What is the OACP Certificate?
Most police services in Ontario ask constable applicants for an OACP Certificate of Results, issued by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police. You buy the certificate, then complete several parts. The written aptitude test is Part B, the Sigma Survey for Police Officers (SSPO). This page helps you practise for Part B. It is an independent practice platform with original questions, and it has no link to the OACP, any police service or the test publisher.
| Part | What it is |
|---|---|
| Part A | A signed Consent and Release form and the Applicant Code of Conduct, sent by email |
| Part B (SSPO) | 74 multiple-choice questions in 35 minutes: writing aptitude and police problem solving |
| Part C (ESQ2) | A personality questionnaire with no time limit (about 30 to 50 minutes on average) |
| Medical package | Vision and hearing assessments by qualified specialists in Canada |
| Fitness log | A log of your activity over 14 days in a row, sent to the police service |
Parts B and C are done online with remote proctoring, and no appointment is needed. The OACP says to allow 60 to 90 minutes for both together. You cannot use electronic devices during the test, but you may have blank paper and something to write with.
The SSPO format
The OACP describes two sections. Section A has 44 questions on spelling, vocabulary, punctuation and grammar. Section B has 30 questions on police problem solving. You have 35 minutes for all 74, which is under 30 seconds per question, so speed matters as much as accuracy.
The publisher's sample score report breaks the test down further, and our timed simulation follows the same split:
| Part of the SSPO | Questions | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Spelling | 28 | Decide whether a word a police officer might use in a report is spelled correctly (yes or no) |
| Vocabulary | 8 | Choose the word or phrase closest in meaning |
| Grammar and punctuation | 8 | Pick the correctly written sentence or the right word |
| Police problem solving | 30 | Read short police situations and answer several questions about each one |
The problem-solving situations cover everyday police work: patrol routes and directions, groups causing a disturbance, descriptions from witnesses, timelines, procedures and reports. You do not need any legal knowledge. Everything you need is in the situation, and you are tested on careful reading, logic and sound judgment.
How the SSPO is scored
There is no pass or fail. Every applicant who completes the parts receives a certificate, and the results show how you did compared with other applicants. Results go straight to the police services you apply to, and you do not see your own scores. The SSPO publisher's score report includes a total score plus separate scores for problem solving and for writing aptitude (spelling, vocabulary, and grammar and punctuation), so every part counts.
The certificate is valid for one year from the date it is issued. If you want to try to improve your results, the OACP says you can retest as early as ten months after you receive your certificate. That makes it worth being well prepared the first time.
How to prepare
- Spelling: learn the words that trip people up in reports, such as double letters (harassment, occurrence, committed) and "ie" or "ei" words (receive, seize, lieutenant).
- Vocabulary: read reports, news stories and court summaries, and look up any word you would not use yourself.
- Grammar and punctuation: review subject and verb agreement, commonly confused words (its and it's, affect and effect, than and then), apostrophes, and comma splices.
- Problem solving: slow down just enough to read the whole situation. Most wrong answers come from missing one detail, such as a one-way street or a time.
- Timing: practise under a 35-minute limit. Do not get stuck on one question. The OACP warns that wrong answers are penalized, so avoid blind guessing: skip a question you cannot narrow down and come back to it if time allows.
Part C, the ESQ2 personality questionnaire, has no right or wrong answers, so we do not offer practice for it. Answer it honestly and consistently.
Three worked examples
One question from different sections of the full pack, with the answer and explanation.
Is this word spelled correctly? "accomodate"
- Spelled right
- Spelled wrong
Which word or phrase is closest in meaning to EVASIVE as used in this sentence? "The suspect was EVASIVE when asked where he had spent the evening."
- openly hostile and rude
- completely silent
- avoiding a direct answer
- visibly nervous
Choose the word or words that correctly complete the sentence: "Each of the officers ___ required to complete the training."
- were being
- have been
- is
- are