FIGURE 5-1:
A written examination is required for almost all police departments in medium-to-large cities. The type of examination can vary from an essay examination to one that has reading comprehension, mathematics, and memory skills. Medium-to-large cities are likely to have in-depth written examinations, while smaller agencies may substitute essay exams, video exams, oral interviews, or in-depth background checks. This chapter focuses on the most commonly given examination: the written multiple-choice exam. A brief explanation of the video test and essay-type examination is provided in the next chapter.
When preparing to take a written law enforcement exam, remember that the main objective of the exam is to test your ability to memorize and to solve problems. Usually, the test is timed to prevent you from thinking too long on any given question. While timing the test is an effective way to simulate the stress under which law enforcement officers must make most of their daily job-related decisions, it creates an additional problem for test takers: the need to read and decipher quickly.
Many of the questions on law enforcement exams present a large amount of information that must be read and then sifted to find the appropriate answer to the question. The information may be relatively technical, or it may seem straightforward, yet require you to recognize minor details. With unlimited time many of the questions might be worked out and seem almost easy, but under strict time constraints, the questions are more likely to seem long and difficult to understand.
There are two critical steps that you can take to minimize the stress and difficulty of taking a law enforcement written exam. First, you should contact the agency or agencies to which you are interested in applying. Most law enforcement agencies will provide applicants with a packet of pretest materials. The packet informs the applicant of the specific ability areas tested and of a few potential testing formats that are used on that agency’s exam. It may also provide pretest materials that must be studied prior to taking the written exam. In addition, the pretest materials include any information that the testing agency needs applicants to know prior to taking the written exam. These materials should be obtained from the agency as soon as possible after they become available.
Second, you should sharpen your test-taking skills. Most law enforcement exams focus on the same general ability areas: memorization, visualization, spatial orientation, verbal or written expression and comprehension, problem sensitivity, mathematics, deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, and information ordering. While pretest packets provided by law enforcement agencies provide a list of the specific ability areas that are tested, the materials do not provide examples of every potential question format that is used to test those ability areas. Although it may not be possible for a candidate to know every potential format that a question may be presented in, it is possible to prepare for more formats than are presented in the agency’s pretest materials. Learning to recognize the ability area being tested and the common question formats used in that ability area can help you become quite comfortable with the law enforcement testing process.
To help you achieve this goal, the authors of this book provide a description of each of the ability areas commonly tested and include a broad range of the question formats that may appear on different agency’s written law enforcement exams. Some tips for answering the different types of questions associated with each ability area are also included.
Applicants should review every practice test included in this book to become familiar with the wide variety of methods that are used to test each ability area. Remember, preparation and practice are the best ways to ensure a higher score on this type of exam.
Before learning about the details of the written examination, you should review some general tips on taking the examination.
• Rest appropriately the night before the exam.
• Eat breakfast before the exam. Avoid foods that make you sleepy or provide a quick burst of energy but then leave you feeling drained.
• Bring several sharpened No. 2 pencils with you, as well as any additional tools that were listed as permitted in the pretest materials, such as scratch paper or calculators.
• Read all directions carefully. Sometimes the skill being tested is the ability to read and follow directions.
• Listen to directions concerning the answer sheet.
• Keep track of your time.
○ If you find you have less than five minutes left and too many questions to answer within that time, begin guessing. Leaving a question unanswered guarantees an incorrect answer. Guessing provides at least a chance of a correct answer.
○ If you have time remaining, make sure that your answer sheet shows that you have answered the correct number of questions. It is not uncommon to skip a line on an answer sheet and find that there is one more or one less answer than is necessary. This is easily corrected if it is noticed in time.
• Ask questions immediately if you are unable to hear or understand any of the directions.
• Determine if you will be allowed to mark in your testing materials, if scratch paper is allowed, or if all work must be done in your head.
