Beat the BPAD Test: What You Need to Know

Posted by David Spencer on June 22nd, 2016

Each applicant who successfully completes the first stage of examinations, including the PATI for analytical thinking, the WCT, or written communications test, and the PREP, a physical readiness evaluation, will receive a certificate from the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, certifying that the candidate can pass to the second stage of testing, which includes a vision and hearing assessment, and the B-PAD.

What is the B-PAD test?

The 20-minute B-PAD test is the behavioural personnel assessment device for police. The B-PAD is offered to candidates who passed the first three tests. This segment must be completed at least ten days before any of the stage one tests expire. The B-PAD is valid for three years once the assessment has been passed. Should a candidate not pass the exam the first time, the exam can be re-taken three months after the first date. If the applicant does not successfully write the exam again, six months must pass before the next attempt.

The B-PAD test is held in a room with a monitor that shows scenarios based on and representative of what constables may experience on any given day of work. Each candidate must then respond verbally, as if the situation were real, with the responses that would be given to each person or character in the scene.

Scenarios can range from observing a theft made by a fellow police officer to speaking to and controlling belligerent drivers, from gaining control of a situation to victim advocacy and crisis intervention.

This exam does not require any knowledge or understanding of police procedures; instead, the assessment measures the applicant’s ability to read a situation, understand the characteristics of involved parties, and remain calm and logical throughout the situation.

Scores are based on the applicant’s ability to find a solution and clearly express the plan. The test is an overall measure of how well the candidate can work with people with different personality types, in difficult or stressful situations, and interpersonal abilities.

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David Spencer

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David Spencer
Joined: May 6th, 2016
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