Test Bank For Police Administration
Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO POLICE ADMINISTRATION
TRUE/FALSE
1. Many of the problems and concerns that confront police managers and administrators are the same
ones that face managers and administrators in other lines of work.
ANS: T PTS: 1
2. Suboptimization refers to the practice of individuals or units concentrating on their own objectives
without considering the department’s overall goals.
ANS: T PTS: 1
3. In police organizations, line personnel provide support and assistance.
ANS: F PTS: 1
4. The concept of “boundaries” in police administration refers to the geographic borders in which the
agency operates.
ANS: F PTS: 1
5. Organization is concerned with the placement of people in the department.
ANS: T PTS: 1
6. Organizational maintenance refers to those administrative activities that maintain the department’s
ability to respond to public needs.
ANS: T PTS: 1
7. Goals are the specific processes an organization uses to direct its efforts.
ANS: F PTS: 1
8. The first historical policing era was the progressive reform era.
ANS: F PTS: 1
9. Policing has recently entered into a seventh historical era, the homeland security era.
ANS: T PTS: 1
10. The Wickersham Commission encouraged America’s law enforcement agencies to adopt a “law and
order” focus.
1
, Test Bank For Police Administration
Chapter 1
ANS: T PTS: 1
11. Ronald Reagan’s election in 1982 marked the beginning of 12 years of “law and order” government.
ANS: T PTS: 1
12. The community policing era preceded the 1980s’ return to law and order.
ANS: F PTS: 1
13. During the political era, police department structure was decentralized and controlled by community
politicians.
ANS: T PTS: 1
14. During the progressive reform era, department structures were highly centralized and organized along
military lines.
ANS: F PTS: 1
15. The community relations era was characterized by participative management.
ANS: T PTS: 1
MULTIPLE CHOICE
16. Police work in America is unique because:
a. employees handle a wide range of roles and tasks
b. sworn officers have the authority to arrest and use deadly force when necessary
c. agencies are expected to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week
d. all of these choices
ANS: D PTS: 1
17. Which of the following is NOT an activity performed in the typical large organization?
a. task performance
b. facilitating tasks
c. supervising task performance
d. task avoidance
ANS: D PTS: 1
18. Police departments have identifiable boundaries. In this view, “boundaries” refer to:
a. geographical barriers
b. the department’s goals and the people it serves
c. budget constraints
d. managerial priorities
2
, Test Bank For Police Administration
Chapter 1
ANS: B PTS: 1
19. Which of the following terms refers to the general managing and organizing that occurs at the highest
levels of an organization?
a. mid-level management
b. administration
c. supervision
d. discipline
ANS: B PTS: 1
20. POSDCORB stands for:
a. planning, organizing, staffing, disciplining, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting
b. planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, and boundary spanning
c. political maneuvering, organizing, staffing, disciplining, coordinating, reporting, and
budgeting
d. planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting
ANS: D PTS: 1
21. Which of the following is the task of keeping everyone informed regarding operations through verbal
and written directives, records, and inspections?
a. directing
b. coordinating
c. reporting
d. budgeting
ANS: C PTS: 1
22. The typical police organization resembles a:
a. military structure
b. pyramid with rank and file at the bottom and managers at the top
c. hierarchy
d. all of these choices
ANS: D PTS: 1
23. What is used to enumerate a department’s purpose?
a. policy manual
b. city charter
c. mission statement
d. roll call
ANS: C PTS: 1
24. Which of the following is NOT a purpose of a mission statement?
a. It notifies and educates officers and citizens about the department’s values.
b. It outlines the procedure by which misconduct will be handled.
c. It provides a yardstick by which to measure the department’s successes and failures.
3
, Test Bank For Police Administration
Chapter 1
d. It serves as a guide for establishing training and other socialization programs.
ANS: B PTS: 1
25. The Wickersham Commission advocated redefinition of the police role from:
a. order maintenance to community policing
b. problem solving to community policing
c. order maintenance to law enforcement
d. law enforcement to order maintenance
ANS: C PTS: 1
26. In what era did the role of the police as law enforcers, or “crook catchers,” crystallize?
a. progressive reform era
b. professional era
c. community relations era
d. homeland security era
ANS: B PTS: 1
27. The 1980s saw a shift in police philosophy to:
a. community relations
b. accountability
c. law and order
d. homeland security
ANS: C PTS: 1
28. What event was most responsible for the homeland security focus in many police agencies today?
a. Iraq war
b. Oklahoma City bombing
c. 9/11 attacks
d. all of these choices
ANS: C PTS: 1
29. Which era is best characterized by emphasis on active participation by citizens in law enforcement
issues?
a. progressive reform era
b. professional era
c. community relations era
d. community policing era
ANS: D PTS: 1
30. A highly centralized department structure was most characteristic of what policing era?
a. political era
b. progressive reform era
c. professional era
d. community policing era
4
Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO POLICE ADMINISTRATION
TRUE/FALSE
1. Many of the problems and concerns that confront police managers and administrators are the same
ones that face managers and administrators in other lines of work.
