Police Written Exercise
Practice Scenarios
Four original practice scenarios in the format the College of Policing describes: an urgent written task from your line manager and four items of information. Each comes with a planning grid, an outline of what a well-structured response covers and the weaker patterns to avoid, so you practise the thinking rather than copy a model answer.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 1 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
The College of Policing does not publish sample written exercises, so any example is unofficial. Below are four original practice scenarios in the published format: an urgent task for your line manager using four items of information, about 40 minutes to write within a 120-minute limit, spelling not assessed. Each has a planning outline showing what a strong response covers, not a script.
These scenarios were invented by PolicePay for practice. Places, people and figures are fictional. They are not College of Policing material, they are not endorsed by the College or any force, and they are not what will appear in your assessment. The format follows the College's candidate guide (updated 21 July 2026). The outlines are our reading of the Competency and Values Framework, not the College's marking guide, which is not published. Practising does not guarantee a result.
What these practice scenarios are, and are not
Searches for police written exercise examples usually come from candidates who have read the format and want something to practise on. The College's guidance tells you the task, the timings and the rules, but does not publish an example. This page gives you four complete practice scenarios in that format, each with:
- an urgent task email from your sergeant with three questions to answer in one response;
- four items of information, including the kind of gaps, assumptions and conflicts the exercise expects you to notice;
- a planning grid showing what each item tells you and does not tell you;
- an outline of what a well-structured response to each question covers, and the weaker patterns that miss marks in our view.
There are deliberately no full model answers. You cannot take prepared notes or scripts into the assessment, and evidence of them may result in an automatic fail. Your real scenario will be different. What transfers is the method: read carefully, plan, answer every question with reasons from the items, and treat people fairly.
The College says you must not note or record the assessment material, that any notes must be securely destroyed, and that sharing them with anybody, including other candidates, is a breach of integrity that could affect your chance of being recruited.
The written exercise format, checked 1 October 2026
The practice scenarios follow this format. If your force's guidance differs, follow your force.
| Element | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Your role | A police constable completing an urgent written task for your line manager. | College candidate guide |
| Information | Four items of information. On screen, the task is on the left and the four items on the right; the answer box is at the bottom. | College candidate guide; video transcript |
| Questions | Answer each question in the same response box. The current guide does not say how many. | College candidate guide |
| Timing | About 10 minutes to read the instructions, about 40 minutes to complete, 120-minute limit for everyone. The timer starts when you click continue. | College candidate guide; video transcript; adjustments guide |
| Typing | Type directly into the platform. Pasting from another application is not accepted and may mean an automatic fail. Notes in the box must be deleted before you submit. | College candidate guide |
| Spelling and grammar | Not assessed. | College candidate guide |
| Submitting | Press continue only when finished; you cannot return. If time runs out, the College says the text in the box is submitted. | College candidate guide |
| Assessed | Respect and empathy; we analyse critically; we support and inspire; we collaborate (CVF level 1). | College candidate guide; CVF 2024 |
Dorset Police describes the same exercise on its recruitment site as written materials outlining a scenario in the community, with various sources of information, and typed responses to your sergeant about the issues. That is why the practice scenarios here are community and service problems with a sergeant as the line manager.
You do not need to know police law or procedures. Since 17 March 2026, passing the online assessment process to the College's standard has been a legal requirement for new constables in England and Wales (Police Regulations 2003, regulation 10(1)(eb)), except those transferring from another force. For the rules in full, see the written exercise explained.
How to practise with these scenarios, step by step
- Use a plain typing box. A basic text editor or our free trainer. Type everything; do not paste, because pasting is not accepted in the real exercise.
- Start a timer when you begin reading. Aim to finish in about 50 minutes including reading; stop at 120 minutes regardless.
- Read the task and questions first, then the four items, so you read the items knowing what you need from them.
- Plan before you write. Use the method below. In the real exercise you can plan in the answer box, but you must delete the notes before submitting.
- Answer each question in turn, in one response, with a heading for each.
- Check, delete notes, finish. Then read our outline and compare. Note one thing to improve next time.
