WHat is the NAtionAL Police Exam?

BEWARE! If you are applying for a law enforcement job in the U.S. and need to take a Police Written Exam, you will find many references to the phrase “National Police Officer Exam” or “National Police Officer Test.” While these phrases produces several search results on the internet, you need to make sure you know exactly what exam your agency will be using.

Unscrupulous test prep vendors will often advertise their courses as a one-size-fits-all for the National Police Officer Exam. You want to make sure you use the proper police test prep course . Below are the specific police written exams that include the word “National” that contribute to this confusion.

1. NPOST - National Police Officer Selection Test

NPOST stands for “National Police Officer Selection Test.” NPOST is a popular written exam used by police agencies throughout the U.S. NPOST is a commercial marketing label created by the consulting company Stanards and Associates (not to be confused with the spelling Standards.)

Learn about the NPOST and the Best NPOST Test Prep course here.

2. NCJOSI - National Criminal Justice Officer Selection Inventory

The NCJOSI is a popular entry-level police written exam published by I/O Solutions (IOS) and used by many police departments throughout the U.S.  There are TWO versions, so applicants must check with the agency they are applying to in order to confirm which version to prepare for. Nowadays, the NCJOSI-2 is most common.

Learn about the NCJOSI and the Best NCJOSI Test Prep course here.

3. NTN - National Testing Network - FrontLine Exam

4. NPST - National Police Selection Test by FPSI

The National Police Select Test (NPST) is a police written exam published by FPSI (Fire & Police Selection, Inc.)  It is also referred to as the FPSI Police Written exam.

Learn about the NPST and the Best NPST Test Prep course here.