Interpersonal Skills, Communication and Teamwork
These items assess how you work with colleagues, supervisors, and people in custody. Concepts include active listening, clear and respectful communication, giving and receiving feedback, de-escalation, team roles, and handover communication (accuracy and completeness when passing information between shifts).
Traps: choosing an option that is assertive to the point of aggression; choosing one that is passive and avoids the issue; assuming intent rather than checking facts; and withholding information to avoid conflict, which is a serious failure in a security setting. Another common trap is answering the relationship question when the question is about the task - teamwork items often test whether you prioritise safe, accurate information flow over being liked.
Rule of thumb: in any communication item, prefer the option that is respectful, specific, and closes the loop - the message is delivered, confirmed, and recorded where required. De-escalation means lowering tone and clarifying, not winning the argument.
Worked example: A colleague repeatedly arrives late for handover. The best response is to raise it privately and specifically with them, and if it continues, escalate through the supervisor - not to complain publicly, and not to absorb the gap silently.