Are flashcards effective for the police entrance exam?

Yes. Flashcards use active recall — retrieving an answer from memory — which research shows is one of the most effective ways to make information stick, especially for the math conversions, grammar and spelling rules, reading strategy, and report-writing facts the police exam tests under a clock.

What topics do the police exam flashcards cover?

All four written-skill areas of the National POST and similar tests: mathematics (word problems, percentages, rates), reading comprehension (main idea, inference, vocabulary), grammar and spelling (subject-verb agreement, punctuation, trouble words), and incident report writing (the 5 W's and H, facts vs. conclusions).

How should I study with these flashcards?

Mix the modes: flip to learn, type to test recall, match for speed, and quiz to check yourself. Drill the recurring patterns — fraction-to-percent conversions, the 5 W's and H, the high-frequency spelling words, and the 'answer only from the passage' reading method — until they're automatic.

Are the police exam flashcards free?

Yes — 100% free, all four study modes, no paywall.

The 5 W's and H of a police report

Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How — the facts every complete report must answer.

Combine separate quantities into one total

Add the parts together (addition).

Find how many remain after some are removed

Subtract (take the smaller amount away from the larger).

Find the total of many equal groups

Multiply the size of one group by the number of groups.

Split an amount evenly among people

Divide the total by the number of people.

Distance ÷ time. 210 miles ÷ 3 hours = 70 mph.

Average (mean) of a set of values

Add all the values, then divide by how many values there are.

Find a percent of a number

Turn the percent into a decimal and multiply by the whole. 20% of 150 = 0.20 × 150 = 30.

Find what percent one number is of another

Divide the part by the whole, then multiply by 100.

Percent change (increase or decrease)

Change ÷ original × 100. From 40 to 50 is 10 ÷ 40 = 25% increase.

Quick way to take 10% of a number

Move the decimal point one place to the left. 10% of 320 = 32.

Quick way to take 5% of a number

Take 10% and halve it. 5% of 320 = 16.

Set up a ratio or proportion

Write a/b = c/d and cross-multiply to solve for the unknown.

Add fractions with the same denominator

Add the numerators, keep the denominator. 1/8 + 3/8 = 4/8 = ½.

Parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division (left to right), then addition/subtraction.

Estimate before you calculate — why?

A quick estimate catches answer choices that are clearly too big or too small.

Is a calculator allowed on most police exams?

No — practice mental math and quick conversions instead.

Perimeter of a rectangle

Add all four sides: 2 × (length + width).

Main idea of a passage

The single most important point the passage is making — what it is mostly about.

A specific fact, example, or reason that backs up the main idea.

A conclusion you reach by combining stated facts with logic — what the passage implies but doesn't say outright.

Vocabulary in context

Figuring out a word's meaning from the surrounding sentence rather than a dictionary.

Your FREE Police Exam Flashcards 2026 – 200+ Cards

Realistic police entrance-exam flashcards across math, reading, grammar, and report writing — flip, match, type, and quiz yourself.

