State Trooper Patrol and Investigation Procedures 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A trooper is dispatched to a report of a stolen vehicle. Upon finding the vehicle abandoned, what should the trooper document?
- Only the VIN and license plate number
- The vehicle's condition, location, any evidence of forced entry, and all identifying information (Correct answer)
- The name of the person who reported it stolen
- Only damage visible from outside the vehicle
Correct answer: The vehicle's condition, location, any evidence of forced entry, and all identifying information
Thorough documentation of the vehicle's condition, location, and evidence of forced entry creates a complete investigative record.
Question 2: When using a radar gun to enforce speed limits, a trooper must ensure the device has been:
- Calibrated only at the start of each week
- Tested with tuning forks before and after each shift and calibrated regularly (Correct answer)
- Approved by the suspect before use
- Operated at a fixed location only
Correct answer: Tested with tuning forks before and after each shift and calibrated regularly
Regular tuning fork tests and calibration records ensure the radar unit's accuracy and are necessary to defend speed readings in court.
Question 3: A trooper responds to a burglary in progress. Upon arrival, the suspect is seen fleeing. The trooper may pursue if:
- The suspect is running faster than the officer can safely follow
- The trooper has reasonable suspicion the fleeing person committed the burglary (Correct answer)
- A supervisor gives radio authorization first
- The burglary involved property worth more than $1,000
Correct answer: The trooper has reasonable suspicion the fleeing person committed the burglary
Reasonable suspicion that the fleeing person is the perpetrator provides the legal basis to pursue, investigate, and potentially detain.
Question 4: During a traffic stop, the driver produces a suspended license. The trooper should:
- Issue a verbal warning and allow the driver to continue
- Allow a licensed passenger to drive the vehicle and cite the driver (Correct answer)
- Immediately tow the vehicle regardless of circumstances
- Only cite the driver if they have prior suspensions on record
Correct answer: Allow a licensed passenger to drive the vehicle and cite the driver
Allowing a licensed and sober occupant to drive the vehicle is a common lawful resolution that minimizes unnecessary costs to the driver while enforcing the law.
Question 5: A trooper is investigating a hit-and-run crash. The most important piece of evidence for identifying the fleeing vehicle is typically:
- Witness descriptions of the driver's clothing
- Paint transfer, broken vehicle parts, and partial plate information (Correct answer)
- The time of day the crash occurred
- The type of road where the crash happened
Correct answer: Paint transfer, broken vehicle parts, and partial plate information
Physical evidence such as paint transfer and vehicle parts uniquely links a specific vehicle to the crash and is critical for identification.
Question 6: When a trooper uses force during an arrest, the amount of force used must be:
- Equal to the maximum force the department allows
- Objectively reasonable based on the totality of the circumstances (Correct answer)
- Greater than the force used by the suspect to ensure control
- Pre-approved by a supervisor before application
Correct answer: Objectively reasonable based on the totality of the circumstances
Under Graham v. Connor, force must be objectively reasonable as judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer at the scene.
Question 7: A trooper discovers during a traffic stop that the registered owner of the vehicle has an outstanding felony warrant. The driver claims to be a different person with no ID. The trooper should:
- Release the driver since identity cannot be confirmed
- Conduct a thorough investigation to establish the driver's identity before making a determination (Correct answer)
- Automatically arrest the driver as the registered owner
- Issue a summons and allow the driver to leave
Correct answer: Conduct a thorough investigation to establish the driver's identity before making a determination
Without confirmed identity, the trooper must use investigative techniques — including dispatch checks, physical descriptors, and questioning — to determine whether the driver is the wanted person.
State Trooper Patrol and Investigation Procedures 5
A trooper is dispatched to a report of a stolen vehicle.
Upon finding the vehicle abandoned, what should the trooper document?