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Recruitment process

A career in policing can be challenging. To meet the demands of the job and succeed as a community constable, you need to embody certain necessary values.

As an applicant, your character, background and integrity play a vital role in your successful selection. Once you determine that you meet our eligibility criteria and submit your application, you’ll undergo a rigorous recruitment process that aims to evaluate your skill level and identify your training needs.

You need to complete all testing stages, and we’ll provide you with feedback along the way. Your results will give insights into your suitability and current competencies.

Evaluation and testing

We will evaluate your application to make sure you meet SA Police’s eligibility criteria. If you do, we’ll invite you to attend an evaluation and testing session at our police headquarters (100 Angas St, Adelaide).

These sessions usually take place on Monday from 8:30am to 3:00pm and include completing an IQ test and a personality profile.

Panel interview

After evaluation of your testing, we may invite you to attend a panel interview. This interview is your opportunity to demonstrate the necessary qualities and qualifications to thrive in a career as a community constable, such as:

  • leadership
  • decisiveness
  • problem-solving
  • stress management
  • integrity
  • respect.

To help assess your personal values, beliefs and attitudes, we’ll ask about and draw on examples from your education, workplaces, social interaction, community interests and general life experience.

Medical examination

To participate in academy training and community constable duties, you need to meet required medical standards. Our Police Medical Section will conduct a medical examination to ensure you meet these standards.

Read more about our medical standards

Physical and agility testing

To carry out your duties, you must complete our ‘fit for duty’ fitness test. As part of this test, you’ll wear a 10kg vest and complete the following exercises:

  • run 80 metres
  • run 25 metres carrying two 15kg weights
  • cross a slippery balance beam
  • do 20 step-ups
  • climb over a one-metre-tall fence
  • drop to the ground and stand up five times
  • collect a training firearm and pull the trigger 13 times with each hand.

At the start of the test, we’ll give you five physical characteristics to remember (for example, gender or hair colour), and you’ll need to recall at least three of these once you’ve finished.

The test is challenging, so it’s best to start a gradual cardiovascular exercise program in preparation.

Check out our fit for duty test in action below to see what’s involved.

Selection

Our selection board will carefully review your application and will make a decision regarding an offer of employment based on the results of your testing and evaluation during the recruitment process. If the board selects you, we will contact you and provide all the information about when your training will begin. Please note that successful completion of all tests does not guarantee selection.