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Police Exam Flashcards

The 5 W's and H of a police report: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How — the facts every complete report must answer.
Combine separate quantities into one total: Add the parts together (addition).
Find how many remain after some are removed: Subtract (take the smaller amount away from the larger).
Find the total of many equal groups: Multiply the size of one group by the number of groups.
Split an amount evenly among people: Divide the total by the number of people.
Distance = ?: Distance = rate × time.
Average speed (rate): Distance ÷ time. 210 miles ÷ 3 hours = 70 mph.
Average (mean) of a set of values: Add all the values, then divide by how many values there are.
Convert ¼ to a percent: 25%.
Convert ½ to a percent: 50%.
Convert ¾ to a percent: 75%.
Convert ⅕ to a percent: 20%.
Convert ⅒ to a percent: 10%.
Convert ⅓ to a percent: About 33% (33.3…%).
Convert ⅛ to a percent: 12.5%.
Find a percent of a number: Turn the percent into a decimal and multiply by the whole. 20% of 150 = 0.20 × 150 = 30.
Find what percent one number is of another: Divide the part by the whole, then multiply by 100.
Percent change (increase or decrease): Change ÷ original × 100. From 40 to 50 is 10 ÷ 40 = 25% increase.
Quick way to take 10% of a number: Move the decimal point one place to the left. 10% of 320 = 32.
Quick way to take 5% of a number: Take 10% and halve it. 5% of 320 = 16.
Set up a ratio or proportion: Write a/b = c/d and cross-multiply to solve for the unknown.
0.25 as a fraction: ¼.
0.5 as a fraction: ½.
0.75 as a fraction: ¾.
Add fractions with the same denominator: Add the numerators, keep the denominator. 1/8 + 3/8 = 4/8 = ½.
Order of operations: Parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division (left to right), then addition/subtraction.
Minutes between 4:50 p.m. and 5:02 p.m.: 12 minutes.
Hours between 11:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.: 4 hours.
9 evidence tubes per kit × 14 kits: 126 tubes.
132 overtime hours split evenly among 11 officers: 12 hours each.
200 forms needed − 116 on hand: 84 more forms.
Round 347 to the nearest hundred: 300.
Round 4.6 to the nearest whole number: 5.
Estimate before you calculate — why?: A quick estimate catches answer choices that are clearly too big or too small.
Is a calculator allowed on most police exams?: No — practice mental math and quick conversions instead.
Convert 1.5 hours to minutes: 90 minutes (1.5 × 60).
Double the value 48: 96 (48 × 2).
Half of 250: 125.
Sum of 17 + 22 + 19: 58.
12 officers, 3 per car — how many cars?: 4 cars (12 ÷ 3).
Perimeter of a rectangle: Add all four sides: 2 × (length + width).
Area of a rectangle: Length × width.
Main idea of a passage: The single most important point the passage is making — what it is mostly about.
Supporting detail: A specific fact, example, or reason that backs up the main idea.
Inference: A conclusion you reach by combining stated facts with logic — what the passage implies but doesn't say outright.
Vocabulary in context: Figuring out a word's meaning from the surrounding sentence rather than a dictionary.
First rule of reading-comprehension answers: Answer only from the passage — not from outside knowledge or assumptions.
Most common wrong-answer trap: A choice that adds a fact the passage never stated, or contradicts it.
How to find the main idea fast: Read the first and last sentences and ask 'what is this mostly about?'
'Stated' vs 'implied' question: Stated answers appear word-for-word; implied (inference) answers follow logically from the text.
Why read the question before the passage?: So you know whether you're hunting for the main idea, a detail, or an inference.
Fact vs. opinion in a passage: A fact can be verified; an opinion expresses a belief or judgment ('best,' 'should').
'According to the passage…' means: Pick the choice the text directly supports — do not bring in outside information.
Author's purpose: The reason the passage was written — usually to inform, persuade, instruct, or describe.
Signal words for sequence/order: First, next, then, after, before, finally — they show the order events happened.