• Use basic testing strategies. Begin by answering all the questions for which you feel confident about the answer. Then, in your remaining time, go back to the more difficult questions and eliminate all the answers choices you know are wrong. Then, make the best possible choice from the answer choices that are remaining.
• Use the answer sheet carefully. Most questions on law enforcement exams are presented in a multiple-choice format with four possible answers. A sample answer sheet used to mark responses to multiple-choice questions has been provided for you to review. Remember to fill in the answer circle completely without going outside the lines. These forms are graded by a machine that may misread answers if the circle is not completely filled in, or if stray marks go outside an answer circle.
A law enforcement examination typically assesses a range of ability areas:
• Memorization
• Visualization
• Spatial orientation
• Verbal or written expression (spelling, grammar, sentence structure, sequencing, providing information clearly and concisely, investigative report writing)
• Verbal, reading, or written comprehension
• Problem sensitivity
• Mathematics
• Deductive reasoning
• Inductive reasoning
• Information ordering
Memorization is the ability to observe and recall. Although memorization is a straightforward skill, it is the area where law enforcement examinations most differ. Clearly, all agencies use a memorization section to assess an applicant’s ability to remember street names, people, geographic areas, business layouts, and other details that a police officer is constantly required to recall.
To assess memorization ability, law enforcement examinations provide pictures or drawings of scenes that could occur in any neighborhood and require the applicant to recall the information provided. These pictures may be provided in the pretest materials packet or in the examination itself. When the pictures or drawings are provided as part of the pretest materials, you will be expected to memorize the scene prior to arriving for the exam. Then, the first portion of the exam will cover your ability to recall the details of the picture(s). It is not unusual for pictures provided in advance to be accompanied by short explanatory paragraphs that provide additional information to clarify the scene. You are required to memorize and recall this information as well.
When the pictures or drawings are provided as part of the exam itself, the process of memorization is slightly different. Typically, you are given a 5- to 15-minute period to study the picture (the study period). You are not allowed to make any marks on the picture, use scratch paper to make notes about the picture, or do anything else during the study period. At the completion of the study period, the pictures are turned back in to the proctor. This is followed by a 5- to 15-minute period during which you are to retain the information (the holding period). Again, you are not allowed to use scratch paper or make notes of any kind during this period; rather, you are expected to sit and mentally review the information in preparation for answering any questions. After that, you are given the questions associated with the picture.
One technique for memorizing the details provided in a scene is summarized in the acronym EASE. The EASE method encourages an organized process of memorization, beginning with recognizing the broad theme(s) of the picture and then working down to the details of the picture.
E—Events: Begin by determining what event or events are being presented in the scene. Do not focus on a single event or person, but rather determine all the events being depicted. Use your fingers to assist in tracking the number of events occurring. This provides a tactile means of assisting your memory. Finally, if possible, put the events you see in some order of occurrence.
A—Ask yourself: Who, what, when, where, and how many?
• Determine who is in the picture: police officers, fire fighters, pedestrians, criminals, children, etc.
• Determine what is in the picture: buildings, cars, dogs, street signs, streets, trees, businesses, etc. Signs, such as the name of a street, the place where the scene is occurring, or a number pattern, are often used to provide clues.
• Determine when the scene is occurring: Look for clues about the time of day and the time of year.
• Determine where the scene is taking place: a neighborhood, inside a home, on a busy city street, etc. Also, orient in your mind where in the scene each person or thing is in relation to other people or objects. Determine how many of each object or person are represented in the picture. For example, how many cars were involved in the collision, how many law enforcement officers are at the scene, or how many apartment doors are visible. Again, use your fingers to track the number of each item.
S—Section the scene: Divide the picture into three or four smaller sections and study each one separately. It is usually easier to remember seven or eight details associated with four small scenes, than 28 details associated with one large scene.
E—Express yourself: In addition to using your fingers to provide a tactile method of assisting your memory, say the information to yourself either quietly out loud or in your head. Do not confuse saying the information to yourself with merely thinking about or perceiving the information. Actually forming words about the detail and saying those words to yourself forces your brain to directly focus upon that detail.
