Situational Judgment and Ethics Flashcards

You receive an anonymous tip that a fellow officer is selling department information to a known criminal organization. The tip is unverified. You should:

Answer: Report the tip to internal affairs or your chain of command for investigation

Credible-sounding tips about officer misconduct must be forwarded to the appropriate investigative authority, not handled personally.

You are involved in a traffic collision while on duty. What is the first step you should take?

Answer: Assess whether any injuries occurred and provide first aid if needed

Life safety comes first in any accident; assessing and addressing injuries precedes reporting and procedural steps.

A search warrant authorizes you to look for firearms in a suspect's home. While searching, you find large amounts of cash. You should:

Answer: Seize it under the plain view doctrine if criminal nexus is apparent

Items not listed in a warrant may be seized under the plain view doctrine only if there is an apparent criminal nexus.

A victim of a sexual assault asks that their report be kept completely confidential and not shared with anyone. You should:

Answer: Explain what information must be officially reported and what legal protections exist

Officers must honestly explain reporting obligations and available legal protections rather than making promises of confidentiality they cannot keep.

You are testifying in court and the defense attorney asks you a question to which you are uncertain of the answer. You should:

Answer: State clearly that you do not know or do not recall

Officers must testify truthfully, including admitting when they do not know or cannot recall specific information.

An officer in your unit frequently makes derogatory remarks about a specific ethnic group in private settings. You should:

Answer: Address it directly with the officer and report it if it continues

Bias expressed in private settings can reflect attitudes that affect on-duty conduct; officers should address it and report if it continues.

You are asked by your supervisor to write a report that omits facts that would weaken the department's position in a civil lawsuit. You should:

Answer: Write the complete, accurate report and document the instruction you received

Officers must write accurate, complete reports and should document any instruction to falsify or omit facts as potential misconduct.