Signal words for cause and effect: Because, since, therefore, as a result, so — they link a cause to its effect.
Signal words for contrast: However, but, although, on the other hand — they mark a change or exception.
Best way to handle a long policy passage: Skim for structure, then re-read only the part that answers the specific question.
'Which statement is true based on the passage?': Verify each choice against the exact wording; eliminate any that overstate or aren't supported.
Tone of a passage: The author's attitude — e.g., neutral, urgent, formal — shown by word choice.
Drawing a conclusion: Combine the stated details to reach a result the passage logically leads to.
If two answers seem correct…: Choose the one that more completely and exactly matches the passage; reject the one that adds anything extra.
Topic sentence: The sentence (often first) that states the paragraph's main point.
Summarizing a passage: Restate the main idea and key supporting points in a few words, leaving out minor details.
Context clue: definition: The sentence defines or restates a hard word nearby ('a warrant, an order from a judge…').
Context clue: contrast: An opposite word signals the meaning ('unlike the calm crowd, the suspect was agitated').
Why eliminate wrong answers first?: Crossing out unsupported choices narrows it to the answer the text actually backs.
'Primarily' or 'mainly' in a question: Asks for the overall main idea, not one small detail.
Reading a witness statement: Track who said what; don't confuse the witness's account with the officer's observation.
Detail question strategy: Scan the passage for the key word in the question, then read that sentence carefully.
Implied main idea: When the main point isn't stated, infer it from how the details add up.
Paraphrase: Restating a sentence in different words while keeping the same meaning.
Why not rely on memory for a passage?: Always go back and check the text — small wording differences change the right answer.
Distinguish relevant from irrelevant detail: Keep details that answer the question; ignore facts that don't bear on it.
'Except' or 'NOT' in a question: Flip your logic — you're looking for the one choice the passage does NOT support.
Reading a department policy correctly: Apply the rule exactly as written; don't add exceptions the policy didn't state.
Subject–verb agreement: The verb must match the subject in number: a singular subject takes a singular verb (The officer writes; The officers write).
When are commas used in a series?: To separate three or more items: 'the suspect, the witness, and the victim.'
Comma after an introductory clause: Use one: 'Although it was late, the officer continued the search.'
Comma in direct address: Set off the name: 'Sir, please remain in your vehicle.'
Correct spelling: warrant: W-A-R-R-A-N-T (not 'warrent').
Correct spelling: privilege: P-R-I-V-I-L-E-G-E (no 'd,' ends in -ilege).
Correct spelling: restaurant: R-E-S-T-A-U-R-A-N-T (not 'restaurnt').
Correct spelling: offense: O-F-F-E-N-S-E (the act that breaks the law).
Correct spelling: appearance: A-P-P-E-A-R-A-N-C-E (not 'appearence').
Correct spelling: description: D-E-S-C-R-I-P-T-I-O-N.
Correct spelling: receive: R-E-C-E-I-V-E ('i before e except after c').
Correct spelling: separate: S-E-P-A-R-A-T-E (there's 'a rat' in sepARATe).
Correct spelling: definitely: D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E-L-Y (no 'a').
Correct spelling: occurred: O-C-C-U-R-R-E-D (double c, double r).
Correct spelling: necessary: N-E-C-E-S-S-A-R-Y (one c, two s).
Correct spelling: lieutenant: L-I-E-U-T-E-N-A-N-T.
Correct spelling: sergeant: S-E-R-G-E-A-N-T.
Correct spelling: vehicle: V-E-H-I-C-L-E.
Correct spelling: weapon: W-E-A-P-O-N.
Correct spelling: pursuit: P-U-R-S-U-I-T.
Hyphen in a compound modifier: Use one before a noun: 'a split-second decision,' 'a well-known suspect.'
Exclamation point — when?: For a command or strong emotion: 'Stop or I will fire!' Use sparingly in reports.
Their / there / they're: Their = possession; there = place; they're = they are.
Your / you're: Your = belonging to you; you're = you are.
Its / it's: Its = belonging to it; it's = it is.
To / too / two: To = direction/infinitive; too = also/excessively; two = the number 2.
