Police Online Assessment Process: College of Policing Guide

Initial police constable recruitment in England and Wales follows a standardised College of Policing online assessment process (OAP). After applying to a recruiting force, candidates typically complete a sift (national or in-force) and then three online exercises on the Tazio platform: a competency-based interview (CBI), a written exercise and a briefing exercise.

Assessments use the Competency and Values Framework (CVF) at level 1 for initial recruitment. Official candidate guidance states you do not need prior policing knowledge for the online exercises. Older SEARCH classroom centres are not the current national online process described in College candidate guidance.

This page covers England and Wales constable entry only. It is not a Police Scotland entrance test, not a US police exam, and not a Civil Service Success Profiles battery. It is also distinct from Police Fast Track leadership programmes for serving officers. Scotland applicants should use the Police Scotland Entrance Test (PSET) guide.

Force invitations control deadlines, sift type and any reasonable adjustments. Recheck the live College guide and your force email before you sit.

The exercises below are original educational prompts. They are not College of Policing, Tazio, Home Office or force items, and they do not recreate live online assessment scenarios.

Key Takeaways

• England and Wales use the College of Policing sift plus online assessment pathway for many constable campaigns.
• Police Scotland uses a separate entrance-test process and terminology.
• CVF level 1 behaviours matter more than memorising policing law for the online exercises.
• Exercise counts and timings in public College guidance can change; force invitations and adjustments control your window.
• Older SEARCH-style packs are not complete preparation for the current Tazio-based online assessment.
• Honest, structured answers beat fabricated competency stories or prohibited scripts.

Which preparation resources should you use?

Start with the current College of Policing online assessments candidate guide and the instructions issued by your recruiting force.

The current national online assessment process is based on the College of Policing framework and is delivered through the Tazio platform. It includes a competency-based interview, a written exercise and a briefing exercise after the relevant sift route.

Some older commercial resources still focus on the former SEARCH assessment-centre model or primarily offer numerical exercises. Those materials must not be described as complete preparation for the current Tazio-based online assessment process.

General situational judgement, competency-interview and written-summary exercises can support transferable skills, but they do not reproduce the official College of Policing scenarios, scoring framework or platform. On this site, start with the Situational Judgment Test guide for transferable SJT skills, then return to force and College materials for the live OAP. Scotland applicants should use the Police Scotland Entrance Test (PSET) page. Serving officers aiming at leadership programmes should use Police Fast Track.

Quick facts

Public College of Policing candidate guidance (first published April 2023; recheck the live page) describes the following for the national online assessment process. Timings may vary if you have a timings-related reasonable adjustment. Your recruiting force still controls invitation windows and whether you sit a national or in-force sift.

College of Policing online assessment facts from public candidate guidance

Item	Detail from public College guidance
Jurisdiction	England and Wales constable recruitment pathways that use the College process
Framework	CVF level 1 for initial PC recruitment
Stages (national standard)	Application, sift, online assessment process, then force face-to-face interview
Sift	National sift or in-force sift, depending on the force you applied to
Online exercises	CBI (5 questions); written exercise (4 information items); briefing exercise (12 questions)
Platform	Tazio (access via the emailed candidate dashboard link)
CBI timing (public)	About 60 seconds thinking time, then about 5 minutes recording per question; about 40 minutes overall
Written timing (public)	About 40 minutes typical; 120-minute maximum; spelling and grammar not assessed
Briefing timing (public)	About 60 minutes; 12 questions in three parts with new information in parts two and three
Key rules	No pre-prepared scripts or notes; written answers created on-platform only; complete alone
Confirmation	Dashboard should show 100% per exercise; confirmation emails per current platform guidance

There is no single public universal pass percentage published as a school-style mark for every force. Results handling and next-step interviews remain with the recruiting force. Check your invitation before preparing.

