Police Officer General Practice 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A suspect invokes their right to remain silent during questioning. What must the officer do?
- Continue questioning on unrelated topics
- Cease all interrogation immediately (Correct answer)
- Ask one more question to clarify
- Contact the prosecutor before stopping
Correct answer: Cease all interrogation immediately
Once a suspect invokes the right to silence, all questioning must stop immediately per Miranda protections.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes 'probable cause'?
- A hunch based on experience
- Reasonable belief based on articulable facts that a crime has been or is being committed (Correct answer)
- Absolute certainty of criminal activity
- Suspicion based solely on appearance
Correct answer: Reasonable belief based on articulable facts that a crime has been or is being committed
Probable cause requires articulable facts and reasonable belief — more than suspicion but less than proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
Question 3: An officer observes a driver swerving between lanes at 2 AM. This provides grounds for:
- Arrest for DUI
- A consensual encounter only
- A Terry stop based on reasonable suspicion (Correct answer)
- No legal stop — one infraction is insufficient
Correct answer: A Terry stop based on reasonable suspicion
Swerving at night creates reasonable suspicion of impaired driving, justifying a brief investigative stop.
Question 4: When completing a use-of-force report, an officer should:
- Wait until the end of shift to write it from memory
- Document only force that resulted in injury
- Record all relevant facts as soon as practicable after the incident (Correct answer)
- Consult with a partner to align statements first
Correct answer: Record all relevant facts as soon as practicable after the incident
Use-of-force reports must accurately capture events and should be completed as soon as possible while details are fresh.
Question 5: A victim of domestic violence recants their statement before trial. The officer should:
- Drop the case immediately since the victim won't testify
- Consult with the prosecutor and preserve all original evidence and statements (Correct answer)
- Dismiss the report since victim cooperation is mandatory for prosecution
- Re-interview the victim without a supervisor
Correct answer: Consult with the prosecutor and preserve all original evidence and statements
Prosecution can proceed without victim testimony if other evidence exists; the officer should preserve all evidence and work with the prosecutor.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of the chain of custody in evidence handling?
- To speed up processing time at the lab
- To ensure evidence is stored in the cheapest location
- To document every person who handled the evidence to preserve its integrity (Correct answer)
- To limit the number of officers assigned to a case
Correct answer: To document every person who handled the evidence to preserve its integrity
Chain of custody tracks everyone who handled evidence, ensuring it was not tampered with and is admissible in court.
Question 7: An officer responding to a 'shots fired' call should first:
- Enter the building alone to locate the shooter
- Stage at a safe perimeter and request backup before approaching (Correct answer)
- Announce their presence loudly to de-escalate
- Secure the perimeter and interview bystanders before entering
Correct answer: Stage at a safe perimeter and request backup before approaching
Officer safety requires staging at a safe distance and waiting for backup before approaching an active shooter scene.
Police Officer General Practice 2
A suspect invokes their right to remain silent during questioning.
What must the officer do?