The SSPO, or Sigma Survey for Police Officers, is the standardized cognitive assessment used in the OACP Certificate process to evaluate candidates' mental abilities and aptitude for police work. Developed by SIGMA Assessment Systems, the SSPO is a scientifically validated pre-employment assessment specifically designed for screening police officer applicants.
Test Structure and Content Areas
The SSPO consists of 74 questions to be completed within a strict 35-minute time limit, with no calculators allowed. The assessment is divided into two main sections. Section A focuses on Incident Report Writing with 44 questions measuring spelling, vocabulary, punctuation, and grammar. These skills are essential because police officers must write clear, accurate incident reports. Section B focuses on Police Problem-Solving with 30 questions presenting realistic law enforcement scenarios requiring candidates to identify the best course of action.
Research Validation and Hiring Impact
Research has demonstrated that the SSPO effectively distinguishes between candidates who can and cannot prepare satisfactory incident reports. The assessment also measures general cognitive ability, which studies have shown to be one of the best predictors of job performance across virtually all occupations. Additionally, research indicates that cognitive measures like the SSPO predict success in police training programs.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and other services throughout Ontario use SSPO results as a key factor in their hiring decisions. While there is no official pass/fail threshold, higher scores improve candidates' competitiveness in subsequent hiring phases.
