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PROMOTIONAL EXAM
2012
UPDATE
What's the latest with the new Police Sergeant Promotional
Exam?
There
are ongoing negotiations between the State of New Jersey and the
United States Department of Justice regarding an acceptable
revised test plan under the proposed Consent Decree. A new
Orientation Guide outlining any changes to the testing process
will be issued approximately 6 to 8 weeks before a new test date.
Here's
my assessment of the situation. The US Justice Department
rejected what Civil Service proposed e.g. video and multiple
choice test. They will require them to develop a
Bernstein type Work Sample Assessment Test. After Civil
Service develops the new format, it will have to be approved by
the Justice Department. Well, you may recall I said it would go
more towards assessment.
Are the old Police Sergeant test questions that Civil Service
previously administered going to be used on the new exam again?
No,
Civil Service has said they are going to develop a
new format for the written multiple choice test. For the new exam
it's no longer appropriate to memorize old recycled questions. If
you prepare for the old test using the old methods, your score
will go down. You need to make the mental adjustments and prepare
for the new test, not the old one.
On the Civil Service Police Lieutenant and Captains exam, is there
a new format?
Yes,
Civil Service changed the format for lieutenant and
captain. They added work sample test items to both the
lieutenant and captain written exams e.g. Report review, event
planning exercise.
Was
the Police Captains Oral Assessment Exam changed also?
Yes,
the Captains Oral Exam is now worth 40% of
the overall score. New Jersey Civil Service gave a longer work
sample scenario and increased the response time.
In regards to the Sheriffs promotional exam, will a book list be
issued for the upcoming exams?
Yes,
Civil Service posts the list in November in the
Sheriffs promotional orientation guide. In addition to the
textbooks, Criminal Code 2C and Case Law are routinely tested.
For the County Corrections Sergeant's exam, why has Civil Service
not included a textbook?
They
have never said why publicly. Privately, they have told
Union representatives who ask that they believe knowledge of
10A-31 is critical for the Corrections First Line Supervisor. So
with no textbook, this becomes an extremely important area to
study.