Memorization questions may be primarily information, such as the picture and information provided on a “wanted” poster. This information tends to be quite detailed and will usually be presented in a pretest packet to give you adequate time to familiarize yourself with the information so as to be able to recall it quickly.
Memorization questions are typically in multiple-choice format.
EXAMPLE 1
FIGURE 5-1:
Which of the following characteristics DOES NOT describe the suspect?
(A) Brown eyes
(B) Black hair
(C) Age 23
(D) Height 5ft 10in
The correct answer is B. The poster clearly states that the suspect’s hair is brown.
Visualization is the ability to observe and use information. Typically, law enforcement exams will test this ability by providing an original person or item to be studied and then providing a group of similar items or people. You must choose which of the four similar items or people matches the original picture. The match of the original will have been changed in some manner, such as putting a topper on a pick-up, or painting a vehicle, or putting a hat and glasses on a face. You need to see through the disguise.
An effective technique for approaching this type of question is to focus on those details that will not change. You may assume that the disguised features have not been changed by surgery or major reconstruction. For example, a short- bed pick-up may be disguised by changing the paint or adding a topper, but it will never turn into a long-bed pick-up. Similarly, a woman’s face may get glasses, but the shape of the woman’s features will not change.
In the following drawings of a suspect and four similar individuals, it is possible to quickly determine which of the four similar individuals is most likely to be the suspect. Focus on the shape of the eyes, mouth, and nose. Eyebrows, hairstyles, jewelry, and clothing will change to confuse you. One feature, such as the eyes, may be the same in all the drawings, but at least one of the main three facial features will differ in the drawings.
EXAMPLE 2
Which of the four drawings on the right most closely matches the suspect on the left?
FIGURE 5-2:
The answer is D. The face of person D is the only one that has the same nose and mouth.
This ability area involves understanding one’s own location in relation to the surrounding area. It involves understanding the space one is in or is about to enter. It could be the interior of a building, an open area, a street network, or a city. Questions testing this ability often use a full-page map of an area and then ask a series of questions requiring you to be aware of a direction of travel and also of limitations on travel, such as traffic rules or large furniture. Some exams provide these maps in advance and require that you memorize them, in the same way that all law enforcement officers must memorize the geographic areas of their patrol.
FIGURE 5-3:
When responding to a spatial orientation question, begin by determining which direction is north, south, east, and west. Then, look for identifying characteristics such as street names and buildings. Finally, note any impediments to travel such as one-way streets or dead ends.
These types of questions are multiple-choice questions and usually come in two different forms. The first form places you at point A and asks how to reach point B by the shortest route without violating traffic regulations. You then choose which of the four routes provided is the shortest and does not violate any laws.
EXAMPLE 3
You are at the intersection of 5th and Main when you receive a call to an emergency at 3rd and Central. Which of the following is the shortest route you can take without violating any traffic laws?
(A) One block north on Main Street to 3rd Street, then one block east to Central Ave
(B) One block east on 5th Street to Central Avenue, then one block north to 3rd Street
(C) Two blocks north on Main Street to 1st Street, then one block east to Central, then one block south to 3rd Street
(D) Two blocks north on Main Street to 1st Street, then two blocks east to Oak Street, then one block south to 3rd Street, then one block west to Central
The correct answer is C. Notice the N at the top of the map, which indicates the direction North. Then notice that several of the streets only permit oneway travel. Finally, notice that the south end of Oak Street is blocked off due to the Arena entrance and exit.
The second form of spatial orientation question places you at point A, provides driving directions, and asks you to identify which of four destination points is correct.
EXAMPLE 4
You are driving north through the intersection of 5th and Main when you begin following a suspicious vehicle. You travel two blocks north, then one block east, then one block south where you initiate a traffic stop. You notify dispatch that you are located at:
(A) 1st and Oak
(B) Central and 3rd
(C) Central and 5th
(D) 5th and Oak
The correct answer is B. Use your finger to trace out the directions on the map if you find yourself getting lost in the details.