Affect / effect: Affect is usually a verb (to influence); effect is usually a noun (a result).
Then / than: Then = time/sequence; than = comparison.
Run-on sentence: Two complete sentences joined with no proper punctuation — split them or use a semicolon/conjunction.
Sentence fragment: An incomplete sentence missing a subject or verb — fix by completing the thought.
Capitalize proper nouns: Names, streets, cities, days, and titles before a name: 'Officer Diaz on Elm Street.'
Apostrophe for possession: Add 's to show ownership: 'the officer's report,' 'the witness's statement.'
Semicolon — when?: To join two closely related complete sentences: 'No fire was found; the building was evacuated.'
Subject–verb with 'each' / 'every': They are singular: 'Each officer files a report,' 'Every vehicle was searched.'
Double negative — avoid: 'didn't see nothing' is wrong; write 'didn't see anything.'
Parallel structure: Keep list items in the same form: 'searched the car, questioned the driver, and filed a report.'
Pronoun agreement: A pronoun must match its noun: 'each witness gave his or her account.'
Clear vs. unclear sentence: A clear sentence has one obvious meaning; rewrite anything a reader could read two ways.
Active vs. passive voice in reports: Prefer active ('Officer Diaz searched the vehicle') — it's clearer about who did what.
Quotation marks for exact words: Use them around what a person actually said: He stated, 'I did not see the stop sign.'
Goal of a police report: To record an incident clearly, accurately, and completely so anyone can understand what happened.
Best report answer on the test: Usually the choice that includes ALL the required facts in plain, clear language.
Order events in a report: Chronologically — in the order they actually happened.
Fact vs. conclusion in a report: Record observable, attributable facts; leave out the officer's interpretation or opinion.
First person vs. third person: Many agencies use first person ('I observed…'); be consistent with whatever style is required.
Should a report include speculation?: No — only what was observed, reported, or established by fact; never guess at motive or intent.
Why be specific about time and place?: 'March 3 at 8:45 p.m. at 210 Birch Lane' is usable; 'last night somewhere downtown' is not.
Complete sentence in a report: Must have a subject and a verb and express a full thought: 'The driver fled north at midnight.'
Quoting a suspect or witness: Use their exact words in quotation marks when wording matters: He said, 'I did not see the stop sign.'
Reporting Party field: Identifies the person who reported the incident (e.g., Kevin Tran).
Recording a description: List concrete, observable details: 'a tall man in a red jacket,' not 'a suspicious-looking man.'
Accuracy in a report — why it matters: Reports become legal records used in court; an error can undermine a case.
Objectivity in a report: Stick to facts and avoid loaded or judgmental words; let the facts speak.
Including the 'who': Name everyone involved: victim, suspect, witnesses, and the reporting officer.
Including the 'what': State exactly what happened — the offense or event.
Including the 'when': Give the date and time as precisely as possible.
Including the 'where': Give the exact location of the incident.
Including the 'how': Describe the method or sequence of how the event occurred.
Use clear, plain language: Avoid jargon and vague words; write so a reader unfamiliar with the case understands it.
Mechanical errors in a report: Spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes — proofread to remove them.
Proofreading a report: Re-read for missing facts, unclear wording, and spelling/grammar before you submit.
Recording observed vs. reported: Distinguish what you saw yourself from what someone told you ('the victim stated…').
Why avoid abbreviations/slang?: They can be misread; clear, full wording prevents confusion in a legal record.
Choosing the most complete answer: On report-writing items, prefer the version that records all key facts and omits opinion.
Time of call vs. time of arrival: Different fields: when the call came in vs. when the officer reached the scene.
