Deck 8: The Community Police Officer

Question 1

Although the associations between higher education and improved performance may be weak or, at best, moderate, they appear to be consistent: "The overall conclusion is that higher education is a generally beneficial but not highly significant factor in improving the performance of front-line officers".

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The adoption of community policing as the model for police service delivery has not resulted in major changes in recruiting. Integrity and physical abilities remain to be paramount in finding the best applicant.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Since the late 1970s, police agencies have recognized that gays and lesbians are part of the community they serve. For over 30 years, Canadian police services have actively recruiting officers from the gay community.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Becoming a police officer involves three distinct socialization processes: formal socialization is accomplished through the recruiting and training process, secondly by way of interaction with fellow peers and, thirdly via the influence of the police supervisor / manager.

Question 5

While consensus among police human resource professionals favors a competency-based developmental approach, there is still a tendency to recognize and reward officer performance based on reactive, law enforcement-oriented police work.

Question 6

In the police recruiting process, items such as citizenship, age, physical abilities, and common sense and good judgment are known as:

A) nonessential abilities.
B) preferred qualifications.
C) training standards.
D) basic qualifications.

Question 7

In recent years, Canadian police services:

A) have attempted to avoid hiring people who are visible minorities.
B) have continued to maintain regulations that prohibit the hiring of gays and lesbians.
C) have often been unsuccessful in attracting qualified women and members of visible minorities.
D) have hired large numbers of women, so that female officers now comprise nearly 40 percent of police personnel across the country.

Question 8

Recent figures indicate that women represent what percentage of police officers nationwide?

A) 10 percent to 15 percent.
B) 16 percent to 20 percent.
C) 21 percent to 25 percent.
D) 26 percent to 30 percent.

Question 9

Members of First Nations and visible and cultural minorities represent what percentage of police officers nationwide?

A) less than 10 percent.
B) about 15 percent.
C) 20 percent.
D) 25 percent.

Question 10

Overall, recruit strategies designed to attract more women and members of visible minorities into policing have not been very successful due to:

A) the general lack of "specialty incentives" that exist once an individual is hired.
B) difficulties encountered in the physical testing process.
C) the failure of police services to devote the necessary resources to attract non-Anglo and female recruits.
D) height requirements that tend to prevent many individuals from applying to become police officers.

Question 11

In order to increase the numbers of women and visible and cultural minorities in policing, many police services have:

A) reduced the entrance standards.
B) establishing hiring quotas.
C) raised pay levels.
D) none of the above.

Question 12

Police training that focuses on the acquisition of specific, measurable skills and knowledge that can be transferred to the operational level is called:

A) competency-based training.
B) hard skills training.
C) soft skills training.
D) intensive, professional training.

Question 13

Resistance to community policing may be due to:

A) a fear among patrol officers of being marginalized in their police service.
B) a distrust of senior administrators.
C) the perception among officers that they do not have time to do community policing.
D) all of the above.

Question 14

Research studies on police services have found that:

A) officers in some police services who participate in community policing initiatives are marginalized by other officers.
B) officers who participate in community police initiatives are guaranteed a high status among patrol officers.
C) in some police services, officer performance assessments are still based on traditional police work.
D) a and c.

Question 15

The working personality of police officers is:

A) a term used to describe the attitudes and behaviours of police officers.
B) one of many personalities that police officers may have while on duty.
C) a discredited term that cannot be used to describe why police officers behave the way they do.
D) according to research studies, similar to that of other criminal justice personnel, including judges, lawyers, and correctional officers.

Question 16

What statement best describes "employment equity" hiring practices?

A) It is a legislated "quota"-based hiring practice.
B) It is a preferential hiring system focusing on visible minorities and other identified groups.
C) It is a form of affirmative action to right the wrongs of systemic discrimination.
D) It describes a salary policy of "like pay for like work."

Question 17

The RCMP integrates the CAPRA model throughout their recruit training curriculum. The goal of this approach is to have police recruits deal with operational and organization challenges by utilizing:

A) a theoretical model towards community based policing.
B) a problem-solving model.
C) individual decision-making based upon education and experience.
D) corporate business practices.

Question 18

The lowest percentage of female officers in policing are found in:

A) small municipal police agencies
B) the province of Quebec
C)the province of Saskatchewan
D) the Atlantic provinces and in the Yukon and Nunavut

Question 19

The attrition rate refers to:

A) the number of police recruits that fail to pass recruit training
B) the number of police recruits that fail to pass field training with a senior officer
C) police personnel choosing to join another police agency or leave the police profession altogether
D) police personnel choosing an inside administrative position after working front-line street policing

Question 20

The blue-light syndrome refers to:

A) the physiological effects that may occur due to working shift work
B) an attitude that emphasizes the high-risk/action component of police work
C) the secrecy and code of silence that exists among many police officers
D) an attitude that emphasizes conservative political and moral views

Question 21

The rubber gun squad refers to:

A) police officers who are extensively involved in community policing initiatives
B) police officers who are extensively involved in school liaison and coaching youth
C) police recruits that have failed or marginally passed their firearms training
D) newly hired police recruits that have not received their firearms training

Question 22

What role does the concept of diversity play in the recruitment of police officers?

Question 23

What is meant by hiring quotas, and why is this term often mentioned in discussions of police recruiting?

Question 24

Describe the components of the Recruit Training Program.

Question 25

What are the basic qualifications required by police services in the recruitment process?

Question 26

Discuss what is meant by preferred qualifications, and note what role these play in the recruitment process.

Question 27

What is competency-based training, and what role does it play in police training?

Question 28

Describe the importance of operational field training.

Question 29

What is in-service training, what type of courses are offered, and what role does it play in the training of police officers?

Question 30

Discuss how the decentralization of decision making and the empowerment of line officers can result in effective problem-solving.

Question 31

Describe what is meant by the working personality of police officers, and then note the importance of this concept for our study of community policing.

Question 32

What is meant by the community police officer as generalist?

Question 33

Discuss how core values within a police service serve to influence the police subculture.

Question 34

Identify and discuss the issues related to recruitment of gays and lesbians, members of First Nations, visible or cultural minorities, and women.

Question 35

Discuss the controversy over qualifications for women and members of cultural or visible minorities. What, if any, long term consequences may result due to this practice?

Question 36

From the police academy to the street, discuss the issues and challenges facing operational field training and in-service training. How are police services meeting these challenges?