Attention All Police Foundation Students.

To any students who have as of yet to purchase their subscription, get to it! This subscription can be written off just like the expense of your books if you're a Mohawk College Student as the membership is a requirement of your program. Also, you will be tested using the Test Ready Pro website, not on a in class scantron or pencil/paper test. You will do the PATI electronically, it will be automatically graded by TestReadyPro and the marks will be forwarded to your teachers.

Why is this important or do you really need it? It's important because this is not just a portion of your grades but is a test you will need to be prepared for in the near future regardless of whether your career path takes you into corrections, special constable work, border services or police constable work you need this skill set.

When I first started preparing for my police exams I went to every source I could, asked anyone who could give me some insight and sought out as many resources as possible from forums, magazine articles and even reading through the ministry of community safety and correctional services web site. I was in a difficult spot because I had the Officer Exam book and didn't if know it was enough, luckily I found TestReadyPro and discovered it wasn't enough. You're being saved all that time and aggrivation. You know that this is the right material to help you study and ace your exams.

Trust me, this isn't a sales pitch. For some colleges like Mohawk College a membership to TestReadyPro is mandatory, with that being said you can write it off with your other education expenses: tuition, books etc. but I'm telling you, if you want the most comprehensive training for all portions of your upcoming exams sign-up!

General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB)

The GATB or General Aptitude Test Battery is used for Special Constables. It's different from the PATI but tests similar skills and capabilities for instance mathematical and mapping skills you will find very similar. Understand though that the GATB is not a test where you sit down and write one long test. Instead, it is a series of many short tests. There are eight pencil and paper, written tests. These tests are done individually and at a quick pace, six minutes is alotted to write each test. These tests There are four tests which require equipment. Just like the PATI it's important to pace yourself and work quickly. I recommend flash card training for those who have a hard time doing math equations in their head, blank scrap paper will be provided but again answering as many questions as you possibly can before your six minute time limit is up is imperative. Spatial reasoning seems to be a surprisingly difficult area along with mapping. TestReadyPro offers GATB preparation material presented just like the PATI material. Although I feel anyone scoring high passes on the PATI (80%+) shouldn't have a difficult time with the GATB, if you can afford it I still recommend using the GATB specific study questions as there are some interesting questions that require logic. You can find the GATB information on TestReadyPro's website here: TestReadyPro GATB

Lets take a look at some of the example questions I found on Applicant Testing Service:

1) Add (+) 397
265 a) 652 b) 662 c) 762 d) 562
The correct answer is 662, therefore on the answer sheet the letter b) would be selected.

2) Which two words have the same meaning? a) fast b) bright c) speedy d) long
The correct answer is fast and speedy, therefore on the answer sheet the letter combination a)-c) would be selected.

3) Which two words have the opposite meaning? a) portly b) tall c) short d) erect
The correct answer is tall and short, therefore on the answer sheet the letter combination b)-c) would be selected.

4) Identify which pairs of names are the same “S” and which pairs are different “D”.
Bradley T. Williams …… Bradly T. Williams
N.N. Somerhouse …… N.N. Somerhouse
Sara P. Smith Co. …… Sara B. Smith Co.

The first pair is different, the second pair is the same, and the third pair is different, therefore the correct answer sequence on the answer sheet
would be D, S and D.

You can find those and more here: Applicant Testing Service Sample GATB

..this isn't what I planned for...

I've received some emails, personal messages and had conversations with police applicants and police hopefuls this past week. Many people have the bug for policing but are having issues whether they've failed interviews or aren't sure if policing is right for them. I know what you're going through, getting involved with a career like this is a process, there are numerous tests and interviews throughout this process and I assure you, if you haven't experienced it already, you will go through a range of emotions and have to deal with the dynamic of your personal life, going to school full-time, working, family, some families are very supportive, others may not be. Life has its many twists and turns. No big surprise. What happens when you push for this career in policing and one of those turns creates a big bump that you can't seem to get over?

Lets do a little case study; you get the bug for policing, the calling. You start with either an ad on the back of a bus, on the television or in a newspaper, maybe you even saw one of those RCMP ads on Hotmail. Alternatively, you could be one of those who always knew this is what you wanted to do. You start to investigate the career a little further, visit websites start asking around or maybe you enroll in a full-time college program like Police Foundations to see if policing is right for you. You may even find yourself here, studying with TestReadyPro, reading my blog and networking with people but for some unforseen reason either you fail an interview, perhaps you do pass all your interviews but you're not a competitive enough applicant or maybe you flat out just can not get to stage 6.5 on the shuttle run. What do you do? Everything seems and quite dismal. The truth is, this is not the end of the line. Policing and law enforcement has so many different facets that is should be nearly impossible for anyone who has a genuine interest in policing/law enforcement who is either having a tough time getting hired with a service or is not sure if being a Police Constable is right for them can find a career of some sort. From my minimal amount of research and conversations I've compiled a short list that I will discuss this week and for next weeks blog. The jobs are as follows:

Correctional Officers are in demand both provincially and federally. Correctional Officers are not just responsible for maintaining order within correctional facilities but also have a variety of units including medical and tactical training.

