Police interview questions.
The force interview asks for real examples of how you’ve behaved. Here are ten questions like the ones you’ll face, what the interviewer is listening for, and how to structure your answer.
Ten questions, and what they’re listening for
01 · We are emotionally aware
“Tell us about a time you dealt with someone who was upset or distressed. How did you recognise how they were feeling, and what did you do to help them?”
- Describes one specific, real occasion (where, who, what was happening), not a general account of how they usually treat people.
- Says what they noticed that showed how the person was feeling (words, tone, body language), rather than just saying the person was upset.
- Thinks about the reason behind the person’s reaction (for example worry, embarrassment or grief) instead of responding only to the surface behaviour.
02 · We take ownership
“Tell us about a time you made a mistake. What did you do about it, and what did you learn?”
- Describes a real mistake that was genuinely theirs, not someone else’s fault or a strength in disguise.
- Admits the mistake promptly and honestly to the right person, before being found out and without blaming others.
- Acts quickly to limit the impact on the people affected.
03 · We collaborate
“Tell us about a time you worked as part of a team to achieve something. What was your role, and what did you do to help the team work well together?”
- Explains the team’s goal and their own role clearly, using “I” for what they did rather than “we” throughout.
- Helps the team organise itself: sharing information, agreeing who does what by when, and checking progress.
- Listens to others and makes use of their ideas and strengths, including quieter members of the team.
04 · We support and inspire
“Tell us about a time you had more to do than time to do it. How did you decide what to prioritise, and how did you make sure the work was still done to a good standard?”
- Sets out clearly what the competing demands were and the time pressure involved.
- Explains how they decided priorities (urgency, risk, safety, impact on people), not just that they worked harder.
- Makes a plan before acting and adjusts it as things change.
05 · Motivation & the role
“Why do you want to become a police officer? Tell us about an experience that has influenced your decision.”
- Gives genuine, personal reasons supported by a specific experience, rather than general statements such as “I want to make a difference” or “no two days are the same”.
- Shows a realistic understanding that much of the role involves protecting vulnerable people and responding to people in crisis, not just catching criminals.
- Shows they have tested their motivation through their own research, for example talking to serving officers or attending a recruitment event.
06 · We analyse critically
“Tell us about a time when you had to gather information from more than one source before making a decision. The panel may follow up with: - Where did the information come from, and how did you know it was reliable? - What options did you consider, and why did you rule some out? - Looking back, was it the right decision?”
- Chooses a real decision they were responsible for, and makes clear what had to be decided and by when.
- Names at least two different sources of information (for example records, the people affected, written terms, quotes) and says what each one added.
- Checks how reliable the information is: confirms a claim rather than accepting it, or spots something missing, out of date or one-sided.
07 · We are innovative and open-minded
“Tell us about a time when you had to adapt to a change in the way you worked or studied that you had not chosen. How did you respond? The panel may follow up with: - What was your first reaction to the change? - How did you help other people to adapt? - What did you do when part of the change was not working?”
- Describes a specific change that someone else decided on, and what it meant for the way they worked.
- Is honest about their first reaction, and keeps an open mind by finding out the reasons for the change rather than resisting it.
- Takes practical steps to learn the new way of working quickly, such as training, practice and asking questions.
08 · Respect and empathy
“Tell us about a time when you changed the way you dealt with someone so that they received the same standard of service as everyone else. The panel may follow up with: - How did you know they needed something different? - How did you avoid making assumptions about them? - What was the outcome for them?”
- Shows they understand that treating people fairly can mean treating them according to their needs, not identically.
- Notices the specific barrier the person faced (for example language, disability, age or confidence) from what they saw and heard.
- Asks the person what would help, rather than assuming.
09 · Public service
“Tell us about a time when you looked beyond what someone first asked for, to find out what they really needed. The panel may follow up with: - What made you think there was more to it? - How far did your responsibility go? - How did you stop the same problem happening to someone else?”
- Notices signs that the first request was not the whole problem, and asks open questions to find out more.
- Listens properly and shows they understood the situation from the person’s point of view.
- Takes personal responsibility for resolving the problem rather than passing it on.
10 · Courage
“Tell us about a time when you had to explain the reasons for a decision to someone who was unhappy with it. The panel may follow up with: - How did you prepare for the conversation? - What did you say when they challenged you? - What would you have done if they had wanted to take it further?”
- Gives a specific decision they made or were responsible for, and who was unhappy with it.
- Is open about how the decision was made, including the criteria or information used.
- Prepares for the conversation and chooses a suitable time and place for it.
Answer with STAR
A simple structure that keeps you on track, and makes it easy for the interviewer to score you.
- S
Situation
Where you were and what was going on. Two or three sentences.
- T
Task
What you needed to do, or the problem you faced.
- A
Action
What you did, step by step, and why. This is where the marks are: say “I”, not “we”.
- R
Result
What happened, and what you learned or would do differently.
A model answer
“Why do you want to become a police officer? Tell us about an experience that has influenced your decision.”
Situation: I have worked at a supermarket for four years, mostly on late shifts. One winter evening an older man came in wearing slippers and a dressing gown. He seemed confused, couldn’t tell us where he lived and kept asking for his wife.
Task: My manager phoned the police, and I was asked to stay with the man and keep him safe and calm until they arrived.
Action: I took him to the staff room, made him a cup of tea and got him talking about his old job as a bus driver, which he was happy to talk about. About half an hour later two officers arrived. What struck me was how patient they were. One crouched down to his level, spoke slowly and asked gentle questions in different ways until he answered. The other made calls and found out he had gone missing from his care home earlier that evening. They took him back with real care, and before they left one officer thanked me for keeping him calm.
Until then I had thought policing was mainly about catching criminals. That evening showed me how much of it is about protecting people who are vulnerable, and how much difference the way an officer treats someone can make. It made me want to find out more. Over the next year I went to a recruitment open evening and spoke to two serving officers about what the job is really like, including nights, weekends and dealing with very upsetting incidents. I read about the training on the force’s website, and I talked it through with my family, because shift work affects them too.
Result: Everything I found out made me more certain. I want to be a police officer because I want to help people when they most need it, and to do it fairly for everyone, whatever their background. I know most days won’t be like that evening. There will be paperwork, hostility, long shifts and incidents that stay with me. But the skills I’ve built in retail, staying calm with angry customers, being patient with people who are confused or upset, and noticing when something isn’t right, are a good starting point.
What I learned from that evening is that the way an officer treats people matters as much as what they do, both to the person and to everyone watching. That is the kind of officer I want to be.
Use it to see the shape of a strong answer, not to learn by heart: interviewers can tell, and your own story is stronger.
Applicant plan
Walk in prepared.
Every interview question with what good looks like and a model answer, plus SJT practice and the written exercises.£9.99 a month, or £24 for 3 months.
Questions people ask
What questions are asked in a police interview?
Mostly “tell us about a time…” questions that ask for a real example of how you’ve behaved, each linked to a competency or value: dealing with someone upset, making a mistake, working in a team, changing your approach, explaining a decision someone didn’t like. Most forces also ask why you want to join.
How do I answer police interview questions?
Use a real, specific example and the STAR structure: situation, task, action, result. Spend most of your time on what you did and why, say “I” rather than “we”, and finish with what you learned.
How long should a police interview answer be?
Long enough to cover the situation, your actions and the result: often around three to five minutes. Interviewers may prompt you for more detail, so don’t pad.
Can I use examples from outside work?
Yes. Examples from work, study, volunteering, sport or family life all count, as long as they’re real and show the behaviour being asked about.
Forces run their own interviews, so the exact questions vary. Points to Prove is independent and isn’t connected to any force.