NYPD Academy 2nd Trimester Review: 200 Verified
Q&A with Rationales on Criminal Law, Juvenile
Procedures, Search & Seizure, Arrest Processing, and
Patrol Operations for 2025/2026 Exam Success
Example Practice Questions &
Rationales
Question 1:
Under New York law, what is the
definition of a runaway child?
A. Any child under 18 who leaves home
without permission.
B. Anyone under 16 who is a New York
State resident and leaves home without
permission.
C. A child between 13 and 15 who
,commits a felony.
D. A non-resident child who is lost in
New York City.
:B
Rationale: The NYPD specifically defines
a runaway child as someone who is
under 16 years of age and is a resident of
New York State. This definition is crucial
for correctly initiating juvenile
procedures and notifications.
Question 2:
The legal standard required to conduct a
"Stop, Question, and Frisk" is:
A. Probable Cause.
B. A valid warrant.
,C. Reasonable Suspicion that the person
is armed and dangerous.
D. A preponderance of evidence.
:C
Rationale: As established in the
landmark case Terry v. Ohio, a frisk is a
protective measure, not a full search. An
officer must have a reasonable suspicion,
based on specific and articulable facts,
that the person stopped is armed and
poses a threat to the officer's or others'
safety. The frisk must be limited to a pat-
down of the outer clothing for weapons.
Question 3:
Which of the following is an exception to
, the warrant requirement for searching a
vehicle?
A. The vehicle is parked in a public lot.
B. The officer has probable cause to
believe the vehicle contains contraband
or evidence of a crime.
C. The driver is acting nervously.
D. The vehicle is owned by a person on
parole.
:B
Rationale: This is known as the
"Automobile Exception" or the Carroll
Doctrine. Because vehicles are inherently
mobile and there is a lesser expectation
of privacy compared to a home, police
may search a vehicle without a warrant if
Q&A with Rationales on Criminal Law, Juvenile
Procedures, Search & Seizure, Arrest Processing, and
Patrol Operations for 2025/2026 Exam Success
Example Practice Questions &
Rationales
Question 1:
Under New York law, what is the
definition of a runaway child?
A. Any child under 18 who leaves home
without permission.
B. Anyone under 16 who is a New York
State resident and leaves home without
permission.
C. A child between 13 and 15 who
,commits a felony.
D. A non-resident child who is lost in
New York City.
:B
Rationale: The NYPD specifically defines
a runaway child as someone who is
under 16 years of age and is a resident of
New York State. This definition is crucial
for correctly initiating juvenile
procedures and notifications.
Question 2:
The legal standard required to conduct a
"Stop, Question, and Frisk" is:
A. Probable Cause.
B. A valid warrant.
,C. Reasonable Suspicion that the person
is armed and dangerous.
D. A preponderance of evidence.
:C
Rationale: As established in the
landmark case Terry v. Ohio, a frisk is a
protective measure, not a full search. An
officer must have a reasonable suspicion,
based on specific and articulable facts,
that the person stopped is armed and
poses a threat to the officer's or others'
safety. The frisk must be limited to a pat-
down of the outer clothing for weapons.
Question 3:
Which of the following is an exception to
, the warrant requirement for searching a
vehicle?
A. The vehicle is parked in a public lot.
B. The officer has probable cause to
believe the vehicle contains contraband
or evidence of a crime.
C. The driver is acting nervously.
D. The vehicle is owned by a person on
parole.
:B
Rationale: This is known as the
"Automobile Exception" or the Carroll
Doctrine. Because vehicles are inherently
mobile and there is a lesser expectation
of privacy compared to a home, police
may search a vehicle without a warrant if