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| 0 to 10 min | Read the task first, then the four items. Note every question you are asked. |
| 10 to 20 min | Plan in the answer box: one line per item (what it tells you, what it does not), then the order of your answers. |
| 20 to 50 min | Write, one question at a time, with headings that mirror the questions. |
| 50 to 60 min | Check every question is answered, reasons are given, and every planning note is deleted. Then submit. |
| Spare time | You have up to 120 minutes. If you need longer, take it, but submit well before the limit. |
A planning method for any written exercise
The College does not prescribe a method or layout. This is ours, built around the behaviours the exercise assesses. It takes about 10 minutes and makes the writing faster.
- List the questions. Copy each question as a heading in your plan by typing it. Missing a question is the easiest way to lose credit.
- One line per item: what it tells you, who it comes from, and what it does not tell you.
- Look across the items for conflicts (two items that disagree), assumptions (a claim with no evidence), patterns (something repeated) and people (who is affected and how they feel).
- Decide your recommendations, each with a reason from an item, and who you would work with.
- Write, question by question. Refer to the items by name (for example, item B) so the reader can see your evidence.
Each practice scenario below includes a completed planning grid so you can compare yours with ours after you have tried it.
What the four assessed areas look like on the page
The College lists one value and three competencies for the written exercise, assessed at level 1 (practitioner) of the 2024 Competency and Values Framework. The middle column paraphrases the CVF. The right column is our reading of how it could show in a written response. The CVF says its behaviours are examples and should not be used as a checklist.
| Area | What the CVF describes (values have no levels; competencies at level 1) | How it could show in writing (our reading) |
|---|---|---|
| Respect and empathy (value) | Treating everyone with dignity; giving people an equal opportunity to share their views and taking them into account; recognising and managing bias; responding fairly and with sensitivity to people's needs. | Taking each writer's concerns seriously, avoiding assumptions about groups, and showing how you would respond to the people affected. |
| We analyse critically | Absorbing and interpreting information accurately, separating relevant from not relevant; understanding the reasons behind problems; recognising gaps and inconsistencies in information and thinking about the implications. | Using all four items, spotting what conflicts or is missing, and basing recommendations on evidence in the items rather than on opinion. |
| We support and inspire | Understanding how your work contributes to policing priorities; working hard to remove obstacles to delivery; taking on challenging tasks to improve the service; supporting efficient use of resources. | Recommending practical action that improves the service, using resources sensibly, and bringing colleagues with you. |
| We collaborate | Learning about stakeholders so you can work with them; building rapport to achieve shared goals; working flexibly across teams and backgrounds; working cooperatively and helping colleagues. | Identifying the partners and community groups in the items and how working with them would solve the problem. |
Notice what is not on the list: taking ownership, emotional awareness, courage, public service and being innovative and open-minded are assessed in the other exercises, not this one, and spelling and grammar are not assessed at all. For the spoken exercise, see the briefing exercise practice scenarios.
Practice scenario 1: Allotment thefts and a community message group
Illustrative practice scenario, invented by PolicePay. Not a real case and not College material.
Email from your sergeant: "I am meeting the chair of the Northgate allotment association first thing tomorrow and need your written response before then. Using the four items attached, please answer the three questions below."
- What are the main issues, and what does the information tell us and not tell us?
- What do you recommend we do next, and who should we work with? Give your reasons.
- What key points should our reply to the allotment association include?
Item A: email from the allotment association chair
Since early August, five sheds have been broken into and tools and two petrol strimmers taken. Members are angry. Several think it is obviously people from the supported housing on Mill Road and want the police to go round there. She asks for more patrols.
Item B: extract from the crime log
Five reports between early August and mid-September. Four happened overnight and one on a weekday afternoon. Padlocks were forced each time. No witnesses and no suspects identified. One report mentions a white van parked by the gate at about 6am.
Item C: summary of posts in a local community message group
Several posts blame residents of the Mill Road housing. One suggests photographing residents as they leave the building. Another member replies that her son lives there and is being treated like a criminal.
Item D: letter from the Mill Road housing manager
The building houses 24 young adults aged 18 to 25 who have left care. Staff have seen the posts and residents say they now feel unsafe walking past the allotments. She offers to meet and says the residents have volunteering links and would like to help the community.
