Deck 6: Police at Work: Patrolling and Investigating

Question 1

Having a "sixth sense" is important to police officers because officers need to be able to ______.

A) increase the speed of their reflexes and ability to make decisions
B) recall and implement protocol quickly and without thinking
C) visually recognize anomalies or when something is wrong
D) develop a sense of telling when a suspect is guilty

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Police and corrections personnel are trained in the basic functions, laws, and skills required for their positions while attending ______.

A) community college
B) academy training
C) 4-year college
D) on-the-job training

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Police subculture refers to the ______.

A) secret societies police officers often establish
B) traditions, skills, and attitudes unique to policing
C) camaraderie of police officers outside of work
D) tendency for police officers to be arrested for domestic violence

Answer 3

B

Question 4

A police officer receives a call asking the officer to locate an elderly person with Alzheimer's who has wandered away from a nursing home. This would be categorized as which basic policing task?

A) protecting the innocent
B) preventing crime
C) enforcing the laws
D) performing welfare tasks

Question 5

"Perceptual shorthand" refers to which of the following?

A) ability to quell domestic disputes
B) qualifications of highly effective officers
C) ability to recognize potentially violent individuals
D) notion that an officer can feel when something is not right

Question 6

Police officers spend much of their time ______.

A) unsupervised
B) under close supervision
C) completing monotonous tasks
D) recruiting highly trained individuals

Question 7

What is the purpose of the field training officer (FTO) program?

A) It allows new officers to transition into police work under the close supervision of a veteran officer.
B) It creates a support group for officers tasked with training new recruits.
C) It is a program that teaches veteran officers how to supervise and train new recruits.
D) It is an expanded ride-along program in which recruits act mostly as observers.

Question 8

An officer's "sixth sense" refers to which of the following?

A) investigation
B) suspicion
C) empathy
D) critical thinking

Question 9

From 1967 to 1986, every national commission that studied crime and police in America maintained that which of the following would help the police job performance?

A) increased pay
B) college degree
C) enhanced equipment
D) decreased age requirement

Question 10

Approximately what percentage of police agencies require a minimum of a 4-year degree?

A) 1%
B) 10%
C) 20%
D) 50%

Question 11

College-educated officers have ______ than non-college-educated officers.

A) less positive peer relationships
B) less flexibility
C) a higher rate of absenteeism
D) a higher likelihood of taking on leadership roles

Question 12

Police officers who do not have a college degree are significantly more likely to be accused of ______ than college educated officers.

A) abuse of power
B) negligent use of firearm
C) reckless driving
D) excessive physical force

Question 13

Jerome Skolnick determined that the police role contained two important variables: danger and ______.

A) authority
B) personality
C) resistance
D) hostility

Question 14

Which of the following is not one of the three distinctive policing styles as identified by James Q. Wilson?

A) watchman
B) pragmatic
C) legalistic
D) service

Question 15

At the academy, a large portion of time is spent training new police officers in which area?

A) department management
B) basic police functions
C) defensive weapons tactics
D) conflict management skills

Question 16

A police officer with which level of education would likely have the greatest ability to make judicious decisions?

A) high school diploma
B) one year community college
C) on-the-job training
D) four year college degree

Question 17

Each of the following is a basic task of policing EXCEPT ______.

A) issuing warrants
B) preventing crime
C) protecting the innocent
D) enforcing the laws

Question 18

Only about 20% of an officer's typical day is devoted to ______.

A) paperwork
B) answering calls for service
C) fighting crime
D) preventive patrol

Question 19

What was the purpose of the Kansas City Preventative Patrol Experiment?

A) to determine if random patrol had a measurable effect on crime
B) to determine what patrol officers do while on duty
C) to measure response times for officer calls for service
D) to measure citizen approval of patrol officers

Question 20

Which of the following is one of the qualities identified by Dennis Nowicki as imperative for entry-level police officers?

A) sense of humor
B) knowledge of local statutes
C) physical agility
D) ethics

Question 21

Which of the following may help police officers deal with stress and pressure of the job?

A) field officer training programs
B) increased use of alcohol
C) increased use of sick leave
D) employee assistance programs

Question 22

Officers in which style of policing take a harsh view of law violators, make no exceptions in writing citations, and make many arrests?

A) watchman
B) preventer
C) legalistic
D) service

Question 23

An officer happens upon a juvenile who is placing graffiti on the side of a building. This has been a pervasive problem in the community, so the officer decides to confront the suspect. Even though the juvenile is respectful and compliant when confronted, the officer, who is frustrated with the graffiti problem, issues the juvenile a citation for vandalism. Which of the following factors likely led to the officer issuing a citation rather than a warning?

A) the citizen's attitude
B) the officer's attitude
C) the law
D) the type of crime

Question 24

Mauri has worked as a patrol officer for 1 year. In the last year, she has experienced unexplained weight gain, loss of interest in hobbies, and an increased use of alcohol and tobacco products. Which of the following should Mauri do?

A) increase the number of sick days she takes
B) engage in relaxing activities
C) attend happy hours with colleagues each day
D) enroll in a field officer training program

Question 25

Drew, a patrol officer, becomes stressed when he is asked to testify in court on his regularly scheduled day off. This stressor is cause by which of the following sources?

A) the public
B) the criminal justice system
C) administrative practices
D) intrinsic to police work

Question 26

During the graveyard shift, patrol officers are more likely to encounter ______.

A) be on the lookout calls
B) domestic disturbances
C) occupational hazards
D) suicide by cop situations

Question 27

What are the two sides of criminal law?

A) guilty and not guilty
B) formality and reality
C) substantive and procedural
D) mens rea and actus reus

Question 28

The type of law that is found in statutes and opinions of appellate courts would be considered ______.

A) formality
B) reality
C) procedural
D) actus reus

Question 29

Each of the following is considered to be a source of police stress EXCEPT ______.

A) training requirements
B) organizational practices
C) the criminal justice system
D) the public

Question 30

Discretion allows officers to ______.

A) act in according with humanitarian goals
B) enforce laws more strictly
C) exercised more judgment if they are more experienced
D) administer equitable justice regardless of circumstances

Question 31

How did findings from the Kansas City Preventative Patrol Experiment change perceptions of police functions?

A) Police agencies implemented two-officer patrols for night shifts.
B) Police agencies tended toward more supervision of patrol officers.
C) Police agencies had to rethink their reliance on random police patrols.
D) Police agencies reached out to the community to improve police/community relations.

Question 32

Which of the following would be considered stress causes by the public?

A) A police officer does not agree with the strict policies of his department.
B) A police officer is yelled at by citizens while intervening in a domestic dispute.
C) A male officer engages in a physical altercation during a felony in progress.
D) A female officer confronts sexual harassment with her colleagues.

Question 33

What is one of three variables that affect an officer's decision regarding how he or she will respond to a citizen?

A) citizen's age
B) type of infraction
C) citizen's gender
D) officer's attitude

Question 34

Domestic violence calls that cause officers to physical confront suspects are categorized as stressors that are ______.

A) caused by the public
B) intrinsic to police work
C) due to the criminal justice system
D) based on administrative practices

Question 35

An officer stops a citizen who is driving a few miles over the speed limit. When the officer begins talking to the driver, the driver expresses anger at being pulled over. The driver continues to note that the chief of police is a close friend, so it won't matted if a citation is issued-he won't be paying any fines. The officer decides to issue the driver a speeding ticket. Which of the following likely played the largest role in the officer's decision to issues a speeding ticket?

A) the citizen's attitude
B) the officer's attitude
C) the law
D) the type of crime

Question 36

Which of the following would be considered an organizational or administrative practices source of stress?

A) A judge treats a male police officer with open hostility.
B) A police officer is forced to physically confront a suspect during a welfare check.
C) A citizen fights with a police officer, who is an ethnic minority, while receiving a citation.
D) A police officer, who is an ethnic minority, is viewed as a "traitor" by others in his community.

Question 37

Bureaucracy, authoritarian management, and lack of input are all part of which category of police stressors?

