MA Police Officer Test 2011

Odd, I tested at the Holiday Inn in Hartford and did my oral interview at the federal building in Boston. The written test is pretty easy. If you're taking the artificial language test, make sure you get very familiar with the grammar rules. It saves you a lot of time flipping around in the book.

Do a lot of Insanity or P90X...or both. If you get hired and make it to the academy, you will die in the mat room otherwise. I went through Parris Island and this PT is no joke.

Yea when I did the TSA testing it was at a hotel in somerville, then interviewed up in portland. Youd think they would have a test in boston but I guess if they only get so many applicants from a region they just centralize the testing. And im seriously out of shape so I need to do a lot of training, havnt worked out regularly for about 5 years now, but give it 2 to 4 weeks and ill be ready, what I lack in strength/speed I make up for in endurance. Really should just join the armed forces though before its too late.
 
I scored a 94 as a resident non-vet. Hopefully that's a decent position to be in? Does having the minority card help? I have no idea what my city's hiring situation is though...
 
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I scored a 94 as a resident non-vet. Hopefully that's a decent position to be in? Does having the minority card help? I have no idea what my city's hiring situation is though...

1. It's not impossible, but it's not likely either. In a good economy, you'd have better chance. There's definitely a degree of luck involved, so you never know. I wouldn't go buying an ANSI green jacket quite yet however.
2. Depends on what city and if they're still under a consent decree. Otherwise, no.
 
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1. It's not impossible, but it's not likely either. In a good economy, you'd have better chance. There's definitely a degree of luck involved, so you never know. I wouldn't go buying an ANSI green jacket quite yet however.
2. Depends on what city and if they're still under a consent decree. Otherwise, no.

So a 94 with resident status ain't great. Good to know. (I don't get the ANSI reference?)

And what's a consent decree? Also good to know that the minority thing may or may not help. I've never gone through this process before so I'm just trying to set my own expectations.
 
So a 94 with resident status ain't great. Good to know. (I don't get the ANSI reference?)

I think he's referring to the OSHA certified high visibility clothing required when working traffic details.
 
Border Patrol is hiring again, just signed up for the test. They dont make it convenient for you though, my test is 8am on a monday in NYC, the closest interview office is on the canadian border of vermont, next closest was 8 hours away in either direction.

What agency you get into?

I also took my CPB test in New York, on Varick St. The easiest way to do things is to go up sunday night and stay at a hotel close by. Oh and be there at least a half hour early, don't over/under dress, and when you have 10 minutes for a break, don't piss the proctor off by coming back 20 minutes later, some people are just dumb.

For us in MA, the video based interview office is in Boston, that make sure you buy a suit for.
 
Not sure when you guys tested for CBP, but within the last year they were doing testing at the JFK building and interviews at the O'Neill building in Boston. Test for that is pretty easy, artificial language isn't bad, just frustrating til you really get the hang of it.
 
I also took my CPB test in New York, on Varick St. The easiest way to do things is to go up sunday night and stay at a hotel close by. Oh and be there at least a half hour early, don't over/under dress, and when you have 10 minutes for a break, don't piss the proctor off by coming back 20 minutes later, some people are just dumb.

For us in MA, the video based interview office is in Boston, that make sure you buy a suit for.

Thats what im planning, where did you stay? I know better than to be late, and I need to buy a suit anyway. How was the video interview?

Not sure when you guys tested for CBP, but within the last year they were doing testing at the JFK building and interviews at the O'Neill building in Boston. Test for that is pretty easy, artificial language isn't bad, just frustrating til you really get the hang of it.

Took the application test last night and the closest option was NYC, next was buffalo. Thats my only worry is the language portion, but I think ill get the hang of it if I actually put effort into it unlike in high school.
 
I think he's referring to the OSHA certified high visibility clothing required when working traffic details.

Oh... hehe... gotcha.

To be honest, you are probably going to have to wait till the next test. Residency is a big deal, but without being a vet or scoring a 99, you are probably not going to get a card.

Alright. Score higher next time around. Check.
 
I also took my CPB test in New York, on Varick St. The easiest way to do things is to go up sunday night and stay at a hotel close by. Oh and be there at least a half hour early, don't over/under dress, and when you have 10 minutes for a break, don't piss the proctor off by coming back 20 minutes later, some people are just dumb.

For us in MA, the video based interview office is in Boston, that make sure you buy a suit for.

Not sure when you guys tested for CBP, but within the last year they were doing testing at the JFK building and interviews at the O'Neill building in Boston. Test for that is pretty easy, artificial language isn't bad, just frustrating til you really get the hang of it.

