SSPO Ethical Considerations and Confidentiality 5

Question 1

An officer files a false police report to cover for a colleague's excessive use of force. This action constitutes:

Accepted Answer

A serious ethical and criminal violation involving dishonesty and obstruction

Answer

Filing a false report is a crime and a fundamental breach of ethics that destroys public trust and can result in criminal prosecution and termination.

Question 2

During an interrogation, an officer threatens a suspect with fabricated charges to force a confession. This conduct violates ethics primarily by:

Accepted Answer

Coercing a confession that may be inadmissible and violating the suspect's constitutional rights

Answer

Coercing confessions through threats violates the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments and renders any confession inadmissible while exposing the officer to civil and criminal liability.

Question 3

An officer's department has an anonymous tip line for reporting officer misconduct. The existence of this system reflects the ethical principle that:

Accepted Answer

Safe reporting channels increase the likelihood that misconduct will be identified and corrected

Answer

Anonymous reporting systems reduce fear of retaliation and encourage reporting, improving the department's ability to identify and address misconduct.

Question 4

An officer who stops and searches individuals primarily based on their race or ethnicity is engaging in:

Accepted Answer

Racial profiling, which is both unethical and legally prohibited

Answer

Racial profiling violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and undermines community trust; it is both unethical and unlawful.

Question 5

An officer discovers that evidence from a closed case has been tampered with. Even though the case is closed, the officer should:

Accepted Answer

Report the tampering formally because evidence integrity extends to closed cases

Answer

Evidence tampering, even in closed cases, must be reported because it may affect appeals, exonerations, or reveal an ongoing pattern of misconduct.

(SSPO) Sigma Survey for Police Officers Practice Test

(SSPO) Sigma Survey for Police Officers Practice Test

SSPO Ethical Considerations and Confidentiality 5