A) organizational and administrative practices
B) the public
C) the criminal justice system
D) stressors intrinsic to police work

Question 38

Which of the following sources of stress may come from the criminal justice system?

A) general orders for the police department
B) female officers may confront sexual harassment
C) probation officers not supervising probationers
D) poor attitude from individuals when issuing tickets

Question 39

The service style of policing views the officer as a ______.

A) teacher
B) neighbor
C) soldier
D) social worker

Question 40

Which of the following is one of the important decisions that must be made when an officer observes suspicious behavior?

A) What is known about the situation?
B) Should the officer issue a citation?
C) Should the officer intervene?
D) What behaviors seem suspicious?

Question 41

Which of the following describes Locard's exchange principle?

A) Physical evidence will show the type of tools used and the manner in which they were used.
B) Evidence will be cross-transferred when a person touches an object or another person.
C) Evidence can indicate the truth and validity of a person's testimony.
D) DNA evidence is the strongest source of individualization of a crime.

Question 42

Paulo is a police officer who is helping determine whether a crime has taken place. He is assisting in securing descriptions of the suspect from witnesses and protecting the crime scene. Paulo is engaged in which stage of investigation?

A) preliminary investigation
B) continuing investigation
C) reconstructing the crime
D) focusing the investigation

Question 43

The reform era of policing was driven by ______ methods.

A) problem-solving
B) incident-driven
C) relationship-focused
D) information-gathering

Question 44

In which stage of investigation are all investigative efforts directed toward proving one suspect or one group of suspects are guilt of a crime?

A) preliminary investigation
B) continuing investigation
C) reconstructing the crime
D) focusing the investigation

Question 45

Which of the following is needed within a police department to effectively applying the philosophy of the current era of policing?

A) creation of a crime prevention specialist
B) implementation of cultural transformation
C) creation of a community relations department
D) implementation of a neighborhood mini-station

Question 46

Modus operandi refers to which of the following?

A) body of the crime
B) cross transfer of evidence
C) identification of a suspect
D) method of operation

Question 47

How does the community era reflect some of the ideals of the political era?

A) It recognizes the need for civil service exams for new police officers.
B) It allows for the placement of officials based on political patronage.
C) It emphasizes officer relationships with the community.
D) It accentuates the role of political appointments in the policing profession.

Question 48

Which of the following terms refers to common citizens who contact police with information about a crime?

A) witnesses
B) investigators
C) informants
D) interrogators

Question 49

In order for crime to occur, there must be an offender, a victim, and a _____.

A) weapon
B) motive
C) location
D) conflict

Question 50

Angela works with a crime investigation unit studying physical evidence. She is a specialist in reconstructing criminal acts and establishing a common origin of samples of evidence. In which field does Angela work?

A) odontology
B) toxicology
C) criminalistics
D) ballistics

Question 51

Who of the following would likely have the most discretion?

A) a police chief with 25 years of policing experience
B) a deputy with 15 years of experience
C) a sheriff with 10 years of experience
D) a patrol officer with 4 years of experience

Question 52

Which police strategy advocates that police identify the underlying causes of recurring incidents of crime and disorder?

A) community policing
B) problem-oriented policing
C) collaborative policing
D) partnership policing

Question 53

Which of the following is a broader term that refers to the examination, evaluation, and explanation of physical evidence in law?

A) toxicology
B) physical anthropology
C) criminology
D) forensic science

Question 54

Problem-oriented policing fosters more ______.

A) long-term crime prevention strategies
B) powerful political influences over department functions
C) intimate police-public relationships
D) corruption in terms of hiring and promotion of officers

Question 55

During which phase of the investigation does a detective analyze collected information and evidence to develop a theory of the crime?

A) preliminary investigation
B) continuing investigation
C) reconstructing the crime
D) focusing the investigation

Question 56

Which interdisciplinary branch of forensic science deals with the study of physical evidence related to crime?

A) toxicology
B) forensic biology
C) criminalistics
D) criminology

Question 57

Which of the following is of utmost importance to preserve evidence?