Special Constables. The role of a Special Constable can be as unique as they city you're deployed in. Whether it be prisoner escort/transportation, court security, court liason, provincial firearms officer and jobs working as Peace Officers or as transportation enforcement specialists for instance riding the TTC or other major transportation venues and ensuring the safety of passengers. Special Constables are also being enlisted for positions working security on university campuses as sworn members have more powers of arrest, still a limited role in law enforcement but substantially than a security guard.

Border Services Officer. Much like being a Special Constable, the Canadian Border Services offer many different positions involved with Canadas national security, controlling our borders.

Nuclear Security. Law enforcement is one of Canadas fastest growing industries. Nuclear safety is a national priority, just as Corrections Officers have opportunities to serve in exciting tactical response teams, so do nuclear security officers.

Any of this sound interesting to you? Get on the forum and discuss it. Next week I'll outline some of these career directions and how to get the ball rolling on them. Do some research, you might be surprised how well you could server your community and country by taking on one of these careers in law enforcement.

Test Ready Pro @ Mohawk College!!

Hello and welcome Mohawk College Police Foundations students! I was impressed to see TestReadyPros material on the shelves at the bookstore. I know Police Foundations college students are a unique breed, highly motivated, and truly dedicated. I think it takes a great amount of courage whether you're right out of high school or a mature student to dive into such a competitive and tasking program. I also want to extend a hand to the second year students, I know previously you were not given sufficent material to prepare for your OACP COR testing. I assure you that if any of you require help TestReadyPro will be there to help you from providing frequent updates to tests, group workshops to prepare and, of course one on one mentoring. Also, your subscription/membership to TestReadyPro is not just a two year membership but it lasts until you don't need it anymore. We're committed to helping you get hired.

Although John Belisle may not be available, Tim Gordon is available to help any and all students looking to prepare for interviews with Police Services, Corrections and Border Services. Also, Tim can help you with your OACP certificate testing, he offers private tutoring sessions on PATI, WCT and BPAD. You can reach Tim here: testreadyhelp@gmail.com

Now, throughout the last six months I was writing a blog every week on the hiring process whether it be testing, interviews, application packages, even to getting good volunteer experiences and personal development preparing for your upcoming application. Instead of going through those concepts again now I want to hear from you. Post your questions on the TestReadyPro forum. Go there now, get posting, I will answer you right away on the forum but I'll post in-depth answers here on the blog with a little more generic insight!

By the way, if anyone out there has even one afternoon free a week to volunteer, seriously consider helping out a political party, it's great experience and they really need our support with this coming election. Not involved politically yet? Well, get into it, take a look at all the parties represented in your area, look at who is promoting development in the corrections and law enforcement industry. Also, consider changes being offered by all parties to the criminal code, justice system, rights for police and other essential services workers. If you think you're not represented or something happening with this election won't directly affect you, you're mistaken. Lastly, if you're asking: "What's in it for me?" Well, typically volunteer experiences with political parties are 1) well organized 2) give you a variety of jobs/duties/responsibilities (looks great on a resume) 3) they give great references even if they don't win!

I'm Back!!

I hope everyone had a great summer! I've been working hard all summer and of course helping as many of you as I can with developing yourselves, preparing for tests and interviews. This summer I had a chance to visit Everest College and give some of their Police Foundations students insight into the hiring process and test preparation. I've been really surprised to see how many applicants are putting studying off. I know the weather is beautiful outside so, the guys at TestReadyPro wanted to introduce a book that you could take with you anywhere to study. This is fine a new product and encompasses a lot of information but books in this electronic age are not only in my opinon obsolete in a culture where information is available at our fingertips within seconds via the internet but utilitiarian books are not socially responsible. It is in saying that, TestReadyPro has adopted a new philosophy, a commitment to be an enviromental leader, minimizing our environmental impact by offering innovative solutions that benefit TestReadyPro's customers and the environment. If you absolutely must have the book printed, you can take the CD to Staples Business Depot and they'll print and bind it for you for very cheap. The material you're getting in this book is nothing like TestReadyPro's competition and I stand behind it 100%.

I really think this is an incredible gesture of forward thinking and I encourage everyone out there who is about to purchasing a book for police testing preparation or test guides, not to. Instead, take a look at TestReadyPro's electronic booklet. For $69, including shipping you get over 300 pages of up to date material. Also, you will find the WCT in this booklet is unlike WCT's found anywhere else, period. You'll also find this is more than a guide, it actually includes learning material tp help you brush up on your math, literacy, including english as a second language exercises, understanding syllogisms, analyzing travel time questions etc. You'll also find information on PREP fitness preparation and something I've been very impressed with as it helped me pass my BPAD, the BPAD video preparation. If that doesn't wet your appetite for the book there is also a substantial amount of interview preparation covering all interviews (LFI, DCI, ECI).