Worked outline (open after you have written your response)
A framework for what a well-structured response covers, not a model answer. Your own words and reasoning are what count.
| Item | What it tells you | What to notice |
|---|---|---|
| A | Real losses and real anger; a request for patrols; an assumption about who is responsible. | The assumption is not supported by anything in the items. |
| B | A pattern: mostly overnight, forced padlocks; one possible lead (a van at 6am). | No suspects; the van is not linked to anyone; nothing points to Mill Road. |
| C | Suspicion is spreading online; a suggestion that could become harassment. | A parent's view shows the human impact on residents. |
| D | The people blamed now feel unsafe; an offer to meet and help. | A partner who could help rebuild trust. |
How a strong response is likely to be structured
- Question 1: summarise the thefts and their pattern; state clearly that nothing in the items links them to Mill Road residents; name the second issue, rising tension and a risk of harassment of young people who have left care; note what is unknown (suspects, whether the van is relevant).
- Question 2: recommendations that follow from the evidence, for example looking at the overnight pattern and the van sighting, crime prevention with the association, and meeting the housing manager. Give a reason for each and say who you would work with.
- Question 3: points for the reply that acknowledge members' losses and frustration, explain what is being done, address the assumption about Mill Road fairly and firmly, and invite the association to work with you, including on the housing manager's offer.
Weaker patterns (our view)
- Accepting the chair's assumption about Mill Road, or dismissing the members' losses because the assumption is wrong.
- Ignoring item C or D, so the risk to the young people is missed.
- Recommending action against residents that the information does not support.
- Inventing facts, such as naming a suspect or describing the van's owner.
Practice scenario 2: Keeping victims updated: a team backlog
Illustrative practice scenario, invented by PolicePay. Not a real case and not College material.
Email from your sergeant: "Victim satisfaction on our team has dropped and I need proposals for Friday's team meeting. Please read the four items and send me your response to the three questions below today."
- What do the items suggest are the reasons for victims' dissatisfaction?
- What do you recommend the team does, and how would you get colleagues on board?
- How should we respond to Mr Hale's letter (item D)?
Item A: summary of the latest victim survey (illustrative figures)
62 responses last quarter. 71% were satisfied with the first contact, but only 38% with being kept informed. The most common comment was that they never heard back after reporting.
Item B: team rota note
Two of the team's eight officers are on secondment until December. Follow-up calls to victims are not allocated to anyone; each officer decides when to call their own victims.
Item C: email from a local victim support charity
The coordinator says the charity has trained volunteers who could help update victims of some lower-level crimes if the police agree a process. She mentions that a similar offer last year received no reply.
Item D: letter from Mr Hale, aged 79
His garden shed was broken into five weeks ago. The officer who took details promised to call him back, but nobody has. He wears a hearing aid and finds phone calls hard. He says he has stopped going out in the evenings.
Worked outline (open after you have written your response)
A framework for what a well-structured response covers, not a model answer. Your own words and reasoning are what count.
| Item | What it tells you | What to notice |
|---|---|---|
| A | The problem is updates, not first contact. | Survey figures alone do not say why updates are missed. |
| B | A likely reason: fewer officers and no one owns follow-up. | A process gap rather than individual blame. |
| C | A partner willing to help; a missed opportunity last year. | Any process would need to be agreed; the item does not say what it would involve. |
| D | A real person affected: a broken promise, a communication need, and a wider impact on his life. | A phone call may not suit him. |
How a strong response is likely to be structured
- Question 1: link the items: the survey shows people are not kept informed, the rota shows nobody owns follow-up and the team is short, and Mr Hale's letter is one example. Note what the items cannot tell you.
- Question 2: practical recommendations that use resources sensibly, for example a simple way of allocating and tracking updates, and replying to the charity to explore its offer. Explain how you would present this to colleagues so it feels like a shared fix rather than a criticism.
- Question 3: an apology and an update for Mr Hale in a way that suits his hearing (for example in writing or in person, as the item suggests calls are hard), attention to the effect on his confidence, and a clear promise you can keep.
Weaker patterns (our view)
- Blaming individual officers when the items point to a process gap.
- Writing about Mr Hale as a statistic without responding to how he feels or to his hearing.
- Ignoring the charity's offer, or accepting it without saying a process would need agreeing.
- Recommending more resources that the items do not suggest are available.
Practice scenario 3: A charity 10k: safety and access concerns
Illustrative practice scenario, invented by PolicePay. Not a real case and not College material.
Email from your sergeant: "I am away tomorrow and the organiser of Sunday's charity 10k wants our comments by Thursday. Please review the four items and answer the three questions below."