How the OAP fits England and Wales recruitment

England and Wales constable pathway stages described in College guidance

Stage	What official guidance describes	Preparation focus
Application	Register with recruiting force; eligibility checks	Read force instructions and deadlines
Sift	National sift or in-force sift depending on force	Honest behavioural responses; rate all SJT actions when that format applies
Online assessment	CBI, written exercise, briefing exercise on Tazio	STAR examples, information discipline, concise verbal answers
Force interview	Next step if you progress after OAP	Force-specific guidance after OAP results

National sift (where applicable)

Public College materials describe a national sift for many forces, delivered before the OAP. It commonly includes:

• Situational judgement test (SJT): 15 scenarios with four actions each to rate for effectiveness; untimed but ~30 minutes expected.
• Behavioural styles questionnaire (BSQ): 80 statements on typical work behaviour; untimed but ~20 minutes expected.

Third-party prep pages sometimes label sift delivery with vendor names such as Cubiks. Treat vendor branding as commercial context unless your invitation names the provider explicitly.

Competency-based interview (CBI)

Official guidance describes five competency and values-based questions about past situations from work or personal life. Each question includes on-screen prompts and a pre-recorded video. Candidates receive thinking time, then record a verbal answer. Pre-prepared scripts or notes can trigger an automatic fail.

Public CVF areas assessed in the CBI include courage, public service, respect and empathy, we take ownership, and we are innovative and open-minded.

Written exercise

You assume the role of a police constable completing an urgent written task for a line manager using four items of information. Official guidance stresses using only supplied material and not inventing facts. Copying and pasting from another application is not accepted and may result in automatic failure. Spelling and grammar are not assessed.

Briefing exercise

You respond verbally to 12 questions across three parts, with new scenario information introduced in parts two and three. Preparation materials are provided first (~10 minutes recommended reading). Each question includes thinking time then a recorded response window. Official guidance emphasises building positive community relationships using only provided information.

Contrast with Police Scotland and Fast Track

England and Wales OAP versus related UK police pathways

Path	Who it is for	Core assessment
This page (OAP)	New constable applicants in England and Wales	Sift plus CBI, written and briefing exercises on Tazio
Police Scotland Entrance Test (PSET)	Scotland officer applicants	Literacy, numeracy and information-handling entrance test
Police Fast Track	Serving officers on FTCI or FTIS programmes	National assessment centre for leadership promotion

Do not prepare for OAP using Scotland numeracy packs or Fast Track leadership scenarios as if they were interchangeable.

How to prepare

1. Read the current College candidate guide and your force invitation.
2. Practise STAR examples for CVF values and competencies without memorised scripts for recording day.
3. Practise written summaries that separate facts from allegations and use only supplied information.
4. Practise concise verbal briefings under mild time pressure that mirror the public briefing response windows.
5. Test camera, microphone and browser on a quiet device; add support@tazio.co.uk to safe senders as College guidance recommends.
6. Prefer College and force materials over older commercial SEARCH packs that do not match the current Tazio OAP.
7. Do not fabricate competency examples, misrepresent employment history, or use another person’s experience as your own.

Practice questions

Educational practice only. 35 original items spanning CVF judgement, written information use, briefing prioritisation and process literacy. Not live OAP questions. “Most defensible response” labels are study aids only.

Competency and values practice (CBI-style prompts)

Treat each as a short STAR planning exercise.

1. A neighbour repeatedly parks across a dropped kerb used by a wheelchair user. You witnessed the obstruction today. Which response best shows respect, ownership and public service in everyday life?

A. Argue aggressively in the street without listening. B. Speak calmly, explain the access impact, encourage moving the vehicle, and escalate through appropriate channels if needed. C. Key the car. D. Film and mock the neighbour online.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: B shows respectful communication, personal ownership and community-minded action without retaliation or public shaming.

2. At work, a colleague spreads a rumour about a customer’s immigration status. Best response?

A. Laugh along. B. Challenge the rumour respectfully, refuse to participate, and report through the proper route if policy requires. C. Add a harsher rumour. D. Ignore it forever even if it continues.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Integrity and respect require challenging harmful gossip and using proper channels when conduct continues.

3. You promised a vulnerable relative you would check on them after a hospital discharge, then got stuck at work. Best ownership behaviour?