Consistency in a report: Keep names, times, and details consistent throughout the document.
What does NOT belong in a report?: Personal opinions, assumptions, conclusions about guilt, or facts you can't support.
Recording a stolen item: Name the specific item taken ('a bicycle,' 'a laptop and a cash box').
Logical flow of a report: Set the scene, then describe events in order, then the outcome/actions taken.
Capitalization and punctuation in reports: Follow standard rules — they make a report look professional and read clearly.
25% of 80: 20.
50% of 130: 65.
10% of 450: 45.
20% of 200: 40.
Convert 3/4 to a decimal: 0.75.
Convert 2/5 to a decimal: 0.4.
15 × 4: 60.
144 ÷ 12: 12.
7 × 8: 56.
Number of hours in 3 days: 72 hours (3 × 24).
Minutes in 2.5 hours: 150 minutes.
A shift runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. — how long?: 8 hours.
Total of 4 patrols of 12 miles each: 48 miles.
If 3 of 12 cars are out of service, what fraction is that?: 3/12 = ¼ (25%).
Convert ¼ to a decimal: 0.25.
A report has 45 lines per page on 8 pages — total lines: 360 lines.
Median of a small data set: The middle value when the numbers are arranged in order.
Mode of a data set: The value that appears most often.
Increase 60 by 25%: 75 (60 + 15).
Decrease 80 by 10%: 72 (80 − 8).
Skimming vs. scanning: Skimming gets the gist quickly; scanning hunts for one specific piece of information.
Restating the question in your own words: Helps you focus on exactly what's being asked before reading the choices.
Generalization in a passage: A broad statement; check whether the passage's details actually support it.
Sequence question: Asks the order events occurred — use time signal words to order them.
Compare-and-contrast passage: Shows how two things are alike and different; track each point for both.
Best title for a passage: The choice that captures the whole main idea, not just one detail.
Why are extreme words ('always,' 'never') risky?: Passages rarely support absolutes; such choices are often wrong.
Reading a chart or table in a question: Read the title, headers, and units before pulling a value.
Predicting the answer before reading choices: Forming an expected answer first guards against tempting wrong options.
Re-reading for a detail question: Go back to the passage every time — don't trust recall for exact facts.
Correct spelling: accident: A-C-C-I-D-E-N-T.
Correct spelling: arrest: A-R-R-E-S-T.
Correct spelling: testimony: T-E-S-T-I-M-O-N-Y.
Correct spelling: defendant: D-E-F-E-N-D-A-N-T.
Correct spelling: license: L-I-C-E-N-S-E.
Correct spelling: misdemeanor: M-I-S-D-E-M-E-A-N-O-R.
Correct spelling: felony: F-E-L-O-N-Y.
Correct spelling: suspect: S-U-S-P-E-C-T.
Correct spelling: witness: W-I-T-N-E-S-S (two s's).
Correct spelling: surveillance: S-U-R-V-E-I-L-L-A-N-C-E.
Who vs. whom: 'Who' is the subject (who did it); 'whom' is the object (to whom).
Lay vs. lie: Lay needs an object (lay the gun down); lie does not (the suspect lay on the ground).
Past tense of 'see': Saw — 'The officer saw the vehicle.'
Colon — when?: Before a list or explanation after a complete sentence: 'Three items were found: a knife, a phone, and cash.'
Quotation with attribution punctuation: Comma before the quote: He said, 'Stop.'
Narrative section of a report: The written account of what happened, told in order and in clear sentences.
Why include badge/unit info?: It identifies the reporting officer and provides accountability.
Recording a vehicle in a report: Include make, model, color, and plate when known.
Avoiding bias in word choice: Use neutral terms; describe behavior, not character judgments.
Reporting an evacuation outcome: State the result plainly: 'no fire was found; the building was evacuated for 25 minutes.'
Documenting time of an action: Use precise clock times so the sequence is verifiable.
Including witness contact info: Record names and how to reach witnesses for follow-up.
Hearsay in a report: Attribute it clearly ('the witness stated') rather than presenting it as your own observation.
Recording suspect direction of travel: Note it specifically: 'fled north on 9th Street.'
Why keep a report concise but complete?: Cover every required fact without padding — clarity over length.