Thats what im planning, where did you stay? I know better than to be late, and I need to buy a suit anyway. How was the video interview?



Took the application test last night and the closest option was NYC, next was buffalo. Thats my only worry is the language portion, but I think ill get the hang of it if I actually put effort into it unlike in high school.

Okay, you guys are confusing me. When you say "CBP", which is Customs and Border Protection, are you talking about OFO (Office of Field Operations, formerly U.S. Customs, a.k.a. the guys in blue uniforms that work at land, sea, and air ports of entry), or are you talking about Border Patrol (the guys in green uniforms that work between the ports of entry)? Both OFO and USBP are underneath CBP, and I believe both are hiring right now.
 
Okay, you guys are confusing me. When you say "CBP", which is Customs and Border Protection, are you talking about OFO (Office of Field Operations, formerly U.S. Customs, a.k.a. the guys in blue uniforms that work at land, sea, and air ports of entry), or are you talking about Border Patrol (the guys in green uniforms that work between the ports of entry)? Both OFO and USBP are underneath CBP, and I believe both are hiring right now.

My bad. I was talking about Border Patrol.
 
Okay, you guys are confusing me. When you say "CBP", which is Customs and Border Protection, are you talking about OFO (Office of Field Operations, formerly U.S. Customs, a.k.a. the guys in blue uniforms that work at land, sea, and air ports of entry), or are you talking about Border Patrol (the guys in green uniforms that work between the ports of entry)? Both OFO and USBP are underneath CBP, and I believe both are hiring right now.

Border patrol, watching the rio grande for swimmers, crawling through drug tunnels, that sort of thing.
 
Can you choose your place of duty?Or do they put you where they need you?

I have a friend of mine who is kind of "one of those friends" who gone through life being an ass.....He managed to get into Boarder Patrol and was bitching he was stuck in North Dakota...even though he begged for the southern border.We joke they shipped him up there because he's such a knucklehead.
 
Can you choose your place of duty?Or do they put you where they need you?

I have a friend of mine who is kind of "one of those friends" who gone through life being an ass.....He managed to get into Boarder Patrol and was bitching he was stuck in North Dakota...even though he begged for the southern border.We joke they shipped him up there because he's such a knucklehead.

They pretty much guarantee your going to be on the southern border when you start out, either texas, arizona, california or new mexico with maybe a few choices in each state, I picked arizona. Id love the northern border for a few years, but would get bored as hell after a while.
 
They pretty much guarantee your going to be on the southern border when you start out, either texas, arizona, california or new mexico with maybe a few choices in each state, I picked arizona. Id love the northern border for a few years, but would get bored as hell after a while.
You may find Border Patrol does a lot more than just...patrol the border.

I used to have an Army buddy who worked for the Somerset County Sheriff's Dept. in Maine. He mentioned they frequently call BP to assist them or back them up on calls way up towards Jackman when they were running real light.
 
Border patrol, watching the rio grande for swimmers, crawling through drug tunnels, that sort of thing.

Okay. That's what I figured, but I wasn't sure. Thanks for clarifying. If you have any questions about the hiring process at all, feel free to shoot me a PM. I just went through the whole process over the past year.

Can you choose your place of duty?Or do they put you where they need you?

I have a friend of mine who is kind of "one of those friends" who gone through life being an ass.....He managed to get into Boarder Patrol and was bitching he was stuck in North Dakota...even though he begged for the southern border.We joke they shipped him up there because he's such a knucklehead.

Currently they are only hiring for the southern border. In August of '09 they hired very briefly directly for the northern border, but you still had to do two years on the southern border before transferring back north. You pick a geographical preference when you apply. When I applied the choices were California, Arizona, New Mexico/West Texas, and South Texas. You just picked one of those four regions, and they'd try to offer you a sector and station within your geo preference, but there were no guarantees. I picked Arizona, and fortunately Arizona is what I was offered when I received my final offer, but it doesn't always work that way.
 
Okay. That's what I figured, but I wasn't sure. Thanks for clarifying. If you have any questions about the hiring process at all, feel free to shoot me a PM. I just went through the whole process over the past year.



Currently they are only hiring for the southern border. In August of '09 they hired very briefly directly for the northern border, but you still had to do two years on the southern border before transferring back north. You pick a geographical preference when you apply. When I applied the choices were California, Arizona, New Mexico/West Texas, and South Texas. You just picked one of those four regions, and they'd try to offer you a sector and station within your geo preference, but there were no guarantees. I picked Arizona, and fortunately Arizona is what I was offered when I received my final offer, but it doesn't always work that way.