A) question witnesses
B) determine officer safety
C) preserve crime scene
D) watch for violent persons

Question 58

Josiah is an investigator who is investigating a crime. Currently, he is using inductive reasoning to determine a rational theory of the crime. Josiah is engaged in which stage of investigation?

A) preliminary investigation
B) continuing investigation
C) reconstructing the crime
D) focusing the investigation

Question 59

Which of the following terms refers to questioning meant to obtain superficial information, such as name and place of address?

A) interviewing
B) inquisition
C) interrogation
D) accusation

Question 60

What does the problem analysis triangle do for officers?

A) suggests ways to separate offenders and victims
B) identifies appropriate solutions to crime
C) identifies motives of offenders
D) suggests areas of crime needing more information

Question 61

Successful investigators and patrol officers appear to have which quality?

A) a somewhat limited knowledge of law
B) an unusual aptitude for ballistics
C) the ability to empathize with the suspect or criminal
D) extensive knowledge toxicology and pathology

Question 62

College-educated police officers are shown to have significantly fewer citizen complaints.

Question 63

One of the criticisms of police discretion is that it makes it difficult for officers to appear impartial, and it could be a catalyst for corruption.

Question 64

The police personality described by Jerome Skolnick determined that the police role consists of two important variables: danger and authority.

Question 65

Which of the following describes "touch" DNA evidence?

A) saliva swabbed from inside the mouth
B) hair extracted from carpet or clothing fibers
C) traces of blood left at a crime scene
D) skin cells left on an item or object

Question 66

Dale is an investigator who is questioning someone he suspects has committed a crime. In his line of questioning, Dale is keeping a close eye on changes in the suspect's behavior as well as trying to glean some form of incriminating evidence. This line of questioning would be known as which of the following?

A) an interview
B) an inquisition
C) an interrogation
D) an accusation

Question 67

In most agencies, female and minority officers always have the same career options as their counterparts

Question 68

As a result of the findings of the Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment, police agencies realized that eliminating routine patrolling did not result in an increase in crime.

Question 69

Police officers have highly structured work assignments in which they are generally closely supervised.

Question 70

The police enforce all laws equally, all the time.

Question 71

Who of the following are specialized members of police agencies that investigate crimes by obtaining evidence and information related to illegal activities?

A) police officers
B) detectives
C) sheriffs
D) deputies

Question 72

In April 2007, it was reported that the ______ person was exonerated by DNA evidence.

A) 25th
B) 50th
C) 100th
D) 200th

Question 73

Once academy training is completed, new police officers are allowed to patrol on their own.

Question 74

Which of the following is true regarding investigators?

A) Most of their time is spent making arrests.
B) They usually solve their cases.
C) Most of their time is spent wading through paperwork.
D) They usually are very streetwise individuals.

Question 75

One of the greatest obstacles to understanding the responsibilities of police is the "crime-fighter" image.

Question 76

The most sophisticated and reliable type of physical evidence is ______.

A) direct evidence
B) real evidence
C) biological evidence
D) DNA evidence

Question 77

A person who has been convicted of drug trafficking. To petition for a less severe punishment, the person makes a deal with prosecutors to provide information on others who are involved in the same drug trafficking ring. However, the person would like to remain confidential out of fear of retribution. What challenge might prosecutors face when working with this person?

A) The person's testimony is not admissible in court since the person is a convicted criminal.
B) The person may exaggerate the truth and contribute to a wrongful conviction.
C) The person may be suspicious of prosecutors and be uncooperative.
D) The person's punishment cannot be made less severe simply because they testify.

Question 78

A primary source of police stress is the police organization itself.

Question 79

How do cold case squads prioritize cases?

A) the likelihood the case will eventually be solved
B) the level of violence involved in the crime
C) the length of time that has passed since the preliminary investigation
D) the number of available leads

Question 80

Laura is being questioned by police after a crime was committed in her neighborhood. The police ask her how many houses away she lives from the crime scene and how long she has lived in the neighborhood. This line of questioning would be known as which of the following?

A) an interview
B) an inquisition
C) an interrogation
D) an accusation