LAPD Situational Judgment and Ethics 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You stop a vehicle and the driver becomes extremely agitated, shouting that you are targeting him because of his race. How should you respond?
- End the stop immediately to avoid any appearance of bias
- Tell the driver his race had nothing to do with the stop and explain the specific traffic violation (Correct answer)
- Call for backup before saying anything so you have a witness
- Issue every citation possible to show the stop was justified
Correct answer: Tell the driver his race had nothing to do with the stop and explain the specific traffic violation
Calmly explaining the specific, lawful reason for the stop is the most professional and transparent response to allegations of bias.
Question 2: During a search authorized by a warrant, you find evidence of a different, serious crime not covered by the warrant. What should you do?
- Seize the evidence immediately under the plain view doctrine and notify a supervisor (Correct answer)
- Ignore the evidence since it is outside the scope of the warrant
- Leave the premises and obtain a new warrant before returning to seize anything
- Take photographs only and report it after completing the original search
Correct answer: Seize the evidence immediately under the plain view doctrine and notify a supervisor
The plain view doctrine permits seizure of evidence of a crime that is immediately apparent and discovered during a lawful search.
Question 3: A juvenile suspect in custody asks to speak with his parents before answering any questions. You believe he has critical information about an ongoing crime. What must you do?
- Question him briefly about the ongoing crime before contacting parents, given the urgency
- Honor his request, cease questioning, and contact his parents or guardian (Correct answer)
- Explain that his request does not apply since he is a suspect, not a victim
- Have a juvenile counselor speak with him to see if he will voluntarily share information
Correct answer: Honor his request, cease questioning, and contact his parents or guardian
Juveniles have the right to have a parent or guardian present during questioning, and this right must be honored when invoked.
Question 4: You are the first officer on scene at a shooting. A wounded suspect is conscious and begins confessing to a murder without being questioned. What should you do?
- Stop him immediately and read him his Miranda rights before he says anything more
- Allow him to speak freely since Miranda warnings are only required before custodial interrogation (Correct answer)
- Tell him to stop and wait for detectives who are trained to handle confessions
- Record his statement on your phone immediately to preserve the evidence
Correct answer: Allow him to speak freely since Miranda warnings are only required before custodial interrogation
Miranda warnings are required before custodial interrogation; spontaneous, unelicited statements do not require a Miranda advisement and are admissible.
Question 5: A community member files a complaint alleging you used excessive force during an arrest. Your supervisor asks you to informally resolve it by speaking directly with the complainant. You should:
- Agree and speak with the complainant to resolve it quickly and avoid a formal record
- Decline and ensure the complaint follows the formal investigation process (Correct answer)
- Ask the complainant to withdraw the complaint in exchange for dropping a minor charge
- Have a union representative contact the complainant on your behalf
Correct answer: Decline and ensure the complaint follows the formal investigation process
Formal misconduct complaints must be processed through official channels to ensure accountability and due process for all parties.
Question 6: You are testifying in court and the defense attorney asks you a question where an honest answer would hurt the prosecution's case. What should you do?
- Answer the question truthfully, even if it benefits the defense (Correct answer)
- Answer vaguely to avoid providing information that hurts the prosecution
- Decline to answer since your role is to support the prosecution
- Request a recess to consult with the prosecutor before answering
Correct answer: Answer the question truthfully, even if it benefits the defense
Officers have an absolute obligation to testify truthfully regardless of how it affects the outcome of the case.
Question 7: You notice that a fellow officer has been consistently documenting vehicle stops without noting that the driver's consent was obtained, making the searches appear non-consensual. What is the correct action?
- Correct the errors yourself since it likely was consent-based and you know his style
- Do nothing — how an officer documents stops is a personal professional choice
- Bring the documentation pattern to a supervisor's attention as a potential integrity issue (Correct answer)
- Ask the officer privately to change his documentation style going forward
Correct answer: Bring the documentation pattern to a supervisor's attention as a potential integrity issue
Inaccurate documentation of the basis for searches is a serious integrity issue that could violate defendants' rights and must be reported to a supervisor.
LAPD Situational Judgment and Ethics 3
You stop a vehicle and the driver becomes extremely agitated, shouting that you are targeting him because of his race.
How should you respond?