Chapter 5: On the Streets: Organization, Responsibilities, and Challenges

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. The ______ developed from the case of Frank Serpico who reported widespread corruption in the NYPD.

A. Mollen Commission

B. Knapp Commission

C. Christopher Commission

D. Wickersham Commission

2. ______ are officers who actively seek out corrupt activities.

A. Meat-eaters

B. Grass-eaters

C. Bottom feeders

D. Apple eaters

3. The ______ was formed after the LAPD beating of Rodney King.

A. Mollen Commission

B. Knapp Commission

C. Christopher Commission

D. Wickersham Commission

4. The primary mission of most police agencies is to ______.

A. protect victims

B. enforce laws

C. provide services

D. reassure the public

5. The majority of police agencies in the United States are ______.

A. small, local agencies

B. large city police departments

C. state police agencies

D. federal law enforcement

6. Most police agencies are structured under a(n) ______ framework.

A. horizontal

B. martial law

C. civilian

D. paramilitary

7. The police ______ is ultimately responsible for everything that occurs in a department.

A. chief

B. lieutenant

C. commander

D. sergeant

8. Based on what you know of the time-in-rank system, which of the following would be true of Police Chief Amy Santiago?

A. She was promoted because she achieved the highest score in the department on her sergeant exam.

B. She was promoted directly to chief after working two years as a patrol officer.

C. She was promoted due to affirmative action hiring policies meant to promote diversity.

D. She was promoted after working her way up the ranks of the police department’s organizational ladder.

9. ______ is described as the “backbone” of policing.

A. Investigation

B. Patrol

C. Internal affairs

D. Forensics

10. When a police officer pulls over a car for speeding, and issues a warning instead of a ticket, the officer is ______.

A. exercising discretion

B. ensuring public order

C. being a meat-eater

D. being a grass-eater

11. When an officer responds to a 911 call for service, this is ______ policing.

A. proactive

B. reactive

C. community

D. problem-oriented

12. Police agency positions in victim advocacy and statistical analysis are examples of ______ personnel.

A. SWAT

B. patrol

C. sworn

D. non-sworn

13. In most cities, the police chief is ______.

A. appointed by the mayor or city council

B. voted in by fellow officers

C. elected by the citizens

D. hired by the city manager or city CEO

14. School resource officers are stationed on school campuses. They regularly patrol halls and ensure that they are in high-visibility places. Their presence is believed to deter criminals and prevent crime, so they are engaging in ______ policing.

A. reactive

B. proactive

C. coercive

D. investigative

15. Officer Kwon is stationed at a local high school. Every morning, he arrives before classes begin, and he remains on campus until after-school activities have ended. Officer Kwon is a(n) ______.

A. police sergeant

B. semiretired officer

C. school resource officer

D. officer on leave

16. Officer Washington is the first officer to respond to a domestic violence call at a suburban home. Which of the following describes one of his main responsibilities as the initial on-scene officer?

A. He must begin writing a police report about the incident.

B. He must run into the home as soon as possible with his gun drawn in case someone’s life is in danger.

C. He must not leave the patrol car or approach the home until at least one additional officer arrives at the scene.

D. He must make initial observations to assess the scene and ensure officer safety.

17. Which of the following crimes would be investigated by an officer on special assignment?

A. sexual assault

B. shoplifting

C. drunk driving

D. public intoxication

18. A police officer’s ability to choose whether to arrest an offender or simply issue a warning is called ______.

A. patrolling

B. discretion

C. investigation

D. policing

19. Officer Jones is wearing street clothes and driving an unmarked car. He solicits a prostitute, then arrests her after she agrees to exchange sex for money. Officer Jones works for the ______ squad.

A. narcotics

B. sex crimes

C. vice

D. homicide

20. Officer Alito is dressed provocatively in a neighborhood known for prostitution. A man stops and offers to pay her for sex, and she arrests him. This is a type of undercover operation known as a(n) ______.

