Ethics and Civil Rights Flashcards

The Exclusionary Rule established in Mapp v. Ohio requires that:

Answer: Evidence obtained through unconstitutional searches be excluded from trial

Mapp v. Ohio applied the Exclusionary Rule to state courts, prohibiting the use of evidence obtained through Fourth Amendment violations.

An officer uses a confidential informant to obtain a search warrant. Ethical obligations require the officer to:

Answer: Ensure the informant's information is reliable and accurately represented in the affidavit

Officers must accurately represent the informant's reliability and the basis for the information in warrant affidavits; misrepresentation constitutes fraud upon the court.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), law enforcement officers interacting with a person who is deaf must:

Answer: Provide effective communication, which may include a sign language interpreter

The ADA requires law enforcement to provide effective communication accommodations, which may include qualified interpreters for individuals who are deaf.

Which scenario best illustrates a violation of the First Amendment during law enforcement activity?

Answer: Dispersing a peaceful protest because an officer dislikes the message

Dispersing a lawful protest based on disagreement with the message violates the First Amendment's protection of free speech and assembly.

An officer learns that a fellow officer has been falsifying drug arrest records. The officer's first obligation is to:

Answer: Report the misconduct to a supervisor or internal affairs

Officers have an affirmative duty to report misconduct; failing to report known falsification of records makes the officer complicit in the wrongdoing.

Terry v. Ohio established that officers may conduct a brief investigatory stop when they have:

Answer: Reasonable articulable suspicion of criminal activity

Terry v. Ohio permits brief investigatory stops based on reasonable articulable suspicion, a lower standard than probable cause required for full arrests.

The concept of 'procedural justice' in policing refers to:

Answer: People's perceptions of fairness in the processes used by officers

Procedural justice focuses on whether people perceive police interactions as fair, respectful, and transparent, which builds community trust and legitimacy.