Police Online Assessment
Tech and Adjustments
What device, system and browser you need for the national sift and the online assessment process, what to do if the technology fails, and how reasonable adjustments and accommodations work, including the College of Policing's full extra time table. Facts here come from College guidance and legislation read on 1 October 2026.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 1 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Tell the force you are applying to, ideally in your application. It sends a request form and asks for supporting information, best of all a specialist's report. Agreed OAC extra time ranges from 15% to 50% and lengthens thinking time, not the 5-minute and 3-minute answer windows. The national sift is untimed, so it has no extra time. Ask for any review before you sit.
The national sift and the OAC at a glance
Since 17 March 2026, regulation 10 of the Police Regulations 2003 requires candidates for appointment as a constable in England and Wales (other than transferees) to pass the national sift test and the online assessment process to the standard set by the College of Policing, before an in-person interview with the force. Both online stages are taken at home on your own equipment, but they run on different systems with different support teams and different rules on time. This page covers only the practical side: kit, technical problems and adjustments. For what the exercises involve, read the online assessment centre explained and the national sift guide.
| Online assessment process (OAC) | National sift | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Tazio. Personal link by email on the first day of your window; no username or password. | Not named in the guidance. Technical support is a Talogy email address. |
| Timing | Timed exercises. Deadline 11.59pm on the date your force gives you. | Untimed. Seven-day window once invited; SJT and BSQ. |
| Devices allowed | Laptop, desktop, tablet or mobile with speakers, microphone and camera. | Laptop, desktop, tablet or mobile. |
| Recommended device | Laptop, desktop or tablet where possible, especially for the written exercise. | No recommendation given. |
| Technical support | 'Technical support' button (Tazio support page), 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, response within 15 minutes; chatbot outside hours. | supportservicesintl@talogy.com, 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays, response within four support hours. |
| If the connection drops | Do not finish the exercise; contact support. A retake may be granted. | Reopen the exercises from the link in your invitation email. |
| Extra time | 15%, 25%, 30%, 33%, 40% or 50%, if agreed as a reasonable adjustment. | None, because the exercises are untimed. |
| Breaks | Between exercises only. Once an exercise starts you must finish it within the time allowed. | Between questions and exercises; pause and return up to ten times in the seven days. |
| Built-in accessibility | Recite Me toolbar for every candidate. | Zoom to 300%, keyboard navigation, text-to-speech (NVDA suggested), colour changes. |
The College's guidance covers police constable, special constable, PCSO and detective constable degree holder entry programme (DHEP) applicants. Its policy lists the national sift and in-force interview for PCSO and special constable recruitment, so check with your force which stages apply to you. Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland run separate recruitment processes and are not covered here.
Can you do the police online assessment on a phone?
Yes, but it is not the College's first choice. The online assessment candidate guide says you need "a laptop, desktop computer, tablet or mobile device" with speakers, a microphone and a webcam or built-in camera, and that where possible it recommends a laptop, desktop or tablet. The College's walkthrough video goes further, recommending a desktop, laptop or tablet "especially for the written exercise", which asks you to type a full written response while reading four items of information shown alongside the task.
- Camera and microphone matter. The interview and briefing exercise are video-recorded answers. Before each, Tazio takes you through a camera and microphone test and an identification photo, which forces use to confirm your identity.
- Stable video streaming. The College says you need a stable connection able to stream video reliably, and suggests an Ethernet cable if your Wi-Fi is weak or you are unsure.
- Power and notifications. Put the device on do not disturb, and have it fully charged or plugged in.
- Your own set-up is allowed. The adjustments guide says every candidate can use their own equipment to meet their needs without asking, for example a larger monitor, or a touch-screen device if a condition or injury affects using a mouse.
For the national sift, the College says both exercises can be completed on a laptop, desktop computer, tablet or mobile device. It does not recommend one over another.
The College does not assess spelling or grammar in the written exercise, because candidates use different devices and some have spell-check while others do not. That removes one worry about phones, but not the practical one of writing a long, structured answer on a small screen. More on the task in the written exercise explained.
Supported systems and browsers (and the Safari confusion)
The current list comes from the "General technical guidance" section of the College's online assessment candidate guide, updated 21 July 2026. Many older guides online still repeat a 2022 College FAQ written when the OAC ran on a different platform. The two lists differ, most visibly on Safari.
| Requirement | Current (College guide, July 2026) | Outdated (2022 FAQ v2.2, previous platform) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating systems | Apple macOS and iOS, Microsoft Windows, Google Android OS, common Linux distributions | Windows 7 or higher, Mac OS 11.0 or higher, iOS 8.0 or later, Android 4.1 and up |
| Browsers | Latest and long term support (LTS) versions of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari | Latest Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. Internet Explorer and Safari not supported |
| Updates | Install any waiting device updates before you sit; keep browsers updated | Check for waiting updates |
| Hardware | Speakers, microphone, webcam or built-in camera | Webcam and microphone |
| Support | Tazio support page via the 'technical support' button, 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday | Previous platform support, 24/7 |
Points to take from the current guide:
- Safari is supported now. The July 2026 guide lists Chrome, Edge and Safari. Ignore any advice not to use Safari that relies on the 2022 document.
- Firefox is not on the current OAC list. The College's adjustments guide recommends NVDA "works best on Firefox", but that sentence is in its national sift section. For the OAC, use one of the three browsers the guide names.
- No minimum version numbers are published. The guide asks for the latest or long term support browser versions and an up-to-date device, and warns that outdated browsers may not work.
- One exercise, one tab, one device. Do not close, refresh or press back during an exercise, as you will lose your response, and do not open several exercise links at once or across devices, which the College says will cause unsuccessful submission.
For the national sift, the College's guidance does not publish an operating system or browser list. If you are asked for an access code when you open the sift link, the College says to clear your browser's cache, cookies and temporary files and click the link again.
The no-second-device rule
The College's guide says you must not use a second device to help you during the OAC. A second device is "any electronic item capable of displaying, generating or transmitting information", including mobile phones, tablets, laptops, second monitors, smart speakers, smartwatches and similar tools. Other than the device you are using, none should be within sight, within reach or active while you complete the assessment.
- If you sit the OAC on your phone, the phone is your one device. Other devices still need to be out of sight and reach, and switched off or inactive.
- A second monitor counts. If you normally work with two screens, disconnect or switch one off.
- Assistive technology you are entitled to use (for example screen readers or magnifiers on the device you are using) is covered separately in the tools you can use section.
- You must complete each exercise on your own, with no additional support, and you cannot use notes prepared beforehand. You can make notes during the exercises in the ways the guide describes, then must securely destroy them and not share them.
The College's automatic fail policy covers acting to obtain an unfair advantage. Its quality assurance team reviews the evidence, and an automatic fail means failing regardless of your performance, with no appeal. The guide says evidence of prepared notes "may result in" an automatic failure. Clearing the room is the simplest protection.
What to do if the technology fails
The College is explicit: if you have technical difficulties during the OAC, contact the platform straight away and do not finish the exercise. Its walkthrough video says technical problems are rare but can affect sound, video or both.
- Stop. Do not press 'continue' or submit to get past the problem. In the written exercise, the guide says if you have system issues, do not complete the exercise.
- Click 'technical support' at the bottom of the Tazio screen. It opens the College's assessment support page (on Zendesk) where you can chat to the technical team or submit a request. Support runs 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with a response expected within 15 minutes; a chatbot covers other hours.
- Note what happened. Write down the time, the exercise and question, your device and browser, and what you saw. The College's 2022 FAQ asked for your name, force, device and browser, the exercise and a brief explanation; that remains useful information to give.
- Email the College if your assessment was affected. Write to recruit@college.police.uk, stating your recruiting force and full name. The guide says issues not fully resolved by your deadline will still be dealt with.
