Police Chiefs Association Police Officer Exam Scoring: FAQs
When and how can I get my exam results?
You will receive your results as soon as possible – generally results are available within a few days of the test. When available, you can find your score on the PoliceApp Dashboard upon logging in to the site.
I'm not happy with my score. Do I have to wait the duration of the six months for my score to expire, or or can I retake the exam at any time?
You can retake the CPCA police officer exam at any time. However, the $95 exam fee is applicable even if your current score has not yet expired.
If I take a second CPCA exam and I score higher than on my first exam, will my higher score replace my lower score?
After you take your second exam, your higher score will replace your lower score going forward.
If a position you applied to before taking a second test is still open, PoliceApp will update the hiring department with your new, higher score.
However, depending on where the department is in the hiring process, you may have already been ruled out on the basis of your first exam score. Departments are not obligated to re-consider you in this situation. Should you apply to the same department again in the future, only your highest exam score will be considered.
Can I renew my CPCA application after my six-month eligibility period ends?
After your application eligibility period has ended, you may renew your eligibility by taking the written exam again and paying a full $95 application fee. Your eligibility will not be automatically renewed.
What is considered a “high” score on the CPCA police officer exam?
You are competing against everyone else taking the examination and/or those who have taken the test in the last six months. We recently administered an examination for 286 applicants, of which only six candidates scored >90%, and 69 candidates scored >80%. However, a large number of candidates are eliminated during the CHIP testing and background investigations. Therefore it is not unusual for a department to move substantially down the list to find a qualified candidate.
Remember, the written examination can’t test for the intrinsic qualities we are seeking – honesty, good character, an outstanding work ethic, and excellent written and oral communication skills. Policing is not for everyone. It is not a job or a career; it’s a “calling.” We are looking for people who wish to live a life of service to their community. People who have these qualities are difficult to find, which is one of the reasons the selection process is multi-tiered.
Why can’t I review my test results to find out which questions I got wrong?
It is not our role to prepare you for future tests, nor to provide you with a test analysis. There are many resources available on the web to help prepare you to excel in entry-level police exams. Many of the books available have hundreds of practice test questions which offer a detailed analysis of each multiple choice question and why a specific answer is the correct answer. At the very least, entry level police tests examine your critical thinking ability, reasoning, ethics, basic math skills, ability to separate the important from the unimportant, common sense, grammar, and reading comprehension.