The state of Maryland (MD) is a populated area filled with plenty of job opportunities. However, one of the most competitive positions throughout the state is a Maryland police officer position. Various cities and counties require their applicants to take a police officer written exam. Your performance on these exams determines your future as a Maryland police officer. Start preparing for this written exam today and learn how to ace the toughest of questions.
To become a Maryland police officer, applicants must be at least 21 years old and possess a minimum of a high school diploma, among other requirements. Once you’ve submitted your application, your qualifications will be reviewed by a hiring team. If the hiring team thinks you’re a good fit, they will likely ask you to complete a standardized written exam designed for police officers. Maryland does not use a single type of exam, which means each police department will have their own exam requirements. Applicants that score well on the written exam will undergo further testing, including a physical exam and potentially an oral exam. Only after you make it through all of these steps will you be awarded with a job offer for a Maryland police department.
Although each police department in Maryland is free to choose their own written exam, many of them use standardized tests. Each written test includes a variety of questions designed to weed out candidates that would not make a good police officer. Most tests contain questions that require applicants to react to real-world scenarios or write sample incident reports. Your test results will be compared with the results of other applicants, and only the top scorers will continue through the hiring process. To make sure you’re one of the top scorers, you need to be familiar with the types of tests and the testing content. In general, Maryland police departments use the following written exams:
The Baltimore Police Department is one of the largest police departments in the state. As such, that police department receives a lot of police officer applications every year. Each applicant will be expected to complete the Baltimore City Police Officer Test, also referred to as the Municipal Police Selection Test (MPST). This test includes four separate sections designed to test each candidate’s ability to be a successful police officer. You will be required to remember factual information, learn new concepts, remember names and faces, and use logical reasoning to solve problems. In total, you will need to complete the following sections:
The Frederick County Police Department requires its applicants to complete the Entry-Level Law Enforcement Exam. This exam includes 168 questions and must be completed within 3 hours and 15 minutes. The test will cover a variety of topics, including judgment, reasoning, basic skills, motivation, communication, situational-based questions, and personal questions about you.
To become a Maryland state trooper, you will be expected to complete and pass the Police Standardized Testing Exam, or POST. This exam is designed to test your basic skill and abilities. Questions will cover mathematics, grammar, report writing skills, and reading comprehension.
The Ocean City Police Department uses the National Police Officer Selection Test, or NPOST. The NPOST is used by police departments all across the nation. In order to pass this test, you will need a minimum score of 70%. The NPOST is made up of four individual sections, including:
The Salisbury Police Department uses the General Educational Development Test, or GED. This test is certified by the Maryland Department of Education. In total, this test includes five sections. Applicants will need to score at least 45 points on this exam to achieve a passing score.
| Maryland Police Officer Positions | Police Officer Exam |
| Gaithersburg Police Officer Exam | NCJOSI |
| Washington County Sheriff’s Exam | NCJOSI |
| Wicomico County Sheriff’s Exam | NCJOSI |
Becoming a Maryland police officer is an honorable achievement that not many people will accomplish. Only applicants that are dedicated and driven to prepare for this exam will succeed. The good news is, creating a preparation plan is extremely easy. First, you will need to make use of free online resources, such as study guides and sample questions. Next, you will start preparing with online practice exams that include explanations. Run through these practice exams multiple times. Even if you score well on the first try, there is still new information to be learned. You’ll notice yourself becoming more familiar with the exam content as you move along in the study process. It’s best to start studying at least two weeks in advance. Allow yourself plenty of time to become familiar with the example questions and mock testing content that you will find on the practice exams. For some people, the amount of new information can be overwhelming. However, practice exams are absolutely crucial in passing the Maryland Police Officer Written Exams.
