Deck 10: Investigations

Question 1

How does one become a detective?

Answer 1

Generally speaking, one must first work as a patrol officer for a number of years. The number of years varies between departments. Experience working the streets is needed prior to working assignments as a detective. Many departments have an application and testing process and evaluations prior to gaining an assignment as a detective. In larger departments, making detective is usually a promotion with higher pay. In small and mid-sized departments, detectives may have the same rank as a police officer but may be paid more in the form of assignment pay or clothing allowance.

Question 2

How does retroactive investigation of past crimes work?

Answer 2

In the past, retroactive investigation of past crimes was done solely by detectives. Before the Rand Corporation's study in 1975, the common protocol for retroactive investigation of crimes was for the patrol officer to take the initial report, and then a detective was assigned to the follow-up investigation. The Rand study, however, found that much of a detective's time was spent on nonproductive work that did not lead directly to solving crimes. This information gave rise to new thinking regarding investigation of crimes and to newer models in which patrol officers take some of the workload off detectives.

Question 3

Detectives are portrayed in the media as the elite of the police department. Is there anything to this detective mystique?

Answer 3

There is! Detectives have a certain mystique about them. They work in plainclothes and generally are assigned to daytime hours. They are responsible for sting operations, work undercover, drive unmarked police units, and take charge at the scene of a crime. Whether or not the move to detective is considered a promotion, it is accomplished through a competitive process. Detectives sometimes have a higher pay grade and/or get assignment pay or a clothing allowance.

Question 4

Discuss drug undercover investigations.

Question 5

What is entrapment?

Question 6

In the past, detectives retroactively investigated almost all felonies and some misdemeanors. One alternative to retroactive investigations is having patrol officers complete preliminary investigations on their calls and detectives investigate only very serious or complex crimes. Additionally, departments can utilize the Managing Criminal Investigations, or MCI, Method. The MCI Method focuses investigators' time and efforts into the cases most likely to be solved and has resulted in more efficient departments with more proactive stances toward policing.
This scenario focuses on the division of law enforcement and investigative duties.
Last week, the Police Commissioner for El Paso County, Colorado, called together the police chiefs from the smaller precincts in the district, including you, the Palmer Lake, Colorado, police chief. The Commissioner informed the law enforcement leaders that some changes were on the horizon for their departments. He discussed how patrol officers were now to be assigned more preliminary investigation work, and detectives were to focus on major crimes only. He stated that each department would need to create a new supervisory position that would be responsible for determining which cases are followed up on and by whom. Using the Managing Criminal Investigations (MCI) Method, the supervisor will rate the cases based on the findings of the patrol officers' initial investigations, then assign them to either the road officer or a detective. He noted that all departments would be expected to institute these changes within a year, with the time frame left up to the individual department leaders.

-What is the name of factors considered by detectives when deciding whether a case should receive follow-up investigation?

A) solvability factors
B) crime analysis factors
C) field notes factors
D) sting factors

Question 7

In the past, detectives retroactively investigated almost all felonies and some misdemeanors. One alternative to retroactive investigations is having patrol officers complete preliminary investigations on their calls and detectives investigate only very serious or complex crimes. Additionally, departments can utilize the Managing Criminal Investigations, or MCI, Method. The MCI Method focuses investigators' time and efforts into the cases most likely to be solved and has resulted in more efficient departments with more proactive stances toward policing.
This scenario focuses on the division of law enforcement and investigative duties.
Last week, the Police Commissioner for El Paso County, Colorado, called together the police chiefs from the smaller precincts in the district, including you, the Palmer Lake, Colorado, police chief. The Commissioner informed the law enforcement leaders that some changes were on the horizon for their departments. He discussed how patrol officers were now to be assigned more preliminary investigation work, and detectives were to focus on major crimes only. He stated that each department would need to create a new supervisory position that would be responsible for determining which cases are followed up on and by whom. Using the Managing Criminal Investigations (MCI) Method, the supervisor will rate the cases based on the findings of the patrol officers' initial investigations, then assign them to either the road officer or a detective. He noted that all departments would be expected to institute these changes within a year, with the time frame left up to the individual department leaders.

-What method have police traditionally used to investigate crimes?