Huh...now I'm really curious as to why he's up north,it seems being on the northern boarder is more of a privilege than a punishment.... maybe bitching is just a front lol.
 
Huh...now I'm really curious as to why he's up north,it seems being on the northern boarder is more of a privilege than a punishment.... maybe bitching is just a front lol.

The northern border is typically really tough to get. That's where a lot of agents try and go for their last few years before retirement, and transfers are approved based on seniority. That's how it's been explained to me, anyway.
 
Okay. That's what I figured, but I wasn't sure. Thanks for clarifying. If you have any questions about the hiring process at all, feel free to shoot me a PM. I just went through the whole process over the past year.



Currently they are only hiring for the southern border. In August of '09 they hired very briefly directly for the northern border, but you still had to do two years on the southern border before transferring back north. You pick a geographical preference when you apply. When I applied the choices were California, Arizona, New Mexico/West Texas, and South Texas. You just picked one of those four regions, and they'd try to offer you a sector and station within your geo preference, but there were no guarantees. I picked Arizona, and fortunately Arizona is what I was offered when I received my final offer, but it doesn't always work that way.

What part are you in? Customs ie checking ports and warehouses or something else? Id love to run a boat patrol between florida and cuba but I imagine I would need seniority to get that job.

Im pretty familiar with the process after going through it over 2+ years with the TSA, applied a while back before I turned 21, they waited til then to recruit me, everything was months apart, after they finally did the background check and medical it was 8 months before they offered me a job, by then I knew better than to accept.
 
What part are you in? Customs ie checking ports and warehouses or something else? Id love to run a boat patrol between florida and cuba but I imagine I would need seniority to get that job.

Im pretty familiar with the process after going through it over 2+ years with the TSA, applied a while back before I turned 21, they waited til then to recruit me, everything was months apart, after they finally did the background check and medical it was 8 months before they offered me a job, by then I knew better than to accept.

I'm currently at the Border Patrol Academy. I'm shining boots right now, which is why I have some free time to get on the forum every half-hour or so, lol. Boat patrols like what you mention are actually not really done by Border Patrol anymore, unfortunately. That duty would be split between the Coast Guard and CBP Office of Air and Marine (OAM). Border Patrol still has some boat patrol left, but not much.
 
Thats what im planning, where did you stay? I know better than to be late, and I need to buy a suit anyway. How was the video interview?



Took the application test last night and the closest option was NYC, next was buffalo. Thats my only worry is the language portion, but I think ill get the hang of it if I actually put effort into it unlike in high school.

SOHO Marriot. One block away from the test site. And if you stay a night before hand, you get to have some fun in NYC, I went all around. The WTC thing is pretty cool. And always good food and drink at the Hard Rock
 
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Okay, you guys are confusing me. When you say "CBP", which is Customs and Border Protection, are you talking about OFO (Office of Field Operations, formerly U.S. Customs, a.k.a. the guys in blue uniforms that work at land, sea, and air ports of entry), or are you talking about Border Patrol (the guys in green uniforms that work between the ports of entry)? Both OFO and USBP are underneath CBP, and I believe both are hiring right now.

I did apply for both sections. I would assume, which one I'll get, I'll find out in a while.
 
Just got my results for the police exam, does anyone know how I go about choosing the cities or towns I would prefer? Do they just put you wherever they need you or do you need to specify somewhere? Thanks!
 
Just got my results for the police exam, does anyone know how I go about choosing the cities or towns I would prefer? Do they just put you wherever they need you or do you need to specify somewhere? Thanks!

You should have filled those out when you took the test on the bubble sheet. However you can change them online at any time once the list is established, but thats what we are all waiting for now the list to be established.
 
Just got my results for the police exam, does anyone know how I go about choosing the cities or towns I would prefer? Do they just put you wherever they need you or do you need to specify somewhere? Thanks!
You're automatically assigned where you have residency and can choose the other three. See my recommendation in post 111. Just keep in mind I believe there's still a 3-4 day lag time when you change lists online.
 
I'm currently at the Border Patrol Academy. I'm shining boots right now, which is why I have some free time to get on the forum every half-hour or so, lol. Boat patrols like what you mention are actually not really done by Border Patrol anymore, unfortunately. That duty would be split between the Coast Guard and CBP Office of Air and Marine (OAM). Border Patrol still has some boat patrol left, but not much.

you find a new unit out there yet? [laugh] congrats dude. how's the PT? hopefully we'll see you on border wars. [smile]

ETA: if i was to ever peruse a LE career after i retire, CBP would be it for me. i am fluent in spanish so that's a plus. [grin]
 
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