Situational Judgement and Interpersonal Skills
What is tested
You are given realistic policing dilemmas and asked what you would do, or which response is most and least effective. The constructs are integrity, impartiality, duty of care, communication, teamwork, appropriate escalation, use of discretion, confidentiality and record-keeping. Assessors look for judgement that reflects community expectations of police: firm, fair, lawful and respectful.
Traps
The strongest-sounding option is rarely the best; neither is the passive one. Watch for answers that breach confidentiality, act outside your authority (a recruit launching their own investigation), publicly humiliate a colleague or member of the public, or assume every problem must be referred to a supervisor. Equally, 'do nothing and see how it develops' wastes your discretion. With a colleague's misconduct, the expected sequence is to address it directly and respectfully where safe, then report it through the proper channel - not cover for them and not broadcast it.
Rule of thumb
A four-step hierarchy: protect immediate safety of the public and colleagues; act lawfully and proportionately; choose the least intrusive option that will actually work; then record and report. When two options are both defensible, pick the one that is transparent and can be written up without embarrassment.
Worked example
A colleague makes a discriminatory joke in the locker room. Best response: privately and clearly tell them it is not acceptable, then follow policy on reporting. Weaker: laughing along, staying silent, or calling them out in front of the whole shift.