- What problems, gaps or inconsistencies do you see in the plans?
- What should we raise with the organiser and the council, and why?
- What points should we include in a reply to the disability access group?
Item A: the organiser's event plan
About 1,200 runners, 9am start. The route uses the river path and Station Road. Station Road closed 8am to 11am. Twenty volunteer marshals. First aid provided by a volunteer group.
Item B: council road closure confirmation
Station Road closure approved from 8am to 10am. Traffic diverted along Church Lane.
Item C: email from the local disability access group
Last year there was no accessible viewing area on the river path, and a marshal asked a wheelchair user to move in front of everyone. The group asks whether this year will be different and says its emails to the organiser have gone unanswered.
Item D: notes from last year's debrief
Two lost children were reunited with parents after about 40 minutes. Marshals had no radios. The Church Lane diversion caused congestion that delayed a bus route. Marshals were only briefed on the morning of the event.
Worked outline (open after you have written your response)
A framework for what a well-structured response covers, not a model answer. Your own words and reasoning are what count.
| Item | What it tells you | What to notice |
|---|---|---|
| A | The plan: numbers, route, closure until 11am, marshals, first aid. | No mention of radios, lost children, accessibility or marshal briefing. |
| B | The closure is approved only until 10am. | Conflicts with the 11am in item A; the diversion is the road that congested last year. |
| C | A group that felt disrespected and unheard; a specific access need. | The plan does not address it. |
| D | Lessons from last year that the new plan does not show have been acted on. | Whether anything has changed is not stated. |
How a strong response is likely to be structured
- Question 1: list the inconsistencies and gaps clearly: the 10am versus 11am closure, the Church Lane diversion repeating last year's congestion, no sign that radios, lost-children arrangements, accessible viewing or earlier marshal briefings have been addressed.
- Question 2: what to raise with whom and why: the closure times with the council and organiser, last year's lessons with the organiser, and suggesting the organiser involves the access group. Keep to what the items support.
- Question 3: a reply that acknowledges last year's experience and the unanswered emails, explains what you are raising, offers to help bring the group and the organiser together, and avoids promising what the police cannot deliver.
Weaker patterns (our view)
- Missing the 10am and 11am conflict, which is the clearest inconsistency in the items.
- Treating last year's debrief as history rather than as evidence for this year.
- Replying to the access group defensively or with vague reassurance.
- Adding details, such as a specific number of radios or police officers, that the items do not mention.
Practice scenario 4: Supporting new joiners to the team
Illustrative practice scenario, invented by PolicePay. Not a real case and not College material.
Email from your sergeant: "Our inspector has asked each team how it supports officers who join it. I need your view before I reply on Monday. Please read the four items and answer the three questions below."
- What do the items suggest about how well the team supports new joiners?
- What do you recommend, and how would you involve the rest of the team?
- How should we respond to the email from our newest colleague (item B)?
Item A: summary of comments from officers who moved to other teams
Three officers transferred out of the team in the past year. Two said they felt left to get on with it in their first months. One said shift handovers were rushed and hard to follow.
Item B: email from a constable who joined the team four weeks ago
She likes the team, but nobody has shown her how the team's case files are organised and she feels awkward asking busy colleagues. She has dyslexia and finds the long handover emails hard to follow.
Item C: email from the sergeant of a neighbouring team
Her team started pairing each new joiner with an experienced colleague for their first three months. She offers to share how it works.
Item D: next month's rota
The team returns to full strength in November. Two experienced officers have said they are willing to help with training.
Worked outline (open after you have written your response)
A framework for what a well-structured response covers, not a model answer. Your own words and reasoning are what count.
| Item | What it tells you | What to notice |
|---|---|---|
| A | A repeated theme: new joiners feel unsupported; handovers are a weak point. | Three comments is a small sample, but they point the same way. |
| B | The same issue happening now, plus a specific need about how information is shared. | She has told you what is hard; the item does not say what would help, so ask her. |
| C | A tested idea and a willing partner. | How well it works is not stated. |
| D | Capacity is improving and two colleagues have volunteered. | A practical opportunity to act. |
How a strong response is likely to be structured
- Question 1: connect the items: past leavers and the newest joiner describe the same gap, and handovers are mentioned twice. Note the limits of the evidence (a small number of comments).
