PELLETB - California POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery
What is the California POST?
CHP uses the PELLETB
Learn what questions are on the PELLETB entry-level exam and what the top-rated PELLETB test prep course is. The term POST means “Police Officer Selection Test” in most parts of the U.S. In California, however, POST stands for Peace Officer Standards and Training. The California POST Commission sets minimum selection and training standards for California law enforcement agencies.
The California POST is the PELLETB. PELLETB stands for POST Entry Level Law Enforcement Test Battery and is the entry-level Written Exam recommended by the Commission.
More than 600 California law enforcement agencies participate in the POST Program. Smaller agencies such as university or hospital security organizations are the few exceptions.
Passing the PELLETB is based upon your T-score (See explanation) .
San Jose PD uses the PELLETB for their entry exam.
How Long is the PELLETB?
The PELLETB is 2.5 hours long and covers five or six sections (see note below.)
Is the PELLETB Hard?
Yes, the PELLETB is one of the most difficult police entry-level exams in the country. This is because of its emphasis on good English language skills. It includes the CLOZE Reading test - a test format that will be very new and challenging to most applicants. Special preparation is required in order to pass the PELLETB.
Questions on the PELLETB
The PELLETB covers basic skills required for police work
There are five or six sections in this 1 hour, 15 minute-test:
Writing - Clarity
Multiple-choice - choose sentence most clearly written
Writing - Spelling
Writing - Vocabulary
Reading Comprehension - 25 questions in 25 minutes
Read a policy or procedure and answer questions about it based only upon the information presented
CLOZE Reading Test
Fill in the missing words in a passage
Logical Reasoning
Multiple-choice - Information grouping, ordering, classification and relationships
Note: Reasoning may or may not appear on your specific exam. California POST tells me that it will be standard for all agencies soon, so you better study this topic as well.
What is the CLOZE Reading Test on the PELLETB?
The CLOZE Reading test is challenging for most police applicants in California.
The PELLETB CLOZE Reading Test presents a written passage with words omitted. The number of characters for each missing word is shown in place of the word as a series of dashes. The student must fill in the correct word using his or her knowledge of context, good grammar, spelling and vocabulary. The exam is considered difficult by most applicants because: (1) they have never seen this type of test in school, and (2) there are no answer choices given, as in multiple choice questions. Applicants need a good study guide to succeed on the CLOZE.