A. Hope they forget. B. Contact them (or an agreed alternative) as soon as practicable, apologise, and rearrange support. C. Invent a dramatic excuse. D. Blame traffic on social media.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Taking ownership means acknowledging the slip, communicating promptly and restoring support.

4. In a team project, new evidence shows your preferred plan is weaker than an alternative. Best innovative and open-minded behaviour?

A. Defend your plan rigidly. B. Acknowledge the evidence, update the recommendation, and explain the change. C. Hide the new evidence. D. Attack the messenger.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Open-mindedness means updating decisions when evidence changes and explaining the shift professionally.

5. A friend asks you to “look the other way” if you ever see them speeding. Best courage and integrity stance?

A. Agree so they like you. B. Refuse clearly and explain you will not compromise safety or honesty. C. Joke that everyone speeds. D. Accept a payment to stay quiet.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Courage and integrity require a clear refusal that prioritises safety over social pressure.

6. You notice a new team member is excluded from informal lunch chats because of their accent. Best emotionally aware action?

A. Join the exclusion to fit in. B. Include them in conversation, model respectful behaviour, and address exclusion if it persists. C. Mock their accent privately. D. Tell them to “get over it” without support.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Emotional awareness includes noticing exclusion and acting to support fair inclusion.

7. A community volunteer group disagrees about event funding. You are not the chair but see tension rising. Best collaborative step?

A. Walk out silently. B. Listen to both views, summarise shared aims, and suggest a structured decision process. C. Announce your side is obviously right. D. Post confidential emails online.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Collaboration uses listening and structured problem-solving rather than escalation or breaches of trust.

8. During CBI preparation, which approach best matches official STAR guidance?

A. List ten tiny examples with no detail. B. Use one clear example per question with specific actions and a stated outcome. C. Memorise a script written the night before. D. Refuse to give any personal examples.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: College guidance recommends STAR structure with one detailed example rather than shallow lists or pre-prepared scripts.

9. Official CBI guidance allows examples from:

A. Work life only. B. Personal life only. C. Either work or personal life. D. Fictional scenarios you invent on the day.

Correct answer: C

Explanation: Public candidate guidance explicitly permits work and personal examples that demonstrate relevant behaviours.

10. You are interrupted by a family member during a recorded CBI answer. Best immediate response per official preparation advice?

A. Abandon the entire assessment permanently. B. Pause briefly, gather thoughts, and continue; contact recruit@college.police.uk if the impact is severe. C. Ask the family member to answer for you. D. Restart with a pre-written script.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Official guidance recognises interruptions may occur and advises regaining composure; severe impact should be reported.

National sift judgement (SJT-style)

Official national sift materials describe rating four actions per scenario. These drills mirror that judgement habit.

11. A shop supervisor asks you to ignore a colleague taking small cash from the till “because they are struggling.” Best-rated action?

A. Agree to ignore it to keep peace. B. Refuse, report through proper channels, and support a fair process. C. Take cash yourself to “balance things.” D. Post about it on social media before speaking to anyone responsible.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Integrity and transparency require proper reporting, not concealment or public exposure.

12. In an SJT item, you have rated three of four actions but feel rushed. Official SJT guidance says you should:

A. Skip the fourth rating and move on. B. Rate all four actions before progressing. C. Rate only the action you like most. D. Copy a friend’s ratings from a chat group.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: College sift guidance requires rating every action in each scenario before moving to the next.

13. A BSQ statement reads: “I prefer to double-check data before sharing conclusions.” Best honest response approach?

A. Choose “strongly agree” because it sounds like policing. B. Reflect your actual typical behaviour at work or in comparable settings. C. Alternate agree/disagree randomly for speed. D. Ask someone else to complete the questionnaire for you.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Official BSQ guidance asks candidates to answer honestly about real behaviour, not to game an ideal persona.

14. During SJT practice, two actions both seem partially effective. Best approach?

A. Rate them identically without reading the scale. B. Use the provided effectiveness scale and judge each action independently. C. Always rate the longest action as most effective. D. Leave scenarios blank.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: College guidance encourages independent ratings against the supplied scale for each action.

Written-exercise style information use

Use only the brief facts given. Do not invent extra policing knowledge.

