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Victoria Police Exam study materials
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Victoria Police Exam practice questions

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Question 1Verbal reasoning and literacy

Choose the word that is closest in meaning to 'candid'.

  1. Wealthy
  2. Frank Correct answer.
  3. Cautious
  4. Hesitant

Explanation

Candid describes speech or behaviour that is open and honest, so 'frank' is the closest match in meaning.

Question 2Verbal reasoning and literacy

Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to 'scarce'.

  1. Abundant Correct answer.
  2. Expensive
  3. Fragile
  4. Concealed

Explanation

Scarce means existing in short supply; its opposite is abundant, meaning available in large quantities.

Question 3Verbal reasoning and literacy

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

  1. The box of files have been moved to the store room.
  2. Neither of the drivers was injured. Correct answer.
  3. The list of witnesses were delivered to the court.
  4. Each of the officers have completed the report.

Explanation

The subject 'neither' is singular, so it requires the singular verb 'was'. Phrases beginning with 'of' do not change the number of the subject.

Question 4Verbal reasoning and literacy

In the sentence 'Police may detain a person for questioning', the word 'detain' most nearly means:

  1. to issue a caution notice
  2. to release without charge
  3. to formally lay a charge
  4. to hold in custody Correct answer.

Explanation

To detain someone is to keep that person from leaving, which is captured by 'hold in custody'. The other options describe different actions.

Question 5Verbal reasoning and literacy

Read the passage. A council installed brighter street lights along a shopping strip. Reported assaults there fell by a third over the following year, but in the same period shopkeepers extended their trading hours and a new police station opened two streets away. The council's safety officer concluded that the lighting upgrade had reduced crime. Which statement best expresses the main point the passage makes?

  1. Shopkeepers extended trading hours to reduce assaults.
  2. The drop in assaults may have other causes. Correct answer.
  3. Brighter lighting always reduces crime in shopping strips.
  4. The new police station caused assaults to fall by a third.

Explanation

The passage deliberately lists two other changes that happened at the same time as the lighting upgrade, which undermines the officer's causal conclusion. The main point is that the explanation for the drop is not settled.

Question 6Verbal reasoning and literacy

Read the passage. A witness told officers she heard a loud bang, then saw a man running from the rear of a house carrying a bag. She did not see his face. When shown a photograph of a suspect, she said she could not identify him. Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

  1. Her evidence is of limited value for identification. Correct answer.
  2. The witness invented the account to avoid involvement.
  3. The bag she saw contained property taken from the house.
  4. The man in the photograph was the person she saw.

Explanation

Because the witness never saw the man's face and could not identify the photograph, her account cannot reliably identify anyone. That limits its identification value while leaving her other observations intact.

Question 7Verbal reasoning and literacy

All traffic controllers in the unit are trained in first aid. Some members trained in first aid are also qualified drivers. Which statement must be true?

  1. Some traffic controllers are not qualified to drive.
  2. All traffic controllers in the unit have first aid training. Correct answer.
  3. All qualified drivers in the unit are also traffic controllers.
  4. Every qualified driver has also completed first aid training.

Explanation

The first premise states directly that every traffic controller in the unit is first aid trained, so this follows with certainty. The other statements go beyond what the premises say.

Question 8Verbal reasoning and literacy

Baton is to officer as _____ is to surgeon.

  1. scalpel Correct answer.
  2. hospital
  3. patient
  4. operation

Explanation

A baton is the characteristic tool used by an officer, just as a scalpel is the characteristic tool used by a surgeon. The relationship is user to tool.

Question 9Verbal reasoning and literacy

Choose the word that best completes the sentence: The report was written in such _____ terms that the committee could not determine what had actually occurred.

  1. candid
  2. concise
  3. detailed
  4. vague Correct answer.

Explanation

The second half of the sentence says the committee could not work out what happened, which signals a lack of clarity. Vague terms fit that meaning.

Question 10Verbal reasoning and literacy

Read the procedure. An officer who seizes property must record the item, its condition and the place of seizure, and must give a receipt to the person from whom it was taken unless that person cannot be located. The receipt must be issued within seven days. According to the procedure, when may an officer not give a receipt?

