TCOLE Basic Peace Officer 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the legal standard required before a Texas peace officer can conduct a pat-down (frisk) of a detained person?
- Reasonable belief the person is armed and dangerous (Correct answer)
- Probable cause the person committed a crime
- Consent from the detained person
- A supervisor's authorization
Correct answer: Reasonable belief the person is armed and dangerous
A frisk is justified only when the officer has reasonable belief, based on specific facts, that the detained person is armed and presently dangerous.
Question 2: A Texas officer encounters an emotionally disturbed person (EDP) making erratic statements. Which initial approach is MOST consistent with Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) principles?
- Slow down, lower voice, create distance, and actively listen (Correct answer)
- Immediately handcuff the individual for safety
- Threaten arrest to achieve compliance
- Call for a SWAT team response
Correct answer: Slow down, lower voice, create distance, and actively listen
CIT training emphasizes de-escalation: slowing the encounter, using a calm voice, creating safe distance, and listening actively.
Question 3: Under the Texas Penal Code, 'deadly force' is defined as force intended or known by the actor to cause:
- Death or serious bodily injury (Correct answer)
- Any bodily injury
- Pain or suffering
- Temporary incapacitation
Correct answer: Death or serious bodily injury
Texas Penal Code Section 9.01 defines deadly force as force intended or known to cause death or serious bodily injury.
Question 4: When writing an offense report, an officer should describe a suspect's race/ethnicity using:
- The victim's or witness's own description as stated to the officer (Correct answer)
- The officer's personal assessment of the suspect's appearance
- Standard census categories only
- DNA or biological classifications
Correct answer: The victim's or witness's own description as stated to the officer
Descriptors in offense reports should reflect what witnesses or victims stated, accurately capturing the reported description.
Question 5: A store security officer detains a shoplifting suspect until police arrive. This is authorized under Texas law as:
- Merchant's privilege — a statutory right to detain for reasonable investigation (Correct answer)
- Citizen's arrest for any offense
- A lawful arrest requiring peace officer certification
- Unlawful detention subject to civil liability only
Correct answer: Merchant's privilege — a statutory right to detain for reasonable investigation
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code provides merchants a privilege to detain persons suspected of shoplifting for a reasonable time to investigate.
Question 6: Which Texas statute establishes the basic duties of a peace officer, including preserving the peace and preventing offenses?
- Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 2.13 (Correct answer)
- Texas Penal Code Section 9.51
- Texas Occupations Code Section 1701.001
- Texas Government Code Section 411.002
Correct answer: Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 2.13
Article 2.13 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure enumerates the duties of peace officers, including preserving the peace and preventing and suppressing crime.
Question 7: During a vehicle pursuit, an officer's FIRST obligation when the pursuit becomes unsafe is to:
- Notify dispatch and consider terminating the pursuit (Correct answer)
- Increase speed to end the chase quickly
- Request roadblocks immediately
- Continue pursuit until the subject stops
Correct answer: Notify dispatch and consider terminating the pursuit
TCOLE guidelines and agency pursuit policies require officers to continuously evaluate risk and notify supervisors, with termination as an option when danger exceeds benefit.
TCOLE Basic Peace Officer 4
What is the legal standard required before a Texas peace officer can conduct a pat-down (frisk) of a detained person?