As of 14 April 2025, SAPOL is making changes to the SAPOL Recruitment Test (through TAFE SA) and has revised the criteria for applicants who are required to sit literacy testing. Changes to the SAPOL Recruitment Test will apply to both police and police security officer recruitment. To learn more read the FAQ's below.

Why is the SAPOL Recruitment Test changing?

SAPOL is working to continuously improve its recruitment process for police and police security officer roles to ensure that the process is fit for purpose and candidate friendly.

What will the revised Recruitment Test include?

The revised SAPOL Recruitment Test will continue to focus on reading comprehension and written expression. The spelling and numeracy components have been removed from the SAPOL Recruitment Test. The revised test will be available online before the end of this financial year, enabling candidates to complete the testing remotely and in your own time.

Have the testing standards been lowered?

Existing pass marks for Reading and Writing will apply for police and police security officer recruitment streams. Changes to the composition of the test have been progressed to ensure greater consistency with recruitment testing undertaken in other Australian police jurisdictions and acknowledges advancements in technology and contemporary tools that support learning requirements and job performance (including spell check and calculators).

How will the changes benefit applicants?

The changes will allow a broader range of applicants with suitable experience or qualifications to apply without the need to sit additional literacy testing. This will reduce time spent in the recruitment process for some applicants. Making the test available to applicants online is expected to reduce the burden on applicants who need to travel to Adelaide or take time off work to complete the SAPOL Recruitment Test.

Are there changes to other stages of the recruitment process?

These changes relate to the SAPOL Recruitment Test and criteria for applicants who are required to complete the test as part of the recruitment process. In line with existing policy, applicants will still need to complete remaining testing and stages of the recruitment process, including psychometric testing, interview, medical and fitness.

How will these changes impact the overall recruitment timeline?

The changes are expected to reduce the time in the process for applicants who, if successful, will commence their training at the Academy sooner.

What if a candidate fails the revised test?

In alignment to existing policy, applicants who do not pass the SAPOL Recruitment Test on first sitting, can re-sit the test after a three-month period.

When will the new test criteria be implemented?

The new test criteria will be implemented from 14 April 2025 and applied retrospectively to all applicants who have applied since 1 July 2024.

What happens to applicants who previously failed the spelling or numeracy components?

Applicants who completed testing after 1 January 2024 and met the existing pass marks for reading and writing will be contacted by the Recruiting Section and invited to reactivate their application and/or progress to the next recruitment stage.

How will these changes affect current applicants who are in the middle of the recruitment process?

Current applicants who meet the new exemption criteria or have passed the reading and writing components of the SAPOL Recruitment Test will be contacted and invited to progress to the next stage of recruitment.

How will experienced police officers applying for the SAPOL Transition Program (STP) be impacted?

Experienced police officer applicants for STP (e.g. from interstate police jurisdictions or an approved international jurisdiction) are not required to complete the SAPOL Recruitment Test. The requirement for Language Literacy and Numeracy testing as part of the SafeSelect Assessment for STP applicants will be removed.

How will the transition to online testing work?

SAPOL is working with TAFE SA to make the test available to be completed online before the end of this financial year. Applicants will be able to complete the SAPOL Recruitment Test remotely and at a time of their choice, through an online platform facilitated by TAFE SA. Further information for impacted applicants will be made available at a future date.

How will SAPOL ensure that the new online testing platform is secure and reliable?

SAPOL will work closely with TAFE SA to ensure that the online testing platform is secure, reliable, and user-friendly. Measures will be in place to protect candidate data and maintain the integrity of the testing process.