A. vice sting

B. plainclothes operation

C. entrapment operation

D. john sting

21. Which of the following examples would be considered a reverse sting operation?

A. A plainclothes officer pretends to be a john.

B. A uniformed officer patrols a high-crime neighborhood.

C. A plainclothes officer poses as a prostitute.

D. A plainclothes officer attempts to buy drugs.

22. ______ is one key aspect of police subculture.

A. Corruption

B. Optimism

C. Transparency

D. Authoritarianism

23. A police officer agrees to “look the other way” at illegal gambling occurring in a local bar in exchange for a percentage of the profit. This is an example of ______.

A. police violence

B. police corruption

C. police subculture

D. police discretion

24. Which of the following officers have the greatest difficulty becoming members of the department’s in-group?

A. White policewomen

B. Black policewomen

C. Black policemen

D. Hispanic policemen

25. Studies suggest that domestic violence cases involving police officers were half as likely to be prosecuted when compared to cases involving members of the general public. Based on what you know of policing culture, what explains this difference?

A. the impact of authoritarianism

B. the influence of masculinity

C. the code of silence

D. the isolation of policing subcultures

26. What is a negative consequence of police corruption?

A. increased isolation from other departments

B. lack of funding for the department

C. increased scrutiny from federal authorities

D. loss of the community’s trust

27. Police corruption is considered ______ because the offender uses their authority for personal gain.

A. white-collar crime

B. misconduct

C. a sting operation

D. blue-collar crime

28. Why does the International Association of Chiefs of Police prohibit officers from accepting gratuity?

A. It is considered bribery.

B. It is unethical and may lead to more serious violations.

C. It is an illegal abuse of authority.

D. It may lead individuals to believe that they must provide gratuity for protection.

29. Research found a relationship between White males with ______ personalities and the motivation to become a police officer.

A. empathetic

B. secretive

C. authoritarian

D. antisocial

30. Which of the following variables is associated with higher job satisfaction for police officers?

A. the ability to accept gratuity

B. an increase in policies and regulations

C. a desire for power

D. the belief that they are making meaningful contributions

31. ______ is a proactive style of policing that seeks citizen input.

A. Problem-oriented policing

B. Routine activities

C. Intelligence-led policing

D. Community policing

32. A policing style that emphasizes identifying the root of crime and disorder is ______.

A. problem-oriented policing

B. traditional policing

C. intelligence-led policing

D. community policing

33. A police officer starts a chess club for local kids to keep them occupied after school. Which type of policing style is this?

A. problem-oriented policing

B. traditional policing

C. intelligence-led policing

D. community policing

34. ______ focuses on the enforcement of quality-of-life issues.

A. Zero-tolerance policing

B. Traditional policing

C. Intelligence-led policing

D. Evidence-based policing

35. According to routine activities theory, which of the following is an example of a capable guardian?

A. a big screen TV visible in a window

B. a group of teens looking for unlocked cars

C. a barking dog in the front yard

D. a yard full of overgrown trees and weeds

36. ______ theory posits that signs of disorder such as abandoned buildings and graffiti, if left unattended, will lead to more serious crime.

A. Attribution

B. Broken windows

C. Routine activities

D. Zero-tolerance

37. Which of the following is an example of intelligence-led policing?

A. Officer Martinez carefully examines the criminal environment to assess the risks before attempting to arrest a drug dealer.

B. Officer Kowalski arrests a teenager vandalizing a building in a high-crime neighborhood in order to deter more serious offenses occurring in the neighborhood.

C. Officer Hines arrests a man for jaywalking.

D. Officer Jones ensures that she is always visible in the community by acting as a capable guardian to deter crime.

38. CompSTAT was first adopted by the ______ in the 1990s.

A. New York Police Department

B. Los Angeles Police Department

C. Boston Police Department

D. Philadelphia Police Department

39. ______ emphasizes risk assessment and risk management.

A. Problem-oriented policing

B. Traditional policing

C. Intelligence-led policing

D. Community policing

40. After responding to a robbery, Officer Smith carefully and politely listens to the victim’s account of the incident. She refrains from making judgments about the victim or their behavior and ensures that the victim feels respected. Officer Smith is following the principles of ______ justice.