- Watch for retake emails. If a technical issue affected you, including one you were not aware of, you may be granted a retake. Add police.assessments@notifications.service.gov.uk to your safe senders and check your junk folder. The College's video says it may ask you to retake the affected questions.
- Tell your force quickly. Concerns about something that happened during the assessment go to your recruiting force, and a written appeal with evidence must reach the force's recruiting department within 24 hours of taking the assessment. You cannot appeal after receiving your result.
For the national sift, if your connection drops, reopen the exercises from the link in your invitation email. Technical support is by email to supportservicesintl@talogy.com, 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays, with a response within four support hours. You can also contact recruit@college.police.uk if a technical issue affected your sift.
- Install waiting updates and restart, then update your browser.
- Add support@tazio.co.uk to your safe senders so the invite and messages arrive. If the invite has not arrived by 5pm on the opening day, contact your force or recruit@college.police.uk.
- Only click into an exercise when you have time to finish it. Once you select 'start assessment', it counts as your attempt and cannot be restarted.
- If you plan to use Recite Me or other software, try it on the dashboard first.
Reasonable adjustments and accommodations: the difference
The College uses two terms, and the difference decides whether you need to apply. Its guide says you may be entitled to either if you have any condition, temporary or otherwise, that might disadvantage you, naming pregnancy, injury and disability, including neurodiverse conditions.
| Reasonable adjustment | Accommodation | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Disabled people, or people with physical or mental health conditions, who would otherwise be disadvantaged (Equality Act 2010). | Conditions not defined as a disability, including short-term ones such as a back injury or pregnancy. |
| Do you need approval? | Yes. Requested through your force with supporting information, then agreed on a form. | Most can be applied by you without approval from the College or your force. |
| Examples | Extra time in the OAC (15% to 50%); access to assistive software you do not already have. | Breaks between exercises, blurring your own video, coloured overlays or lenses, changing screen colours, Recite Me. |
| Limit | Only adjustments that can be replicated in the role of police constable can be provided. | Must still fit the assessment rules, for example no breaks inside a started OAC exercise. |
Under section 6 of the Equality Act 2010, a person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Long-term means it has lasted, or is likely to last, at least 12 months, or for the rest of the person's life (Schedule 1, paragraph 2). The College's policy gives examples of conditions that can fall within the Act, including ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia, visual and hearing impairments, long-term illnesses, mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression or PTSD, mobility conditions and tic disorders.
The policy also recognises that some people with these conditions do not see themselves as "impaired" or "disabled", and uses the Act's words because they are the legal terms. If you are not sure whether your condition is a disability under the Act, the College says to contact your recruiting force, and encourages you to apply even if you are unsure. You do not need to know exactly which adjustment you need.
How to request a reasonable adjustment, step by step
This is the process set out in the College's adjustments guide and policy. Your force runs it, so timings and paperwork can differ locally.
- Tell your force early. The guide says to inform your chosen force in your application. The policy warns that a request made too close to the assessment may limit what can be put in place.
- Complete the request form. The force provides a reasonable adjustment and accommodation request form to fill in and return.
- Send supporting information. Evidence of how your condition affects you (see the next section). You will be asked to declare it is true and correct, and you may redact personal details that are not relevant.
- The force reviews it. Some forces ask the College's assessment specialists for advice, in which case your information may be shared internally; this is explained on the request form.
- Agree or decline. If you accept what is offered, return the candidate agreement form. If you decide not to go ahead, complete the disclaimer form. Both come from the force.
- The force records it. The force updates the College's assessment information system (AIMS), and the adjustment is applied to your online assessment. You do not need to do anything else.
- If you disagree, ask for a review before you sit. Contact your force. The policy says a review checks whether the procedure and policy criteria were applied correctly; it is not a fresh evaluation of your evidence.
- Repeat for each assessment. The policy says to submit a new request for each new assessment or resit.
The College tests "reasonableness" against whether the adjustment meets your needs, whether it can be implemented in the assessment and in the working environment, whether it would change the criteria being assessed (for example, skipping part of an exercise would), and whether its cost and logistics are achievable. Only adjustments that can be replicated in the role of police constable can be provided.
The College's guide says candidates "may not appeal on the grounds of reasonable adjustments and/or accommodations offered" if they are unsuccessful, and that this is set out on the request form. If you think what you have been offered is not enough, raise it through your force before you start.
What supporting information is accepted
The College asks for evidence of the substantial and long-term adverse effect your condition has on normal day-to-day activities. Where requests are not approved at first, it says this is usually because more supporting information is needed, and that it or your force will tell you why and what further evidence would help.
| Evidence | How the College treats it |
|---|---|
| Formal assessment report by a professional specialist with clear recommendations | The College calls this the most effective and reliable supporting information. |
| Diagnostic report completed before age 16 | Accepted. |
| Screening test report on its own (Lucid, LADS, QuickScreen, QuickScan, Dyslexia Adult Screening Test, Bangor Dyslexia Test) | Not accepted by itself. Accepted as part of a workplace adjustment report by a qualified person. |
| Exam access arrangements from education (for example Form 8), Disabled Students' Allowance report, study aid or study strategies report | Listed as alternatives that can be submitted for consideration. |
| Workplace adjustment passport; occupational health report | Listed as alternatives that can be submitted for consideration. |
| Letter from a medical practitioner | Can be considered. It should set out the condition, the challenges (for example which processes are affected) and their impact (for example needing longer or needing breaks). |
| Evidence while waiting for a neurodivergence diagnosis | Alternative evidence from a suitably qualified person, such as an occupational or educational psychologist, a specialist teacher or assessor, a level 4 trained dyslexia assessor, or a medical practitioner. |
- Recommendations help. The policy says it is useful if the evidence recommends what would support you in an exam or assessment. Without recommendations, adjustments are discussed with you, and are likely to be ones that have helped others with similar conditions.
- Cost. The College says it will not meet the cost of any supporting information, including assessments, reports or translations. Ask your force whether it can help; we could not confirm any force policy on this.
- Your data. Access is limited to people who need it to set up your adjustment, and personal data is destroyed after a set period, which is one reason you must apply again for a resit.
The OAC extra time table
Extra time is the most common adjustment for the online assessment process. The College offers 15%, 25%, 30%, 33%, 40% or 50%, decided individually. Its appendix shows what each level means. The pattern is the same throughout: extra time is added to thinking and preparation time, while the answer windows stay at 300 seconds in the interview and 180 seconds in the briefing exercise. Instructions are untimed for everyone, so no extra time is given for reading them.
| Extra time | CBI thinking time per question | CBI answer time | CBI approximate total | Written exercise approximate time and limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 60 s | 300 s | about 40 min | about 40 min (plus about 10 min reading instructions); 120 min limit |
| 15% | 69 s | 300 s | about 42 min | about 46 min; 120 min limit |
| 25% | 75 s | 300 s | about 44 min | about 50 min; 120 min limit |
| 30% | 78 s | 300 s | about 44 min | about 52 min; 120 min limit |
| 33% | 80 s | 300 s | about 45 min | about 53 min; 120 min limit |
| 40% | 84 s | 300 s | about 46 min | about 56 min; 120 min limit |
| 50% | 90 s | 300 s | about 47 min | about 60 min; 120 min limit |
| Extra time | Preparation reading (untimed, not assessed) | Thinking time per question | Answer time | Question stage (12 questions) | Approximate total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | about 10 min | 60 s | 180 s | about 50 min | about 60 min |
| 15% | about 11 min 30 s | 69 s | 180 s | about 52 min | about 70 min |
| 25% | about 12 min 30 s | 75 s | 180 s | about 53 min | about 72 min |
| 30% | about 13 min | 78 s | 180 s | about 54 min | about 74 min |
| 33% | about 13 min 30 s | 80 s | 180 s | about 54 min | about 75 min |
| 40% | about 14 min | 84 s | 180 s | about 55 min | about 76 min |
| 50% | about 15 min | 90 s | 180 s | about 56 min | about 79 min |
Reading the tables:
- The standard row comes from the College's online assessment candidate guide; the other rows from the adjustments guide appendix. All figures except the answer windows and the 120-minute limit are approximate.
