When you reach this stage, you’ll be asked to complete your online psychometric testing.

You'll receive an email from the recruitment team to let you know when we plan to send you your testing link, and the five day period in which to complete your testing.

Police’s psychometric testing consists of an ability assessment and a personality profile. Some applicants will also need to sit an additional literacy assessment.

Please note:

  • For the ability assessment, if you are unsuccessful, you will have a minimum stand-down period of 6 months before you can resit the test.
  • The stand-down period is intended to reduce the impact of practice effects and ensure assessment outcomes reflect your true ability.
  • If you are unsuccessful on your second attempt, you will not be able to progress in the Constabulary Recruitment process and your application will be declined.

Retesting of applicants in psychometric assessments will be limited to specific, justifiable circumstances.

All applicants complete the following two assessments:

Ability Assessment

This assessment is an indicator of your ability to cope with the intellectual demands of police training and police work.

We encourage you to familiarise yourself with the assessment process by reviewing the candidate preparation document, and attempting the practice tests on our provider’s website. Please note that these questions are for practice only and no results will be provided from their completion.

The assessment is designed to measure underlying abilities rather than skills that can be improved through practice. There is no expectation that you undertake extensive preparation, complete large numbers of practice questions, or purchase additional practice services. The most important thing is to understand the process (as outlined in the candidate preparation document) and follow the guidance provided.

The assessment itself is:

  • Timed assessment for 30 minutes
  • A 60 question, multiple choice questionnaire. There is one correct answer for each question.
  • This assessment measures verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning, with questions mixed throughout the test (i.e. not in specific sections)

Useful tips:

  • Plan to complete the assessment when you are feeling well rested. Many candidates find it easiest to concentrate earlier in the day rather than after work or late in the evening.
  • Choose a quiet space where you will not be interrupted. Minimise distractions so you can focus fully on each question.
  • Take your time and work at a steady pace. The assessment is not about finishing quickly or answering as many questions as possible.
  • The assessment uses adaptive testing. This means the questions adjust to your responses and will become more challenging as you answer correctly. Reaching difficult questions or making mistakes is expected and does not mean you are performing poorly.
  • Because of the adaptive format, it is not helpful to guess answers or rush through questions at the end. Answering carefully gives the most accurate picture of your ability.
  • Read each question fully before responding and select the answer that best reflects your reasoning.

Online proctoring 

The assessment is completed using online proctoring. While you complete the test, images of you are taken at intervals. This is done to make sure the assessment is completed on your own, without help from another person and without using other devices or tools, including AI.

If the system identifies anything unusual, this information is checked by trained staff. This review allows for normal movements or behaviours and ensures decisions are not made automatically.

Any confirmed use of assistance or unauthorised tools is taken seriously. If you are found to have received help, your assessment will be declined and you may receive a long‑term stand‑down from future applications.

To avoid any issues, please complete the assessment alone and without access to notes, other devices, or support from anyone else.

Top Tip: Complete the assessment in a quiet room where you have no other people or things to distract you.


Personality Profile

This assessment helps us build a picture of your likely strengths and weaknesses in specific personality areas relevant to police work.

  • This assessment does not have a time limit but should only take you 15 minutes to complete.
  • A 100 question, multiple choice questionnaire. Questions are short and there are no right or wrong answers.
  • You should try to answer as quickly, honestly and truthfully as you can - answering how you are now, rather than how you think you'll be as a Police Officer.
  • This isn’t something you need to prepare for, it just gives us a guide to what motivates you, your attitudes and how you work with others.
     

Additional Literacy Assessment

If you don’t have a minimum education level of NCEA Level 2 or 3 literacy (or equivalent), University Entrance literacy (or equivalent) or a University Degree, you'll need to complete an additional literacy assessment (POST) after you’ve passed your online testing. This assesses language literacy, and the content is specifically relevant to Police Officers.

Important Note About Literacy

The NZ Police recruitment and selection process has clearly defined requirements in relation to the minimum NZQA Literacy standards. 

While the standards that meet literacy requirements can be obtained via a wide range of subjects, papers, courses, and pathways - NZ Police Recruitment reserves the right to ask any applicant to complete additional testing where this is deemed necessary to evaluate relevant role specific literacy requirements.

For more information about NZ UE English Literacy standards, please visit the NZQA website.