MTA Law Enforcement Procedures 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An officer observes a person committing a misdemeanor that did not occur in the officer's presence. The officer may:
- Make a warrantless arrest immediately
- Obtain a warrant or accept a citizen's arrest depending on jurisdiction (Correct answer)
- Detain the person indefinitely until a warrant is obtained
- Take no action since misdemeanors require no response
Correct answer: Obtain a warrant or accept a citizen's arrest depending on jurisdiction
In most jurisdictions, warrantless misdemeanor arrests require the offense to occur in the officer's presence; otherwise a warrant or citizen's arrest process is used.
Question 2: When interviewing a juvenile suspect, which of the following is the BEST practice?
- Interview the juvenile alone to prevent parental interference
- Notify and attempt to have a parent or guardian present before questioning (Correct answer)
- Use the same interrogation techniques used with adult suspects
- Detain the juvenile overnight before conducting any interview
Correct answer: Notify and attempt to have a parent or guardian present before questioning
Juvenile interview protocols generally require notifying parents or guardians before custodial interrogation to protect the juvenile's rights.
Question 3: An officer responding to a burglar alarm finds a ground-floor window broken. The officer should:
- Enter immediately to clear the building alone
- Establish a perimeter, request backup, and wait for assistance before entry (Correct answer)
- Cancel the call since alarms are frequently false
- Knock on the front door and announce police presence only
Correct answer: Establish a perimeter, request backup, and wait for assistance before entry
Unknown-risk building searches require backup to safely cover all exits and provide officer assistance during clearing operations.
Question 4: What does the 'plain view' doctrine allow officers to do?
- Search any area an officer can physically see from a public location
- Seize evidence without a warrant if it is clearly visible from a lawful vantage point and its incriminating nature is immediately apparent (Correct answer)
- Enter private property to obtain a better view of suspected contraband
- Photograph private property from public areas for use as evidence in a warrant application
Correct answer: Seize evidence without a warrant if it is clearly visible from a lawful vantage point and its incriminating nature is immediately apparent
Plain view requires three elements: lawful presence, immediately apparent incriminating nature, and lawful access to the object.
Question 5: An officer is first on scene of a serious traffic accident with multiple injuries. The officer's first action should be:
- Begin investigating the cause of the accident
- Call for medical assistance and render first aid to the injured (Correct answer)
- Identify and interview witnesses before they leave the scene
- Direct traffic around the accident scene
Correct answer: Call for medical assistance and render first aid to the injured
Life-safety is the top priority at any accident scene; medical assistance must be summoned and first aid rendered before investigative steps.
Question 6: Which action by an officer would constitute a proper inventory search of an impounded vehicle?
- Searching only areas where drugs are likely to be hidden
- Systematically cataloging all contents according to department policy to protect the owner's property (Correct answer)
- Searching only if the officer suspects contraband is inside
- Searching only the passenger compartment, not the trunk
Correct answer: Systematically cataloging all contents according to department policy to protect the owner's property
Inventory searches must follow standardized department procedures and cannot be used as a pretext for an investigative search.
Question 7: When using a police canine to track a fleeing suspect, the handler must ensure:
- The dog is released immediately upon seeing the suspect flee
- A warning is given to the suspect before releasing the canine, except in emergency situations (Correct answer)
- The canine is used only after all other options have been exhausted for hours
- Civilians in the area are not notified to avoid panic
Correct answer: A warning is given to the suspect before releasing the canine, except in emergency situations
Standard canine use policy requires an audible warning giving the suspect an opportunity to surrender before deploying the dog, unless circumstances make this unsafe.
MTA Law Enforcement Procedures 4
An officer observes a person committing a misdemeanor that did not occur in the officer's presence.
The officer may: