NPOST Police Test Police Vocabulary and Terminology Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An officer collects a firearm at a crime scene. They place it in an evidence bag, seal it, and sign the seal. They then transport it to the evidence locker where the evidence technician logs it and stores it. This entire process of documenting the handling and location of the evidence is known as what?
- Chain of Custody (Correct answer)
- Booking Procedure
- Scene Canvass
- Initial Complaint
Correct answer: Chain of Custody
The chain of custody is the chronological documentation or paper trail showing the seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of physical or electronic evidence. It is crucial for ensuring the evidence presented in court is the same as what was collected at the scene.
Question 2: A dispatcher broadcasts a message to all patrol units with the description of a suspect who just fled a crime scene. What is the common acronym for this type of broadcast?
- SWAT
- BOLO (Correct answer)
- FTO
- M.O.
Correct answer: BOLO
BOLO stands for 'Be On the Look-Out.' It is a dispatch to law enforcement agencies about a person, vehicle, or property of interest. It is also sometimes referred to as an APB (All-Points Bulletin).
Question 3: In law enforcement, what is the best definition of 'probable cause'?
- A general feeling or hunch that something is wrong.
- The initial act of detaining a person for questioning.
- A reasonable belief, based on specific facts and circumstances, that a crime has been, is being, or is about to be committed. (Correct answer)
- Absolute certainty, supported by irrefutable evidence, that a person is guilty.
Correct answer: A reasonable belief, based on specific facts and circumstances, that a crime has been, is being, or is about to be committed.
Probable cause is the legal standard required for police to make an arrest, conduct a search, or obtain a warrant. It's a higher standard than reasonable suspicion but less than the evidence needed for a criminal conviction. It requires articulable facts that would lead a reasonable person to believe a crime has occurred.
Question 4: Which of the following scenarios best describes the crime of 'robbery'?
- A suspect breaks into an unoccupied house at night and steals a television.
- A suspect sees a laptop left unattended on a coffee shop table and takes it when no one is looking.
- A suspect uses a company credit card for unauthorized personal purchases.
- A suspect confronts a victim on the street, threatens them with a knife, and takes their wallet. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A suspect confronts a victim on the street, threatens them with a knife, and takes their wallet.
Robbery is distinguished from other forms of theft by its use of force, intimidation, or threat of violence against a person to take their property. Burglary involves unlawful entry into a structure, and larceny (theft) is the unlawful taking of property without force or breaking and entering.
Question 5: An officer is patrolling a residential area late at night, a location which has experienced a recent string of burglaries. The officer observes an individual dressed in all black, carrying a crowbar and a backpack, peering into the windows of a closed business. The legal standard that allows the officer to lawfully detain and question this individual is known as:
- A Mere Hunch
- Probable Cause
- Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
- Reasonable Suspicion (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Reasonable Suspicion
Reasonable suspicion is the legal standard that allows a police officer to detain a person briefly for investigation if the officer has a reasonable belief, based on articulable facts, that criminal activity is afoot. The described scenario provides specific facts (time, location, recent crimes, clothing, crowbar, actions) that constitute reasonable suspicion, which is less than probable cause but more than a hunch.
Question 6: During an investigation, a detective discovers evidence that supports the suspect's alibi and suggests they could not have committed the crime. Under legal and ethical obligations, this type of evidence, which tends to prove a defendant's innocence, is referred to as:
- Exculpatory evidence (Correct answer)
- Inculpatory evidence
- Circumstantial evidence
- Corroborating evidence
Correct answer: Exculpatory evidence
Exculpatory evidence is any evidence favorable to the defendant in a criminal trial that tends to clear the defendant of guilt. The prosecution has a constitutional duty, established in Brady v. Maryland, to disclose this type of evidence to the defense.
