PPAER Decision-Making Abilities 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You are writing a police report and realize you made a factual error in a previously submitted report. You should:
- Hope no one notices and leave it unchanged
- Alter the original report to correct it without notifying anyone
- Submit a supplemental report noting the error and providing accurate information (Correct answer)
- Destroy the original and resubmit a corrected version
Correct answer: Submit a supplemental report noting the error and providing accurate information
Integrity in documentation requires correcting errors transparently through supplemental reports rather than altering or hiding mistakes.
Question 2: Two officers disagree about how to handle a non-emergency situation at the scene. The best decision-making approach is to:
- The senior officer's view automatically prevails regardless of merit
- Argue until one officer convinces the other
- Discuss options briefly, defer to the officer-in-charge, and act consistently (Correct answer)
- Call dispatch to decide the best course of action
Correct answer: Discuss options briefly, defer to the officer-in-charge, and act consistently
Effective team decision-making involves brief consultation followed by a unified action directed by the officer in charge.
Question 3: You observe a fellow officer use what you believe is excessive force. You should:
- Intervene immediately if safe to do so, then report through proper channels (Correct answer)
- Stay silent to protect your colleague
- Confront the officer aggressively in front of the subject
- Wait and only act if a supervisor asks for your account
Correct answer: Intervene immediately if safe to do so, then report through proper channels
Officer intervention duty requires stopping misconduct when safe to do so and reporting it regardless of personal relationships.
Question 4: A community member offers you a free meal as a token of appreciation. According to ethical decision-making standards, you should:
- Accept it — small gifts are harmless and build community relations
- Accept only if it is under a set dollar threshold
- Decline politely and explain your department's policy on gratuities (Correct answer)
- Report the offer as attempted bribery
Correct answer: Decline politely and explain your department's policy on gratuities
Most agencies prohibit gratuities to avoid the appearance of favoritism or obligation, requiring polite refusal with an explanation.
Question 5: You encounter a juvenile committing a first-time, minor property offense. The best decision-making approach is to:
- Arrest the juvenile to establish a deterrent
- Ignore it since juveniles cannot be held accountable
- Use discretion, involve parents or guardians, and consider diversion options (Correct answer)
- Issue an adult citation to the juvenile's parents
Correct answer: Use discretion, involve parents or guardians, and consider diversion options
Juvenile decision-making should weigh rehabilitation and diversion against formal processing for minor first-time offenses.
Question 6: You are conducting a traffic stop when the driver suddenly drives away. You should immediately:
- Pursue at any speed necessary to apprehend the driver
- Broadcast a description of the vehicle and driver, then evaluate whether to pursue per policy (Correct answer)
- Abandon the matter entirely since the violation was minor
- Fire at the fleeing vehicle to stop it
Correct answer: Broadcast a description of the vehicle and driver, then evaluate whether to pursue per policy
Pursuit decisions must follow agency policy weighing public safety risks against the need to apprehend, not just officer instinct.
Question 7: A victim of a crime requests that you not file a report because they fear retaliation. Your best response is to:
- Honor the request and take no action
- File the report anyway without informing the victim
- Explain your legal obligations, document the case, and connect the victim with safety resources (Correct answer)
- Refer the victim to another agency entirely
Correct answer: Explain your legal obligations, document the case, and connect the victim with safety resources
Officers have reporting obligations and a duty of care, but must also ensure victims understand resources and safety options available to them.
PPAER Decision-Making Abilities 3
You are writing a police report and realize you made a factual error in a previously submitted report.
You should: