Taking the Medicine Hat Police Recruiting Tests - APCAT and ACT are Only a Small Part of the Entire Process

The APCAT (Alberta Police Cognitive Ability Test) and the ACT (Alberta Communication Test)

by Kelly Allard

As many know, I took these tests on Saturday March 16 2024 during an Open Write Session at the Medicine Hat Police station. Normally you do not get to write this until you have filled out an Employment Application (Details below).

I was curious. Being a bit of a nerd, I actually enjoy taking tests. I did quite well but that does not mean the tests are easy. I have some obvious advantages.

1 I’m 60 years old. I have literal decades of experience and self education over younger people.

2) I’m an excellent test taker. Many people freeze on tests while I breeze through them with little anxiety. I’ve had three hour tests that I finished in one, maybe one and half. (It’s one of my superpowers.)

3 Having a command of the English language is imperative for these tests. I have the following advantages.

• a) English is my first language

• b) I’m a bookworm. I can absorb and comprehend a lot of information very quickly, likely more than 90% of people. (Another superpower.)

• c) I’m a professional writer. (If I didn’t score highly on the communication test I’d be very embarrassed.)

The tests were multiple choice but that doesn’t mean they’re easy. Multiple choice just makes it easy to mark very quickly. Two officers were the test monitors; they were very good. They were personable and tried to put everyone at ease.

About 25 people showed up to take the tests. The maximum of students per room was 15, I was in the room with 15 students. There was a maximum of two people per table.

(I sat at the back so as not to distract anybody who was there as an actual potential recruit.)

We weren’t allowed to bring anything into the room. All bags had to be left in your vehicle, under your table or left at the back of the room. Sharpened pencils and erasers were supplied. For the APCAT we were also given two sheets of paper for calculations.

The test monitors gave very clear instructions. Certain things were mentioned multiple times.

1 Do NOT write in the test booklets. (That was repeated at least 10 times.)

2 Do not spend too much time on each question. If you don’t know it right away, skip it and come back. (That is my #1 test taking strategy. By the time I come back, my brain has usually worked it out.)

The monitors went over the examples for each section and made sure everyone understood.

I’m going to give examples of questions and answers but nothing that will help you pass it. (Besides, I’m not telling which version I took.)

The APCAT

The first part of this test measured our ability to absorb and retain information. We were given a study guide for 30 minutes, then it was taken away. There were three versions of the study guide, A, B, and C. No students at the same table received the same version so there was no way to copy from our neighbour.

The Study Guide included fictionalized reports of

• missing persons

• wanted persons

• missing items

• seized items

• missing persons report

It gave information re a certain medical condition and the correct way to transport them.

It gave information about how the law applies in a certain situation.

It also included things like passcodes for a building (4 different doors), a phone number, regimental numbers etc

You were then questioned on your recall of the study guide. The multiple choices answers were similar so you really had to know your stuff.

Eg The regimental number of X person is:
a) 33488

b) 34388

c) 33448

d) 34488

It measured our ability to see differences – think of those puzzles where you have to find all the differences between 2 pictures. In this one, we had 4 versions of the original picture and had to identify how many differences for each one. Our choices were 0-3 for each of the 4 pictures.

It measured our ability to identify someone in disguise. We were given an original photo with 4 similar looking people underneath. We had to determine which photo was the original person in disguise. All of the photos were grainy black and white photos (newspaper quality) so it wasn’t easy.

There were some math questions but we did not need a calculator. An example is

“Your car goes X kph. You need to get to this place which is X km away. How long will it take for you to get there?”

a) 1 minute

b) 2 minutes

c) 3 minutes

d) 4 minutes

(Again, not the actual answers.)

It measured our ability to plot the fastest route without breaking the law. We were given a fictional map which included one way streets and had to choose from 4 given routes.

It measured our ability to discern what a traffic accident report said by having us choose the proper diagram from four examples. Eg Car was going E on this road and ran into the back another car heading S on that road. (My example is very simplified.)

It measured our ability to spot errors on reports.

The ACT

Communication is vital, you need a command of the English language. This test covered spelling, vocabulary and grammar. I’m a writer so most of it was very easy for me. I have a greater vocabulary than many people because of the amount of reading I’ve done in my 60 years. Even so there was a part where it was not so easy to discern the errors; they were more subtle. We were given 4 different sentences and had to figure out which was the most grammatically correct.

Here’s an example of an incorrect sentence.

The truck rammed into the house covered in hay.

(Was the truck covered in hay or was the house covered in hay?)

I have the luxury of being able to use tools such as spell /grammar check. I can also get someone to proofread for me as well and provide suggestions. Even so, I still make errors.

Officers in the field are not so lucky; they must be able to say exactly what they mean.

I learned a lot doing this test.

Here’s a link to the MHPS recruitment page.

You can find links to sample test questions. Again, normally you do not get to write this until you have passed

July 2023 Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede

Photo credit Kelly Allard

Stage 1 The Application Process

You must fill out an Employment Application which includes the usual, plus

• Vision Report

• Hearing Report

• A-PREP Medical Clearance Form

• Security Clearance Declaration which includes

  • info on all of your immediate family members (parents, siblings, children, step, adoptive etc etc etc)

• Authorization for Release of Information

• Personal Disclosure which includes

  • Polygraph Examination Consent

  • Information about all crimes you have committed or covered up, detected or undetected.

You are warned that filling out this document may result in action taken against you for certain crimes.

If you work for a police service or a city employing the police service,

you may face sanctions or termination from your job.

“...if an Applicant admits to having committed a serious and undetected criminal offence, or is deemed to pose a serious risk to the safety of others, the Agency Police Service may use ordisclose specific information for a law enforcement or public safety purpose...

Should you be uncertain if this Notice applies to you, please consult the Police Service Recruiting Office for clarification.

Any information provided in this PDF regarding serious criminal activity, or that indicates you may pose a serious threat to others, may be investigated by the Agency Police Service or disclosed to entities with lawful authority to collect such information (e.g., police of jurisdiction or child protection agency). Such disclosures could lead to an investigation, arrest, charge(s), criminal prosecution, conviction, and ultimately, imposition of a sentence. Such disclosures may also lead to incident reports being entered into police databases, which could impact future employment.” (pg 21 Police Employment Application)

They ask you about drug use, driving while impaired, any financial problems, any behavioural problems at school or work, involvement with prostitution, sexual activity (specifically involving illegal acts), use of force, thefts, technological crime, fraud, perjury, etc.

This document is 91 pages long. There are some pages that may not apply to all recruits but you are still looking at about 70 pages to complete. Assuming you pass this stage you go on to

Stage 2 Pre-Interview Assessment

APCAT

ACT

Of course the above tests only get your foot in the door, you still need to pass a fitness test called the A-PREP.

(We all know I would fail this part – miserably. Yes, I was able to do very well on the written exams but that is not all there is to becoming a police officer.)

If you pass the A-PREP, that is not the end of it. There are 5 more stages.

Stage 3 Competency Specific Testing which includes

Personal Disclosure Interview (PDI)

Behavior Descriptive Interview

Stage 4 Integrity and Psychometric Testing

Stage 5 Background - Security Investigation

Stage 6 Selection - Hiring Decision

Stage 7 Pre-Employment Medical

For more details, click here

The deadline to apply for this intake is June 1 2024. Training will start in 2025.

I’d like to thank

the Medicine Hat Police Service Recruitment Team

for allowing me to satisfy my curiosity and take the exams. Thank you Gentlemen, I had fun!

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