This ability area encompasses several different question formats. Each question format is geared toward assessing your ability to use language and includes knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure.
Some law enforcement exams provide a list of vocabulary terms with the pretest materials. You must familiarize themselves with the terms and the definitions provided, and you should be able to use the terms correctly in a sentence. You are not allowed to take the vocabulary list—or other pretest materials—into the exam. You must rely on your ability to recall information about the terms provided.
You should be careful to learn the definition provided and not rely on your own understanding of the term. Often these vocabulary words are terms of art, meaning that they are defined by the profession that uses them.
EXAMPLE 5
Code: A body of law covering one general subject that is established by the legislative authority of a governmental body, such as a state or local government.
Officer James consults the codebook. He is most likely looking for:
(A) A signal flag pattern
(B) Codes currently utilized by spies
(C) The definition of a crime
(D) A Morse code pattern
The correct answer is C. It is the answer that most closely meets the definition provided.
Grammar and sentence structure questions attempt to assess your ability to convey ideas using written language. Some agencies provide a list of rules of grammar with their pretest materials and then require you to correctly apply those rules on the exam. Other agencies do not provide any particular list of rules, but ask questions that require a general mastery of basic rules of grammar and sentence structure.
EXAMPLE 6
Which of the following is correct?
(A) Officer Jones took they’re shoes away.
(B) Officer Jones took there shoes away.
(C) Officer Jones took their shoes away.
(D) Officer Jones took theirs shoe away.
The correct answer is C. It is the sentence that uses the correct form of their.
A third type of format used for verbal expression questions asks you to put a list of sentences in the order that makes the most sense.
EXAMPLE 7
1. Mrs. Peterson took her cat home.
2. The cat had been in the tree for days.
3. Mrs. Peterson thanked the fire department.
4. The fire department was called.
5. The fire department rescued the cat.
Which of the following is the most logical order for the above sentences to appear?
(A) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
(B) 2, 4, 5, 3, 1
(C) 2, 4, 1, 5, 3
(D) 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
The correct answer is B. You may not see the sentences placed in the order you would like to see them placed, but you must choose the best arrangement presented. However, you should look for sentences that must be in a certain order and then rule out any answers that do not follow that order. For example, the fire department must be called before they can rescue the cat. Therefore, D is clearly wrong because sentence 4 must come before sentence 5.
Another type of question that analyzes your ability to express yourself is one that requires you to determine the best method of conveying information. Typically you are given some information and then asked to select a sentence that best conveys that information. Answering this type of question requires the ability to recognize conclusions, opinions, biases, or judgments that have been attached to the original information.
EXAMPLE 8
As Officer Parker arrived at the scene of an accident involving a bicycle, he saw a white sedan leaving the scene.
Which of the following statements best conveys Officer Parker’s information?
(A) A white sedan hit a bike.
(B) A white sedan hit a bike and then left the scene of the accident.
(C) A bicycle hit a white sedan.
(D) A white sedan left the scene of an accident involving a bicycle.
The correct answer is D. All of the other answers draw conclusions that have not yet been proven.
A few exams require you to write reports and complete forms. Generally, information about the reports is provided in the pretest packet. You must memorize the instructions for filling out the form or forms prior to taking the test. Then, on the day of the exam, you are given a short scenario and then asked to fill out the appropriate report form based on the instructions that you learned earlier.
The police officer is asked to complete a form concerning the following incident:
On July 11, 2006, at approximately 9:00 P.M. Patty Smith walked into the Super-Mart, located at 502 E. 69th Street N.
What information should be placed in box 2?
(A) 9:00 P.M.
(B) 900 hours
(C) 2100 hours
(D) 9 A.M. appx.
The correct answer is C because the directions state that all time should be noted in military time.
Questions in this ability area are designed to assess how well you understand language. There are two question formats that are designed to test this ability: applying learned information and understanding information. Both begin by requiring you to read a long passage of information, typically one-half page to a page and one-half. The information relates to law enforcement.
In this testing format, after you finish reading the passage provided, you are asked a few questions requiring you to apply the information to a specific scenario. For example, you will read a passage about departmental arrest procedures and then read a short scenario about an arrest. Then you will be asked to evaluate the arrest described in the scenario using the information learned from the preceding reading passage.
The best approach to these questions is to read the questions first and then go back and read the passage. That way you will be looking for the information you need as you read. Then, review the first question and seek the correct answer in the passage. There will be a huge amount of information, but most of it will not be necessary to answer the question.
In this testing format, you will read a long passage filled with details. The questions will require you to recall those details and then recognize that same information when it is presented using slightly different words. For example, after you read a passage about a robbery, the questions may require you to recognize what level of disorder is described in the passage, for example, if the robbers searched for something specific, took everything of value, or took a single item and left.
This ability area is designed to assess your skill at recognizing when a problem exists. Although questions in this ability area do not require you to solve the problem, they are aimed at determining if you can sort through the information to find clues that suggest a problem exists. Clues may include flawed written information, a faulty eyewitness description, or an error in a procedure. Two types of questions—questions about following a procedure or directions and questions about eyewitness descriptions—are used to assess this ability. Both involve the presentation of a large amount of information.
In this question format you are given a list of procedures, rules, directions, or policies. Then you read a scenario and answer questions determining where there is an error in applying the procedures or policies.
EXAMPLE 10
The detention facility has the following procedures that all law enforcement officers must follow when booking a suspect into custody.
1. Drive your vehicle into the rear garage unit. Wait for the garage door to close completely before leaving your vehicle.
2. Remove your suspect from the vehicle and walk together to the entry doors.
3. State your name and agency into the intercom unit. After visual verification, you and your suspect(s) will be buzzed into the secure holding area.
4. Wait for the interior guard to permit you and your suspect(s) out of the holding area. No other suspects or officers will be allowed into the holding unit until you have been released to enter the detention facility.
Officer Smith was transporting two suspects from the scene of their arrest to the detention facility. He drove his vehicle into the rear garage unit, parked, got out, and went to the intercom. He said his name, badge number, and agency name. Then he walked away from the door to retrieve his suspects from his vehicle. Which of the following procedures did Officer Smith violate?
(A) Drive your vehicle into the rear garage unit.
(B) Remove your suspect from the vehicle and walk together to the entry doors.
(C) State your name and agency into the intercom unit.
(D) Upon visual verification, you and your suspect(s) will be buzzed into the secure holding area.
The correct answer is B. There is no information about whether or not Officer Smith violated D. He did perform the requirements set forth in answers A and C.
This type of question requires you to read a list of eyewitness descriptions and then determine which description is most likely the most correct.
EXAMPLE 11
Police Officer Huang interviews four witnesses to a murder that occurred outside of a carwash. Each of the witnesses was present at the time of the shooting. They described the perpetrator as follows:
Witness No. 1: She had short black hair, a tattoo on her neck, and a baggy shirt and jeans. She was barefoot.
Witness No. 2: He was short with black hair, a loose fitting button up shirt hanging open over a white t-shirt. He had baggy blue jeans on and raggedy old tennis shoes.
Witness No. 3: She was average height but dressed like a boy. She had black hair and really tanned skin. She had on a short-sleeved button-up shirt over a white t-shirt and baggy blue jeans. She had a tattoo on her neck, which was clearly visible because her hair was so short.
Witness No. 4: She was average height and was wearing baggy clothes and old tennis shoes. Her hair was pulled up into a bun so a big bruise was visible on her neck.
Based on the descriptions provided, which of the four witness statements is most likely to be correct?