A) retroactive investigation of past crimes by detectives
B) managing criminal investigations by detectives
C) intelligence-led policing by detectives
D) crime analysis by detectives

Question 8

What Would You Do?
You are the Palmer Lake, Colorado, police chief. Your city is one of the smallest in El Paso, County, though your department has grown by two patrol officers and a detective within just the last year. In considering what the police commissioner said, you believe that these changes will mean better use of your personnel and a more efficient and hopefully more effective department overall. You aren't sure whether you should implement these changes immediately or wait. If you opt for immediate implementation, your department can work toward being a successful example for the other departments in the county that choose to implement later. You know that it would mean that your staff would need to take training in the new methodologies during the time the process is being implemented, but you know they are equal to the task.
Alternatively, waiting six months to implement will give you time to more fully research the recommendations, best practices, and guidelines; time to identify and hire the best person for the supervisor position; and time to allow your officers and detectives to get training in the new methodologies.
-Which do you decide to do: implement the changes immediately or wait six months to implement?

Question 9

You hold a meeting of all staff and inform them of the police commissioner's decision. You outline the basic principles and guidelines of the new methodologies and ask for their feedback.

-What agency funded the study that recommended the MCI method for investigating crimes?

A) the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration
B) the National Institute of Justice
C) the Department of Homeland Security
D) the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

Question 10

You hold a meeting of all staff and inform them of the police commissioner's decision. You outline the basic principles and guidelines of the new methodologies and ask for their feedback.

-What method do old detectives use to informally train new detectives or patrol officers in detective work?

A) mentoring
B) crime analysis
C) intelligence-led policing
D) blending

Question 11

What Would You Do?
You are the Palmer Lake police chief. At the meeting, several of your staff members offer feedback on the decision to immediately implement the new procedures. One patrol officer, who graduated from the academy less than a year ago, expresses his concern over being able to properly conduct preliminary investigations.
"Being so new, I'm just not sure I could do a thorough enough job. I'm trained well enough, but what if I miss something a detective would easily catch?"
Another patrol officer adds, "We barely have enough time for the duties we're handling. How are we supposed to add more investigative duties to our full workload?"
A senior detective pipes up, stating, "We are going to get training on these new procedures, right? I don't know that I'd feel comfortable using some new rating technique if I have not been trained on how to do it right."
A second detective asks, "So, we're not supposed to investigate crimes that may not be easily solved? So, what happens to those? Do they just get left behind? I don't think our citizens will appreciate that very much."
With all these concerns, you are not sure your decision to implement immediately was the best one to make.
-Do you continue forward with immediate implementation, understanding that these concerns will be answered as you progress through the process, or do you step back and decide that the six-month wait is the better decision for your department after all?

Question 12

Summary A
Although most activities taking place within police departments involve patrol operations, detective operations and investigations play a major role. In many police departments, patrol officers are responsible for conducting preliminary investigations of incidents. The MCI method involves more active investigation by patrol officers as well as the identification of solvability factors that determine whether or not further efforts should be made to investigate the crime. Immediate implementation of the MCI method will allow your patrol officers and detectives to be more effective and efficient. There may be some unhappy personnel to begin with but this will pass.
To learn more about the various responsibilities and duties of law enforcement detectives, see "Alternatives to Retroactive Investigation of Past Crimes by Detectives."
Summary B
Although most activities taking place within police departments involve patrol operations, detective operations and investigations play a major role. In many police departments, patrol officers are responsible for conducting preliminary investigations of incidents. The MCI method involves more active investigation by patrol officers as well as the identification of solvability factors that determine whether or not further efforts should be made to investigate the crime. While immediate implementation of the MCI method will allow your patrol officers and detectives to be more effective and efficient, it will be more beneficial to take the six months to plan how to implement the program. Your patrol officers and detectives need to know that they will get the training necessary to do a good job.
To learn more about the various responsibilities and duties of law enforcement detectives, see "Alternatives to Retroactive Investigation of Past Crimes by Detectives."
At the planning meeting, you inform your senior staff of the impending changes. Together, you assign members to the committee that will be in charge of the implementation process, including outlining the overall plan, assigning staff to the appropriate trainings, and selecting the person to fill the supervisory position. They all agree that a public forum should be held to let Palmer Lake citizens know about the changes they can expect from their department.