- The College's approximate briefing totals do not equal the sum of the parts. Its candidate guide says time beyond the thinking and answer windows is spent watching the video questions and moving through the platform, which helps explain the gap.
- The written exercise limit is 120 minutes for every candidate. Extra time changes the College's estimate of how long the task takes, not the limit.
- The College's walkthrough video shows a 'skip thinking time' button, so you can start recording before your thinking time runs out.
Our free mock interview practice mode gives you example questions, an OAC mode and a 3-minute timer, which matches the briefing exercise answer window. Interview answers get 5 minutes, so time those yourself. If you have extra time, practise with your own thinking time from the table above. Personal feedback on your own answers is a paid option; the practice mode is free.
Adjustments for the national sift
The national sift's two exercises (the situational judgement test and the behavioural styles questionnaire) are untimed, so the College does not offer extra time for them. Its national sift guidance gives an expected time of about 45 minutes for the SJT and 20 minutes for the BSQ; its adjustments guide appendix says about 50 minutes overall. Neither is a limit.
- Breaks and pauses. You can take self-facilitated breaks between questions and exercises. The adjustments guide says you can pause and come back up to ten times during the seven-day window.
- Time out. The home screen times out after 20 minutes of inactivity, so plan breaks with that in mind.
- Accommodations you manage yourself. Text-to-speech software (NVDA recommended, best on Firefox), coloured overlays or changed screen and text colours, zoom up to 300%, and keyboard navigation for most of the site. No permission is needed.
- Other support. If you think you may be disadvantaged for another reason, the College says to contact the force you are applying to.
The College still recommends completing each sift exercise in one sitting if possible. If breaks help you, the rules allow them. More on the exercises in the SJT guide and the BSQ guide.
Software and accommodations you can use without asking
Several forms of support need no request. The College lists these for every candidate:
- Taking the assessment in a suitable environment of your choice, using your own equipment and set-up.
- Breaks between OAC exercises. Once you start an exercise, you must finish it within the time allowed.
- Platform features such as navigation tools, flagging questions and note-making functions.
- Blurring your own camera view in the interview and briefing exercise if seeing yourself is distracting. The video assessors receive is not blurred.
- Visual stress support: your own coloured overlay or lenses, or changing your device's background colour through browser settings or an app.
Recite Me is an accessibility toolbar available to every OAC candidate. Open it from the 'accessibility' button at the bottom of the platform. It offers text-to-speech with rewind and skip, font and size changes, colour themes, a reading ruler, a screen mask, a magnifier and a page structure view. The College suggests trying it on the dashboard before starting. If you practise on the Recite Me website first, the dictionary and change language features are not available on the assessment platform.
Your own assistive software. You can use text-to-speech software you already have to read instructions and materials, and speech-to-text software you already have to dictate the written exercise, without permission. The College has tested and approved these for the platform:
- NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA), Narrator and JAWS (desktop screen readers)
- Windows Magnifier and Apple Zoom (magnifiers)
- Android TalkBack and iOS VoiceOver (mobile screen readers)
- Dragon (speech recognition). Dictate directly into the platform's response box, not into the Dragon software.
Text-to-speech and speech-to-text are not needed for the interview and briefing exercise, because questions are read aloud and you answer verbally. If you need software you do not have, contact your force; the College says such requests may be treated as reasonable adjustment requests.
Adjustments for the in-force interview
The in-person interview is run by your force, so adjustments go through the force too. The College's guide says you may receive extra time, which could include extra preparation time and extra time to answer questions, and accommodations; it says to contact the force, which will help. It refers to an "in-force interview candidate preparation guide", but we could not find a public College copy. Forces issue their own interview information.
