DELPOE Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield DELPOE facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. A suspect stole merchandise worth $45.00, $32.50, and $18.75 from three separate stores. What is the total value of the stolen merchandise? → $96.25
2. A security camera captures a suspect entering a store at 3:22 PM and leaving at 3:29 PM. How long was the suspect inside the store? → 7 minutes
3. A search incident to a lawful arrest permits an officer to search: → The person and the area within the arrestee's immediate control
4. Choose the sentence with the correct use of their/there/they're: 'The officers completed ___ report before leaving the scene.' → their
5. An officer issues 6 parking citations per hour on average. How many citations will the officer issue during a 7.5-hour shift? → 45
6. An officer faces east and turns 180 degrees. What direction is the officer now facing? → West
7. Which sentence is written in the passive voice, which should be avoided in police reports when possible? → The suspect was arrested by Officer Lee at 11:00 PM.
8. Which of the following is the correct plural of 'testimony'? → Testimonies
9. Which sentence is correct? → The defendant's plea was entered into the court record.
10. Cash recovered at a scene included: four $50 bills, seven $20 bills, and three $10 bills. What is the total amount recovered? → $370
11. A foot chase covers 3/4 of a mile. If Officer Torres has already run 1/2 mile, how much farther does he need to run to complete the chase? → 1/4 mile
12. A police department has 240 officers. If 15% are assigned to detective work, how many officers work as detectives? → 36
13. Which sentence contains a subject-verb agreement error? → Neither the sergeant nor the officers was available.
14. Choose the correctly spelled word: The officer had to _______ whether to pursue the suspect. → decide
15. Which sentence uses the correct word: 'The officer _______ the suspects before transporting them.' → restrained
16. Under the exclusionary rule, evidence obtained through an illegal search is generally: → Inadmissible in court proceedings
17. Evidence from three drug seizures weighed 2.4 lbs, 3.8 lbs, and 1.6 lbs. What is the average weight per seizure? → 2.6 lbs
18. Which of the following best describes 'exigent circumstances' in law enforcement? → Emergency situations that legally permit officers to act without a warrant
19. Which constitutional amendment protects citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures? → Fourth Amendment
20. What is the legal term for a brief, temporary detention of a person based on reasonable suspicion that falls short of a full arrest? → Terry stop (investigative stop)
21. Which word is spelled correctly? → Suspect
22. If a suspect in custody invokes their right to counsel during questioning, the officer must: → Immediately cease all questioning until an attorney is present
23. During a shift, Officer Kim made 3 felony arrests, 7 misdemeanor arrests, and 2 traffic arrests. What percentage of total arrests were felonies? → 25%
24. A bench warrant is best described as: → A judge's order for the arrest of someone who failed to appear in court
25. Which sentence correctly uses punctuation for a police report? → Officer Jones responded to the call at 0300 hours.
26. The legal term for a crime punishable by imprisonment of more than one year is: → Felony
27. Which word is spelled correctly? → Arrest
28. A patrol car is traveling west on Main Street. It turns left at the intersection. In which direction is the patrol car now traveling? → South
29. An officer drove 85 miles to a training location at an average speed of 50 mph. Approximately how long did the drive take? → 1 hour 42 minutes
30. The legal term 'corpus delicti' most accurately means: → The essential facts establishing that a specific crime has actually occurred