A. procedural

B. attributive

C. legitimate

D. proactive

41. A recent study found that people rate Black men as “more threatening” than men of other races. According to ______, these perceptions may help explain why Black men are more likely to be met with deadly force by police.

A. stereotype threat

B. attribution theory

C. broken windows theory

D. routine activities theory

42. ______ identified the major principles of procedural justice.

A. Tom Tyler

B. George Kelling

C. Lorie Fridell

D. Michael Brown

43. According to the 21st-Century Policing Task Force, what should police officers do in order to build trust and legitimacy within the community?

A. adopt a zero-tolerance policy

B. adopt a guardian mind-set

C. adopt a warrior mentality

D. use hyperaggressive policing tactics

44. The theory that implicitly or explicitly harboring stereotypes associating Blacks with crime may cloud an officer’s judgment about a person is known as ______.

A. fight-or-flight response

B. attribution theory

C. confirmation bias theory

D. framing theory

45. ______ describes a situation where a police officer uses more force than necessary to subdue a suspect.

A. Continuum of force

B. Use of force

C. Excessive force

D. Deadly force

46. Which call for service is associated with a higher probability the responding officer will use force during the encounter?

A. domestic violence

B. vandalism

C. shoplifting

D. arson

47. Domestic violence calls for service are more likely to involve the use of force because ______.

A. officers are more judgmental of domestic violence perpetrators

B. they pose a greater risk to the officer

C. perpetrators of domestic violence are more likely to be large males

D. the use of force against domestic violence perpetrators is more accepted in policing subcultures

48. In Tennessee v. Garner (1985), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that deadly force against a fleeing suspect is only appropriate under which of the following circumstances?

A. If officers have probable cause to believe the suspect poses a significant threat to others.

B. If the suspect is trying to escape arrest.

C. If the suspect is suspected of committing a felony.

D. If the suspect is believed to be a flight risk.

49. Which U.S. Supreme Court Case established the guidelines for the appropriate use of deadly force?

A. Mapp v. Ohio

B. Tennessee v. Garner

C. Gideon v. Wainwright

D. Thurman v. Torrington

50. According to the Supreme Court decision in Tennessee v. Garner case, in which of the following incidents would deadly force be appropriate?

A. A mother accused of neglecting her children runs away from the police after they tell her she is under arrest.

B. A suspect runs from police after he’s caught stealing building materials from a construction site.

C. An active shooter drops his weapon when prompted to do so by an officer.

D. A serial killer wrestles free from an officer during an arrest attempt and begins to run toward the woods.

51. What circumstances are more likely to result in a use of force?

A. when suspects resist arrest

B. when suspects are suspected of being gang members

C. when suspects are suspected of child abuse

D. when suspects are intoxicated

52. Officer Hite is patrolling a wealthy White neighborhood. He becomes suspicious after noticing a Black man driving through the neighborhood in a very expensive car. Believing that the man must be a drug dealer, he pulls him over. This is an example of ______.

A. problem-oriented policing

B. community policing

C. probable cause

D. racial profiling

53. According to Jeffery Ross’s study about police discretion, which of the following suspects would be more likely to be arrested?

A. Mary spits on the police officer after he confronts her about being drunk in public.

B. Julie tearfully apologies to the police officer after she is caught shoplifting.

C. Officer Greg observes a teenager drinking underage while returning to the precinct at the end of her shift.

D. Officer Smart observes a juvenile throw rocks at an abandoned building.

54. A neighbor calls the police when she overhears a domestic dispute. The officer arrives on the scene and observes an uninjured woman hitting her husband with a baseball bat. The victim insists that he does not want to press charges. The police department follows ______ in cases of intimate partner violence, so the officer arrests her anyway.

A. zero-tolerance policies

B. discretionary arrest policies

C. mandatory arrest policies

D. hot spot policing policies

55. The local police department produces a funny video encouraging people to use their turn signals. They share the video on their official accounts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and it quickly goes viral. According to research, how is this likely to impact the department?

