St. Paul Testing

[VeniVidiVici]

So St. Paul testing is June 19 (Next Tuesday). I am as prepared for the test as I could ever be, I am just glad this date is finally here and it will be a long time in between then and the week of July 9th (Interview Week).

Who else is testing with SPPD and as excited for it as I am?

[Kenv366]

Sppd

I’m excited to! I do have a question. What if you don’t pass the test? Do they interview you anyway? Anyone have any more info in the process.

Everyday comes closer to a dream come true. So St. Paul testing is June 19 (Next Tuesday) and I am getting very excited. I am as prepared for the test as I could ever be, I am just glad this date is finally here and it will be a long time in between then and the week of July 9th (Interview Week).

Who else is testing with SPPD and as excited for it as I am?

[Livenlearn]

generally you would have to pass the test to move on in the process, why even have a test if it didn't matter wether or not you passed?

[IT2PD]

... and going by the study guide, if you've completed 8th grade, it should be a breeze.

But yeah, St Paul doesn't seem to have a problem giving the boot to people not up to their standards (a good thing, in my opinion). So I can't imagine them wasting their time interviewing people that don't make those standards on a general test such as this.

I'll be there too.

[Kenv366]

Sppd

It just seemed to me that they were setting up the interviews before the test was being taken. Maybe I read the letter wrong.

... and going by the study guide, if you've completed 8th grade, it should be a breeze.

But yeah, St Paul doesn't seem to have a problem giving the boot to people not up to their standards (a good thing, in my opinion). So I can't imagine them wasting their time interviewing people that don't make those standards on a general test such as this.

I'll be there too.

[K9 Police]

Just in case some of you missed it:

St. Paul announces city freeze on hiring.

Citing a projected $15 million budget shortfall next year, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman is implementing a hiring freeze for the city at least until mid-August when he will release his budget for 2008.

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1235447.html

Hopefully the budget will still includes more cops...

[MNCopper]

Funny thing is - I work budgets, for a large successful organization based in Minnesota....

Budgets should be done....not "Mid-August".

This is the kind of stuff that just bugs the f outta me.

[IT2PD]

I can't imagine them wasting their time interviewing people that don't make those standards on a general test such as this.

Errr, I'm still in shock! The announcement at the test was that everyone at the test would be interviewed. Interview and test scores will be combined for overall score. They didn't have the interview schedule ready yet, as they wanted to only schedule those who made it to the test. Seems like a lot of wasted effort, especially considering how basic the test was.

Talking to some of the other people at the test, this was the same test as was used in the State Patrol hiring process. I'm amazed that a test like this weeds anyone out.

Anyone else shocked at how few people were there? Looked like about 15 rows of 16 chairs across (about 240 seats), and not all were filled. Just from normal numbers eliminated by backgrounds, I can't imagine them being able to pull 3 full academies out of this one process.

[MNCopper]

Wow - guess I should have applied.

What was the test?
Thanks.

[Kenv366]

Sppd

I was there and it was easier then I thought.
How many in one academy? Does anyone know how many they're hiring?

Errr, I'm still in shock! The announcement at the test was that everyone at the test would be interviewed. Interview and test scores will be combined for overall score. They didn't have the interview schedule ready yet, as they wanted to only schedule those who made it to the test. Seems like a lot of wasted effort, especially considering how basic the test was.

Talking to some of the other people at the test, this was the same test as was used in the State Patrol hiring process. I'm amazed that a test like this weeds anyone out.

Anyone else shocked at how few people were there? Looked like about 15 rows of 16 chairs across (about 240 seats), and not all were filled. Just from normal numbers eliminated by backgrounds, I can't imagine them being able to pull 3 full academies out of this one process.

[IT2PD]

Wow - guess I should have applied.

What was the test?

It was the I/O Solutions National Criminal Justice Officer Selection Inventory. It contained basic middle school reading comprehension ("select which of the following sentences contain a word spelled or used incorrectly") and basic math type stuff (20 cases of beer were stolen, there are 4 six-packs per case, each six pack is worth $4.77, what was the total dollar value of the items stolen). Part 2 was a small section of MMPI type questions.

As for how many they're hiring, a message from the Chief on the intranet states that the next academy is supposed to contain 40 recruits. Pre-budget speculation/rumor/"reliable source" info is that they're trying for 2 classes of 50 to immediately follow that.

But, as K9 pointed out, there's a hiring freeze and budget negotiations still to come, so those numbers might just be wishfull thinking at this point.