Ontario Police Interviews

Are you considering a policing career in Ontario? Passing your Ontario police interviews is a crucial step in the selection process for police candidates. Police interviews are quite different from regular job interviews. Please don't underestimate the process. At Cognitive Results, we guide you through the preparation journey, ensuring you have the knowledge and support you need to succeed. Read on to learn about different Ontario police interview components, including the ECI, LFI, PBQ, and more with Cognitive Results.

The Ontario Police interview process includes the following types:

  • Essential Competency Interview (ECI): A structured interview assessing analytical thinking, self-confidence, communication, flexibility, relationship building, and valuing diversity.

 

  • Blended Interview: An interview which is unique to the police service that incorporates the ECI and LFI, as well as values-based behavioural and situational questions. This may replace the ECI and LFI, or the LFI may be held separately.

 

  • Local Focus Interview (LFI): Focuses on the candidate's knowledge of and connection to the community they wish to serve. It includes questions about community involvement, understanding local issues, and commitment to the community.

 

  • Panel or Chief's Interview: Focuses on the candidate's knowledge of and connection to the community they wish to serve. It includes questions about community involvement, understanding local issues, and commitment to the community.It also includes any of the question types from the ECI or LFI, as well as situational tests.

 

  • Psychologist Interview: Focuses on the candidate's psychological fitness to serve as a police officer. This interview is often underestimated and failed. It involves any of the question types in previous interviews, along with quick-response questions designed to test your resilience.
Ontario police car shown after passing the Ontario police interviews.
Understanding the distinctions between these interview processes can help candidates better prepare:
Ontario Police Interview Type Key Features
Essential Competency Interview (ECI)
  • Behavioural interview focusing on a specific range of police essential competencies
  • Behavioural interviews are rarely used by themselves; instead they are included in Blended interviews.
  • Behavioural interviews are often failed because candidates think the questions are straightforward, and they are not. This is an interview like no other job.
Blended Interview
  • Blended interview includes behavioural questions focused on a broad range of competencies.
  • Blended interview includes situational interview questions
Local Focus Interview (LFI)
  • LFI questions focus on your knowledge of the police service.
  • LFI questions dig deep into your character and motivation.
Panel or Chief's Interview
  • Panel interview provides diverse perspectives.
  • Panel interview includes all of the above types of interview questions.
  • Panel interview is designed to test your quick thinking.
  • Panel interview includes questions about community involvement, understanding local issues, and commitment to the community.
Psychologist Interview
  • Psych interviews are dreaded because they can make or break your police career.
  • We coach on all interview types, but this one is often underestimated.
  • Psych interviews are designed to test your quick thinking and motivations for wanting to be a police officer.
For personalized coaching and preparation for these interviews, Cognitive Results has been helping candidates since 2005. We provide comprehensive support to ensure you are fully prepared for each step of the interview process. It is not enough to know what to expect - you have to know what the service is really looking for in your answers. Hack the interview and bypass months of attempts with expert help from Cognitive Results.

"Thanks it went very well waiting on next steps. No surprises. Thank you so much. (Coaching client West coast service interview.)" March 20, 2025

"Hi Gillian, I wanted to thank you officially for all of your help through the XXX police process (West coast service). The ETHOS program was so thorough and raised my confidence. I landed an interview that you helped me prepare for with your excellent coaching. The coaching helped me with my delivery and answers but, more importantly, got me thinking and talking in the right ways to project my accurate answers with confidence. I can't recommend you enough! Thank you so much!" March 12, 2025

"Hi Gillian, I have some great news to share. I was successful in the interview for CBSA and will be moving to the next steps of the selection process. I had my interview Friday and I found out today. Thank you again for all your teaching they were extremely informative. I also passed along your website to ... I will continue to pass along your site to anyone I meet that can utilize the information. I don’t know when I’ll be doing the psych part yet but I will be studying." March 5, 2025

"Thank you for all of your help and support through this process! To recap I received my offer with XXX two weeks ago for the March intake at OPC. I know that all of the studying I did on your website has also prepared me for the next stage. Everything you teach is accurate and well worth the investment. I am glad I found you and got all of the guidance I needed along the way, including coaching. I will be recommending you in the future to other police applicants - you are the best!" February 16, 2025

"Thank you so much, I really appreciate your help and support. I have passed the (CBSA) exam with a good score. Sample exams were really helpful! (Client will be using the Interview Program and Coaching next.)" January 27, 2025

"Cognitive Results and Gillian were very helpful with the application process. The interview prep helped tremendously, having the video teaching along with the modules complement each other extremely well. The one-on-one coaching sessions were very helpful. Gillian took her time and I found the one-on-one coaching sessions prepared me well for my interview. Thank you again for all your help! " January 26, 2025

"Thank you! You've been the most help! I couldn't have done any of this without you. I'm so happy I reached out via email for help. (Client is all the way through and waiting for final papers to sign. Client had coaching for the interview and for the psych interview.)" January 7, 2025