- Question 2: practical recommendations that use what is available, for example learning from the neighbouring team's scheme, involving the two volunteers, and making handovers clearer for everyone. Explain how you would bring the team with you so it is seen as improving the service, not as criticism.
- Question 3: a reply that thanks her for raising it, takes her concerns seriously, offers practical help with the case files, and asks her what format of handover information would work best for her rather than assuming.
Weaker patterns (our view)
- Treating the new colleague's email as a complaint rather than useful feedback.
- Deciding what she needs because of her dyslexia without asking her.
- Recommending a scheme without saying who would run it, when the items name two volunteers.
- Overstating the evidence, for example claiming the whole team is failing from three comments.
Check your response before you submit
Run through this list at the end of every practice, and on the day before you press continue. You cannot go back after submitting.
| Check | Why |
|---|---|
| Every question answered, under its own heading? | Answer each question in the same response box (College guide) |
| Every point traceable to one of the four items? | Use only the information provided |
| Gaps and conflicts in the items pointed out? | We analyse critically: recognising gaps and inconsistencies |
| The people affected treated fairly, without assumptions? | Respect and empathy |
| Partners and colleagues named, with how you would work with them? | We collaborate; we support and inspire |
| A reason given for each recommendation? | We analyse critically |
| All planning notes deleted from the box? | Everything in the box is assessed |
| Submitted well before 120 minutes? | Time limit (College guide) |
What people get wrong about the written exercise
- "It is a spelling and grammar test." The College says spelling and grammar are not assessed. The content and reasoning are what matter.
- "You should show police knowledge." The College says you need no knowledge of police law or procedures, and you must use only the information provided.
- "There is a set report template." The College does not prescribe one. Answer the questions you are asked, in the order asked, clearly.
- "Longer is better." No word count is published. Unfocused length does not answer the questions; reasons and evidence from the items do.
- "You can write it in a document and paste it in." Pasting from another application is not accepted and may lead to an automatic fail.
- "You must use the same competencies as the briefing exercise." Some third-party guides mix them up. The College lists respect and empathy, analysing critically, supporting and inspiring, and collaborating for the written exercise.
- "Example answers online are what will come up." Including ours, they are not. The College does not publish its exercises.
Practise in our free written exercise trainer
Our written exercise trainer gives you a practice information pack and a task, and a plain box to type your report with an elapsed timer and word count. No camera or microphone is needed. It is self-paced, not a timed simulation of the real exercise. Sign in to submit and you get an AI practice score out of 10 and a short summary of what your report argued.
The trainer's practice packs are different from the four scenarios on this page, so you can use both. The trainer's full structure breakdown and model rewrite are part of the paid pass (£24.99 for 30 days or £39.99 for 90 days); everything else above is free. For the spoken exercises, the free mock interview practice has an OAC mode with a timer, and the free STAR answer checker tests the structure of your interview examples.
What we could not verify
- How many questions the current task contains. The July 2026 guide says to answer each question in one box but gives no number. A 2022 College FAQ referred to three questions on an older platform. We used three questions in each of our scenarios; read your instructions.
- What happens when the 120 minutes run out. The College guide says the text in the box is submitted; the national recruitment site says it will not be. We could not resolve this, so finish well within the limit.
- The marking scheme. The College lists what is assessed but does not publish how responses are scored, how the four areas are weighted, or a pass mark. Our outlines are a reading of the CVF. See how the OAC is marked.
- The form of the output. Whether the task asks for a report, an email or answers to questions may vary; the College calls it an urgent written task for your line manager.
- Whether every candidate gets the same scenario. Not stated.
Who to ask
- Your recruiting force: your window, deadline, results timeline and reasonable adjustments.
- The platform's technical support (the 'technical support' button at the bottom of the screen) if the platform fails during the exercise. The College says do not complete the exercise if you have system issues.
- recruit@college.police.uk: if technical issues affected your assessment, stating your force and full name, or if your invitation has not arrived by 5pm on the first day (or contact your force).
- Your force, within 24 hours, for a written appeal on extenuating circumstances or procedural grounds, as the College's candidate guide explains.
Next: try the briefing exercise practice scenarios, or fit both into the OAC preparation plan.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are there official police written exercise examples?
No. The College of Policing describes the written exercise in its candidate guide but does not publish a sample. The four scenarios on this page are PolicePay's own practice material, built to the published format. They are not College material and will not appear in your assessment.