A. The video facilitates positive interactions between the department and the community.

B. The video provides a lucrative funding stream for the department through advertisements.

C. The video is likely to be perceived as unprofessional by members of the community.

D. The video can make the department vulnerable to lawsuits.

56. What is a critique of private policing?

A. Private policing is overregulated by the government, limiting their effectiveness.

B. Many of the officers are undertrained.

C. Private security is exceptionally more expensive than publicly funded policing.

D. There are not enough private security firms to meet the overwhelming demand.

57. Tasers, rubber bullets, and sedative darts are all examples of ______.

A. banned weapons

B. potentially lethal weapons

C. technologically assisted weapons

D. less-than-lethal weapons

58. ______ is another way to describe the use of less-than-lethal weapons.

A. Nonlethal force

B. Continuum of force

C. Discretionary force

D. Excessive force

59. It is estimated that approximately ______ of police departments in the United States communicate with the public via social media.

A. 25%

B. 60%

C. 75%

D. 82%

60. Research indicates that the majority of use-of-force incidents involve ______.

A. grabbing, pushing, or shoving

B. hitting and punching

C. less-than-lethal weapons such as batons or Tasers

D. deadly force

61. Which of the following refers to the practice of police officers stopping, searching, and detaining people based on skin color?

A. cross-race effect

B. entrapment

C. stop and frisk

D. driving while black

62. When an officer investigates an individual solely based upon race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin, this is known as ______.

A. discretion

B. profiling

C. selective enforcement

D. false arrest

63. ______ policies limit police discretion in certain situations, such as intimate partner violence.

A. Broken windows

B. Mandatory arrest

C. Informal discretion

D. Situational discretion

64. ______ is an information technology system that provides tactical lead generation, crime analysis, and information sharing for law enforcement agencies.

A. CopLink

B. CompStat

C. CitiStat

D. RAIDS

65. Which of the following is a criticism of police body-worn cameras?

A. Police are more likely to use force.

B. Suspects are more likely to resist police.

C. The technology may inhibit officers from stopping suspects.

D. The technology may increase false accusations against police.

1. The rotten apple theory is the idea that corruption is endemic in most police departments.

2. Patrol officers spend 80% of their time on traditional law enforcement duties.

3. The majority of police agencies are small departments.

4. Patrol officer duties include crime prevention, apprehending suspects, and assisting citizens.

5. Proactive policing involves self-initiated officer activities to prevent crime.

6. Sheriffs are appointed by the mayor.

7. First-level supervisors are sergeants.

8. The police code of silence is said to promote a secretive world that interferes with reform.

9. Police corruption is considered a white-collar crime.

10. Most scholars and researchers agree that gender discrimination has been eliminated in policing.

11. The crime triangle focuses on traditional, reactive policing.

12. Hot spotting can lead to crime displacement.

13. Zero-tolerance policing focuses on serious crimes such as homicide and organized crime.

14. Intelligence-led policing was developed in the United Kingdom.

15. Fusion centers were developed to disseminate crime information to the community.

16. An actual continuum of force has become outdated in a majority of agencies.

17. Officers are trained to evaluate a suspect’s behavior and escalate to a level of force necessary and reasonable to control the situation.

18. According to the research, decisions to stop based on race or ethnicity are typically conscious decisions.

19. Pepper spray and Tasers are examples of nonlethal force.

20. The use of military drones by police agencies is currently illegal.

1. Describe the structural organization of a typical police department.

2. Describe the promotion process in a typical police department.

3. Describe the qualifications for becoming a police officer.

4. Identify the activities that a patrol officer may engage in that go beyond routine patrol.

5. List challenges that female police officers face when dealing with police subculture.

6. List differences between community-oriented policing and problem-oriented policing.

7. Identify the four key elements of intelligence-led policing.

8. Describe the contextual factors that affect an officer’s use of discretion.

9. Identify how officers determine the level of force appropriate for a given situation.

10. Discuss ways that police departments use social media to extend limited resources.

1. Explain what is meant by the police subculture.

2. Discuss how community-oriented policing differs from traditional approaches.

3. Discuss why the community policing efforts from the broken windows theory may be considered controversial.

4. Explain how evidence-based policing is transforming law enforcement.

5. Discuss arguments against the use of new technologies in police work using specific examples.