Job-specific content helps ensure relevance.
Developed by Douglas N. Jackson, PhD, an international expert in personnel assessment, the SSPO & SSSO tests help evaluate the candidate's skills in two critical areas. The Incident Report Writing section helps evaluate the candidate's ability to write effective reports by assessing spelling, grammar and vocabulary skills. The Problem Solving section helps measure the candidate's use of appropriate judgment by presenting scenarios requiring a decision by an officer. Containing job-specific items, the tests provides a relevant, reliable tool to help select and place qualified police and security officers.
How to Use This Test Police chiefs, security administrators, and hiring managers can use these assessments to help:
- Select candidates with the practical problem-solving ability required to solve on-the-job problems arising in incidents and to act appropriately and with sound judgment
- Select candidates with the skills to write meaningful, credible incident reports that may become permanent records in investigations and court proceedings
Key Features - Test items have been carefully selected for job relevance, increasing the instrument's acceptability to candidates and employers and its ability to withstand legal challenges.
- Easy-to-read results compare candidates to a large database of police officer candidates.
Quick Facts
| Administer To | Individuals 18 years and older |
| Reading Level | 9th grade |
| Completion Time | SSPO: 35 minutes timed (74 multiple-choice items), SSSO: 30 minutes timed (56 multiple-choice items) |
| Format | Paper-and-pencil or computer administration |
| Report Option | Profile Report |
Scoring Options | Q™ Local Software or Automated Fax-in Scoring Service |
Norms
The SSPO test was normed on a contemporary sample of 1,413 job candidates applying for the position of police officer. The SSSO test was normed on a contemporary sample of 4,729 job candidates applying for the position of security officer.
Scales The overall score is expressed as a percentile for quick comparison to other officer candidates. The overall score is based on the scores on the following sections:
- Total Writing Aptitude
- Spelling
- Vocabulary (SSPO)
- Language Usage (SSPO)
- Correct Sentences (SSSO)
- Officer Problem Solving
Sample Report View a sample report.