KS POST study guide
KS POST · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The KS POST exam is the written selection test used by Kansas law-enforcement agencies as part of hiring entry-level peace officers. It is a basic-aptitude instrument, not a test of police procedure or Kansas criminal law: agencies use it to judge whether a candidate can read and reason with written material, write clear and grammatical English, handle arithmetic, notice and recall details, apply sound judgment to people problems, and produce a factual report. The KS POST study guide has 6 sections and about 1,805 words.
01Reading Comprehension
This section of the KS POST exam tests how accurately you extract stated facts, implied meaning, tone, and vocabulary from a passage under time pressure. Passages are usually short prose on civic, administrative, or social themes, followed by questions on main idea, detail, inference, author's purpose, and word meaning in context.
289 words, about 1 min02Writing and Grammar
This domain checks whether you can identify and correct errors in standard written English: subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, pronoun reference, modifiers, parallelism, articles, prepositions, and punctuation. Questions typically present a sentence with one underlined segment or ask you to choose the best revision.
308 words, about 2 min03Mathematics
Mathematics in the KS POST exam focuses on quantitative aptitude used in police and administrative work: percentages, ratio and proportion, averages, time-speed-distance, time and work, simple and compound interest, mensuration, and interpretation of tables. The aim is accuracy under a short time limit, so method choice matters as much as calculation.
285 words, about 1 min04Observation and Memory
Observation and Memory tests whether you can register details accurately and recall them after a delay. In a written format, you may be given a short scene description, a sequence of events, or a list of particulars (names, numbers, directions) and then asked factual questions.
327 words, about 2 min05Situational Judgment and Human Relations
Situational Judgment and Human Relations assesses how you would act in police or public-service scenarios involving colleagues, superiors, and the public. Questions test lawful procedure, proportionality, communication, and ethical judgement rather than toughness.
293 words, about 1 min06Report Writing
Report Writing tests whether you can turn raw facts into a clear, factual, and chronologically ordered official document. The examiner looks for accuracy, completeness, objectivity, and a neutral tone, not literary style.
303 words, about 2 min