ANS: T PTS: 1
2. Suboptimization refers to the practice of individuals or units concentrating on their own objectives
without considering the department’s overall goals.
ANS: T PTS: 1
3. In police organizations, line personnel provide support and assistance.
ANS: F PTS: 1
4. The concept of “boundaries” in police administration refers to the geographic borders in which the
agency operates.
ANS: F PTS: 1
5. Organization is concerned with the placement of people in the department.
ANS: T PTS: 1
6. Organizational maintenance refers to those administrative activities that maintain the department’s
ability to respond to public needs.
ANS: T PTS: 1
7. Goals are the specific processes an organization uses to direct its efforts.
ANS: F PTS: 1
8. The first historical policing era was the progressive reform era.
ANS: F PTS: 1
9. Policing has recently entered into a seventh historical era, the homeland security era.
ANS: T PTS: 1
10. The Wickersham Commission encouraged America’s law enforcement agencies to adopt a “law and
order” focus.
1
, Test Bank For Police Administration
Chapter 1
ANS: T PTS: 1
11. Ronald Reagan’s election in 1982 marked the beginning of 12 years of “law and order” government.
ANS: T PTS: 1
12. The community policing era preceded the 1980s’ return to law and order.
ANS: F PTS: 1
13. During the political era, police department structure was decentralized and controlled by community
politicians.
ANS: T PTS: 1
14. During the progressive reform era, department structures were highly centralized and organized along
military lines.
ANS: F PTS: 1
15. The community relations era was characterized by participative management.
ANS: T PTS: 1
MULTIPLE CHOICE
16. Police work in America is unique because:
a. employees handle a wide range of roles and tasks
b. sworn officers have the authority to arrest and use deadly force when necessary
c. agencies are expected to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week
d. all of these choices
ANS: D PTS: 1
17. Which of the following is NOT an activity performed in the typical large organization?
a. task performance
b. facilitating tasks
c. supervising task performance
d. task avoidance
ANS: D PTS: 1
18. Police departments have identifiable boundaries. In this view, “boundaries” refer to:
a. geographical barriers
b. the department’s goals and the people it serves
c. budget constraints
d. managerial priorities
2
, Test Bank For Police Administration
Chapter 1
ANS: B PTS: 1
19. Which of the following terms refers to the general managing and organizing that occurs at the highest
levels of an organization?
a. mid-level management
b. administration
c. supervision
d. discipline
ANS: B PTS: 1
20. POSDCORB stands for:
a. planning, organizing, staffing, disciplining, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting
b. planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, and boundary spanning
c. political maneuvering, organizing, staffing, disciplining, coordinating, reporting, and
budgeting
d. planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting
ANS: D PTS: 1
21. Which of the following is the task of keeping everyone informed regarding operations through verbal
and written directives, records, and inspections?
a. directing
b. coordinating
c. reporting
d. budgeting
ANS: C PTS: 1
22. The typical police organization resembles a:
a. military structure
b. pyramid with rank and file at the bottom and managers at the top
c. hierarchy
d. all of these choices
ANS: D PTS: 1
23. What is used to enumerate a department’s purpose?
a. policy manual
b. city charter
c. mission statement
d. roll call
ANS: C PTS: 1
24. Which of the following is NOT a purpose of a mission statement?
a. It notifies and educates officers and citizens about the department’s values.
b. It outlines the procedure by which misconduct will be handled.
c. It provides a yardstick by which to measure the department’s successes and failures.
3
, Test Bank For Police Administration
Chapter 1
d. It serves as a guide for establishing training and other socialization programs.
ANS: B PTS: 1
25. The Wickersham Commission advocated redefinition of the police role from:
a. order maintenance to community policing
b. problem solving to community policing
c. order maintenance to law enforcement
d. law enforcement to order maintenance
ANS: C PTS: 1
26. In what era did the role of the police as law enforcers, or “crook catchers,” crystallize?
a. progressive reform era
b. professional era
c. community relations era
d. homeland security era
ANS: B PTS: 1
27. The 1980s saw a shift in police philosophy to:
a. community relations
b. accountability
c. law and order
d. homeland security
ANS: C PTS: 1
28. What event was most responsible for the homeland security focus in many police agencies today?
a. Iraq war
b. Oklahoma City bombing
c. 9/11 attacks
d. all of these choices
ANS: C PTS: 1
29. Which era is best characterized by emphasis on active participation by citizens in law enforcement
issues?
a. progressive reform era
b. professional era
c. community relations era
d. community policing era
ANS: D PTS: 1
30. A highly centralized department structure was most characteristic of what policing era?
a. political era
b. progressive reform era
c. professional era
d. community policing era
4
