Simulated Policing Acquiring Competence
These are a series of assessments where students undertake simulated police jobs. The simulations are designed to allow students to test the knowledge they have gained throughout all components of the program in a realistic way.
Working in pairs, students are required to respond to policing situations, conduct investigations and decide on appropriate courses of action.
The scenarios involve a range of jobs, typical of day to day general duties policing. These may include malicious damage, drugs, stealing, assault, domestic violence. The SPACs test knowledge of law, policy, practice and procedures, as well as teamwork, officer safety and communication skills.
The first seven scenarios are formative, giving students the chance to practice their skills and to become comfortable with the role without counting towards final assessment. Later scenarios contribute towards final assessment.
There is a strong emphasis on progressive learning, and the scenarios increase in complexity from a fairly simple start. Comprehensive feedback is given to each student regarding their standard and progress at the end of each scenario.
At each SPAC students are assessed across 44 individual competencies, grouped into nine topic areas. These are:
- Contact with victim and witnesses
- Contact with the person of interest
- Investigation
- Arrest procedures
- Search procedures
- Notebook
- Radio use
- Officer safety and defensive tactics
- Professional presentation
At the completion of the scenarios, students present a brief of evidence based on one of the scenarios, and this brief of evidence forms the final assessment for the SPACs.
SPACs are assessed by police officers on loan from the field. This means that when you have been passed as competent, current serving officers have decided that you have the skills necessary to move to the next phase of training as a probationary constable.
Learning to be a police officer never stops. However, you can have confidence that integrated and practical education provided at the NSW Police Academy will give you a great start to a career as a police officer.