The Virginia DCJS (Department of Criminal Justice Services) certifies law enforcement officers throughout the Commonwealth. To earn certification, candidates must pass a written examination that tests knowledge from the Virginia Basic Training curriculum — covering Virginia law, criminal procedure, patrol procedures, arrest techniques, and ethics.
Our free DCJS practice test PDF includes representative multiple-choice questions across every major exam domain. Download it, print it, and study it at your own pace — whether you're at the academy, at home, or on break between shifts.
The DCJS written examination is drawn directly from the Virginia Basic Training curriculum. Mastering the following topic areas is essential to passing on your first attempt.
This is one of the heaviest domains on the exam. You must know Title 19.2 of the Code of Virginia (criminal procedure), including arrest authority based on probable cause and reasonable suspicion. Terry stops, stop-and-frisk limitations, and the distinction between investigative detention and arrest are all tested. Search and seizure questions reference Fourth Amendment protections, warrant requirements, and every major exception: consent searches, plain view doctrine, exigent circumstances, search incident to arrest, and the automobile exception.
Use-of-force questions are framed around the Graham v. Connor standard of objective reasonableness. You must understand the DCJS use-of-force continuum, how officers escalate and de-escalate, and the legal threshold for each level of force. The totality-of-the-circumstances analysis used in use-of-force review is a recurring exam concept.
Expect questions on the elements of crimes — both actus reus (the criminal act) and mens rea (criminal intent). Virginia-specific criminal statutes tested include assault and battery, robbery, burglary, larceny by degrees, homicide classifications, and DUI/DWI statutes including implied consent provisions.
Patrol procedure questions cover responding to calls for service, conducting traffic stops (approach angle, officer positioning, communication), and handling domestic violence calls under Virginia's mandatory arrest law. Mental health crisis response using CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) techniques and missing persons procedures are also included.
You must know the correct sequence for verbal commands, suspect control techniques, and handcuffing procedures. Miranda rights questions focus on when Miranda warnings are legally required and what the five Miranda rights actually state: the right to remain silent, that statements can be used against the suspect, the right to an attorney before questioning, the right to an appointed attorney if unable to afford one, and the right to stop answering questions at any time.
Report writing questions test the elements of a complete incident report, objective vs. subjective language, and proper documentation of injuries and evidence. Evidence handling covers chain of custody, property receipt, crime scene protection, and Virginia evidence submission procedures. Traffic enforcement includes field sobriety test administration — HGN, walk-and-turn, and one-leg-stand — plus preliminary breath test procedures and accident investigation basics.
Juvenile law questions address the Virginia Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, age distinctions for criminal responsibility, status offenses, and the process for certifying a juvenile to adult court. The ethics section covers the Virginia Law Enforcement Code of Ethics, bias-free policing requirements, the department gratuities policy, and mandatory reporting obligations when an officer witnesses misconduct by another officer.
Want instant feedback as you study? Our full online DCJS practice test delivers question-by-question scoring with detailed explanations for every answer. Use the PDF to study offline and take the online tests to simulate the actual certification exam experience — together they give you the most complete preparation available for your Virginia DCJS law enforcement certification.