DCJS Patrol and Traffic Operations 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When an officer directs traffic manually at an intersection where signals have failed, which hand signal means 'stop' to approaching traffic from the front and rear?
- Arm extended horizontally with palm facing approaching traffic (Correct answer)
- Arm raised straight overhead
- Both arms extended outward to the sides
- Arm pointing downward at a 45-degree angle
Correct answer: Arm extended horizontally with palm facing approaching traffic
The standard stop signal is an arm extended horizontally toward the traffic being stopped, with the palm facing that traffic.
Question 2: Which of the following actions constitutes an unlawful pretextual stop under Virginia's updated case law guidance?
- Stopping a vehicle for a genuine equipment violation observed on patrol
- Using a minor infraction as justification when the sole motivation is to investigate for unrelated criminal activity based on the driver's appearance (Correct answer)
- Stopping a vehicle whose registration check reveals an expired tag
- Stopping a vehicle for erratic lane changes at 1 a.m.
Correct answer: Using a minor infraction as justification when the sole motivation is to investigate for unrelated criminal activity based on the driver's appearance
While Whren v. United States permitted pretextual stops federally, Virginia law and department policies increasingly scrutinize stops where the real motivation is unrelated to the stated infraction.
Question 3: What is the legal standard required before an officer may conduct a pat-down (frisk) of a person during a Terry stop?
- Automatic right upon initiating any investigative stop
- Reasonable belief that the person is armed and dangerous (Correct answer)
- Consent of the individual being stopped
- Probable cause to believe a crime has been committed
Correct answer: Reasonable belief that the person is armed and dangerous
Terry v. Ohio limits a pat-down to situations where the officer has specific, articulable facts creating a reasonable belief the person is armed and dangerous.
Question 4: Under Virginia Code, the speed limit in a school zone when children are present is:
- 15 mph
- 20 mph (Correct answer)
- 25 mph
- 35 mph
Correct answer: 20 mph
Virginia Code § 46.2-873 establishes a 20 mph speed limit in school zones when indicated by posted signs and children are present.
Question 5: When completing a field sobriety test (FST), which three tests are recognized as standardized by NHTSA?
- Alphabet recitation, finger-to-nose, and Romberg balance test
- Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, Walk and Turn, and One Leg Stand (Correct answer)
- Counting backward, heel-to-toe walk, and finger count
- Finger-to-nose, standing balance, and eye tracking
Correct answer: Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, Walk and Turn, and One Leg Stand
NHTSA validates only the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN), Walk and Turn, and One Leg Stand as standardized field sobriety tests with established reliability data.
Question 6: An officer responding to a domestic disturbance call should park the patrol vehicle:
- Directly in front of the address to ensure fast egress
- One or two houses away to avoid alerting the subject and allow tactical assessment (Correct answer)
- Around the block to remain completely out of sight
- At the nearest intersection with lights activated
Correct answer: One or two houses away to avoid alerting the subject and allow tactical assessment
Parking nearby but not directly in front reduces the risk of alerting a potentially armed subject while still allowing quick access to the scene.
Question 7: A Virginia officer issues a Uniform Summons for a traffic infraction. The summons serves as:
- A permanent criminal record for the driver
- Both a notice to appear in court and a charging document for the infraction (Correct answer)
- Only a written warning with no legal effect
- An arrest warrant that can be executed if the driver flees
Correct answer: Both a notice to appear in court and a charging document for the infraction
Virginia's Uniform Summons is both the charging instrument and the court appearance notice for traffic infractions, replacing a physical arrest in most cases.
DCJS Patrol and Traffic Operations 4
When an officer directs traffic manually at an intersection where signals have failed, which hand signal means 'stop' to approaching traffic from the front and rear?