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By Career EmployerUpdated Sep 12, 2026

200+ free Police Exam flashcards — 4 ways to study

Police Exam Flashcard of the DayNew daily

The classic card. Do you know this one?

Click Study Flashcards above to open the flashcard hub — 200+ police exam cards you can flip, match, type, or quiz yourself on. Every card is drawn from the written-skill areas the police entrance exam measures, so you study exactly what the test rewards.^[1] Pair them with our free practice test and study guide.

Police Exam Flashcard Study Modes

Flip mode walks you through one card at a time, front to back, at your own pace. Match turns the deck into a timed pairing game against the clock. Type shows the definition and asks you to produce the term, so a front like Who vs. whom has to come back from memory. Quiz builds multiple-choice questions from the same cards.

Free police exam flashcards from Career Employer — active recall for the math, reading comprehension, grammar, and incident report writing skill areas

Why Flashcards Work for the Police Exam

Mathematics is the biggest block at 61 cards, and it drills the fast arithmetic that timed police testing rewards: times tables and division facts like 7 × 8 and 144 ÷ 12, plus the percent work that shows up in report figures and property values, including 25% of 80 and 10% of 450. These are recall cards, not word problems, so the goal is speed and certainty rather than scratch paper.

Grammar & Spelling holds 55 cards built around the usage pairs and punctuation rules that written exams and reports punish hardest. Expect confusable sets such as Its / it’s and Affect / effect, verb choices like Lay vs. lie, and mechanics prompts including the card that asks Colon — when? Getting these automatic protects you twice, once on the test and again on every narrative you write.

Reading Comprehension covers 44 cards of passage vocabulary — the terms that describe what a question is actually asking. You work through Implied main idea, Author’s purpose, and Tone of a passage, along with structural ideas like Topic sentence and Supporting detail. Naming the task quickly tells you where in the passage to look, which is the whole skill being tested.

Incident Report Writing rounds out the deck with 41 cards on narrative structure and field accuracy. The cards break the report into its parts, including the ’who’, the ’what’, and the ’when’, and add practical concerns like Hearsay in a report, the Reporting Party field, and Proofreading a report. Treat these as the rules you will be graded against in a written scenario.

That matters for the police entrance exam, which rewards instant recall of fraction-to-percent conversions, grammar and spelling rules, the reading method, and the 5 W’s and H of a report under a tight clock.^[1] Used alongside our practice test and study guide, flashcards turn review time into measurable progress.

Police Exam Flashcards by Skill Area

The cards are organized by the written-skill areas the National POST and similar tests measure. Many agencies require you to pass every section and hire from a ranked eligibility list, so plan to be solid in all of them — every point counts:^[1]

Police exam flashcards by skill area (2026)
Skill area	What the cards cover	Why it matters
Mathematics	Word-problem setups, fraction/decimal/percent conversions, rates & averages	Mental arithmetic, no calculator
Reading Comprehension	Main idea, supporting details, inference, vocabulary in context	Often the largest section
Grammar & Spelling	Subject–verb agreement, punctuation, commonly confused & misspelled words	Clear writing is graded directly
Incident Report Writing	The 5 W's and H, facts vs. conclusions, chronological order	Reports are legal records

Some versions (FrontLine National, the NCJOSI) add reasoning, situational-judgment, and memory items — covered in our study guide.^[2]

How to Get the Most Out of These Flashcards

Start with Mathematics. At 61 cards it is the largest domain and the most timing-sensitive, so build speed on facts like 15 × 4 and 50% of 130 before anything else.
Type-drill the confusable pairs. Grammar & Spelling fronts such as Then / than and Your / you’re are easy to recognize and hard to produce, which is exactly what Type exposes.
Use Match for the reading labels. Short Reading Comprehension terms like Inference and Sequence question pair cleanly under time pressure, so Match makes them automatic instead of vaguely familiar.
Move to the practice test once recall holds. When Quiz scores stay high across all four domains, shift to the practice test for full-length pacing, then return to weak cards.
Keep a rotating cadence. With 201 cards, work one domain per session and finish with a short mixed Quiz, so Incident Report Writing fronts like Including the ’how’ stay fresh.

Police Exam Flashcards FAQ

Hundreds of free police exam flashcards, organized across the core skill areas the entrance test measures — mathematics, reading comprehension, grammar and spelling, and incident report writing. They're free to use with no account required.

References

1.Stanard & Associates, Inc.. “National POST — Police Officer Selection Test.” Stanard & Associates (APPL First). ↑
2.National Testing Network. “FrontLine National — Law Enforcement Entry-Level Test.” National Testing Network. ↑
3.Institute of Education Sciences (U.S. Dept. of Education). “Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning (Practice Guide).” What Works Clearinghouse, IES. ↑

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