The U.S. Capitol Police Test Preparation – 2024

U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers work at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. to protect members of Congress and others from crime and acts of terrorism.

To apply for a position with the USCP, begin by searching openings on USAJOBS and submitting an application. Other steps in the hiring process include the following:

• Background check
• Written exam (described in the following section)
• Physical Readiness Test (PRT)
• Screening including a polygraph test, medical exam, and psychological evaluation
• Panel interview
• Selection and training

What Is the U.S. Capitol Police Test?

The test that USCP uses to assess candidates is the National Police Officer Selection Test (NPOST). The NPOST consists of four sections. The first three sections (mathematics, reading comprehension, and grammar) include multiple-choice and true or false questions. The final section, Incident Report Writing, requires you to answer in complete sentences.

You will need to score 70% or higher on each section to pass.

Mathematics

This section covers basic arithmetic skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. You may not use a calculator, but you will have scratch paper to perform calculations by hand. You will have 20 minutes to finish 20 questions.

Reading Comprehension

The reading comprehension section requires you to read passages and answer questions about them to demonstrate your understanding. The passages relate to police work, but you do not need prior experience to answer them. There are 25 questions that you have 25 minutes to complete.

Grammar

This test section assesses your writing skills, including punctuation, spelling, and grammar. For some questions, you will choose the best word or words to fill in a blank in a sentence. Other questions ask you to identify the misspelled word in a sentence. You will have 15 minutes to complete 20 questions.

Incident Report Writing

For this section, you will review a sample incident report and answer related questions. The goal is to measure your writing skills, along with your reading comprehension and attention to detail. Your answers should be complete sentences that have correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. There are ten questions that you have 15 minutes to answer.

How to Prepare for the U.S. Capitol Police Test?

Online practice tests are the best way to prepare for the NPOST. Practice tests will help you understand the format of the test and know what to expect when you take the actual test. Look for a practice exam that is timed so that you can work on your time management skills.

Don’t hesitate to try a practice test several times until you achieve a good score. Careful preparation will help you pass your NPOST and continue to the next step of the USCP hiring process.