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Stage 1.     Physical Fitness Test (PFT)

The Physical Fitness Test (PFT) is a screen-out element. An applicant must successfully pass all four components of the PFT (the Sit and Reach, Sit-ups, Bench Press, and 1.5 Mile Run) to proceed to the next testing stage. Failure of any component of the PFT will result in a failure of the examination. If an applicant has taken and passed the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy (NIPSTA) POWER Test, Joliet Junior College or Triton College's POWER test, Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy (SWIC) POWER Test, and human resources has confirmed the candidate has received the NIPSTA's POWER Test ID card/certification or Joliet Junior College or Triton College's POWER Test ID card and/or SWIC POWER Test card in the past 6 months, the institution may opt to waive the University System's PFT. If an applicant informs human resources at the time of application for a Police Officer posting that he/she has taken and passed the Physical Fitness Test at a State Universities Civil Service System (University System) employer, and human resources can confirm the applicant has passed the PFT within the past 6 months, the institution may choose to waive the University System's Police Officer Physical Fitness Test (Stage 1 Physical Fitness Test).

Preliminary Requirements for Physical Fitness Test

Before administering the Police Officer Physical Fitness Test (PFT), a test proctor should review the following documents listed in the SUCSS apps for an overview of the testing process.

Human resources must read the following:

• Information for Test Administrators;
• Ethical Guidelines (Section 9.6);
• Employment Guidelines; and
• General Instructions for Administration of the Police Officer Physical Fitness Test.

Before attending the Police Officer Physical Fitness Test, an applicant should review the following documents listed on our public website within our Classification/Testing dropdown list at the top of the page under Test Preparation labeled Police Series.

Applicant Materials to be read are the following:

• Information to Applicants;
• Ethical Guidelines (Section 9.6);
• Physical Fitness Test: Information to Applicants; and
• Physical Fitness Test: Training and Standards.

An applicant is urged to have an evaluation performed by a licensed medical professional to determine eligibility for participating in this examination. Some departments require a doctor's release from an applicant in order to participate. Arrangements and payment for physicals are the responsibility of each applicant.

Fifteen (15) minutes will be allowed for an applicant to complete warm-up stretching exercises. Test administrators can provide supervision and assistance, but should allow applicants to individually carry out desired exercises. The necessity of a proper warm-up should be strongly emphasized.

A University Police Department representative may be present during the entire University System Physical Fitness Test to ensure the examination is being properly conducted. The representative may assist human resources in administering the test to the applicant but should not participate in the remaining Stages of the Examination Process or the department's final selection process. THE REPRESENTATIVE SHOULD NOT MAKE EMPLOYMENT RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE EMPLOYING DEPARTMENT FOR ANY REASON.

The components will be completed in the order indicated. For Component 3‘s Bench Press, the use of a Dynamic Variable Resistance (DVR) universal weight machine is required.

An applicant is allowed THREE (3) ATTEMPTS to pass Component 1 (Sit and Reach) and ONLY ONE ATTEMPT to pass Components 2 (Sit-ups), 3 (Bench Press), and 4 (1.5 Mile Run). When an applicant fails any Component, they are immediately disqualified. For example, when an applicant fails Component 1, he/she does not continue to Component 2 or, if an applicant passes Component 1 and then fails Component 2, he/she does not continue to Component 3.

Failure to pass this stage (PFT) of the examination will disqualify the applicant from proceeding to the next stage and will result in a failure to successfully complete the entire examination.

(Note: If an applicant has taken and passed the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy (NIPSTA) Power test, Joliet Junior College or Triton College's POWER test, Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy (SWIC) POWER Test and human resources has confirmed the applicant has received the NIPSTA's POWER Test ID card/certification or Joliet Junior College or Triton College's POWER Test ID card and/or SWIC POWER Test ID card in the past 6 months, the institution may opt to waive Stage 1, Physical Fitness Test and indicate on the Credentials Assessment via the University System E-Test system. If an applicant informs HR at the time of application for a Police Officer posting that he/she has taken and passed the Physical Fitness Test at a University System employer, and HR can confirm the applicant has passed the PFT within the past 6 months, the employer may choose to waive the University System Police Officer Physical Fitness Test (Stage 1 Physical Fitness Test).)

