Police Oral Board Closing Statement Demonstration Video
Quick Answer: Brief vs. Detailed Closing Statements
There are two types of police oral board closing statements: brief and detailed. Use a brief closing statement (25 to 35 seconds) when you’ve already delivered a full opening statement — it should summarize your opening’s highlights rather than repeat them. Use a detailed closing statement (1½ to 2½ minutes) when your process only allows a closing statement, no opening — treat it as an abbreviated opening statement, chronological, and opening with thanks to the panel. Whichever type applies to your process, your closing statement is the last thing the panel hears before scoring you, making it a high-leverage moment worth preparing deliberately.
Types of Oral Board Closing Statements
Typically, there are two types of police oral board closing statements. One brief and the other more detailed. The video posted above is a demonstration of a brief closing statement for a candidate testing at the captain rank. As you saw in last month’s demonstration video blog on Opening Statements, having a well prepared opening statement can launch your success for the remainder of your oral board exam. While not all processes provide you with the opportunity to give an opening statement, if yours does you want to knock it out of the park.
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-Promoted to Lieutenant in Massachusetts
Why the Closing Statement Matters
Not all processes will give you a closing statement opportunity, but if yours does, you don’t want to take it for granted. This statement is important because your closing statement will likely be the last words the oral board panel hears from you before they start determining your final score. For that reason, your closing statement is a major influence opportunity.
The Detailed Closing Statement
Generally, the detailed closing statement is used when you only have the opportunity to give a closing statement and not an opening statement. Now that does not mean that you will be giving an opening statement but just at the end of your oral board. You will want to craft the detailed closing statement so that it fits appropriately for your process.
While I suggest to many of my coaching clients that a 3 to 5 minute opening statement is the right length, I believe a detailed closing statement – unless you have been told otherwise – should be in the 1½ to 2½ minute range. As with my opening statement recommendation, I do believe the detailed closing statement should be chronological and I also believe that you should begin your closing statement by thanking the panel members for assisting your agency. Bottom line, think of the detailed closing statement as an abbreviated opening statement.
The Brief Closing Statement
If your process allows you to give both an opening statement and a closing statement, this is where I recommend brevity for the latter. Having served as an oral board assessor in the past, I know that it can be irritating for the assessors when a promotion candidate overstays their welcome by repeating in their closing statement everything that they said in their opening statement. A more effective approach is to summarize the highlights of the opening statement so that the closing statement serves as a 25 to 35 second refresher of your qualifications.
Summary
When done right, the brief closing statement is a reminder to the panel of the qualifications that you possess that have earned you the right to serve at the next rank. Think of it as your exclamation point as to why you deserve to be at the top of the promotion list.
For a full breakdown of what to include in an opening statement — the counterpart to everything covered here — see the opening statement demonstration, and for the full range of question categories you’ll face beyond opening and closing statements, see Police Oral Board Questions – What Do They Ask?.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends entirely on your specific process — some allow both an opening and closing statement (use brief), while others only offer a closing statement opportunity (use detailed). Confirm which applies to your process ahead of time if possible.
No — a brief closing statement should summarize the highlights of your opening statement, not repeat it in full. Assessors notice and can be put off when a candidate overstays their welcome by covering the same ground twice.
It’s recommended, particularly for a detailed closing statement, where opening with thanks to the panel members for assisting your agency is part of the suggested structure. Rarely can you go wrong by showing genuine appreciation.
Prepare one anyway. It’s better to have a closing statement ready and not need it than to be caught without one when the opportunity arises.
Bill Reilly
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