Entry-level Law Enforcement Test Battery Applicant FAQs

A.Commission Regulation 1002(b)(3) (pdf) mandates that peace officers be able to read and write at the levels necessary to perform the job of a peace officer as determined by the use of the POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLETB) or other job-related test of reading and writing ability. Because performance on the PELLETB is highly correlated with performance in the academy, many agencies and academies use the PELLETB as an indicator of readiness for a career in law enforcement.

A.Contact law enforcement agencies and/or basic training academies in your area to determine if they are administering the PELLETB (some agencies also refer to it as the “POST Reading and Writing Test”).

A.The PELLETB is a multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank written examination designed to measure reading and writing ability. Applicants are given 2 ½ hours to complete the PELLETB, which contains five sections:

• Spelling (applicants select the correct spelling of a word from a list of options)
• Vocabulary (applicants select the correct meaning of a word from a list of options)
• Clarity (applicants select the sentence that is most clearly written from a pair of options)
• Reading Comprehension (applicants read a passage and answer questions about the passage’s content)
• CLOZE (applicants use contextual clues to complete a passage that contains blanks/missing words)

A.The Applicant Preparation Guide for the POST Entry-level Law Enforcement Test Battery (pdf) is a study guide that provides information about the PELLETB. Sample questions for all sections of the test are provided. Since the test measures various facets of reading and writing ability, the best method for preparing for the test is to participate in activities that involve reading and writing. Assessment centers at community colleges can generally provide information about specific reading and writing deficiencies and guidance on how to improve those deficiencies. Online writing labs (OWLs) are another tool that can be used to identify weaknesses and improve reading and writing skills. A simple internet search will render results for the many OWLs that are currently available for free on the internet.

A.For security reasons, POST is unable to provide test results directly to applicants or other unauthorized persons. All agencies/academies that use the PELLETB are required to provide applicants with their test results within 30 days of the test administration. If it has been less than 30 days, please allow time for the agency/academy to process your results. If it has been more than 30 days, contact the agency where the PELLETB was originally administered to inquire about your results. Alternately, an authorized agency representative (i.e., an individual listed on a current POST Security Agreement) from any of POST’s user agencies can contact POST on your behalf to obtain your results.

A.When POST electronically scans your test answers, statistical calculations are performed to convert your raw score (the number of items you answered correctly) into a “T-score.” A T-score is a standardized score that places your performance on the test into a distribution (bell-shaped curve) with a midpoint (average) of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. If your score falls around 50, your performance is considered “average” when compared to other applicants who have taken the test. If you score 40 or below, your performance is considered “below average” when compared to other applicants who have taken the test. If you score 60 or above, your performance is considered “above average” when compared to other applicants who have taken the test. Research shows that the likelihood of successful academy completion increases for every point above 42 you score.

A.Additional questions about the POST Entry-level Law Enforcement Test Battery can be directed to seb@post.ca.gov or 916.227.4820.