  1. When the seizure happens after dark
  2. When the person cannot be located Correct answer.
  3. When the item is of little value
  4. When the item is entered in the register

Explanation

The procedure creates a single stated exception to giving a receipt: the person from whom the property was taken cannot be located. Value, recording and time of day are not mentioned as exceptions.

Question 11Verbal reasoning and literacy

Which sentence is clearest for a police report?

  1. The officer told the driver, 'You ran the red light.' Correct answer.
  2. The officer spoke to the driver after he ran a red light, which he denied.
  3. Having run the red light, the officer spoke to the driver.
  4. The officer told the driver that he had run the red light.

Explanation

Direct quotation pins the words to the speaker so there is no doubt about who is said to have run the light. Clear reporting avoids pronouns that could point to more than one person.

Question 12Verbal reasoning and literacy

Which of the following sentences expresses an opinion rather than a verifiable fact?

  1. The meeting began at 9:00 am.
  2. The meeting was held in the main conference room.
  3. Fourteen officers attended the meeting.
  4. The meeting was far too long to be useful. Correct answer.

Explanation

A statement is an opinion when it expresses a value judgement that cannot be checked against evidence. Judging a meeting as 'far too long to be useful' is such a judgement.

Question 13Verbal reasoning and literacy

Argument: 'Officers who complete the new de-escalation course are less likely to receive a complaint in the following year. Therefore, the course reduces complaints.' Which assumption does the argument rely on?

  1. Complaints are the only reliable measure of an officer's conduct.
  2. Every officer in the region will eventually complete the course.
  3. Officers who take the course are not already less complaint-prone. Correct answer.
  4. The course costs more to run than other training programs do.

Explanation

The argument compares course-takers with other officers, so it only works if the groups were comparable before the course. If volunteers were already less likely to attract complaints, the comparison proves nothing.

Question 14Verbal reasoning and literacy

Read the passage. In the first week after CCTV cameras were installed in a laneway, reported robberies there dropped to zero, while reported robberies in a nearby laneway without cameras stayed the same. However, a large construction project had also begun in the first laneway that week, and pedestrian traffic there fell sharply. Which statement best evaluates the claim that the cameras caused the drop?

  1. The claim is proven, because robberies fell only where cameras were installed.
  2. The claim is proven, because the comparison laneway showed no change.
  3. The claim is unaffected, because construction does not affect robbery.
  4. The claim is weakened by another change that could explain the drop. Correct answer.

Explanation

Fewer pedestrians offer an alternative explanation for the fall in robberies, so the camera cannot be isolated as the cause. A conclusion is only secure when competing explanations are ruled out.

Question 15Verbal reasoning and literacy

Three officers, Diaz, Novak and Petrov, each attended one separate job: a burglary, a collision and a disturbance. Diaz did not attend the disturbance. Novak attended the disturbance. Petrov attended neither the disturbance nor the collision. Which statement must be true?

  1. Petrov attended the burglary. Correct answer.
  2. Novak attended the collision job.
  3. Diaz attended the disturbance.
  4. Diaz attended the burglary.

Explanation

Petrov attended neither the disturbance nor the collision, so the only remaining job for him is the burglary. Novak then takes the disturbance and Diaz the collision, which fits the statement that Diaz did not attend the disturbance.

Question 16Verbal reasoning and literacy

In the sentence 'Barriers were placed to obstruct the crowd's path', the word 'obstruct' most nearly means:

  1. widen
  2. guide
  3. block Correct answer.
  4. observe

Explanation

To obstruct something is to get in the way of it or block its progress, so 'block' carries the same core meaning. The context of a barrier placed across a path confirms the sense of physically impeding movement.

Question 17Verbal reasoning and literacy

Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to 'reluctant'.

  1. hesitant
  2. eager Correct answer.
  3. doubtful
  4. cautious

Explanation

'Reluctant' describes someone unwilling or disinclined to act; its opposite is a word showing willing enthusiasm. 'Eager' expresses exactly that willingness.

Question 18Verbal reasoning and literacy

Which of the following words is spelled correctly?

  1. occurrance
  2. occurrence Correct answer.
  3. ocurrence
  4. occurence

Explanation

The noun formed from 'occur' doubles the 'r' and ends in '-ence', giving 'occurrence'. The double 'c' and double 'r' both need to be retained.

