Blanchard craked the windows of her car. (cracked is misspelled)

In addition, the report would receive a lesser score if the information was not presented in a logical order (i.e., chronologically or with like things grouped together.)