Formats vary by force, which affects which adjustments are relevant. For example, Devon and Cornwall Police's 2024 preparation document describes 10 minutes of preparation with the questions and pen and paper, while Derbyshire's 2022 guide describes a conversational panel interview of about 45 minutes. Check your own force's instructions, and see the in-person police interview explained and what to bring (including any adjustment paperwork).
What people get wrong
Myth
"With extra time I get longer to answer each interview question."
What the College says
Extra time lengthens thinking time (for example 90 seconds at 50%). The answer window stays 300 seconds in the interview and 180 seconds in the briefing exercise.
Myth
"25% extra time means two and a half hours for the written exercise."
What the College says
The limit is 120 minutes for all candidates. The tables only raise the approximate time expected.
Myth
"I can ask for extra time on the national sift."
What the College says
The sift is untimed, so there is no extra time. You can pause and come back up to ten times in the seven-day window.
Myth
"An online dyslexia screening result is enough evidence."
What the College says
Screening test reports on their own are not accepted; a specialist assessment is the most reliable evidence, and there are named alternatives, including if you are on a waiting list.
Myth
"Safari does not work for the OAC."
What the College says
That came from a 2022 FAQ about the previous platform. The July 2026 guide lists Chrome, Edge and Safari.
Myth
"If the video freezes, finish anyway and appeal later."
What the College says
Do not finish the exercise; contact technical support. Written appeals must reach your force within 24 hours of the assessment, and not after your result.
Myth
"Using a screen reader or Recite Me needs permission."
What the College says
Recite Me is available to everyone, and your own assistive software can be used without permission. Only new software you need provided goes through your force.
Myth
"My adjustment from last time will carry over to my resit."
What the College says
Submit a new request for each new assessment or resit. Support can differ between assessments.
Myth
"Assessors will see my diagnosis."
What the College says
The OAC guide says assessors only know your name and email address and have not seen any other information about you. Access to adjustment information is limited to those setting up your support.
Who to contact, and what to ask
| Situation | First contact | Then |
|---|---|---|
| Requesting a reasonable adjustment or accommodation | Your force's police recruitment team first | recruit@college.police.uk if you need further guidance |
| Unsure whether your condition counts as a disability | Your recruiting force | recruit@college.police.uk |
| Asking for a review of an adjustment decision | Your recruiting force, before the assessment | Not stated |
| OAC invite not received by 5pm on the opening day | Your recruiting force | recruit@college.police.uk |
| Technical problem during the OAC | 'Technical support' button on Tazio | recruit@college.police.uk with your force and full name |
| Technical problem during the national sift | supportservicesintl@talogy.com | recruit@college.police.uk; sift content queries to your force |
| Interruption that heavily affected you | recruit@college.police.uk | Not stated |
| Adjustments for the in-force interview | The force you are applying to | Not stated |
- What is your deadline for adjustment requests before my sift and OAC window?
- Which forms do you need, and in what format should evidence be sent?
- Does my agreed adjustment cover each stage, including the in-force interview?
- Will you seek advice from the College's assessment specialists on my request?
- If my evidence is not enough, what extra information would help?
- Can my window be moved if I need time to get evidence?
- Device updated, one of Chrome, Edge or Safari up to date, camera and microphone working.
- Charger, quiet room, do not disturb on, other devices out of sight and reach.
- support@tazio.co.uk and police.assessments@notifications.service.gov.uk in safe senders.
- Recite Me or your own software tried on the dashboard.
- Your thinking time and answer windows known, including any extra time.
Our free OAC readiness check takes about two minutes and points to gaps in your interview, written and briefing preparation. It is a self-check, not an official assessment, and it does not predict a result. For a week-by-week approach, see the OAC preparation plan.
What we could not verify
- The College's national sift guidance does not name the sift platform. The only link to Talogy is the technical support email address, so we describe it that way.
