MCOLES Patrol Operations and Techniques 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Michigan officer stops a vehicle and the driver presents an out-of-state license. The officer should:
- Refuse to accept the out-of-state license and request a Michigan ID
- Run the license through LEIN to verify validity and check for wants (Correct answer)
- Issue a citation automatically since out-of-state licenses are not valid in Michigan
- Allow the driver to proceed without verification to avoid a rights violation
Correct answer: Run the license through LEIN to verify validity and check for wants
Officers must run any presented driver's license through LEIN to verify its validity and check for outstanding warrants, regardless of the issuing state.
Question 2: Community policing principles emphasize that effective crime prevention requires:
- Officers to respond to calls only and limit community contact
- Collaboration between law enforcement and community members to address root causes (Correct answer)
- Strict enforcement of all minor ordinances to deter serious crime
- Reducing officer patrol time in favor of administrative duties
Correct answer: Collaboration between law enforcement and community members to address root causes
Community policing is built on partnerships between police and community members to identify and address the underlying conditions that lead to crime.
Question 3: During a high-risk vehicle stop, officers should position their patrol car at approximately what angle to the stopped vehicle?
- Directly behind the vehicle, bumper to bumper
- At a 45-degree offset angle to the left of the stopped vehicle (Correct answer)
- Directly alongside the stopped vehicle
- Perpendicular to the stopped vehicle to block the roadway
Correct answer: At a 45-degree offset angle to the left of the stopped vehicle
Positioning the patrol car at a 45-degree offset provides ballistic protection, a clear view of the vehicle's occupants, and a safe exit lane for the officer.
Question 4: An officer encounters a person who is unconscious in a vehicle with an empty pill bottle nearby. The officer should FIRST:
- Search the vehicle for additional evidence before calling EMS
- Request EMS immediately and begin assessing the person's condition (Correct answer)
- Arrest the person for suspected drug possession once EMS arrives
- Wait for the person to regain consciousness before taking any action
Correct answer: Request EMS immediately and begin assessing the person's condition
Life safety is the top priority; requesting EMS immediately and assessing the person's condition can prevent death or serious harm from a potential overdose.
Question 5: Which of the following BEST describes the concept of 'cover' versus 'concealment' in patrol tactics?
- Cover hides an officer from view; concealment stops bullets
- Cover stops bullets; concealment only hides the officer from view (Correct answer)
- Both cover and concealment provide the same ballistic protection
- Concealment is preferred over cover in all tactical situations
Correct answer: Cover stops bullets; concealment only hides the officer from view
Cover (such as a vehicle engine block) physically stops projectiles, while concealment (such as bushes) only hides the officer without stopping bullets.
Question 6: When an officer must use force, Michigan law and MCOLES training require that the level of force used be:
- Equal to the maximum force the suspect could potentially use
- Reasonable and proportional to the threat presented (Correct answer)
- Decided solely by department policy without legal constraint
- Escalated immediately to lethal force to end situations quickly
Correct answer: Reasonable and proportional to the threat presented
Force must be reasonable and proportional to the threat—officers must use only the amount of force necessary to overcome the resistance or threat they face.
Question 7: An officer on patrol smells a strong odor of marijuana coming from a parked vehicle. Under current Michigan law (post-legalization), this odor alone:
- Provides probable cause to search the vehicle for illegal contraband
- May not be sufficient probable cause on its own since recreational marijuana is legal (Correct answer)
- Requires the officer to immediately impound the vehicle
- Gives the officer authority to arrest all occupants without additional evidence
Correct answer: May not be sufficient probable cause on its own since recreational marijuana is legal
Since Michigan legalized recreational marijuana, the odor of marijuana alone may not establish probable cause because possession of limited amounts is lawful for adults.
MCOLES Patrol Operations and Techniques 5
A Michigan officer stops a vehicle and the driver presents an out-of-state license.
The officer should: