Metropolitan (Met) Police Day One Assessment Centre, Aptitude Tests, Hiring Process & Interview Preparation – 2024

The Metropolitan Police Service, also known as the Met, polices 32 boroughs within Greater London. They serve more than eight million people and cover 620 square miles. Careers with the Met are highly sought after, as many people wish to help communities in a vibrant and dynamic city.

There are three varieties of positions in the Met:

1. Police Officers: complete all law enforcement duties. New officers are assigned the rank of constable.
2. Police Community Service Officers (PCSO): assist regular police officers. They work on increasing safety, dealing with traffic, and tasks such as recording crime data.
3. Special Constables: volunteer officers who play an essential role in the Met. They work with regular officers and wear the same uniforms. They also perform many of the same duties as regular officers. Special constables work 16 hours per month or more.

Police officers and PCSOs must complete the Certificate in Knowledge of Policing (CKP), which special constables do not need. Otherwise, the recruitment process is the same for each type of officer.

The entire hiring process typically takes around four months, but may take up to a year.

 

Initial Assessments

The first step in the process of becoming a police officer with the Met is initial assessments. There are several types of assessments you must complete.

• Registration and Online Eligibility Assessment: during this step, you provide basic information about yourself to show that you meet the requirements for eligibility. For example, you should be at least 18 and have lived in the UK for three years.
• Realistic Job Preview Questionnaire: this questionnaire requires you to respond to information about what police work entails. The purpose is to determine whether you are a suitable fit for the job.
• Behaviour Styles Questionnaire: this questionnaire consists of a variety of statements about behaviours. You must choose whether you agree or disagree.
• Metropolitan Police Situational Judgement Test: the SJT test measures your ability to make appropriate decisions in different situations. You will choose which response you think would be most or least effective to resolve a scenario.
• London Factor Assessment: this assessment consists of statements about London and police work in the city. You will need to respond to each statement.

 

What Is the Day One Assessment Centre?

After you complete the initial assessments, you will take the Day One Assessment Centre. It takes place at the Metropolitan Police selection centre. The centre was revamped in 2018 to include updated technology, such as a tablet that you use throughout the process.

The assessment includes the below steps.

Interview

The interview takes 20 minutes and includes four questions. They relate to the values and competencies that successful officers possess. You will have your tablet with you, and the questions appear on the screen as the interviewer asks them.

Interactive Exercises

There are two exercises during this stage. Each exercise takes fifteen minutes, which includes five minutes to prepare and ten minutes to carry out a roleplay.

During the preparation stage, you will read information about the roleplay on your tablet. You are not assessed during this stage.

For Interactive 1, you roleplay with one other person. Interactive 2 includes two role players.

Video Exercises

There are two video exercises.

• Video Exercise 1: you assume the role of a PC (Police Constable)
• Video Exercise 2: relates to an interaction between two officers and members of the public.

For each exercise, you will watch three video clips. You cannot take notes during this time. Once the videos are complete, you will answer multiple-choice questions about what you saw.

Written Exercise

The written exercise takes 30 minutes. First, you will read materials about a particular issue. The materials include information from various sources. You will then write a response to a letter from a member of the public who is concerned about the issue. The purpose of the task is to assess your ability to comprehend written information and respond appropriately. Your writing skills, such as grammar and spelling, are also assessed.

Collaboration

This exercise takes 10 minutes. You will work with another candidate to complete it. One of you will wear a virtual reality headset, while the other views information on a tablet. The goal of the exercise is to see how you would collaborate with another constable. You must also understand and interpret various information.

 

How to Prepare for the Day One Assessment Centre?

The tasks you will complete during the Initial Assessments, and the Assessment Centre, all relate to the Competency and Values Framework (CVF).

Some of the traits the CVF specifies include the following:

• Emotional awareness
• Collaboration
• Taking ownership
• Public service
• Integrity

As you prepare, make sure you understand the different competencies and values, and keep them in mind through the application process.

To prepare for the roleplays, interview, and collaboration, ask a friend or family member for help. Have them act out different scenarios with you to practice your responses.

To prepare for the questionnaires, situational judgement test, and written exercise, use online practice tests. Practice tests will help you feel comfortable answering different kinds of questions. Look for practice assessments that are designed to help you prepare for the Met’s specific hiring process.

Succeeding at the Day One Assessment Centre will help you stand out from a large group of candidates. If you properly prepare, you’ll be much more likely to progress to the next stage of recruitment.