- Whether Firefox works on Tazio. It is not on the current OAC browser list; the Firefox recommendation in the adjustments guide is for NVDA on the national sift.
- Minimum operating system or browser versions for the OAC, and any device or browser list for the national sift. The current guidance does not publish them; the 2022 version numbers relate to a previous platform.
- Deadlines for submitting adjustment requests. The College's policy says timeframes exist but does not publish them; ask your force.
- Whether a reasonable adjustment agreed for the national sift automatically applies to the OAC. The policy says to submit a new request for each new assessment; confirm with your force.
- How quickly a technical retake is issued, and whether it covers a whole exercise or only the affected questions in every case. The College's video refers to retaking "the affected questions".
- Whether Tazio support runs on bank holidays. The OAC guide says 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and does not mention bank holidays.
- Whether any force pays for diagnostic assessments or reports. The College says it does not.
- A public copy of the College's "in-force interview candidate preparation guide". Forces publish their own information.
This page summarises College of Policing guidance read on 1 October 2026. It is not advice about your own circumstances or condition, and processes vary by force. For your application, contact your force recruitment team first, and recruit@college.police.uk if you need further guidance, as the College suggests. Read the adjustments guide, policy, OAC candidate guide and national sift guidance for the official wording.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I do the police online assessment on my phone?
Yes. The College of Policing says the online assessment process (OAC) can be taken on a laptop, desktop, tablet or mobile device with speakers, a microphone and a camera, but it recommends a laptop, desktop or tablet where possible, especially for the written exercise. Both national sift exercises can also be completed on a laptop, desktop, tablet or mobile device.
What are the technical requirements for the police OAC?
The July 2026 College guide lists Apple macOS and iOS, Microsoft Windows, Google Android and common Linux distributions; the latest and long term support versions of Chrome, Edge and Safari; a stable connection (Ethernet if your Wi-Fi is weak); installed updates; a webcam or built-in camera, microphone and speakers; and do not disturb mode. You also take an ID photo before the exercises.
Is Safari supported for the police online assessment?
Yes, on the current guidance. The College's online assessment candidate guide (updated 21 July 2026) lists Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Apple Safari. An older 2022 College FAQ, written for a previous platform, said Safari was not supported. That document is out of date.
What is Tazio in the police assessment?
Tazio is the online platform the College of Policing uses for the online assessment process (the competency-based interview, written exercise and briefing exercise). You get a personal link by email on the first day of your window and do not need a username or password. Technical support is reached from the 'technical support' button on the platform.
How much extra time do you get on the police OAC for dyslexia?
There is no fixed amount for any condition. The College lists extra time options of 15%, 25%, 30%, 33%, 40% and 50%, decided individually from the supporting information you give your force. Extra time lengthens the thinking time in the interview and briefing exercise (for example 75 seconds instead of 60 at 25%); the 5-minute and 3-minute answer windows stay the same.
Does extra time apply to the OAC written exercise?
The written exercise has a hard limit of 120 minutes for every candidate, with or without extra time. The College's extra time tables raise the approximate time it expects the exercise to take (for example from about 40 to about 50 minutes at 25%), but the two-hour limit does not change.
Can I get extra time on the police national sift?
No. The College says both national sift exercises are untimed, so extra time is not offered as a reasonable adjustment. Instead you can take self-facilitated breaks, and the College's adjustments guide says you can pause and come back up to ten times during the seven-day completion window.
How do I request reasonable adjustments for the police online assessment?
Tell the force you are applying to in your application. The force gives you a reasonable adjustment and accommodation request form and asks for supporting information. If an adjustment is offered, you return a candidate agreement form (or a disclaimer form if you decline it), and the force records the agreed adjustment on the College's system. If you are unsure, contact your force or recruit@college.police.uk.
Is a dyslexia screening test enough evidence for a reasonable adjustment?
Not on its own. The College's policy says it cannot accept screening test reports by themselves (it names Lucid and Lucid LADS, QuickScreen and QuickScan, the Dyslexia Adult Screening Test and the Bangor Dyslexia Test), but accepts screening tests as part of a workplace adjustment report by a qualified person. Diagnostic reports completed before age 16 are accepted, and there are alternatives if you are on a waiting list.
What happens if I have technical issues during the police OAC?
Do not finish the exercise. Click 'technical support' at the bottom of the screen to reach the College's Tazio support page (8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, response expected within 15 minutes, chatbot outside those hours). You can also email recruit@college.police.uk with your recruiting force and full name. If a technical fault affected you, you may be granted a retake.
Can I have my phone in the room during the police online assessment?
Not within sight, within reach or switched on. The College says no electronic device other than the one you are using should be within sight, within reach or active, and lists phones, tablets, laptops, second monitors, smart speakers and smartwatches. If your phone is the device you are taking the assessment on, that is the only device allowed.
Can I use a screen reader or Dragon in the police assessment?
Yes. The College says you can use your own text-to-speech or speech-to-text software without permission, and lists NVDA, Narrator, Windows Magnifier, Apple Zoom, Android TalkBack, iOS VoiceOver, JAWS and Dragon as tested and approved for the platform. With Dragon, dictate straight into the platform's response box. Recite Me is also built into the OAC platform for everyone.
Can I appeal if my reasonable adjustment request is refused?
You can ask for a review, through your recruiting force, before your assessment. The review checks whether the policy and procedure were applied correctly; it is not a fresh look at the evidence. The College says you cannot appeal on the grounds of the adjustments offered if you are unsuccessful, so raise concerns before you sit.
Do I need to ask for adjustments again for a resit?
Yes. The College's policy says to submit a new request for each new assessment or resit, partly because reasonable adjustment data is destroyed after a set period under data retention policies, and partly because needs and formats change. Your previous support may not be the same next time.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 1 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- College of Policing: Reasonable adjustments and accommodations guide for online assessments candidates (updated 25 August 2026) — definitions, request and agreement forms, review before the assessment, no appeal on adjustments offered, extra time options and appendix tables, assistive software list, Recite Me, sift pauses, in-force interview (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Reasonable adjustments and accommodations policy (first published 5 August 2026) — Equality Act definition, reasonableness tests, supporting information, screening tests, alternatives when waiting for diagnosis, reviews, new request for each assessment or resit, contacts (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Online assessment process candidate guide (updated 21 July 2026) — Tazio, invite email, no second device, devices, operating systems, browsers, technical support hours, retakes, prepared notes, appeals within 24 hours, Recite Me (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: National sift candidate guidance (updated 1 June 2026) — devices for the sift, Talogy support email and hours, access code fix, untimed exercises and no extra time, self-managed accommodations, seven-day window (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Sift and online assessment process (updated 21 July 2026), including video transcripts — smartphone allowed but desktop, laptop or tablet recommended especially for the written exercise; camera and microphone setup; retakes of affected questions (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Equality Act 2010, section 6 — definition of disability: substantial and long-term adverse effect on normal day-to-day activities (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Equality Act 2010, Schedule 1, paragraph 2 — long-term means lasted or likely to last at least 12 months, or the rest of the person's life (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Police Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/527), regulation 10, latest revised text — since 17 March 2026, constable candidates must pass the national sift test and online assessment process to the College standard (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Devon and Cornwall Police: Force Interviews, Competency Values Framework preparation (2024) — one force's in-person interview format (10 minutes' preparation with the questions) (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Derbyshire Constabulary: In-force Interview Preparation Guide (2022) — another force's interview format (conversational panel, about 45 minutes) (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Online assessment process candidate FAQs v2.2 (2022, outdated) — historical only: the previous platform's browser list that excluded Safari (accessed 1 October 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with the College of Policing, the Home Office or any police force, and it does not recruit, vet or assess applicants. Recruitment standards, assessment formats and vetting decisions are set by the College of Policing and each force and change from time to time: check the force you are applying to before relying on anything here. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 1 October 2026.