Brief facts for 15-22: A community centre reports youth gatherings after 9pm causing noise. A residents’ group email alleges drug dealing without evidence. Local councillors ask for options that keep relationships constructive. A duty sergeant note asks for a clear written summary of known facts versus allegations.

15. Which statement belongs in a “known facts” section?

A. “Drug dealing is definitely occurring.” B. “The community centre reports youth gatherings after 9pm causing noise.” C. “All youths are criminals.” D. “Councillors want the problem ignored.”

Correct answer: B

Explanation: Only the documented centre report is a supplied fact; the other options add unsupported judgement.

16. Which statement should be labelled as allegation / unverified?

A. The centre’s noise complaint as reported. B. The email claim of drug dealing without supporting evidence in the brief. C. The request for a written summary. D. The existence of a residents’ email.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: Drug dealing is alleged in the email but not evidenced in the supplied materials.

17. Which next step best fits collaboration and critical analysis using only the brief?

A. Publicly name private individuals online as dealers. B. Propose checking facts with partners, recording evidence carefully, and engaging community stakeholders constructively. C. Ignore the centre. D. Cancel all youth work city-wide.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Critical analysis and collaboration use verified information and partnership working without overreach.

18. Why is inventing “usual police procedure” from memory risky in a written exercise of this educational type?

A. Spelling is the main scored element. B. Official OAP guidance stresses using only information provided and not adding invented material. C. Longer answers always score higher regardless of content. D. You must quote statutes from memory.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: College written-exercise guidance prohibits inventing information beyond the four supplied items.

19. Brief facts for 19-22: A shopkeeper email says a teenager stole sweets. CCTV stills show someone near the door but faces are unclear. A youth worker reports the teenager volunteers at the centre and was there until 8:50pm. The manager wants risks and unknowns flagged before any contact.

**Which line is safest as a stated fact?

A. “The teenager definitely stole sweets.” B. “The shopkeeper reports sweets were taken and provides unclear CCTV stills.” C. “The youth worker is lying.” D. “The teenager has a criminal record.”

Correct answer: B

Explanation: The allegation and limited CCTV quality are in the brief; guilt and motives are not established.

20. From the same brief, which belongs in an “unknowns / to verify” section?

A. Whether the person in the stills can be reliably identified. B. That the teenager is guilty beyond doubt. C. That all shopkeepers are biased. D. That CCTV never helps investigations.

Correct answer: A

Explanation: Identification is explicitly uncertain from unclear stills and should be flagged for verification.

21. Which written tone best matches impartiality using only the brief?

A. Label the teenager a thief in the opening sentence. B. Separate reported allegations, witness timing, and evidence limits neutrally. C. Attack the shopkeeper’s motives. D. Recommend punishment before any checks.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Impartial summaries distinguish allegations, evidence quality and timelines without prejudging outcomes.

22. Copying a paragraph from a previous job application into the Tazio written box is:

A. Encouraged to save time. B. Not accepted and may lead to automatic failure per public candidate guidance. C. Required for consistency. D. Scored for creativity.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: Current College guidance states copy-and-paste from another application is not accepted on the platform.

Briefing-exercise style prioritisation

23. You receive conflicting reports: (1) aggressive begging outside a shop, (2) a missing child description just circulated locally by a parent, (3) a parking dispute. With only this educational brief, which issue usually deserves the most immediate safeguarding attention?

A. Parking dispute alone. B. Missing child report. C. Aggressive begging before anything else regardless of child report. D. Waiting until morning for everything.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: A missing child report typically carries the highest immediate safeguarding urgency in this brief.

24. When briefing about building positive community relationships after a tense local meeting, which approach is most constructive?

A. Dismiss every resident concern as stupid. B. Acknowledge feelings, separate facts from rumour, invite practical next steps, and avoid over-promising. C. Promise outcomes you cannot deliver. D. Share confidential case details to sound informed.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Public briefing guidance highlights relationship-building through empathy, clarity and realistic commitments.

