The S.T.A.R. Format
What is the S.T.A.R. format?
S.T.A.R. stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result. The S.T.A.R. format is used by the RCMP to capture behavioural examples of relevant performance to assess competencies. Please ensure to use this format to provide a complete description of the circumstances, the actions taken, and the results of your actions to describe your functional police experience.
We're looking for
Situation: In brief, clearly describe the situation surrounding your example.
- What was your role?
- Who was involved?
- What were the important details that impacted your decisions?
Task: In brief, clearly describe what the task you were called upon to do was.
- What was your specific challenge?
Action: In more detail, clearly describe what action(s) you took.
- Describe what you actually did.
Result: In brief, clearly describe what the result was.
- What did you accomplish?
The following example demonstrates the S.T.A.R. format we are seeking as you prepare the two (2) required examples for each competency relating to your Functional Police Experience.
Example
- Competency:
Experience and ability to conduct investigations.
- Situation:
Over the past three years I was the supervisor of a general investigations unit. During the months of July and August of last year, there was a rash of business break and enters occurring throughout the city. Initial investigations by responding officers to these break and enters yielded little evidence to focus on potential suspects. However, I noticed that there were similarities in most of these break and enters, with matching modus operandi (MO's).
- Task:
It was my job to co-ordinate and investigate the break and enters in an effort to locate the suspects and follow up accordingly.
- Action:
I gathered information on all break and enters occurring in the city with similar MO's. I then contacted some human sources to find out if they had any information pertaining to the rash of break and enters. I liaised with the Media Relations Officer, who prepared a media release soliciting public assistance for any information pertaining to these break and enters. I also met with the Property Crime Unit and gathered intelligence on possible suspects. I was able to identify two main suspects, both working independently with other accomplices. I then implemented an action plan to deal with these suspects. I requested the assistance of our undercover investigators to confirm the location of one suspect. I conducted a meeting on September 10 consisting of police officers from all the different investigative units. I chaired this meeting and presented an operational plan which I had developed for discussion.
- Results:
Within a couple of days the first suspect was arrested and taken before the courts for numerous break and enter offences. On September 15, the operational plan on the second suspect was implemented. On September 28, I arrested the second suspect and he eventually pled guilty to numerous break and enter charges.
- Date modified: