Entry-level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery Applicant FAQs

A.Commission Regulation 1018(c)(4) mandates that “public safety dispatchers be subject to a Verbal, Reasoning, Memory, and Perceptual Abilities Assessment. These abilities must be evaluated before hire to assure the presence of ability levels commensurate with the performance of dispatcher duties, as measured by the POST Entry-Level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery (POST Dispatcher Test) or alternative job-related tests of these abilities.” Since scores on the POST Dispatcher Test are predictive of both training proficiency and job success, many law enforcement agencies and communication centers use the POST Dispatcher Test to measure your aptitude for performing public safety dispatcher work.

A.Contact law enforcement agencies and/or communication centers in your area to determine if they are administering the POST Entry-level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery.

A.The POST Dispatcher Test is designed to measure aptitude for performing public safety dispatcher work. The test consists of eleven (11) brief tests that measure a candidate’s:

• Verbal Ability (the ability to read and listen to information and identify facts and draw conclusions; and the ability to write clearly),
• Reasoning (the ability to apply general rules to specific problems to attain logical answers; and the ability to correctly follow rules to arrange things or actions in a certain order),
• Memory (the ability to store and retrieve facts, details, and other information), and
• Perceptual Ability (the ability to quickly and accurately compare letters and numbers presented orally and in written form; and the ability to shift back and forth between two or more sources of information, both written and orally imparted, in performing a task).

Each test is administered with its own set of instructions and is timed separately. The separately-timed tests range from 5 minutes to 15 minutes each. The entire test battery takes about 2 ½ to 3 hours, including a short break.

A.The POST Entry-level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery: Examinee Guide (pdf) provides information about the test. Because the test measures general abilities, there is no study guide or reading list for the test. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the test formats shown in the Examinee Guide. If you are not accustomed to test-taking in general, of if you tend to get tense in testing situations, you may find it helpful to practice doing activities similar to those described in the Examinee Guide.

A.All agencies that use the POST Dispatcher Test are required to provide candidates with their test results within 30 days of the test administration. If it has been less than 30 days, you should allow time for the agency to process your results. If it has been more than 30 days, you should contact the agency where the test was originally administered to inquire about your results. For security reasons, POST is unable to provide test results directly to candidates.

A.When POST electronically scans your test answers, statistical calculations are performed to convert your raw score (the number of items you answered correctly and subtracting a portion of a point for those answered incorrectly) into a “T-score.” A T-score is a standardized score that places your performance on the test into a normal distribution (bell-shaped curve) with a midpoint (average) of 50 and standard deviations (statistically-significant variations from the mean) of 10. If your score falls around 50, your performance is considered “average” when compared to other candidates who have taken the same test. If you score 40 or below, your performance is considered “below average” when compared to other candidates who have taken the same test. If you score 60 or above, your performance is considered “above average” when compared to other candidates who have taken the same test.

A.Additional questions about the POST Entry-level Dispatcher Selection Test Battery can be directed to seb@post.ca.gov or 916.227.4820.