Practice Test GeeksPOST - Peace Officer Standards and Training Practice Test
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Reading and Reasoning Ability Flashcards

7 cards from real POST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Reading and Reasoning Ability flashcards as text

  1. The following passage appears in a training manual: 'Officers should use de-escalation techniques whenever feasible. De-escalation is not feasible when a subject presents an imminent deadly threat.' An armed subject is charging an officer. De-escalation is:

    Answer: Not feasible because of the imminent deadly threat

    The manual explicitly states de-escalation is not feasible when an imminent deadly threat exists, which applies to a charging armed subject.

  2. An incident report contains: 'At 2347 hours, Officer Reyes observed a blue sedan run a red light at Main and 5th. The sedan's license plate was partially obscured. Officer Reyes activated emergency lights and the sedan accelerated.' What is the FIRST event described?

    Answer: Officer Reyes observed the sedan run a red light

    The first event in the sequence is the officer observing the sedan run the red light at 2347 hours.

  3. Consider this argument: 'If an officer is off duty, they are not required to take enforcement action. Officer Martinez is off duty. Therefore, Officer Martinez is not required to take enforcement action.' This reasoning is:

    Answer: Valid, because the conclusion follows logically from the premises

    The argument follows a valid deductive form (modus ponens): if P then Q; P is true; therefore Q is true.

  4. A procedure states: 'Evidence must be tagged, bagged, and logged before transport. Biological evidence must additionally be refrigerated.' An officer collects a blood sample. Which steps are required?

    Answer: Tag, bag, log, and refrigerate

    Blood is biological evidence, so all standard steps (tag, bag, log) plus the additional refrigeration requirement apply.

  5. A passage reads: 'Recidivism rates are higher among offenders released without supervision than among those who complete supervised probation programs.' Which statement is best supported by this passage?

    Answer: Supervised probation may help reduce repeat offending

    The passage links lower recidivism to supervised probation, supporting the inference that supervision may reduce repeat offending.

  6. An officer's notes read: 'Suspect: male, approximately 6'1", 190 lbs, short brown hair, wearing a red hoodie and dark jeans. Last seen heading northbound on Oak Avenue.' A man matching this description is seen heading southbound on Oak Avenue. Which detail does NOT match?

    Answer: Direction of travel

    The suspect was last seen heading northbound, but the man spotted is heading southbound, making direction of travel the non-matching detail.

  7. The policy states: 'Sergeants may approve overtime up to four hours. Overtime exceeding four hours requires lieutenant approval.' An officer needs six hours of overtime. Who must approve it?

    Answer: The lieutenant alone

    Six hours exceeds the four-hour threshold, so lieutenant approval is required under the stated policy.