Most officers who promote do it while working full time with family and life responsibilities. Policy study has to fit into a crowded schedule, which means it needs to be efficient and realistic.
Over time, several practical tips show up over and over:
- Study in short, focused blocks instead of long, unfocused sessions
- Use a notebook or digital notes to capture confusing sections and questions
- Teach sections to another officer, which forces you to clarify your understanding
- Create small quizzes for yourself and your study group
- Review your weakest topics more often than your strongest ones
Another useful habit is to connect policy to calls you have already handled. Think back to a pursuit, a crisis call, or a complaint, and ask which policies applied and how a supervisor would evaluate the decisions you made.