Question 19Verbal reasoning and literacy

Choose the correct verb to complete the sentence: 'Neither of the witnesses ______ able to identify the driver.'

  1. are
  2. were
  3. seem
  4. was Correct answer.

Explanation

The subject 'neither' is singular, so it takes a singular verb. The sentence is set in the past, so the singular past form 'was' fits.

Question 20Verbal reasoning and literacy

Which sentence avoids an ambiguous pronoun reference?

  1. The supervisor told the constable, 'Your report is late.' Correct answer.
  2. The supervisor told her that the constable's report was late.
  3. The supervisor told the constable that she was late with her report.
  4. The supervisor told the constable that her report was late.

Explanation

Using a direct quotation with 'your' makes it clear that the report belongs to the constable who is being addressed. In the other versions, 'her' or 'she' could refer to either the supervisor or the constable.

Question 21Verbal reasoning and literacy

Read the sentence: 'The officer's account of the incident was corroborated by footage from a nearby security camera.' In this sentence, 'corroborated' most nearly means:

  1. supported Correct answer.
  2. questioned
  3. recorded
  4. contradicted

Explanation

To corroborate something is to confirm or back it up with additional evidence, so 'supported' is the closest meaning. The camera footage acts as that additional evidence.

Question 22Verbal reasoning and literacy

Choose the word that best completes the sentence: '______ the heavy rain, the search of the reserve continued until dark.'

  1. Despite Correct answer.
  2. Unless
  3. Therefore
  4. Because

Explanation

The sentence sets up a contrast: the rain would normally stop a search, yet the search went on. 'Despite' introduces that contrast before a noun phrase.

Question 23Verbal reasoning and literacy

Choose the sentence in which the opening phrase correctly describes the subject of the main clause.

  1. After leaving the scene, the notebook could not be found by the officer.
  2. After leaving the scene, the officer realised his notebook was missing. Correct answer.
  3. After leaving the scene, the officer's notebook was lost.
  4. After leaving the scene, the notebook could not be found.

Explanation

An opening phrase like 'After leaving the scene' must describe the person or thing that performs the main clause action. Only in this sentence is the officer the one who left the scene and then realised something.

Question 24Verbal reasoning and literacy

Read the passage. 'A suburban supermarket added two extra checkout lanes, staffed only during the evening peak. Average queue length at 6 pm fell from nine customers to three. Queue length at 9 am, when the extra lanes were closed, was unchanged, and morning sales were steady while evening sales rose slightly.' Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

  1. The extra lanes reduced evening queue lengths at the store. Correct answer.
  2. The store should keep the extra lanes open all day.
  3. The extra lanes increased the store's daily sales by a large margin.
  4. Morning shoppers were more numerous than evening shoppers.

Explanation

The passage directly reports that the 6 pm queue fell after the lanes were added while the 9 am queue, when lanes were closed, did not change. That pattern supports the conclusion that the extra lanes shortened evening queues.

Question 25Verbal reasoning and literacy

Read the rules: 'If a report is marked urgent, it is reviewed within 24 hours. If a report is reviewed within 24 hours, the complainant is notified by email.' A complaint was lodged on Monday and was reviewed within 24 hours. Which statement must be true?

  1. The report was marked urgent.
  2. All urgent reports are lodged on a Monday.
  3. The complainant was notified by email. Correct answer.
  4. The report was not marked urgent.

Explanation

The second rule states that any report reviewed within 24 hours triggers an email notification. Since we are told the report was reviewed within 24 hours, the notification must follow.

Question 26Verbal reasoning and literacy

Read the passage. 'Volunteers who joined the town's foot patrol spent more time giving directions and answering questions than reporting crime. Police said the patrols had not reduced recorded offences, but that residents now called the station more often with minor concerns they had previously ignored.' Which statement best summarises the passage?

  1. Residents stopped calling the police station after the volunteer patrols began.
  2. The foot patrols substantially reduced crime in the town.
  3. Volunteers should be replaced by police officers because the patrols failed to reduce crime.
  4. The foot patrols produced community contact rather than a measurable drop in crime. Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage describes volunteers mostly assisting and reassuring the public while recorded offences stayed level, and it notes increased reporting of minor concerns. That is best captured as community contact without measurable crime reduction.

Question 27Verbal reasoning and literacy

Choose the sentence that uses apostrophes correctly.

  1. The officers radios were faulty and needed to be replaced.
  2. The three officer's radios were faulty and needed to be replaced.
  3. The officers' radios were faulty, and their batteries were flat. Correct answer.
  4. The officers' radios were faulty, and its batteries were also flat.

Explanation

Because there are several officers, the possessive needs the apostrophe after the plural 's' (officers'). The pronoun referring back to the plural radios must also be plural, so 'their' is required.

Question 28Verbal reasoning and literacy

Read the argument. 'A station introduced a new rostering system last month. Since then, overtime claims have fallen by 30 per cent. The station commander concluded that the new roster caused the reduction in overtime.' Which assumption does the conclusion depend on?

  1. The new roster will continue to reduce overtime in future months.
  2. Overtime claims were higher than necessary before the change was introduced.
  3. Most officers prefer the new rostering system to the previous one and want it retained.
  4. No other change in the same period could account for the fall in overtime claims. Correct answer.

Explanation

The argument moves from 'the roster changed, then overtime fell' to 'the roster caused the fall'. That reasoning only holds if nothing else happening at the same time could explain the drop.

Question 29Verbal reasoning and literacy

Which rewrite best expresses the original sentence in clear, plain English? Original: 'In the event that the applicant fails to provide the required documentation within the stipulated timeframe, the application shall not be processed further.'

  1. If the applicant supplies the documents late, the application may still be processed.
  2. Documentation requirements apply to every applicant regardless of the timeframe.
  3. The application will not proceed unless the applicant supplies the required documents by the deadline. Correct answer.
  4. Applicants who provide documentation within the timeframe will have their applications processed no further.

Explanation

The original says that missing the documentation deadline stops the application from progressing. The plain rewrite states the same condition in short, everyday words without changing the meaning.

Question 30Verbal reasoning and literacy

Choose the word that best completes the sentence: 'The magistrate described the officer's evidence as ______ and unreliable, since it rested on a single glance in poor light.'

  1. corroborative
  2. cursory Correct answer.
  3. exhaustive
  4. meticulous

Explanation

'Cursory' means hasty and superficial, which matches evidence based on nothing more than a single glance. It also pairs logically with 'unreliable'.

Question 31Verbal reasoning and literacy

Which sentence uses the homophone correctly?

  1. Their report was filed late. Correct answer.
  2. There report was filed late.
  3. They're report was filed late.
  4. Theyre report was filed late.

Explanation

The sentence needs a possessive word before 'report', because the report belongs to them. 'Their' is the possessive form, while 'they're' is a contraction of 'they are' and 'there' refers to a place. 'Theyre' is not a word at all.

Question 32Verbal reasoning and literacy

In the sentence 'The witness gave a candid account of what she saw', the word 'candid' most nearly means:

  1. frank Correct answer.
  2. confused
  3. lengthy
  4. cautious

Explanation

A 'candid' account is one given openly and honestly, without holding back. 'Frank' carries the same sense of direct honesty, so it is the closest match. The other options describe caution, length or muddle, none of which is the meaning of 'candid'.

Question 33Verbal reasoning and literacy

Which option is a complete sentence?

  1. The officer arrived first at the scene. Correct answer.
  2. Because the officer arrived first at the scene.
  3. Arriving first at the scene, the officer.
  4. The officer who arrived first at the scene.

Explanation

A complete sentence needs a subject and a finite verb that together make a statement stand on its own. 'The officer arrived first at the scene' supplies both 'officer' and 'arrived'. The other options contain a subject and verb-like words but are left hanging by a relative pronoun, a subordinating conjunction, or a participle.

Question 34Verbal reasoning and literacy

Which sentence uses punctuation correctly?

  1. The interview ended at noon; and the officer then wrote her notes.
  2. The interview ended at noon, the officer then wrote her notes.
  3. The interview ended at noon; the officer then wrote her notes. Correct answer.
  4. The interview ended at noon the officer then wrote her notes.

