Covers the NYC Environmental Police Officer exam as described in the newest posted Notice of Examination, No. 6305.
If you want NYC Environmental Police Officer exam practice, start with the only official outline of the Environmental Police Officer test there is. The notice says the multiple-choice test may include questions on nine abilities, and it gives each one a short definition and an example from the job of protecting DEP watersheds, reservoirs and water supply facilities. This guide takes them one at a time.
The next exam, No. 7305, has filing planned to begin on December 2, 2026; its notice is not posted yet. The test is given at a computer terminal. You need 70% to pass, and your score sets your rank on the eligible list. See how the exam works for dates, the fee and test day.
What the notice says, and what it does not
The notice lists the abilities with a job example for each. It does not publish the number of questions, the time limit or how many questions test each ability. Because it says the test "may include" these abilities, not every one may appear on your test. It also does not show what Memorization, Spatial Orientation or Visualization questions look like.
- No calculators: the notice says calculators are not allowed. No ability on the list is a math ability.
- Test-day materials: some questions may be answered from documents or other information handed out on the test date. The notice does not describe them.
Every practice question below is original. The names, places and rules in them are made up, and they are not real test questions or real DEP rules. Try each one before you open "Show answer."
1. Deductive Reasoning
What the notice says: Applying general rules to specific problems to reach logical answers. The job example is "deciding if an individual who has been accused of trespassing should be arrested." (Notice 6305)
What it means for an Environmental Police Officer: You apply a stated rule to one case. On watershed patrol, that means checking a person on reservoir land against the rules for who may be where, and when.
Practice example
Made-up rule at Brindlecote Reservoir: A visitor may be on reservoir land only between sunrise and sunset, and only with a valid access permit. No one except DEP staff may go past the fence around the dam, even with a permit.
At 2:00 PM, Officer Nadia Brenner checks four people on reservoir land.
Who is breaking the rule?
- A. A hiker with a valid permit walking the shore trail
- B. A DEP worker inside the fence around the dam, reading a water gauge
- C. A man with a valid permit taking photos from inside the fence around the dam
- D. A woman with a valid permit fishing from the shore near the parking area
Show answer
Answer: C. Only DEP staff may go past the dam fence, and a permit does not change that, so the man taking photos is breaking the rule. The hiker and the woman fishing have permits and are there in daylight, and the DEP worker is allowed inside the fence.
Tip: Check every person against every part of the rule, including the exceptions (here, DEP staff).
How to practice: Read short rules with two or three conditions and one exception, and decide case by case who meets them.
2. Inductive Reasoning
What the notice says: Combining separate pieces of information, or specific answers to problems, to form general rules or conclusions. The job example is interpreting "the intentions of departmental guidelines and protocols, and how they relate to an incident." (Notice 6305)
What it means for an Environmental Police Officer: You put several facts together and pick the conclusion they support best. On patrol, that can mean seeing a pattern in damage, tracks or reports at a facility.
Practice example
Over three weeks, Officer Paul Szeto finds the lock on the gate to the Tessmer Dam access road cut four times, each time on a Saturday night. Each Sunday morning, fresh tire tracks run from that gate to the boat launch, and empty bait containers are left at the water's edge. The cameras at the main entrance, which is staffed all night, show no cars coming in after dark.
Which conclusion is best supported by these facts?
- A. Someone is driving in through the main entrance after dark to fish at the boat launch.
- B. Someone is driving in through the access road gate on Saturday nights to fish.
- C. Hikers on foot are cutting the lock to reach the boat launch on Saturday nights.
- D. Someone is cutting the lock on weeknights to dump trash at the boat launch.
Show answer
Answer: B. The cut lock, the tire tracks from that gate and the bait containers all point to someone driving in through the access road gate to fish on Saturday nights. The cameras rule out the main entrance, and the tire tracks rule out people on foot. The locks were cut on Saturday nights, not weeknights.
Tip: Test each option against every fact. A wrong conclusion usually conflicts with one stated fact.
How to practice: Work items with three to five facts, and for each wrong option name the fact it conflicts with.
3. Information Ordering
What the notice says: Correctly following a given rule or set of rules or actions in a certain order. The job example is "deciding the next appropriate action to take when confronting a disorderly individual." (Notice 6305)
What it means for an Environmental Police Officer: You follow stated steps in order, including any branch that depends on what happens. On the job, that means knowing which step comes next when a situation changes.
Practice example
Made-up procedure for a disorderly person at a reservoir parking area, done in this order: (1) Keep a safe distance and tell the person to stop. (2) If the person stops, ask for ID and the access permit. (3) If the person has not stopped after one minute, radio the desk for a second unit. (4) Wait for the second unit before going closer. (5) Write an incident report.
Officer Luis Barajas tells a man who is shouting at visitors to stop. After one minute, the man is still shouting and is kicking a trash can.