Notification of Score

An applicant will receive a notification regarding passing or failing the PFT from the university. If an applicant receives a passing score, the Test Administrator should indicate on the Credentials Assessment via E-Test and notify the applicant when to appear at the human resources office to complete the second stage of the examination, the Cognitive Test.

Failure to pass the Physical Fitness Test will disqualify the applicant from proceeding to the next stage of the testing process and will result in a failure to successfully complete the examination.

(Note: A Police Department representative may be present during the entire PFT to ensure the examination is being properly conducted. The Police Department's representative may assist human resources in administering the test to the applicant, but should not participate in the remaining stages of the examination process or the Police Department's final selection process or make any employment recommendations to the employing department for any reason.

Stage 2.     Cognitive Test for Police Officer

The Police Officer Cognitive Test is a screen-out element. An applicant must pass this stage in order to continue to the next stage of this examination. The Police Officer Cognitive Test is composed of the Integrity Test (92 questions) with a 30 minute time limit and the Knowledge Test (75 questions) with a 2 ½ hour time limit. The University System E-Test system will calculate appropriate points. A minimum combined score of 70 points must be achieved in order to pass the Cognitive Test. A passing Cognitive Test score will count as 60% of the total examination score. Scores may not be rounded. The applicant should be encouraged to follow all directions and to complete every question in each area (Integrity Test and Knowledge Test) of the Cognitive Test.

Topic areas covered in the Knowledge Test include:

• Deductive Reasoning
• Flexibility of Closure
• Inductive Reasoning
• Problem Sensitivity
• Selective Attention
• Spatial Orientation
• Visualization/Memorization
• Written Comprehension
• Written Expression

Notification of Score

An applicant will receive a notification regarding their Cognitive Test score from the university. If the applicant receives a passing score, the Test Administrator should indicate on the Credentials Assessment via E-Test and notify the applicants when to appear at the human resources office to complete the final stage of the examination, the Structured Oral Interview.

Failure to pass the Cognitive Test will disqualify the applicant from proceeding to the next stage of the testing process and will result in a failure to successfully complete the examination. If the applicant fails the Cognitive Test for the Police Officer, the Test Administrator should indicate on the Credentials Assessment via E-Test and issue the failing score to the applicant.

Stage 3.     Structured Oral Interview (SOI)

The Structured Oral Interview (SOI), also a screen-out element, is always the final stage of the Police Officer testing process. The SOI is comprised of five (5) questions with a total time limit of 45 minutes and has an overall weighted value of 40%. A panel of three (3) trained assessors monitored by the respective university's human resources representatives will rate the SOI based on (6) dimensions. Final scores for Stage 3 will be entered into the University System E-Test system which will calculate appropriate points. An applicant's failure to pass the SOI with a minimum of 70 points will disqualify the applicant and will result in failure of the examination. Scores may not be rounded.

The SOI is an evaluation of the oral presentation by an applicant in response to a series of five (5) defined questions, reactions to scenarios, or other defined exercises furnished by the University System office. The applicant will have a designated time period to respond to each question/exercise. An applicant will be rated by each assessor on information provided by the applicant during their oral presentation and their responses to a set of oral and written questions furnished by the University System office. The final SOI rating is arrived at by averaging the ratings of the three (3) trained assessors on the elements they administered and scored after the applicant has departed from the examination room. To maintain a fair and consistent testing process, neither the assessors' names nor their ratings are shared with the applicant at any time during this process.

