Civil Service Exams. Best way to study?

[Buckfever]

I am thinking seriously of getting back into law enforcement. I have been out of it since 1995, but it is something that is with me everyday. It is the way that I conduct myself and live my life. They call me "Deputy Dog" at work because I have this stubborn point of view about following rules and the obeying the law thats seems to be different than alot of people.

I was in Federal Law Enforcement before, and I was an instructor in everything that you could be an instructor in. I was in counter-narcotics. I would be starting at the very bottom again, and I am ok with that. I am looking at Denton P.D. Retirement, and a stable job that you do not get laid off at is very appealing to me. I am 38, the cut off is 45 years old.

With my background I would not have to do the Police Academy, but I would have to take a paid, 120 hour Police Officer Familiarization course and be required to pass the state exam.

The thing that bugs me is that as a young man, I took a Civil Service Exam, to be a police officer in Lufkin, and I did not do well at all on it. Federally, I did not have to take one, and went into field work after going through Law Enforcment training.

Pay wise, it would be a lateral move for the first year, then an increase from there on out.

If I can study something, I can pass anything. Any ideas?

Dave in Denton

[Walker]

Yes there is. As a matter of fact I have a book. I ordered a Firefighters Civil service study guide and they sent me a Law Enforcement Edition instead. Let me take a good look at it tomorrow when I get home. If its what you want I'll take what I paid for it and I'll pay shipping. Where are you located??

[Buckfever]

I am in Denton. How much do you want for it?

Dave in Denton

[Walker]

Here is the book I got. Paid $17.85

http://amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-3908610-9587962?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=++The+Complete+Preparation+Guide%3A+Texas+State+Police+%28Learning+Express+Law+Enforcement+Series+Texas%29%22&Go.x=8&Go.y=9

[crittergitter]

before you buy the book see if denton gives the generic style test or if it is one of the civil service test where they give you a book to study

[hoythunter02]

I've taken two cse one ww/ HPD and one ww/ HFD. I made a 103 on HPD AND 99 on HFD w/ the 5 additional pts from military. I made the right decision and am noow a FF/EMT w/ HFD.

My point is you really dont need to study as it is mostly common sense and they make these tests for pretty mucch everyone to pass but every pt counts and can keep you seperated from the pack. Good luck.

[Buckfever]

ttt

[Landrover]

So......you can't go to a Federal Agency and skip the whole test process???

[Buckfever]

Generally with the Feds you have to be willing to geogaphically relocate. I faced that when I was accepted to the Air Marshal program. I had to pass on that one. I have traveled around the country most of my adult life due to jobs and the needs of the Gov't. It gets old. I have kids in school, and want to stay local.

Dave in Denton

[Tejas Raz]

Do as the others said, find out the particulars of the exam, but you already know most of it too. If you just have problems with taking exams, there's cures for that too.

Get that book. Go to the exam section. Find the correct answers section. Now go and use a black marks-a-lot and black-out all the INCORRECT answers in the exam section. You DO NOT want to see even one of those incorrect answers ever. The idea is to program the CORRECT answer into your brain housing group! Now read the book, study the questions and answers over and over and over. Do practice tests over and over and over. When the real exam date comes, you'll breeze through like you wouldn't believe.

Addendum... when you take an exam, do not spend more than 30 seconds on any one problem. Can't answer in 30 seconds? Move on to the next and keep smoking through them. When you have the easy one's done, THEN you come back for the stumpers. This will get you through the test with the highest score. If a question stumps you, you were going to have trouble with it anyway. Don't get stuck wasting time on them!

Also, most of the time your FIRST thoughts are the CORRECT thoughts for the answer. DO NOT THINK INTO THE QUESTIONS! BAD!!!


This method is specifically for folks who already know the material, but need to get past that test for getting their foot in the door. You'll still have to stand on what you know everyday, but it'll get you there!

[Deerhunter30]

Dave,
I am trying to make a career switch into law enforcement also. The only difference is that I don't have any past experience unless you count the thousands of episodes of Cops that I have watched over the years. The agency that I am applying with gave me the name of a company that gave their civil service exams and I bought some study material from them. You might ask the department that you are looking into about study material. I take the civil service test on July 17th. Good luck on your test!

[MichaelW]

Buckfever,

Is age 45 rather than 37 the cutoff becuase you were once in federal law enforcement?

If you are interested in the feds and want to stay local, you might look at federal agencies using the FCIP to hire. My understanding is, it is more of a locally hiring type program, where you are recruited and hired locally.

I have always been interested in law enforcement and wanted to do it on the federal level. I am currently working on becoming a Deputy Marshal for the US Marshals Service through the FCIP process. I have passed Washington, had the local interview, and am awaiting the next step.

[Walker]

Let me know if you want that book I have!

[Coonfinger]

Couple of tips.

1) If a answer has "always", "never" etc. that is not your answer and you can disregard it. Look for answers that have sometimes, maybe, words similar to these.

2) Go to the library and check out a civil service prep book. Look for the section that covers vocabulary and study that quite a bit.

The last guy that took me up on these tips raised his score 15 points.