NYPD Written Expression Questions and Answers

Question 1

Which of the following sentences is the most clearly and professionally written for a police report?

Accepted Answer

The witness, who appeared visibly shaken, stated the suspect was 'about six feet tall.'

Answer

The witness seemed pretty scared and told me the guy who ran off was sort of tall.

Answer

Upon making contact, the witness stated that the perpetrator who absconded from the location was of a considerable height.

Answer

I interviewed the witness and it is my opinion that they were frightened by the tall suspect.

Question 2

An officer is writing a report and needs to list the items recovered from a suspect's vehicle. Which sentence uses punctuation correctly?

Accepted Answer

The following items were recovered: a wallet, a cellphone, and a set of keys.

Answer

The following items were recovered a wallet, a cellphone, and a set of keys.

Answer

The following items were recovered: a wallet a cellphone and a set of keys.

Answer

The following items, were recovered; a wallet, a cellphone, and a set of keys.

Question 3

Which of the following sentences contains a spelling error?

Accepted Answer

The suspect's story was not credible and lacked any principle evidence.

Answer

The officer advised the complainant to file a restraining order.

Answer

It's necessary to secure the perimeter before the investigation begins.

Answer

The stolen vehicle was a late-model sedan.

Question 4

An officer writes the following in a report: 'The suspect was observed by me entering the building.' Which of the following is the best revision for clarity and conciseness?

Accepted Answer

I observed the suspect entering the building.

Answer

The suspect, who I saw, was entering the building.

Answer

It was observed by me that the suspect was entering the building.

Answer

Entering the building was the suspect I saw.

Question 5

Read the following sentences from an officer's notes: 'The vehicle was a blue sedan. It was parked illegally. The vehicle had a broken taillight.' Which option best combines these facts into one clear, grammatically correct sentence?

Accepted Answer

A blue sedan with a broken taillight was parked illegally.

Answer

The vehicle was a blue sedan and it was parked illegally and it had a broken taillight.

Answer

Parked illegally, the blue sedan, it had a broken taillight.

Answer

The vehicle, a blue sedan, was parked illegally, having a broken taillight.

Question 6

A section of an incident report reads: 'Neither the victim nor the witnesses was able to provide a license plate number.' What is the grammatical error in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

There is a subject-verb agreement error.

Answer

The verb tense is incorrect.

Answer

The sentence is a run-on.

Answer

There is no error in the sentence.