CJBAT Situational Judgment 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A witness is reluctant to give a statement out of fear of retaliation. What is the best approach?
- Pressure them until they comply
- Reassure them, explain protections available, and build trust (Correct answer)
- Drop the matter entirely
- Tell them they have no choice legally
Correct answer: Reassure them, explain protections available, and build trust
Building trust and explaining protections encourages cooperation.
Question 2: You find a wallet full of cash with no owner present at a scene. What should you do?
- Keep it since no one is around
- Document and turn it in following property procedures (Correct answer)
- Leave it where it is
- Split the cash and report the wallet empty
Correct answer: Document and turn it in following property procedures
Proper documentation and property handling preserve integrity and chain of custody.
Question 3: A crowd is gathering and growing tense during an arrest. What should you prioritize?
- Quickly escalating force to end it
- Maintaining control, calling for backup, and managing the crowd safely (Correct answer)
- Releasing the suspect to calm the crowd
- Ignoring the crowd entirely
Correct answer: Maintaining control, calling for backup, and managing the crowd safely
Safety and control, with backup, prevent the situation from escalating.
Question 4: You realize you made an error in a written report that has already been filed. What should you do?
- Leave it to avoid looking incompetent
- Promptly correct it through the proper amendment process (Correct answer)
- Quietly alter the original without record
- Blame a colleague
Correct answer: Promptly correct it through the proper amendment process
Honest, documented corrections uphold accuracy and accountability.
Question 5: A motorist you stopped offers you money to overlook a violation. What is the appropriate response?
- Accept it discreetly
- Refuse and address the potential bribery appropriately (Correct answer)
- Lower the fine in exchange
- Pretend not to hear and let them go
Correct answer: Refuse and address the potential bribery appropriately
Accepting a bribe is corrupt; the attempt itself must be handled properly.
Question 6: You respond to a call involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis. What is the best initial approach?
- Use immediate physical force to gain control
- Speak calmly, create distance, and attempt to de-escalate (Correct answer)
- Threaten arrest to gain compliance
- Leave and let them resolve it
Correct answer: Speak calmly, create distance, and attempt to de-escalate
Calm communication and space reduce the risk during a mental health crisis.
Question 7: Your partner uses a racial slur toward a suspect during an arrest. What should you do?
- Laugh it off to keep the peace
- Address it and report the misconduct through proper channels (Correct answer)
- Join in to show solidarity
- Pretend you did not hear it
Correct answer: Address it and report the misconduct through proper channels
Misconduct undermines public trust and must be reported.
CJBAT Situational Judgment 3
A witness is reluctant to give a statement out of fear of retaliation.
What is the best approach?