1. Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic responsibilities of the police as pinpointed by Bittner?
a. to create laws b. to enforce laws
c. to provide services d. to prevent crime
2. In the public mind, the primary goal of the police officer is to:
a. enforce laws. b. provide services.
c. prevent crime. d. preserve the peace.
3. Which of the following is NOT one of the services provided by police?
a. directing traffic
b. performing emergency medical procedures
c. providing directions to tourists
d. arresting offenders
4. The police responsibility of “preserving the peace” is strongly related to:
a. preventing crime. b. providing public service.
c. enforcing the law. d. fighting crime.
5. When police officers “handle the situation” they are performing which responsibility of policing?
a. enforcing laws b. providing services
c. preventing crime d. preserving the peace
6. The most controversial task of police is to:
a. provide services.
b. arrest criminals.
c. enforce the law.
d. prevent crime.
7. Most arrests are made for:
a. crimes of disorder.
b. crimes of violence.
c. sex crimes.
d. organized crimes.
8. Early policing efforts were for the most part performed by:
a. educated employees. b. paid persons.
c. professionals. d. volunteers.
9. In which city was the first organized police department formed?
a. Atlanta b. Boston
c. New York City d. Philadelphia
10. The policing efforts in the first American cities were directed at:
a. crime control.
b. controlling certain groups of people (mostly slaves and Native Americans).
c. controlling politicians.
d. controlling vagrants.
11. Early police officers likely gained their positions as a result of:
a. earning a college education. b. receiving training in the area of policing.
c. demonstrating their skills in investigation. d. political connections.
12. During the of policing, corruption was rampant.
a. community era b. technological era
c. political era d. reform era
13. The patronage system is associated with which era of policing?
a. the colonial era b. the political era
c. the reform era d. the community era
14. A style of policing that emphasizes centralized police organizations, increased use of technology, and a limitation of
police discretion through regulations and guidelines was known as the:
a. patronage model. b. professional model.
c. spoils system. d. watchmen system.
15. What was the major drawback of the professional model?
a. Community policing was redesigned based on the new model of policing.
b. Crime rates increased drastically.
c. Relations with the community suffered.
d. Salaries for the rank and file were reduced, which did not allow for hiring of the best people.
16. What type of policing relies on data concerning past crime patterns to predict future crime patterns?
a. community policing b. intelligence-led policing
c. proactive policing d. reactive policing
17. The importance of intelligence-based policing was not evident before which major event?
a. World War I b. World War II
c. the Vietnam War d. 9/11 attacks
18. During the community era of policing, the strategic goal was to:
a. enforce the law.
b. control crime.
c. improve the quality of life.
d. satisfy the needs of citizens and political bosses.
19. Attempting to stop crimes before they are committed is a form of policing.
a. social b. interactive
c. proactive d. reactive
20. Many experts believe that the events from September 11, 2001, effectively ended the:
a. political era of policing.
b. community era of policing.
c. reform era of policing.
d. era of random policing.
21. Which one is NOT a specific challenge used in counterterrorism?
a. the need to focus scarce resources to prevent and fight crimes that are relatively uncommon
b. patrolling neighborhoods in cars
c. dealing with the scrutiny that comes with crimes that often have international implications
d. the difficult task of gathering information, or intelligence, about crimes before they happen
22. Which of the following is a technology that is NOT part of police cars?
a. mobile fingerprint readers
b. less lethal weapons
c. laser beams
d. drones
23. Which of the following is NOT a common requirement to be hired as a law enforcement officer?
a. be a U.S. citizen
b. not have been convicted of a felony
c. not have been issued a traffic citation
d. be at least 21 years of age
24. Which is NOT a part of a background test for new police recruits?
a. drug tests
b. searches to determine if the applicant has been convicted of any criminal acts
c. review of educational record
d. interview with parents
25. What is the period of time at the beginning of a police officer’s career during which she or he may be fired without
cause?
a. probationary period b. recruiting period
c. training period d. trial period
26. What are the two components of police officer training?
a. field training and probationary period
b. police academy and field training
c. police academy and antiterrorism training
d. field training and antiterrorism training
27. In the police academy, officers are taught:
a. the laws of search, seizure, arrest, and interrogation.
b. how and when to use weapons.
c. self-defense.
d. the informal rules of policing.
28. The majority of all police officers work in:
a. federal agencies.
b. large departments like New York City and Chicago.
c. small and medium-sized police departments.
d. state police agencies.
29. Of the three levels of law enforcement, have the broadest authority to apprehend criminal suspects, maintain
order, and provide services to the community.
a. municipal police agencies b. county sheriff’s department
c. state police agencies d. federal police agencies
30. With few exceptions, county sheriffs are:
a. appointed by the governor.
b. appointed by the mayor and the city council.
c. elected by a popular vote.
d. promoted from within the sheriff’s agency.
31. What is the primary responsibility of sheriff’s departments?
a. investigating violent crime
b. investigating drug crimes
c. maintaining the jail
d. collecting taxes
32. As elected officials who do not necessarily need a background in law enforcement, modern sheriffs resemble their
counterparts from the of policing in many ways.
a. community era
b. reform era
c. political era
d. professional era
33. The coroner is ultimately responsible for determining the:
a. time of death.
b. cause of death.
c. motive of the offender.
d. identity of the victim.
34. Which of the following is NOT a reason why state police or highway patrols were created?
a. To assist local police agencies, which often did not have adequate resources or training to handle their law
enforcement tasks.
b. To investigate criminal activities that crossed jurisdictional boundaries.
c. To provide law enforcement in rural and other areas that did not have local or county police agencies.
d. To patrol the highways more often because more people had cars.
