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The Police in America, 4/e

Samuel Walker, University of Nebraska
Charles M. Katz, Arizona State University-West

Officers and Organizations

Police Officers I: Entering Police Work

Multiple Choice Quiz

Choose the best answer:


1	The profile of the American police officer
		A)	has changed dramatically over the past thirty years.
		B)	is the same as it was twenty-five years ago.
		C)	reflects a decrease in women.
		D)	continues to ignore minorities.
		E)	has not been affective by affirmative action policies.


2	The typical police officer is
		A)	a member of a minority group.
		B)	a female.
		C)	less educated today than in the past.
		D)	better educated and better trained.
		E)	subject to less stress today than in the past.


3	Failure to adequately reward officers for good performance
		A)	is not noticed.
		B)	has no effect.
		C)	is an acceptable practice.
		D)	forces officers to increase their output.
		E)	may lead to cynicism, burnout, and reduced levels of effort by senior officers.


4	The public image of policing is heavily influenced by
		A)	the reality of police work.
		B)	courses in criminal justice.
		C)	stereotypes about police officers.
		D)	the salaries of police officers.
		E)	the level of education attained by the police.


5	The average police officer
		A)	has a college degree.
		B)	is a minority.
		C)	is quite different from the rest of the population.
		D)	is female.
		E)	is a rather average person.


6	Are police officers fundamentally different from other people in any important respect?
		A)	Yes.
		B)	No.
		C)	We do not know.
		D)	It cannot be determined.
		E)	Only in the area of not having a distinct subculture.


7	What seems to be the view of a number of experts regarding the raising of the minimum level for recruits?
		A)	It is very difficult to determine.
		B)	Most believe it should be raised.
		C)	Most believe it should be lowered.
		D)	All agencies believe it should be 2l years of age.
		E)	Most agencies do not care about the matter of age for a police recruit.


8	Height and weight requirements
		A)	are the same as they were thirty years ago.
		B)	are not important in police work.
		C)	are the same for all candidates.
		D)	reflect the view that weight be proportional to height.
		E)	are strongly enforced throughout an officer’s career.


9	Regarding education for police officers,
		A)	most require only a high school education.
		B)	no police department has an incentive for higher education.
		C)	all require a college degree.
		D)	all require at least some college level training.
		E)	few departments select applicants with more than the minimum level of education.


10	What did the President's Crime Commission recommend in 1967 regarding all personnel with general law enforcement powers?
		A)	They have a baccalaureate degree.
		B)	They have a community college degree.
		C)	They have a master’s degree.
		D)	They be allowed “time off” to pursue a high school degree.
		E)	No person should be hired without some kind of educational attainment beyond high school.


11	Requiring all applicants to have a college degree
		A)	is acceptable to all police chiefs.
		B)	would have no effect on law enforcement.
		C)	is opposed by some people.
		D)	is impossible.
		E)	would not be noticed.


12	What is noted about the performance of officers with college degrees?
		A)	They perform better than those without a college degree.
		B)	They perform worse than those without a college degree.
		C)	There is no evidence that officers with degrees perform more effectively than those without degrees.
		D)	They have no advocates.
		E)	It is difficult to assess a college-educated officer’s performance.


13	In 1985, what did the federal courts do to a requirement by the Dallas police department that police recruits have at least forty-five hours of college education?
		A)	Uphold the requirement.
		B)	Reject the requirement.
		C)	Lower the total number of requirements for Dallas police officers.
		D)	Uphold a requirement that all police officers have a four-year college degree.
		E)	Refuse to consider any matter relating to higher education.


14	Which of the following poses the most difficult problem with respect to recruitment standards?
		A)	Felony convictions.
		B)	Drug offenses.
		C)	Educational standards.
		D)	Prior law enforcement employment.
		E)	Minority recruitment.


15	Rejecting every applicant who has a juvenile arrest record
		A)	would eliminate all applicants.
		B)	would severely limit the applicant pool.
		C)	would have no effect on hiring.
		D)	would substantially improve the quality of police work.
		E)	would pose no possible legal challenges.


16	The subject of residency requirements for police officers
		A)	has never been raised.
		B)	does not include any controversy.
		C)	only applies to males.
		D)	is a major controversy across the country.
		E)	really has no effect on police officers


17	What is noted about police officers as employees?
		A)	They can never be fired.
		B)	They can very easily be fired.
		C)	They have very little job security.
		D)	Family connections historically have not had any relationship to employment as a police officer.
		E)	Police officers enjoy a high degree of job security.


18	What is perhaps the most important part of the selection process regarding a police officer?
		A)	The interview.
		B)	The physical examination.
		C)	The educational background of an applicant.
		D)	The background investigation.
		E)	The physical appearance of a candidate.


19	What is noted about minorities and women in policing?
		A)	There is an over-abundance of women and minorities in police work.
		B)	Affirmative action policies no longer apply to women.
		C)	Women and minorities no longer apply for employment in law enforcement.
		D)	Women and minorities are not noticed in law enforcement activity.
		E)	The under-employment of minorities and women in policing continues to be a major controversy.


20	Identify the most important aspect of police work.
		A)	Protecting property.
		B)	Criminal investigation.
		C)	The ability to communicate with people.
		D)	Public relations.
		E)	Working with juveniles.

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