UDEE Critical Thinking 5

Question 1

An officer is presented with two competing explanations for the same evidence. According to the principle of parsimony (Occam's Razor), the officer should:

Accepted Answer

Favor the simpler explanation that requires fewer unsupported assumptions

Answer

Occam's Razor holds that among competing explanations, the one requiring the fewest unsupported assumptions is preferred until evidence demands more complexity.

Question 2

A report says crime rates in a district fell 15% after a new patrol strategy was implemented. A critical thinker would first ask:

Accepted Answer

Were there other changes during the same period that could explain the decline?

Answer

Before attributing the change to the new strategy, a critical thinker must rule out confounding variables that occurred simultaneously.

Question 3

During a briefing, an officer hears: 'We've always responded to these calls this way.' This statement is an example of which logical fallacy?

Accepted Answer

Appeal to tradition (argumentum ad antiquitatem)

Answer

The appeal to tradition fallacy argues that because something has always been done a certain way, it is the correct or best way.

Question 4

An investigator finds that every robbery in the past month occurred within three blocks of an ATM. The best next step is to:

Accepted Answer

Consider whether ATM proximity is coincidental or reflects offender target selection

Answer

Spatial patterns may reflect rational offender behavior, but causal inference requires evaluating alternative explanations before drawing conclusions.

Question 5

Which scenario best illustrates the danger of 'tunnel vision' in an investigation?

Accepted Answer

An officer who focuses only on one suspect and ignores evidence pointing to others

Answer

Tunnel vision causes investigators to prematurely commit to one theory and filter out contradicting evidence, risking wrongful outcomes.

UDEE - Uniformed Division Entrance Exam Practice Test

UDEE - Uniformed Division Entrance Exam Practice Test

UDEE Critical Thinking 5