-What agency funded the study that recommended the MCI method for investigating crimes?

A) the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration
B) the National Institute of Justice
C) the Department of Homeland Security
D) the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

Question 13

Summary A
Although most activities taking place within police departments involve patrol operations, detective operations and investigations play a major role. In many police departments, patrol officers are responsible for conducting preliminary investigations of incidents. The MCI method involves more active investigation by patrol officers as well as the identification of solvability factors that determine whether or not further efforts should be made to investigate the crime. Immediate implementation of the MCI method will allow your patrol officers and detectives to be more effective and efficient. There may be some unhappy personnel to begin with but this will pass.
To learn more about the various responsibilities and duties of law enforcement detectives, see "Alternatives to Retroactive Investigation of Past Crimes by Detectives."
Summary B
Although most activities taking place within police departments involve patrol operations, detective operations and investigations play a major role. In many police departments, patrol officers are responsible for conducting preliminary investigations of incidents. The MCI method involves more active investigation by patrol officers as well as the identification of solvability factors that determine whether or not further efforts should be made to investigate the crime. While immediate implementation of the MCI method will allow your patrol officers and detectives to be more effective and efficient, it will be more beneficial to take the six months to plan how to implement the program. Your patrol officers and detectives need to know that they will get the training necessary to do a good job.
To learn more about the various responsibilities and duties of law enforcement detectives, see "Alternatives to Retroactive Investigation of Past Crimes by Detectives."
At the planning meeting, you inform your senior staff of the impending changes. Together, you assign members to the committee that will be in charge of the implementation process, including outlining the overall plan, assigning staff to the appropriate trainings, and selecting the person to fill the supervisory position. They all agree that a public forum should be held to let Palmer Lake citizens know about the changes they can expect from their department.

-What method do old detectives use to informally train new detectives or patrol officers in detective work?

A) mentoring
B) crime analysis
C) intelligence-led policing
D) blending

Question 14

What Would You Do?
You are the Palmer Lake police chief. You are holding a public forum for all citizens to inform them of the coming changes and how these changes might affect the services performed by the department. Several citizens are outraged when the group is informed that, under these new guidelines, only those cases with higher probability for solving will be investigated by detectives.
One citizen asks, "So, if I'm robbed and you determine that you're probably not going to find the thief any time soon, you just give up and let the thief get away scot-free?"
Another visibly angry citizen adds, "How is providing fewer services and less investigation for crimes going to help make our town safer? We pay a lot of taxes to make sure we are protected, and this is how you choose to spend our money? By serving us less than you already are?"
After the meeting comes to an end, you are approached by a dozen more citizens who are unhappy with these changes and do not want them for their town.
You are contemplating your next move. You still believe that taking six months before implementation is a strong course of action that will allow for the best possible strategies for success. Alternatively, you consider waiting the full year offered by the Commissioner. With that period of time to prepare, it will mean a happier public for a longer period of time, plus give your department more time to become fully versed in the new methodologies, and possibly increase the chances of program success.
-Which do you do: Maintain the six-month schedule or extend the implementation to the one-year mark?

Question 15

A 1981 Police Research Forum Study showed that police have about a 33 percent chance of making an arrest if ____________.

A) the case is turned over to a detective
B) the crime is reported while still in progress
C) no less than 15 minutes have elapsed since the report
D) forensic science is used

Question 16

In which investigation model do detectives reinterview complainants and witnesses, respond to the scene of the crime, and search for clues and leads that could solve the crime?

A) retroactive
B) mentoring
C) crime analysis
D) intelligence-led

Question 17

Detective Jackson and his partner are going to begin investigating a possible homicide that took place earlier in the day. The first step they will take in their investigation is to _________.

A) interview witnesses
B) read the incident report
C) canvass the neighborhood
D) identify the victim

Question 18

The detective division of a police department is charged with solving reported, or __________.

A) cracking them
B) clearing them
C) unraveling them
D) dispelling them

Question 19

The National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals recommended that police departments should ____________.