What is the police OAC written exercise?
You take the role of a police constable completing an urgent written task for your line manager, using four items of information. You type your response into one answer box on the Tazio platform, answering each question in that same box, and use only the information provided.
How long is the police written exercise?
The College says the instructions take about 10 minutes to read and the exercise about 40 minutes to complete, with a time limit of 120 minutes so you do not have to rush. The 120-minute limit is the same for all candidates, including those with extra-time adjustments.
How many questions are in the written exercise?
The current College guide says to answer each question in the same response box but does not give a number. A 2022 College FAQ referred to instructions telling candidates to answer three questions. We could not confirm the current number, so read your instructions and answer every question asked.
How many words should the written exercise be?
The College publishes no word count, minimum or maximum. It gives about 40 minutes as the typical completion time. Our view: aim for a response that answers every question with reasons drawn from the four items, rather than a target length.
Is spelling and grammar assessed in the police written exercise?
No. The College says spelling and grammar are not assessed, because candidates use different devices and only some have spell-check. Clear writing still helps an assessor follow your reasoning, so short sentences and simple headings are sensible.
What competencies does the written exercise assess?
Respect and empathy (a value), we analyse critically, we support and inspire, and we collaborate, at level 1 of the 2024 Competency and Values Framework. Some third-party guides list a different set; the College's candidate guide and the national recruitment site both give these four.
Should the written exercise be a report, an email or a letter?
The College calls it an urgent written task for your line manager and does not prescribe a layout. Dorset Police describes typed written responses to your sergeant about issues in a community scenario. Follow whatever the task instructions on the day ask for.
Can I add information that is not in the four items?
No. The College says use only the information provided and do not add or invent any. You can point out what the information does not tell you and what you would want to find out, which is different from making facts up.
What happens if time runs out in the written exercise?
The College's candidate guide says that if time runs out, everything currently written in the text box is submitted. The national recruitment site says a response will not be submitted if time runs out. Given that conflict, finish and press continue well within the 120 minutes.
Can I copy and paste in the written exercise?
Not from another application. The College says pasting your response from elsewhere will not be accepted and may result in an automatic fail. You can make notes in the answer box itself, but delete them before submitting, because everything in the box is assessed.
Can I use speech-to-text software in the written exercise?
Yes. The College's reasonable adjustments guide says you can use your own speech-to-text software without asking permission, and that Dragon users should dictate straight into the platform's response box. Extra time does not change the 120-minute limit.
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: Online assessment process candidate guide (first published 11 April 2023, updated 21 July 2026) — written task for a line manager, four items of information, use only information provided, answer each question in the same box, 10 and 40 minute timings, 120-minute limit, text submitted when time runs out, spelling and grammar not assessed, no copy-paste, notes in the box, competencies assessed, automatic fail (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Sift and online assessment process, including the online assessment process video transcript (updated 21 July 2026) — split screen with the task on the left and the four items on the right, answer box at the bottom, timer starts on continue, desktop, laptop or tablet recommended (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Reasonable adjustments and accommodations guide for online assessments candidates (updated 25 August 2026) — 120-minute limit for all candidates; approximate times with extra time; own text-to-speech and speech-to-text allowed; Dragon users dictate into the platform box (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Competency and values framework for policing (2024), PDF — definitions and level 1 behaviours for respect and empathy, analysing critically, supporting and inspiring, and collaborating; behaviours are examples, not a checklist (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Competency and values framework web page — three values, six competencies, level 1 (practitioner) (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Join the Police (national recruitment site): What does the written exercise involve? — same four competencies and values; 40 minutes and 120-minute limit; its statement on time running out conflicts with the College guide (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Dorset Police recruitment: Police officer selection process — a force's description: written materials about a community scenario, various sources of information, typed responses to a sergeant (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Online assessment process candidate FAQs v2.2 (2022, historical only) — said the written instructions asked candidates to answer three questions and that no retake was issued for an incomplete submission; older platform, so cited only as history (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Police Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/527), regulation 10, latest text — reg 10(1)(eb)(iii): candidates for constable must pass the online assessment process to the standard set by the College (inserted 17 March 2026 by SI 2026/154) (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing news: Police constable recruitment regulations change (17 March 2026) — four-stage recruitment process now required in every force in England and Wales (accessed 1 October 2026)
On this topic elsewhere
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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.