Prepare for B-PAD Video Testing

Behavioral Personnel Assessment Device (B-PAD)

The B-PAD is used in public safety fields in both the U.S. and Canada as an assessment of each employment candidate’s interpersonal relations, communication skills, logic, situational judgment, ethics, decision-making abilities and professional demeanor under stress. This behavior-based test is widely used in the hiring process at the entry level, promotional level and oral boards.

There are eight job-related scenarios presented. For entry-level candidates, the situations revolve around on-the-job incidences that are critical. The applicant’s task is to become the personnel at the scene, providing calm and controlled responses and judgment calls.

Promotional B-PADs contain a managerial focus, requiring candidates to react in a logical, helpful, professional and organized manner to difficult employee incidents.

As a psychological fitness test, the B-PAD is meant to place a spotlight on applicants whose decision-making skills and reactions to stressful circumstances do not coincide with the emergency nature of public safety positions.

Professions that Use B-PAD Testing

The Behavioral Personnel Assessment Device is utilized in various public safety fields:

• Police
• Firefighter / EMS
• Corrections
• Dispatch
• Probation
• Managers

Each of these positions carries two sets of job-specific scenarios: Entry level and promotional. There are three individual formats including online in standard 8-scene role play, oral board format and report writing format.

Keep in mind that interpersonal skills are of primary importance for effective performance of public safety tasks. Therefore, when responding to B-PAD scenarios always remain calm and professional, and relate to all individuals within the simulated scenes in an appropriate and logical manner.

Entry-Level B-PAD Police Officer Exam

This test is known as the police psychological fitness assessment. Expect a short test, with each of the eight scenarios limited to no more than a couple of minutes, and a quick 45 seconds allotted for your response. While these timeframes are adhered to in most police departments, some may slightly vary the time limits.

Reflecting the wide range of situations encountered by police officers on a daily basis, the B-PAD may include interactive scenarios such as reactions of mentally ill individuals, domestic violence, road rage, theft, personal injury and report writing incidents.

The Behavioral Personnel Assessment Device does not require knowledge of police procedures in order to succeed on the test. Your situational judgment and interpersonal skills in handling many different types of people and incidents are the main aspects of your behavior that are measured through the B-PAD.

Preparing for your B-PAD Test

Assessment score raters are seeking situation-effective responses that involve clarity, ethics, logic and professional self-confidence. The more you practice with sample scenario questions and expected-response analysis, the more familiar you will become with the types of scenarios and exam format found on the actual B-PAD.

Through JobTestPrep you gain that familiarity, along with an insight into the exam focus behind each scenario and a view of the rationale of effective responses, contributing substantially to a successful exam experience.

Related links

Prepare for Police Officer Exams

Dispatcher Test Prep

Correction Officer Test Prep

Prepare for Firefighter Exams