OACP Problem-Solving Scenarios 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You respond to a noise complaint at 2 a.m. The resident answers the door and states a party was happening but guests have left. Music is now off. What is the most appropriate resolution?
- Issue a fine regardless, as a complaint was made
- Arrest the resident for a breach of peace
- Confirm the noise has ceased, advise the resident of bylaw rules, and document the call (Correct answer)
- Demand to search the residence for remaining guests
Correct answer: Confirm the noise has ceased, advise the resident of bylaw rules, and document the call
Confirming the issue is resolved and educating the resident prevents recurrence while avoiding unnecessary enforcement when compliance is achieved.
Question 2: A shopkeeper hands you a note left by a suspicious person who allegedly said they would return to rob the store. No crime has yet occurred. What problem-solving step is most important?
- Tell the shopkeeper there is nothing you can do until a crime occurs
- Seize all store surveillance equipment for evidence
- Collect the note, take a statement, arrange increased patrol presence, and advise the shopkeeper on safety measures (Correct answer)
- Charge the unknown person with uttering threats based solely on the shopkeeper's account
Correct answer: Collect the note, take a statement, arrange increased patrol presence, and advise the shopkeeper on safety measures
Proactive steps — collecting evidence, increasing visibility, and empowering the victim — address the threat before it escalates to a crime.
Question 3: During a search of a vehicle incident to arrest, you locate a small amount of a substance you suspect is a controlled drug. The driver denies ownership. What is the correct approach?
- Release the driver since they denied ownership
- Seize the substance, package it properly, submit it for analysis, and document the chain of custody (Correct answer)
- Conduct a field test and immediately charge based on the result alone
- Destroy the substance on scene to prevent further handling
Correct answer: Seize the substance, package it properly, submit it for analysis, and document the chain of custody
Proper seizure, packaging, and chain of custody ensure the evidence is admissible and accurately identified before charges are laid.
Question 4: A caller reports that a stranger has been sitting in a parked car on a residential street for four hours and appears to be watching a house. What is the best initial response?
- Ignore the call since sitting in a car is not an offence
- Arrest the individual for suspicious behaviour
- Attend the scene, conduct a wellness check, identify the person, and assess the situation (Correct answer)
- Ask the caller to confront the person themselves
Correct answer: Attend the scene, conduct a wellness check, identify the person, and assess the situation
A welfare check and identification allow an officer to assess whether there is a legitimate or criminal reason for the behaviour without making a premature enforcement decision.
Question 5: You are completing a crime report when the victim changes a key detail from their initial account. What is the appropriate response?
- Charge the victim with public mischief immediately
- Note both versions in the report, ask open-ended questions to clarify, and document the discrepancy (Correct answer)
- Accept only the latest version and delete the original account
- Close the file since the victim is unreliable
Correct answer: Note both versions in the report, ask open-ended questions to clarify, and document the discrepancy
Documenting both accounts and clarifying through open questioning preserves accuracy and acknowledges that victims may initially omit or misremember details.
Question 6: A complainant alleges their neighbour's tree branches overhanging their property are causing damage to their roof. They demand police action. What is the most accurate advice?
- Charge the neighbour with mischief
- Advise the complainant this is a civil matter and suggest they consult a lawyer or mediator (Correct answer)
- Cut the branches yourself as part of the police response
- Seize the tree as property causing damage
Correct answer: Advise the complainant this is a civil matter and suggest they consult a lawyer or mediator
Property encroachment disputes are civil matters outside police jurisdiction, and directing complainants to appropriate civil remedies is the correct response.
Question 7: You find a wallet containing cash and ID on the sidewalk with no one nearby. What is the correct course of action?
- Keep the cash and submit only the ID
- Leave the wallet in place and continue patrol
- Take the wallet to the station, log it as found property, and attempt to contact the owner (Correct answer)
- Hand the wallet to the nearest business and document nothing
Correct answer: Take the wallet to the station, log it as found property, and attempt to contact the owner
Logging found property and attempting to reunite it with the owner fulfills the officer's duty of care and maintains public trust.
OACP Problem-Solving Scenarios 3
You respond to a noise complaint at 2 a.m.
The resident answers the door and states a party was happening but guests have left.
Music is now off.
What is the most appropriate resolution?