In 1991, the police force decided to introduce a more rigorous process for selecting higher ranking officers. There used to be only one exam for the candidate to sit and this was considered insufficient. For this reason, the OSPRE test was introduced. It stands for the Objective Structured Performance Related Examination. There are two parts to this exam and this article is going to focus on Ospre part 1.
Ospre part 1 tests how well officers know the law regarding higher ranking officers. These higher ranks are those of sergeant and inspector and the test looks at how well the candidate understands the law and procedures that will be relevant to an officer at this rank. This is important as far as the police force is concerned as higher ranking officers must ensure they oversee that the correct procedures are being carried out. They also have a lot of responsibility, including that for other officers and must know the law inside out.
As of 2002, the Ospre part 1 exam consisted of 150 multiple choice questions with four possible answers over the three hour exam. The pass mark is 55% for a sergeant candidate and 65% for an inspector candidate. This has been lowered from 75% as of 2002. The test still remains a challenge, however, and sufficient preparation is necessary. Nobody can expect to pass such a test if they are not well prepared. If you fail to prepare then you may have an unpleasant three hours ahead of you.
The questions are set by trained question writers. These will have had experience in the police force at such a rank and retain a good comprehension of the required laws and procedures. Every question has been verified and checked by a member of The College of Law and by representatives of the Crown Prosecution Service.
A pass in the Ospre part 1 is required before an officer can take the Ospre part 2. The sergeants' examination is held in March or each year and the Inspectors' examination is held in September of each year.
The Ospre part 1 examination forms a large part of assessing whether or not a candidate would make a suitable sergeant or inspector. This is not the only test or interview. Apart for the Ospre part 2, there are other interviews and assessments to pass. The police force needs a strong and professional leadership team as well as a thorough recruitment process. The police force relies on incredibly responsible officers and senior officers and thus this level of testing is required. This test does not apply to ranks other than sergeant or inspector.
The Ospre part 1 doesn't have to be a huge cause for concern. If sufficient preparation has taken place then you should be able to hit the pass mark. It isn't the end of the testing either but the police have to be 100% sure that they are choosing the right person for the job. There's nothing like going back to school, eh?
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