(A) Witness No. 1’s statement
(B) Witness No. 2’s statement
(C) Witness No. 3’s statement
(D) Witness No. 4’s statement
Answer C is most likely correct, because when all the details from each of the witness’s descriptions are compared, witness No. 3 had no details that directly conflicted with those observed by the other witnesses. Witness No. 1 saw a barefoot person, witness No. 2 saw a male, and witness No. 4 saw hair pulled back in a bun and a bruise instead of a tattoo.
Mathematics may be included on an exam as its own section, or it may be part of the deductive reasoning section of the exam. Regardless of where it is placed within the exam, law enforcement exams that test your ability to perform mathematical processes generally limit the questions to problems involving basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. These questions will be in numerical format and presented as word problems involving mathematical situations that a law enforcement officer is likely to encounter.
EXAMPLE 12
The members of the traffic control unit issued the following citations during a recent seven-day period.
Officer Maxim issued 36 citations.
Officer Mendosa issued 107 citations.
Officer Carosa issued 39 citations.
Officer Hussein issued 27 citations.
How many citations were issued by the two traffic control officers writing the most citations for this time period?
(A) 143
(B) 75
(C) 134
(D) 146
The answer is D. 107 + 39 = 146.
Deductive reasoning is the ability to apply general rules to a specific situation. The three most common types of questions involving the use of deductive reasoning are applying verbal rules/procedures, applying quantitative rules, and interpreting laws.
This type of question is usually presented as a list of rules or procedures or classifications followed by a scenario. The applicant must choose the rule that best fits the scenario.
EXAMPLE 13
Emergency Equipment Use
No emergency equipment: Reporting to the scene of a non-injury accident. No traffic laws should be violated, but the officer should go directly to the scene.
Lights: Initiating a traffic stop.
Sirens: Warning the community about bad weather approaching.
Lights and sirens: Responding to the scene of a possible injury accident. Traffic laws may be broken to a degree that such action can be taken safely. Speed should not be more than 10 mph over the posted limit.
Officer Parker has been dispatched to the scene of an accident with a possible injury. What level of emergency equipment use is procedurally permitted?
(A) No emergency equipment
(B) Lights only
(C) Lights and sirens
(D) Sirens only
The correct answer according to the procedures is C.
This type of question is usually presented as a numerical word problem.
EXAMPLE 14
Fees for exceeding maximum speed limits:
1–10 miles per hour (mph) over the limit, $30
11–20 mph over the limit, $30 plus $6 per mph over 10 mph over the limit
21–30 mph over the limit, $90 plus $9 per mph over 20 mph over the limit
31 and more mph over the limit, $180 plus $15 per mph over 30 mph over the limit
Officer Maxwell has issued a speeding citation for 45 mph in a 30 mph zone. If mandatory court costs are $50, which of the following equations will provide an accurate amount of the total cost of the citation?
(A) 30 + 50
(B) 30 + (6 × 5) + 50
(C) 15(45 - 31) + 30 + 50
(D) 15(15) + 30 + 50
The correct answer is B. The citation was for 15 mph over the posted speed limit. The rule states that the fine is $30 + $6 for every mile over 10 mph, which is 15 - 10 = 5 miles. So $30 + ($6 × 5) + the court costs ($50).
This type of question involves reading the definition of a law or a series of similar laws. Then you will be given a scenario. The question will ask you either to determine if the act described in the scenario matches the definition provided, or to match the act described in the scenario to one of a list of criminal definitions.
EXAMPLE 15
Theft: A person commits the offense of theft if he unlawfully appropriates the property of another with intent to permanently deprive the owner of the use of the property.
Which of the following scenarios best represents an example of theft?
(A) Tara takes her neighbor’s lawn chairs without asking to use during her dinner party.
(B) Tara takes her neighbor’s child because she wants one of her own.
(C) Tara finds a $100 bill lying on the sidewalk near her house. She picks it up and keeps it.