The applicant's total score is a composite score computed by averaging all three assessor scores and not the rating of an individual assessor. Neither applicant/candidate nor employing units will be permitted to see nor told the individual ratings of the SOI candidate. The University System office requires that assessors keep information obtained from applicant/candidate confidential. Failure to follow this policy may result in voiding the examination and/or voiding of the register by the University System office. No persons will be allowed in the examining room during the examination process other than assessors, the applicant/candidate, the proctor(s), and members of the University System staff (or other as delegated by the University System office). The applicant's race, color, religion, sex (including sexual harassment and pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, military status, familial status, sexual orientation (including gender identity) or unfavorable military discharge must not be considered in determining the rating of an applicant's SOI score.

Preliminary Requirements for Structured Oral Interview

Before administering the Police Officer Structured Oral Interview, a test proctor should review the following documents listed on the secure section of the University System's website for an overview of the testing process.

Human resources must read the following:

• General Procedures for Police Officer Structured Oral Interview;
• Police Officer Structured Oral Interview Proctor/Monitor Training Guide;
• Orientation of Assessors for Police Officer Structured Oral Interview; and
• SOI Administration Guide.

Human resources must complete and submit these forms to the University System office:

• Request to Conduct Police Officer Structured Oral Interview (Form 9.2a) (Must be approved each time.)
• Recommendation for Service as Assessor for Police Officer Structured Oral Interview (Form 9.2b) (Once assessor is trained and approved, this form does not have to be resubmitted unless Assessor's title/rank/employment status changes.)

Before participating in the Police Officer Structured Oral Interview, an assessor will review the following documents provided by the respective university for an overview of the testing process.

Assessors must read the following:

• Ethical Guidelines (Section 9.6);
• Ethics, The Assessment Process and Confidentiality Statement (Form 9.2c) (must also be signed each time he/she assesses);
• Orientation of Assessors for Police Officer Structured Oral Interview;
• Structured Oral Interview Introduction/Candidate Instructions;
• SOI Assessor Training Guide; and
• SOI Administration Guide.

Assessors must complete the following:

• Training Process;
• Ethics, The Assessment Process and Confidentiality Statement (Form 9.2c) (must also be signed each time he/she assesses); and
• Evaluation Sheet for Oral Examining Procedure (Form 9.2e). (Assessors must complete at the end of the Structured Oral Interview/Board process.)

Upon participating in the Police Officer Structured Oral Interview, the applicant will review the following documents provided by the respective university for an overview of the testing process.

Applicant Materials to be read:

• Ethical Guidelines (Section 9.6);
• State Universities Civil Service Act and Confidentiality Statement (Form 9.2d) (must also be signed each time applicant takes exam); and
• Structured Oral Interview Introduction/Candidate Instructions.

A review and approval of assessors and testing protocols are necessary before conducting this portion of the Police Officer examination.

A university's human resource is responsible for coordinating the Structured Oral Interview examination. This includes selecting assessors from the pool of University System approved assessors recommended by the employer and approved by the University System office and scheduling applicants.

University human resource office representatives will monitor the Structured Oral Interview (SOI) and should be present in the room with the applicant and assessors during the entire SOI. The DER, representative, monitor or proctors should not participate in questioning the applicant, but should interrupt the examining procedure if he/she feels that the examination is not being properly conducted. The DER, representative, monitor or proctors may not make recommendations based on the applicant's examination to the employing department.

Notification of Score

The Police Officer Physical Fitness Test component, Cognitive Test component, and the Structured Oral Interview component ultimately determine the applicant's final score. Based on these scores, an employment register is established.

If an applicant passes or fails the SOI for the Police Officer, the Test Administrator should complete the information on the Credentials Assessment via E-Test for Stage 3 and issue the final examination score to them. An applicant will receive a Notification of Score from the respective university within ten (10) business days of completion of the university's entire examination (SOI) process. This document, derived from E-Test, will share a scoring summary of the Credentials Assessment and the Cognitive Test scores with a breakdown of the Knowledge Test's exam questions by category. No further breakdowns or rechecks will be provided by the University System office. Administration of the Exam Notice of Score will be shared with the applicant/employee only after they have completed both stages (Cognitive Test and Structured Oral Interview) of the exam.

Failure to pass the Structured Oral Board will disqualify the applicant and result in a failure to successfully complete the examination.