The Recruitment Process

When we receive your application form, we will undertake an Integrity Check to identify any criminal offences and/or traffic infringements that you have previously incurred.

The assessment will take into consideration the nature of the offence, the frequency and recency of the occurrence and your age at the time of the offence.

Internal clearances and references from various business units including health and safety, personnel services and professional standards will also be requested for officers seeking to return to the WA Police Force.

Whilst some applicants will not necessarily be excluded from proceeding to the next recruitment assessment, the WA Police Force need to ensure that people of the highest integrity are employed. For this reason, some convictions may result in an applicant being deemed unsuitable for progression.

If you progress from the initial Integrity Checks, a review of any tattoos that may be visible when wearing a short sleeve shirt including those located on the neck, face or hands will be undertaken.

Applicants are required to provide colour photographs of their tattoos whilst wearing a collared short sleeve shirt when submitting their application.

Tattoo standards are contained within the WA Police Force Commissioner’s Uniform and Appearance Manual and consideration of tattoos is given in regard to whether they are:

• in a prohibited location
• prohibited form
• detract from a professional appearance.

If your tattoos do not meet the required standard, Police Recruiting are unable to provide any advice in relation to proposed modification or removal and how this may impact future selection. For further information on tattoo standards, please visit our FAQs or contact us.

Applicants who are able to provide the following alternate forms of academic evidence may be exempt from the PEE:

• Australian Year 12 Certificate of Education with a minimum grade C in English
• Completed Bachelors degree or higher, obtained in Australia
• Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank of 70 or more
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.0 (no score below 7.0 in each of the individual skills.
  

The Alternative Academic Evidence or Police Entrance Evaluation (PEE) is made up of three assessments designed to assess your ability to cope with the academic content of police training and the demands of the job role. You will be given approximately two hours to complete the PEE under normal exam conditions. The PEE focuses on literacy, comprehension, communication skills, practical intelligence and problem solving ability.

Test 1 - Verbal Reasoning
The verbal reasoning assessment tests your ability to think, reason and solve problems in different ways using language. It aims to examine your ability to think constructively, rather than assessing only simple fluency or vocabulary.

Test 2 - Abstract Reasoning
This assessment tests your ability to analyse information, learn and assimilate new concepts, and apply knowledge to solve problems. The questions involve identifying patterns and similarities between shapes, figures and diagrams presented in visual form.

Test 3 - Audio and Audio/Visual
Applicants listen to an audio/visual clip and are required to provide written answers to a series of questions. The assessment may relate to a verbal statement, news article or a visual clip of an incident.

Applicants may be permitted further attempts at the PEE. Applicants who are not progressed from the PEE are eligible to reapply six months from the date of the evaluation.

Read our fact sheet on preparing for the PEE here.

To join the WA Police Force, you are required to have a reasonable level of fitness. During this evaluation, you will be required to perform:

• a shuttle run test (beep test)
• an agility test
• an abdominal strength rating (sit-up)
• upper body strength and endurance tests (push-ups and bag lift)

Should you require assistance in preparing for the PPE, contact the WA Police Physical Training Unit on (08) 9301 9800 or physicaltrainingunit@police.wa.gov.au.

Read the Physical Performance Evaluation Fact Sheet.

If you are successful in Stage 1 you will be invited for a panel interview which will assess your suitability for the role of a cadet. Whilst you will not be able to study anything specific for your interview, you can take some positive steps to help you perform your best on the day:

• ensure that you have prepared yourself by researching the requirements and responsibilities of a cadet
• Consider and identify specific examples from your own life and work experiences that might best demonstrate your suitability in meeting the requirements of the job role
• read and consider all available information on the Let's Join Forces website, including the essential criteria you will be assessed against throughout the recruitment and selection process, together with an understanding of the four core values of the WA Police Force:

Selection Criteria

• Analytical, Comprehension and Problem Solving Skills
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills
• Team Work
• Adaptability and Judgement
• Personal Drive and Integrity

Core Values

• Duty
• Teamwork
• Integrity
• Care

On the day of your interview:

• be punctual and ensure you attend at the correct location
• dress appropriately in smart business attire, and consider your grooming
• whilst interviews can be daunting you should try your best to be confident, composed and professional
• throughout the interview be aware of your communication, eye contact and body language
• listen to the questions carefully and give thought to your answers, every response you give is a chance to allow the panel to consider your suitability
• if you don't understand a question, ask for clarification
• be clear and concise in your communication
• answer questions fully but don't elaborate unnecessarily, try to keep to the point
• be open and honest in your answers, be yourself and remember the panel is not expecting perfection.

For advice on how to prepare for your interview, read the factsheet.

All applicants applying for a cadet position are required to meet assessment criteria for the role. Recruitment assessments are comprehensive and take into consideration prior work performance, integrity factors to include traffic and criminal history, psychological suitability, physical ability and assessment against essential criteria relevant to the job role. For applicants that proceed through the selection process to the review panel, they are assessed holistically using all information collected during the recruitment process. This enables the review panel to make an overall determination in regard to progression of an applicant to Stage 3.

Applicants that are not progressed to Stage 3 Assessments will be given an individual reapplication date (if applicable). If you are given a re-apply date, we encourage you to re-apply.

Following the completion of Stage 1 and Stage 2 assessments, you will be required to undertake a final health and medical assessment. This examination is designed to ensure your fitness and health are of a high standard and that there is no reason why you would be unable to carry out all the duties required as a police officer.

Applicants with prior medical history may be required to provide additional contemporary information to support their final health and medical assessment.

A number of other checks will be conducted during Stage 3 including:

• full Background and Integrity Check
• identifying particulars - fingerprints and DNA

Once applicants have completed these requirements consideration is given to place in the selection pool.

For applicants who reach the final assessment stages of the recruitment process, the following costs will be reimbursed by the WA Police Force:

• First Aid Certificate
• Medical (standard P58)
• Visual Acuity Assessment
• Bankruptcy Check
• Fingerprints and DNA

Applicants must provide proof of payment and complete a claim form. Police Recruiting will provide more information to applicants who progress to the final stage.