25. A partner agency gives incomplete information mid-scenario. Best critical analysis behaviour?

A. Fill gaps with assumptions presented as fact. B. Note what is unknown, ask clarifying questions, and avoid overclaiming. C. Accuse the partner publicly on social media. D. Close the file immediately without follow-up.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Critical analysis requires acknowledging gaps rather than inventing facts or abandoning proportionate follow-up.

26. During a timed verbal response window, what is usually better?

A. A long, unstructured story with no outcome. B. A concise structured answer tied to the asked value or competency with a clear result. C. Reading a pre-written script from another device (prohibited in official guidance). D. Silence for the full response period.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Official guidance favours clear, specific answers within the recording window without prohibited scripts.

27. Official briefing guidance describes how many questions in total?

A. 5 B. 8 C. 12 D. 20

Correct answer: C

Explanation: Public College materials state candidates must answer all 12 briefing questions across three parts.

28. In part two of the briefing exercise, official guidance indicates you will receive:

A. No new information. B. New information to consider before answering further questions. C. Your final force interview date. D. A numerical reasoning test.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: Parts two and three introduce additional scenario information before the next question sets.

29. A friend offers to sit beside you and coach live answers during CBI recording. Best integrity choice?

A. Accept. B. Refuse; official guidance requires completing exercises alone without prohibited outside help. C. Record once with coaching then deny it. D. Post the friend’s tips publicly with candidate IDs.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Completing exercises alone is mandatory; coaching during recording risks automatic failure.

30. You finish part one of the briefing exercise and feel rushed. Best time-management habit?

A. Skip remaining parts to submit early. B. Use thinking time to structure points, stay within provided facts, and complete all parts. C. Read unrelated news for context. D. Open a second device to research local law.

Most defensible response: B

Explanation: Official guidance requires answering all questions using only preparation materials, without external research.

Process literacy, ethics and platform rules

31. Official candidate guidance emphasises that prior policing knowledge is not required for the online assessment exercises. Implication for preparation?

A. Memorise the full criminal code first. B. Focus on clear communication, values, using given materials, and following platform rules. C. Skip reading the candidate guide. D. Practise physical restraint techniques for the online stage.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: Success depends on CVF behaviours and information discipline, not memorising police law.

32. Spelling and grammar in the College of Policing written exercise are publicly described as:

A. The main scored element. B. Not assessed, to keep the exercise fair across devices. C. Marked by AI only with automatic fail below 90%. D. Worth half the pass mark.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: College guidance explicitly states spelling and grammar are not assessed in the written exercise.

33. National regulations and College materials describe a standardised pathway including application, sift, online assessment, and later force interview. Your first preparation step should be:

A. Guess Met-only SEARCH formats from old forums. B. Read your force invitation and the current College candidate guide. C. Ignore sift results. D. Buy any European police exam book.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: Force invitations and the live College guide define deadlines, sift type and exercise rules.

34. After submitting exercises, confirmation emails and a 100% dashboard status matter because:

A. They are optional folklore. B. Public guidance uses them to confirm successful submission before waiting for force results timelines. C. They replace the force interview. D. They publish your scores immediately to social media.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: Current platform guidance points candidates to confirmation emails and 100% dashboard status to verify submission.

35. Evidence that pre-prepared notes were brought into an exercise may lead to:

A. A bonus mark for preparation. B. Automatic failure reviewed by the Quality Assurance team under the Code of Ethics policy. C. An extra retake on the same day with no review. D. Automatic transfer to another force.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: College automatic-fail policy covers unfair advantage, including pre-prepared notes or scripts.

Official resources

• College of Policing: Online assessment process candidate guide
• College of Policing: Online assessment process overview
• College of Policing: Joining the police
• College of Policing: Competency and Values Framework (CVF)
• College of Policing: Police constable recruitment regulations change

Related guides

• UK Assessment Tests
• Police Scotland Entrance Test (PSET)
• Police Fast Track
• Situational Judgment Test
• Prison Officer Assessment

FAQ

Next steps

Return to the UK Assessment Tests hub for more British employer, public-service and graduate-scheme guides. If you are applying in Scotland or pursuing Fast Track as a serving officer, use the related guides above instead of treating this page as interchangeable.