Explanation

Two independent clauses can be joined by a semicolon on its own. A comma alone between them creates a comma splice, and no punctuation at all creates a run-on. A semicolon followed by a coordinating conjunction such as 'and' is also incorrect, because a comma is used in that pattern.

Question 35Verbal reasoning and literacy

A shift briefing is scheduled after the roster check but before the vehicle inspection. The roster check is after the equipment audit. Which task must come first?

  1. The roster check
  2. The vehicle inspection
  3. The shift briefing
  4. The equipment audit Correct answer.

Explanation

The briefing follows the roster check, and the roster check follows the equipment audit, which places the audit at the start of the chain. The inspection comes after the briefing, so it is last. Only the equipment audit has nothing scheduled before it.

Question 36Verbal reasoning and literacy

Read the passage. 'When the station moved its front counter to the ground floor and posted a sign at the entrance, the number of people who came in to ask for directions fell sharply, while the number of formal reports taken at the counter stayed about the same.' Which conclusion is best supported?

  1. The station stopped taking formal reports.
  2. Most earlier counter visits were requests for directions. Correct answer.
  3. Visitors preferred the new counter location.
  4. The sign reduced crime in the area.

Explanation

Direction requests dropped sharply while reports stayed steady, which indicates that directions had made up a large share of the earlier counter visits. The passage directly contrasts the two activities, so this is the reading best supported by the text. Preferences, crime rates and changes to report-taking are not described.

Question 37Verbal reasoning and literacy

Choose the word that correctly completes the sentence: 'There were ______ vehicle collisions on the highway this month than last month.'

  1. lesser
  2. little
  3. fewer Correct answer.
  4. less

Explanation

Collisions are countable items, and countable plural nouns take 'fewer' when making a comparison. 'Less' is used with uncountable quantities such as water or traffic. 'Lesser' and 'little' do not fit a comparison of countable numbers in this construction.

Question 38Verbal reasoning and literacy

Choose the word that best completes the sentence: 'The road was closed for repairs; ______, traffic was diverted through the town centre.'

  1. similarly
  2. otherwise
  3. meanwhile
  4. consequently Correct answer.

Explanation

The diversion is a result of the road closure, so a connective signalling consequence is required. 'Consequently' expresses that cause-and-effect link between the two statements. The other choices signal contrast, simultaneous timing or likeness, none of which matches the relationship.

Question 39Verbal reasoning and literacy

Read the argument. 'A station installed brighter lighting throughout its rear car park. In the three months that followed, reported thefts from vehicles in that car park fell by half. The station concluded that the brighter lighting caused the fall.' Which assumption does the conclusion depend on?

  1. Every theft from a vehicle in the area was reported to police.
  2. The lighting was installed by an outside contractor.
  3. No other change in those three months could explain the fall. Correct answer.
  4. Officers parked their private vehicles in the rear car park.

Explanation

To move from 'thefts fell after the lights went in' to 'the lights caused the fall', the argument must rule out rival explanations such as changed patrols, seasonal patterns or new security measures. Without that, the fall could be attributed to something else. The conclusion therefore rests on assuming no other adequate explanation exists.

Question 40Verbal reasoning and literacy

Read the passage. 'Foot patrols are often judged by the number of arrests they produce. But officers on foot spend most of their time answering questions, giving directions and speaking with shopkeepers, and surveys suggest that these contacts do more to build public confidence than any arrest. Judging foot patrols by arrest counts alone therefore misses most of what they do.' Which statement best expresses the main point?

  1. Foot patrols should be replaced by patrols in vehicles.
  2. Foot patrols should be judged by more than arrest numbers. Correct answer.
  3. Arrests are of no value to the police.
  4. Shopkeepers prefer foot patrols to other forms of patrol.

Explanation

The passage contrasts arrest counts with the everyday contacts that build confidence, then concludes that arrest counts alone are an inadequate measure. That is exactly the claim that foot patrols should be assessed on broader grounds. The text never argues for scrapping foot patrols, dismisses arrests entirely, or reports shopkeeper preferences as its conclusion.

Question 41Numerical reasoning

A police station has 240 sworn officers. If 35% of them are detectives, how many detectives are at the station?

  1. 72
  2. 96
  3. 108
  4. 84 Correct answer.

Explanation

Convert the percentage to a decimal and multiply by the total: 0.35 × 240 = 84. The remaining 65% (156 officers) are not detectives.

Question 42Numerical reasoning

A highway patrol unit issued the following numbers of speeding fines over four days: 18, 24, 30 and 28. What is the mean number of fines issued per day?

  1. 22
  2. 25 Correct answer.
  3. 23
  4. 27

Explanation

The mean is the total divided by the count of values: 18 + 24 + 30 + 28 = 100, and 100 ÷ 4 = 25. The mean need not equal any single data value.

Question 43Numerical reasoning

A divisional fleet contains 64 vehicles, made up of patrol cars and motorcycles in the ratio 5:3. How many motorcycles are in the fleet?

  1. 24 Correct answer.
  2. 48
  3. 40
  4. 32

Explanation

The ratio 5:3 gives 8 equal parts in total, so each part is 64 ÷ 8 = 8 vehicles. Motorcycles take 3 parts: 3 × 8 = 24.

Question 44Numerical reasoning

A police vehicle involved in a pursuit travelled a distance of 4 800 metres. What is this distance in kilometres?

  1. 480 km
  2. 0.48 km
  3. 48 km
  4. 4.8 km Correct answer.

Explanation

There are 1 000 metres in a kilometre, so divide the number of metres by 1 000: 4 800 ÷ 1 000 = 4.8 km. Moving the decimal point three places to the left gives the same result.

Question 45Numerical reasoning

Reported property offences in a suburb fell from 480 in one year to 420 in the next. What was the percentage decrease?

  1. 12.5% Correct answer.
  2. 9.5%
  3. 14.5%
  4. 10.5%

Explanation

The decrease is 480 − 420 = 60. Percentage change is always measured against the original value: 60 ÷ 480 = 0.125, or 12.5%.

Question 46Numerical reasoning

On a map drawn to a scale of 1:25 000, the distance between two stations measures 6 cm. What is the actual distance between the stations?

  1. 15 km
  2. 1.5 km Correct answer.
  3. 2.5 km
  4. 150 km

Explanation

Multiply the map distance by the scale factor: 6 cm × 25 000 = 150 000 cm. Converting to kilometres by dividing by 100 000 gives 1.5 km.

Question 47Numerical reasoning

A traffic car covers 168 km in 2 hours and 20 minutes. What is its average speed?

  1. 64 km/h
  2. 70 km/h
  3. 56 km/h
  4. 72 km/h Correct answer.

Explanation

Convert the time to hours: 2 hours 20 minutes is 2 + 20/60 = 2.333... hours. Speed equals distance divided by time: 168 ÷ 2.333... = 72 km/h.

Question 48Numerical reasoning

A unit has an annual budget of $48 000. It spends 3/8 of the budget on equipment and 25% on training, with the remainder spent on vehicles. How much is spent on vehicles?

  1. $30 000
  2. $24 000
  3. $12 000
  4. $18 000 Correct answer.

Explanation

Equipment costs 3/8 × 48 000 = $18 000 and training costs 0.25 × 48 000 = $12 000, a combined $30 000. The remainder is 48 000 − 30 000 = $18 000.

Question 49Numerical reasoning

Of 320 applicants for a recruitment intake, 5/8 passed the fitness test. Of those who passed the fitness test, 3/5 then passed the medical. How many applicants passed both tests?

  1. 100
  2. 150
  3. 120 Correct answer.
  4. 96

Explanation

First find how many passed fitness: 5/8 × 320 = 200. Then take 3/5 of that group: 3/5 × 200 = 120.

Question 50Numerical reasoning

On day shift, 12 officers averaged 8.5 hours of overtime each. On night shift, 8 officers averaged 6 hours each. What is the average overtime per officer across all 20 officers?

  1. 7.2 hours
  2. 7.0 hours
  3. 7.5 hours Correct answer.
  4. 7.3 hours

Explanation

Find the total overtime first: 12 × 8.5 = 102 hours and 8 × 6 = 48 hours, giving 150 hours. Dividing by the 20 officers gives 150 ÷ 20 = 7.5 hours.