Candidates

Law Enforcement Officer - Written Test Requirements for GSI 2025

Written Exam Requirements

If you are scheduled to take the written exam and physical ability test (PAT) on the same day at an in-person test site, you will first take the written examination followed by the PAT. Please plan for at least 6-7 hours to complete both events.

You may choose to take the PAT on a date other than your written exam, but you will incur a PAT Fee if you take it on a different date. The PAT must be successfully completed within 180 days before or after the written exam for those departments that require both a written and PAT.

Online, virtual written examinations and physical ability tests are also available. For additional test options, visit our Testing Calendar.

Guardian Selection Inventory (GSI™)

The Guardian Selection Inventory (GSI™) is designed to identify candidates who will perform well in modern law enforcement and corrections officer roles. The GSI leverages contemporary predictors that seek to identify candidates who judge and react to challenges well, lack dangerous personality traits, and possess the necessary intelligence and positive character traits to perform the job of a law enforcement and corrections officer at a high level. In addition to providing a comprehensive assessment of job-related performance predictors, the GSI reflects modern industry research concerning the relative predictive power of certain measures that have been heavily relied on in the past. In short, the GSI effectively identifies individuals equipped with the skills, abilities, and other characteristics needed to succeed in a modern law enforcement and corrections environment.

The test measures skills and abilities needed to be a successful law enforcement or corrections officer. The test has four sections. The sections measure cognitive ability, situational judgment, and behavioral characteristics and attitudes. The section breakdown of the test is as follows:

• Section 1: Behavioral Characteristics and Attitudes (85 questions)
• Section 2: Behavioral Characteristics and Attitudes (48 questions)
• Section 3: Cognitive Ability (50 questions)
• Section 4: Situational Judgement (24 questions)

***It is important to note that the test does not measure job knowledge or skills requiring training. You will not need any law enforcement or corrections knowledge or skills to do well on the test.

Total Test Time Allowed - 3 1/4 Hours

Sections 1 and 2 measure behavioral characteristics and attitudes that are needed to be an effective police officer or corrections officer. Section 1 contains two parts: Part 1 and Part 2. The items in Part 1 of Section 1 will ask you to rate your level of agreement with a number of statements using the five-point agreement scale.

When answering this type of question, you should consider the statement that is presented. You should then choose a response that reflects your initial reaction about your level of agreement or disagreement. Your first reaction is usually the most accurate response.

For Part 2 of Section 1, you will be presented with two statements. You will be asked to choose the statement you MOST agree with. Again, you should go with your initial reaction to ensure your responses are accurate.

The items in Section 2 will be similar to those in Section 1 - Part 1. You will determine your level of agreement with a variety of statements using the same five-point scale as before.

Section 3 of the test measures eight cognitive abilities. In order to better familiarize you with the diversity of questions you will experience in the cognitive section of the GSI, the following will describe each cognitive ability area and the manner in which it might be demonstrated on the job.

• Pattern Recognition: Pattern recognition is the ability to find the underlying rule, process, or change that is present in a set of materials. It involves finding a graphic or visual pattern when parts of the pattern are presented. Officers use this ability when analyzing cases to look for patterns or similar crimes. They may look for patterns in victim descriptions, methods of entry, or types of goods taken.
• Selective Attention: Selective attention is the ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted. Officers use selective attention to pick out a pattern, person, or object hidden in a group. Officers use selective attention to pick out a suspect's face from a crowd. They may also use selective attention when looking for a specific license plate in traffic.
• Deductive Reasoning: Deductive reasoning is the ability to apply rules and guidelines to make decisions in a situation. It involves applying general rules to specific problems to find logical answers. Officers learn criminal and traffic laws. They also learn the elements of crimes. They apply this information to situations on the job. Applying rules, policies, procedures, and laws to specific situations on the job involves deductive reasoning.
• Ordering of Information: Ordering of information is the ability to choose the best order for a set of events. It involves placing events in a logical and meaningful order. This involves deciding the order of each event in a scenario to make a correct timeline. Officers use ordering of information when they collect facts and accounts from witnesses. They must put together the order of events based on different information. It is also used in following the correct steps to perform first aid or following a procedure to operate equipment.
• Inductive Reasoning: Inductive reasoning is the ability to combine pieces of information, or specific answers to problems, to form general rules or conclusions. Officers use this ability when they take in pieces of information about a crime scene or incident. They must then decide how to react based on that information. This ability is used when investigating if rules or laws have been broken.
• Grammar: Grammatical ability is a person's knowledge of word usage, spelling, and punctuation. Officers often communicate in writing. They must be able to correctly spell common words, use and pair parts of language (e.g., nouns, verbs), punctuate sentences, and compose meaningful sentences.
• Reading: Reading is the ability to read and understand written words and sentences. Officers must read and understand a large amount of training materials. They regularly complete training on the job that is presented in a written format. They also have to read and understand policies, instructions, and plans.
• Vocabulary: Vocabulary items measure your understanding of the meaning of words. Officers must be able to understand the meaning of the words in written policies, instructions, and plans they receive on the job.

These cognitive abilities have been shown to be essential for success as a law enforcement or corrections officer based on analysis of the job.

Section 4 is the situational judgement measure of the test. This section measures how you typically make judgements in response to challenges at work. You will be presented with scenarios that reflect the types of challenges you could encounter in the work environment. Each scenario will be followed by two responses. Each response contains an action or actions taken in response to the situation. You are not being asked to choose the best response. Instead, you will be asked to rate EACH response on a level of whether you would or would not respond in the described way.

Study Materials

Introductory Test Guide

Once you pay for your test registration, an Introductory Test Guide for the written examination will be placed in your PST account. This guide will provide additional information about the examination's structure, test-taking tips, and the rules for test administration, along with other rules and requirements you should be familiar with. Please review this Guide before your test date!

Additional Study Materials

We recommend the Standard Study Guide + Practice Test Form 1, which includes a study guide and a practice test with answer key developed specifically for the GSI by the test developer. This product, and more, is available for purchase in our online store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did PST switch to a new law enforcement and corrections test?

I recently took the LST. Do I have to wait 90 days before I can take the new GSI exam?

I'm scheduled to take a test after March 1, 2025. Will I take the LST or the new exam (GSI)?

Will agencies still accept my score if I have tested with the old exam before March 1, 2025?

Will my study materials for the LST still work for the GSI?

Is the Physical Ability Test the same?

Do I have to pay to take the GSI if I already paid for the LST?

PST Customer Service Team
Hours: Monday - Saturday; 8:30am - 5:00pm (Pacific Standard Time)
Email: Contact@publicsafetytesting.com
Phone: 1-866-HIRE-911

* “In selecting new officers, law enforcement agencies that use written examinations should use composite examinations that measure job-related cognitive abilities and personality traits…  …Composite examinations of this type are better predictors of success on the job than cognitive-only examinations, and result in significantly less disparate impact upon minorities than cognitive-only examinations.”  US Dept of Justice (January 2001) Principles for Promoting Police Integrity

• Written Exam Requirements (LST) - FOR EXAMS BEFORE FEB 28, 2025
  Our written test is the first test you will take. This test measures skills and characteristics related to the job, but no prior experience is required.
• Written Exam Requirements (GSI) - FOR EXAMS AFTER MAR 1, 2025
  Our written test is the first test you will take. This test measures skills and characteristics related to the job, but no prior experience is required.
• Physical Ability Test Requirements
  A detailed look at the events and criteria associated with the Physical Ability Test for Washington, Alaska, Idaho, and Oregon.
• Test Day Requirements and Policies
  Important information so you can arrive prepared on test day.