Hey guys!  I have been a 911 dispatcher for over 2 1/2 years and I am up for an interview within the next few weeks (Oct 4 or Oct 11) to move to patrol.

Did you guys that have been hired off the street use any study guides for the interviews. I have a pretty good idea of how the department I am interview with works, since I have worked for them.

I also have a minor in CJ. The interview board will be mostly made up of officers from my department.

I also have my PD policy manual that includes all divisions of the PD, whould this a good thing to go over?

I am also getting my butt back in shape from being in dispatcher shape (round). Any tips on the PT test?

All help is greatly appreciated!

No study guides are necessary.

It's pretty basic, and mostly common sense. You obviously have a leg up on most with regard to police procedure and how your department handles calls due to your experience as a dispatcher.

Just relax and give concise, and well reasoned answers. Try not to ramble.

Make good eye contact.

Have a good closing statement prepared. The panel will usually give you a chance to say a closing statement.

Do some prep work.

Ask yourself, what are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What have you done to address them? What have you accomplished up to this point? How has it prepared you for a career in LE?

You are bound to get some hypothetical situation questions. After hearing the question, don't just start blabbering as soon as they're finished with the question. Take a second, think about the question, then start your answer. You wouldn't believe some of the stupid things that come out of people's mouths because they feel they need to be Johnny on the spot with an answer. If you're stumped, as them to repeat the question. It will buy you some extra time. If you still don't know, trying to BS an answer to a bunch of cops is going to go over like a lead balloon. Just something to think about.

The more info you know about your department going into the interview, the better. But knowing policy by section and chapter seems way over kill to me. Just the basic down and dirty about the department and your city should be fine. (Chief, mayor, population size, area size, department size, special units, etc. etc.)

I wish you luck.

Thanks, I wasn't planning on reciting policy or anything. More or less just a hour read through of it, so I am familiar with some of the response policies in case they ask a question like I saw in a prep guide.

"You are the primary unit responding to a physical domestic, you see a vehicle weaving (the driver is possibly intoxicated) all over the road in front of you. What do you do?"

I thought just paging through the response procedures should give me an idea of what they are looking for, obviously they will teach me but I just want to have a leg up on the competition.

Be relaxed and confident. Make eye contact with each member of the board when talking. When they say "tell us about yourself" this is your chance to sell yourself.

Don't be cocky just be calm, relaxed, and professional.

FTO 57