(D) Tara finds her neighbor’s poodle that has wandered into Tara’s backyard. She brings the poodle into her house and keeps it.
The correct answer is D. Answer A does not involve intent to permanently deprive, Answer B does not involve taking property, and Answer C does not involve unlawfully taking or appropriating the property of another. Therefore, the answer is D, in which Tara takes the poodle into her house and keeps it.
Inductive reasoning is the ability to reason from the specific to the general. For example, a police officer must often look at a specific situation, rule, or concept and see the similarities to a group of other situations or concepts. For this reason, law enforcement tests seek to assess your ability to find a rule or concept that applies to a specific fact pattern.
Police Officer Ludwig received three reports of home break-ins that all occurred in the same neighborhood during the week of June 15–21. Each report included a description of a suspect(s).
Report No. 1 (June 16): Two white males in their late teens. One was 5ft 10in, 150 lbs, with strawberry blond hair cut short. The other was 6ft, 200 lbs, and wearing a ball cap which covered his hair. They both wore jeans, tennis shoes, and t-shirts.
Report No. 2 (June 18): One Hispanic male in his early twenties. He was 5ft 11in, 165 lbs, long dark hair held back in a short ponytail. He was wearing dark work pants and a white tank top. He appeared to have a tattoo on his right forearm.
Report No. 3 (June 19): One white male, about 18-years-old. He was tall and heavyset with very short dark brown hair. He wore jeans and a t-shirt.
On June 22nd another report of a home break-in was received. In this case, however, the four young men living in the house surprised the suspect, tackled him to the ground, and held him there while they waited for the police to arrive. Police found items from the young men’s home in the suspect’s car. The description of the suspect in this break-in is:
Report No. 4 (June 22): One white male, about 18-years-old, 5 ft 11 in, 160 lbs, with short blondish hair, and no visible tattoos.
Based on the description of the suspects in the first three reports, the suspect in Report No. 4 should also be considered a suspect in:
(A) Report No. 1, but not report Nos. 2 or 3
(B) Report No. 2, but not report Nos. 1 or 3
(C) Report Nos. 1 and 3, but not report No. 2
(D) Report No. 3, but not report Nos. 1 or 2
The answer is A. The suspects in reports No. 2 and No. 3 do not match the description of the individual in report No. 4.
This ability area requires you to apply rules to a factual situation in order to determine the correct or best order to resolve that situation.
EXAMPLE 17
Upon arrival at the scene of a building with an activated burglar alarm, the officer should:
• Note any open doors or windows and note whether the rooftop would be a possible point of exit. Maintain radio connection to dispatch.
• Note any people visible in the area and any suspicious behavior. But do not disregard individuals acting in a non-suspicious manner.
• When all evidence suggests that the burglar(s) are still at the scene, a determination should be made as to whether civilians are in danger. If the burglars are visible, dispatch should be provided with a physical description. If no civilians appear to be in danger, the officer should plan a strategy to block any escape, including disabling an apparent getaway vehicle.
• Wait for back-up before entering any structure unless a civilian is clearly in danger and you have a real opportunity to assist without unnecessary danger to yourself or others at the scene. It is preferable for the burglar to exit the building and leave rather than for the officer to enter an occupied building and possibly create a hostage situation.
• While waiting for back-up, place yourself in a position that provides you the greatest possible view of the interior and exterior of the building, and any possible points of entrance or exit.
Officer Lutz arrives at the scene of a building with an activated burglar alarm. She can clearly see through the front windows of the building that two individuals are removing money from a damaged cash register. What should Officer Lutz do next?
(A) Fire her service weapon through the front of the building at the suspects.
(B) Plan a strategy for blocking an escape.
(C) Enter the structure with her service revolver drawn.
(D) Approach the front of the building and call out to the suspects to surrender.
The answer is B according to the procedures set forth above. Officer Lutz discovered two suspects in the building that she could watch without entering the building. No civilians appeared to be in immediate danger.