What should Officer Barajas do next?
- A. Radio the desk for a second unit
- B. Ask the man for his ID and access permit
- C. Walk up to the man and try to calm him down
- D. Start writing the incident report
Show answer
Answer: A. The man has not stopped after one minute, so Step 3 applies: radio the desk for a second unit. Asking for ID is Step 2, which applies only if he stops. Going closer must wait for the second unit (Step 4), and the report comes last.
Tip: Find where you are in the steps, then check which condition (stopped or not stopped) applies.
How to practice: Practice procedures with one or two branches, and say out loud which step you are on before choosing the next one.
4. Memorization
What the notice says: Remembering information, such as words, numbers, pictures and procedures. The job example is recalling "the details of a suspect or vehicle that is fleeing the scene of a crime." (Notice 6305)
What it means for an Environmental Police Officer: You study material, then answer without it. The notice does not say how the memory part is run, such as how long you study or whether the material is a picture or text.
Practice example
Read this alert for about 30 seconds (our choice, not a known test timing), cover it, then answer.
Alert: At 11:40 PM, a fence was found cut at the Kestrel Notch intake. A dark green pickup truck with New York plate KTR-4182, a ladder rack and a dent in the right rear door was seen leaving south on Mill Pond Road.
Based on the alert you just studied, where was the dent on the truck?
- A. Left rear door
- B. Right front door
- C. Tailgate
- D. Right rear door
Show answer
Answer: D. The alert says the dent was in the right rear door. Left rear and right front each change one word, and the alert does not mention the tailgate.
Tip: As you study, link the details into one picture: what vehicle, what color, what marks, which way.
How to practice: Have someone write short alerts with plates, colors and directions, study each one for a set time, cover it and answer questions about it.
5. Problem Sensitivity
What the notice says: Being able to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, including seeing the whole problem and its parts. The job example is choosing an action "when attending to an individual who is in need of medical assistance." (Notice 6305)
What it means for an Environmental Police Officer: You notice the detail that does not fit. On foot patrol of trails and reservoir lands, that can mean seeing that a person who says he is fine is not.
Practice example
On a hot afternoon, Officer Anne Ottley finds a hiker sitting alone on a bench beside the Thornapple Trail, about a mile from the parking area. He says he is just resting before he walks back to his car.
Which detail most clearly suggests that he needs medical help?
- A. His speech is slurred, and he cannot say what day it is.
- B. His boots and the cuffs of his pants are muddy.
- C. He is eating a granola bar from his backpack.
- D. He asks Officer Ottley how far it is to the parking area.
Show answer
Answer: A. Slurred speech and confusion about the day are signs that something may be medically wrong, even though he says he is fine. Muddy boots are normal on a trail. Eating a snack and asking about the distance are normal for someone who plans to walk back.
Tip: Ask which detail would not be true of a healthy person resting on a hike.
How to practice: Read short scenes and pick the one detail that signals a problem; then explain why each other detail is normal.
6. Spatial Orientation
What the notice says: Determining where you are in relation to an object, or where the object is in relation to you. The job example is "interpreting a road map to decide the most efficient route to take to the site of a crime." (Notice 6305)
What it means for an Environmental Police Officer: You keep track of directions and positions. For an officer who drives between reservoirs and facilities, that means reading a road map and knowing which way a place lies. The notice does not show how these questions look; our practice uses our own drawn maps.
Practice example
Text version; our practice uses drawn maps. From the Mosswell Gatehouse, the boat launch is 1 mile due north, and the picnic area is 1 mile due east of the boat launch. A caller reports smoke at the picnic area, and Officer Kevin Brannigan is at the gatehouse.
In which direction is the picnic area from the gatehouse?
- A. Northwest
- B. East
- C. Northeast
- D. Southeast
Show answer
Answer: C. Going 1 mile north and then 1 mile east puts the picnic area to the north and to the east of the gatehouse, which is northeast. East alone forgets the mile north. Southeast reverses north and south, and northwest reverses east and west.
Tip: Draw a quick sketch: start point, each leg of the trip, then the line from start to finish.
How to practice: Sketch directions from written descriptions, and practice reading drawn maps for the shortest legal route.
7. Visualization
What the notice says: Imagining how something would look when it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged, such as unfolding or rotation. The job example is "comparing the facial characteristics of a suspect to a photograph on file." (Notice 6305)
What it means for an Environmental Police Officer: You picture an object after it is turned, moved or unfolded. We do not show faces or photos. Our practice uses our own drawn layouts of rooms, boards and racks that are turned or rearranged, labeled as our format, because the notice does not show how these questions look.
Practice example
Text version; our practice uses drawings. A square key rack at the Ebbridge pump station holds four keys. As you face it, Gate 1 is at the top left, Gate 2 at the top right, Pump Room at the bottom left and Boat Shed at the bottom right. The board falls off the wall, and a worker rehangs it after turning it upside down (a half turn).
As you face the board now, which key is at the top left?
- A. Gate 1
- B. Gate 2
- C. Pump Room
- D. Boat Shed
Show answer
Answer: D. A half turn moves every key to the opposite corner, so the bottom right key, Boat Shed, ends up at the top left. Pump Room would be there only if the board were flipped top to bottom, Gate 2 only if it were flipped left to right and Gate 1 only if it were not turned at all.
Tip: For a half turn, swap each corner with the one diagonally across from it.
How to practice: Practice with drawn grids and room plans that are turned a quarter or a half turn, and check your answer by turning the page.
8. Written Comprehension
What the notice says: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs. The job example is "reviewing an incident report." (Notice 6305)
What it means for an Environmental Police Officer: You read a report, memo or rule and answer only from what it says. On the job, that means reading other officers' reports and department memos closely.
Practice example
Read the made-up incident report, then answer the question.
On May 14 at 6:15 AM, Officer Rosa Vachon found a white van parked at the boat launch at Burlwood Reservoir. The launch opens at 7:00 AM. Two men were loading fishing gear into the van, and a small aluminum boat was tied at the dock. Both men showed valid access permits, but neither had a boat permit. The men said they had put the boat in the water at 5:00 AM. Officer Vachon issued a summons to the owner of the boat and told both men the hours of the launch.
According to the report, which statement is correct?
- A. Neither man had any kind of permit.
- B. The men said they put the boat in the water before the launch opened.
- C. The van was parked at the launch after it opened.
- D. Both men were given summonses.
Show answer
Answer: B. The men said they launched at 5:00 AM, and the launch opens at 7:00 AM. Both men had access permits, and the van was found at 6:15 AM, before the launch opened. Only the owner of the boat got a summons.
Tip: Answer only from the report. Check each option against the exact words, times and numbers.
How to practice: Read short reports and memos, then answer detail questions without looking back first; check yourself after.
9. Written Expression
What the notice says: Using English words or sentences in writing so that others will understand. The job example is "recording the details of an unusual incident." (Notice 6305)
What it means for an Environmental Police Officer: You choose the clearest, most accurate and complete way to write something down, such as a report of possible contamination of a stream.
Practice example
Officer Joy Grisby's facts: At 3:20 PM, hiker Martin Tisdale reported that he saw a man pour liquid from a red can into Stillmeadow Brook near the footbridge. Officer Grisby did not see it happen.
Which sentence is best for the incident report?
- A. At 3:20 PM, a man poured liquid from a red can into Stillmeadow Brook near the footbridge.
- B. At 3:20 PM, hiker Martin Tisdale reported that he saw a man pour liquid from a red can into Stillmeadow Brook near the footbridge.
- C. Hiker Martin Tisdale reported that he saw a man pour liquid from a red can into Stillmeadow Brook near the footbridge.
- D. Pouring liquid from a red can into Stillmeadow Brook, hiker Martin Tisdale saw a man near the footbridge at 3:20 PM.
Show answer
Answer: B. The second sentence gives every fact and credits the account to Mr. Tisdale. The first states the pouring as a fact the officer did not see, the third leaves out the time and the fourth reads as if Mr. Tisdale poured the liquid.
Tip: Check that every fact is there, that nothing is added and that the sentence says who reported what.
How to practice: Take a few facts and write two or three sentences that say who, what, when and where; then compare with a partner's version.
How to practice by ability
The notice publishes no weights, so give every ability some time and extra time to your weak ones.
- Find your weak abilities. Work a mixed set, then sort your misses by ability.
- Practice one ability at a time, then mix. Single-ability sets teach the patterns, and mixed sets train you to switch between them.
- Read every explanation, even for questions you got right.
- Practice memory without looking back. Study, cover, answer, then check.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the exam, and how long is it?
Neither is published. The notice gives no question count, no time limit and no weight for each ability, so treat any exact numbers you see elsewhere as unofficial.
Will all nine abilities be on my test?
Not necessarily. The notice says the test may include questions on these abilities and publishes no weights.
Is there math on the Environmental Police Officer exam?
No ability on the list is a math ability, and the notice says calculators are not allowed.
Does the City publish official practice questions?
We found no official practice test or sample questions from DCAS for this exam. The examples in this guide are our own.
Are the abilities the same as on other NYC police exams?
Notice 6305 lists these nine abilities with job examples written for Environmental Police Officers. Study from this notice, because each title's notice sets its own list.
What score do I need?
At least 70% to pass. Passing candidates are placed on the eligible list in final score order, so a higher score means a better list number. See what happens after the exam.
PrepRaven is not affiliated with or endorsed by the City of New York, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, the NYC Department of Environmental Protection or any City agency. The practice questions on this page are original and are not taken from any real exam.
Last updated October 2026