A) use more patrol officers to investigate crimes
B) assign no more than four detectives to each investigation
C) use teams of one patrol officer and one detective for crime investigations
D) hire specialists rather than detectives for very serious or complex investigations

Question 20

What is the purpose of the proposal called Managing Criminal Investigations (MCI)?

A) MCI identifies challenges faced by law enforcement personnel during a sniper incident.
B) MCI is series of guidelines that recommend expanding the role of patrol officers.
C) MCI recommends using data analysis to focus police efforts on the most harmful incidents and offenders.
D) MCI considers the value of investigative units that reexamine old cases that have remained unsolved.

Question 21

To determine whether a case is worth pursuing, Detective Raymond asks herself questions such as, "Is there a witness?" and "Will the complainant cooperate in the investigation?" What helps determine whether a case can be cleared?

A) solvability factors
B) clearance rates
C) case enhancements
D) none of these

Question 22

What is the strategy of using data analysis and other intelligence to focus police efforts on incidents and offenders causing the most harm to the community?

A) intelligence-led policing
B) MCI (Managing Criminal Investigations)
C) crime analysis
D) cybercrime fighting

Question 23

Investigative task forces are groups working together to investigate one or more crimes. These investigators are often __________.

A) members of the same detective department
B) members of the courtroom workgroup
C) from different ranks within a municipal police department
D) from different law enforcement agencies

Question 24

One way a repeat offender program can be operated is through __________, where a detective assists the arresting officer to prepare the case against a career criminal.

A) surveillance techniques
B) PERF (Police Executive Research Forum) reports
C) case enhancement
D) decoy operations

Question 25

Who are required to register so that local, state, and federal authorities can track their whereabouts, and communities can be made aware of their presence?

A) burglars
B) gang members
C) substance abusers
D) sex offenders

Question 26

One study found that offenders who were what were 90 percent less likely to abscond or reoffend than those who were not?

A) on probation
B) on the National Sex Offender registry
C) given a smartphone
D) tracked by GPS

Question 27

Most courts have upheld the use of surveillance cameras, stating they are not a violation of individual's rights because __________.

A) there is no specific mention of cameras in the U.S. Constitution
B) of their importance in identifying criminals
C) there is no expectation of privacy in most of the locations
D) most images are of such poor quality that no person can be identified with certainty

Question 28

Advances in which type of technology have led to the increased use of cold-case squads to solve crimes?

A) surveillance
B) GPS
C) DNA
D) lie-detector

Question 29

In a decoy operation, what do officers do?

A) Dress and act like members of the general public.
B) Dress and act like potential victims.
C) Park patrol cars where they cannot be seen.
D) Assume the role of a gang member.

Question 30

The hidden surveillance of a location or person is called a __________.

A) decoy
B) stakeout
C) blending
D) sting

Question 31

Justin receives word that he has won a prize and just needs to go to a particular address to pick it up. When he arrives, he finds the police are waiting to arrest him on an outstanding warrant; this is a(n) __________.

A) sting
B) decoy
C) stakeout
D) entrapment

Question 32

Cybercrime is any type of criminal activity involving ________.

A) telephones
B) computers and networks
C) entrapment
D) decoy operations

Question 33

One of the downsides to stakeouts is that they are __________.

A) boring
B) based on tips
C) expensive
D) ineffective

Question 34

The officer assumes a different identity to obtain information or achieve another investigatory purpose in a(n) __________.

A) decoy operation
B) undercover investigation
C) stakeout operation
D) blending operation

Question 35

What type of undercover investigations have broken up many major drug and arms smuggling operations in South Florida?

A) community
B) municipal
C) federal
D) state

Question 36

In which type of operation does an undercover officer make numerous purchases over time and then obtain an arrest warrant for the dealer before a team goes in to make the arrest?

A) decoy
B) stakeout
C) sting
D) buy-bust

Question 37

What is defined as inducing an individual to violate a criminal statute he or she did not contemplate violating, for the sole purpose of arrest and criminal prosecution?

A) Decoy
B) Sting
C) Entrapment
D) Stakeout

Question 38

Defendants can plead entrapment if they can show that the police __________ commit crimes they otherwise would not have committed.

A) tempted them to
B) induced them to
C) suggested they
D) gave them the opportunity to