The role
Captains often command a district, bureau or major division. The work is planning, resourcing, community partnership and accountability, with fewer street decisions and more decisions about people and money.
What the process tests
- Strategic thinking: a 90-day plan for a division, presented to a panel.
- Labor relations: handling a grievance, a work-to-rule slowdown or a contract interpretation dispute.
- Community and media: a town hall after a use-of-force incident.
- Data: reading a crime and complaints dashboard and drawing sensible conclusions.
How to prepare
- Draft a written 90-day plan for a real division in your agency: listening tour, data review, three priorities, measures and a communication plan.
- Rehearse a 10-minute presentation with slides and take hard questions from a mentor.
- Study your agency's past media incidents. What worked, and what would you have changed?
Reading to gather
- Agency strategic and staffing plans
- Labor contract and recent arbitration decisions
- Executive-level police leadership texts on your list
This guide is general information written by ServiceJacket, not advice from any agency or testing company. Your official announcement, civil service rules and labor contract control.
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