35. Which of the following is NOT under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security?
a. U.S. Customs and Border Protection
b. the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)
c. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
d. the U.S. Secret Service
36. Which agency was originally created for combating currency counterfeiters?
a. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
b. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
c. U.S. Marshals Service
d. U.S. Secret Service
37. Which agency is considered to be the primary federal law enforcement agency in the United States?
a. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
b. Department of Justice (DOJ)
c. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
d. Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)
38. Which of the following agencies patrols the borders of the continental United States and American territories to
ensure that immigrants do not enter the country illegally?
a. U.S. Marshals Service
b. U.S. Immigrations and Customs Service (ICE)
c. U.S. Department of Transportation
d. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
39. Which agency regulates all gun trade between the United States and foreign nations and collects taxes from all
firearms importers, manufacturers, and dealers?
a. ATF b. DEA
c. FBI d. U.S. Secret Service
40. The Drug Enforcement Administration is housed in the:
a. Department of Justice. b. Department of Homeland Security.
c. Department of Transportation. d. Treasury Department.
41. The main duties of the include providing security at federal courts, controlling property seized by federal
courts, protecting government witnesses, transporting federal prisoners, and investigating violations of federal
fugitive laws.
a. Department of Treasury b. U.S. Border Patrol
c. U.S. Marshals d. U.S. Secret Service
42. The oldest federal law enforcement agency is the:
a. Federal Bureau of Investigation. b. U.S. Border Patrol.
c. U.S. Marshals. d. U.S. Secret Service.
43. Which agency is charged with investigating over 200 federal crimes, including kidnapping, bank robbery, and
gambling?
a. ATF b. DEA
c. FBI d. U.S. Secret Service
44. Which of the following is NOT one of the investigative priorities of the FBI?
a. cyber crime b. human trafficking
c. civil rights violations d. terrorism
45. Which of the following is a reason for continued growth in the field of private security?
a. the war on drugs and the resulting increase in gang violence
b. the creation of federal regulations governing the security field
c. an economic upswing
d. concern over a terrorist attack
Case 4-1
Sara is 18 and she just graduated from high school. She is thinking about her future and is deciding to either apply to
her local college to study sociology or to apply to the local police department to start working as a police officer.
Sara calls the police department and inquires about working for the police department.
46. Sara asks the recruiter about the basic responsibilities of the police. Which would Sara say police are not
responsible for?
a. creating laws
b. enforcing laws
c. providing services
d. preserving the peace
47. The recruiter explains to Sara that the majority of a police officer’s time is spent providing services. Which is not
considered a service for law enforcement?
a. directing traffic
b. performing emergency medical procedures
c. enforcing the law
d. finding lost children
48. Sara explains to the recruiter that she learned about the community era of policing in a criminal justice class in high
school. The recruiter explains that his police department has an entire unit devoted to community relations. What
would be the main strategic goal of this community policing unit?
a. control crime
b. improve the quality of life of citizens
c. satisfy the needs of citizens
d. satisfy the needs of political bosses
49. The recruiter asks Sara a few more questions about her background. Sara explains that she is an A student. She
was born and raised in Mexico but came to the United States when she was 16. She learned English in less than a
year. Sara hopes that becoming a police officer will help her become a U.S. citizen faster. Sara has never used
drugs and has worked a fast food restaurant for over 1 year and was recently promoted to an assistant manager.
What will be the main reason that Sara will not be hired by the police department?
a. Sara was not born in the United States.
b. Sara is not a U.S. citizen.
c. Sara does not have prior law enforcement experience.
d. Sara has not graduated from college.
50. The recruiter continues to explain the process of getting hired by the police department. He explains that if selected
she will have to go to the police academy. Sara asks the recruiter what she will do in the police academy. What
would Sara not be expected to do in the police academy?
a. learn about laws
b. learn how to use a weapon
c. learn how to analyze DNA and fingerprints
d. learn first aid
Case 4-2
Jorge has been a police officer in the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma for 10 years. He is thinking about transitioning over
into a federal law enforcement agency because he does not believe that he will be promoted any time soon. He
goes online to research the different federal law enforcement agencies.
51. If Jorge is really interested in combating currency counterfeiting, which agency should he apply to?
a. U.S. Customs and Border Protection
b. U.S. Marshals Service
c. Internal Revenue Service
d. U.S. Secret Service
52. Jorge is told by his chief of police to research the Department of Homeland Security as they are actively hiring
because of the recent war on terror. Which agency would not be part of the Department of Homeland Security?
a. U.S. Customs and Border Protection
b. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
c. Federal Bureau of Investigations
d. U.S. Secret Service
53. Through his research, Jorge learns that the Department of Justice is the primary law enforcement agency in the
country. Because of that, he is interested in working for one of the agencies within the Department of Justice.
Which of the following is not an agency within the Department of Justice?
a. Federal Bureau of Investigation
b. U.S. Secret Service
c. Drug Enforcement Administration
d. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
54. Police officers see themselves primarily as crime fighters.
a. True
b. False
55. Police officers spend the majority of their time on law enforcement activities.
a. True
b. False
56. Police presence has shown a clear deterrent effect.
a. True
b. False
57. Sheriffs’ departments are more likely to conduct search and rescue operations than police departments.
a. True
b. False
58. The law enforcement goal of “preserving the peace” is highly related to the goal of “preventing crime.”
a. True
b. False
59. The quality of American police service in the nineteenth century was bad.
a. True
b. False
60. The first American police department was formed in Philadelphia.
a. True
b. False