Of course, ultimately I recommend a full membership to TestReadyPro, I recommend attending the TestReadyPro workshop day at Mohawk College and I highly stress the importance of mentoring, networking and simply having other people work with you towards your goal but at the minimum invest $69 in the book, do not make the mistake many people do, waste your money testing before you properly prepare. The same goes with the interviews, if you fail any one of them, you're out for a year.

Hope to see you on the forums!

I wish you all the best of luck!

This is not the end of the blog but a break! I'm taking the rest of the summer off and will return in the fall. I will however still be checking the forums and my email periodically so don't hesitate to get in touch. These past six months have been exciting for me, I've enjoyed writing the blog very much and I hope you all have enjoyed my insight and that my examples and advice has helped you.

Also, I want you to know you've come to the right place for help, whether you're trying to understand the hiring process, get test preparation material or looking for a mentor to help you through the process, the Test Ready Pro team are really wonderful people who want to help. I really encourage you to get active on the forum www.testreadypro.com/forums. I get a lot of questions from people who have it all together they just need the motivation to continue on through the process, you can meet and share with some really great people who are going through or have experienced the same thing as you.

I want to finish the blog with a passage from my first post as I know many people reading this post are reading my blog for the first time;

Once in your life you may feel a great sense of responsibility. Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel called this duty. “the duty of our generation as we enter the twenty-first century -- solidarity with the weak, the persecuted, the lonely, the sick, and those in despair. It is expressed by the desire to give a noble and humanizing meaning to a community.” Marcus Aurelius, last of the “Five Good Emperors” of Rome and, a brilliant philosopher, did not regard this as duty but love. The meek will quote Frederick Buechner “a calling is the place where your deepest gladness meets the world's deepest need.” The truth about a calling is that you don’t do it because you have to, someone asks it of you, you do it because you truly want to. The motivation to become a police constable is of you.

Goodluck to all of you.

Frequently Asked Questions.

Number one has been what happened to the forum I was talking about, where did it go, how do I get on it? Well due to a security issue the forum was down for a while however, it's back up and running! Get on there and introduce yourself, having problems with math formulas, coming to the correct conclusion on syllogisms, demo WCT scenarios, whatever? Post your questions! Don't forget that not only am I on there but so is John Belisle (professor, Police Foundations Program) and so is another Police Foundations professor, Dennis Campbell. You can get advice to any of your questions including fitness routines, Dennis Campbell is the gentleman that set me up with mine! You can check the forum out at www.testreadypro.com/forums

Another big one is about volunteering. It's not so much a question as it is a complaint, if you've been reading the blogs for the past five months, I've been talking about volunteering a lot. Why? First off, we know it's something police services are looking for in applicants, you can find this worded as volunteer experience or community involvement. Furthermore, volunteer experiences are great for rounding out some of your competency examples, always keep in mind that during your interviews you can answer behavioural questions with experiences from work, school and volunteering. Lastly, volunteering really is giving back to your community, even before I had an interest in policing I was taking part in volunteer events/fundraisers. It's a great way to meet new people, gain some experience and of course feel great. So, in an effort to get some of you who voted "No" on the poll before it closed for "Are you currently volunteering?" here's a volunteer experience I've been doing recently and enjoying that I've never posted about before: The easiest and MOST rewarding for me so far has been a volunteer experience as a volunteer driver for the Children's Aid Society. Here's how it works: you've got a car, if not you use mom & dad's/the spouses all the time right? You probably have your full G licence, relatively clean driving record, and some free hours here and there during the week or weekends at random times? Well, all you have to do is contact your local Children's Aid/Family & Youth services and sign-up to become a volunteer driver. Typically what is included with this duty is picking up children who are in care, either foster homes, group homes, hospitals, etc. You drive them to the Children's Aid or to their parents house, drop them off and then pick them up a few hours later and take them back to where they came from. Easy right? Well, you wouldn't believe how desperately drivers are needed. It gets easier, chances are there are kids in your community who need this service, you may not even know there was a foster home or group home right around the corner from you. Also, know that these kids, their parents, their siblings and the workers really appreciate what you're doing because you're making it possible for them to visit with their families. These aren't troubled kids that are going to light fires in the back of your car or try to strangle you while you drive, these are kids that can't get there without you and they want to see their families. If that isn't a big enough reward, you get paid for your gas and a little bit more to make up for the wear and tear on your vehicle. All in all, it's a pretty good deal for someone who says "I just don't have the time to dedicate." Thats fine, this is your ideal volunteer experience!