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POLICE FIELD OPERATIONS: THEORY MEETS EXAM PRACTICE GUIDE
AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST EDITION
SECTION 1: The Police Career & Patrol Foundation (Questions 1–35)
1. Which of these is the largest and most visible component of a police department?
A) Investigations Division
B) Traffic Division
C) Patrol Division
D) Administrative Division
Ans: C. Rationale: The patrol division is the largest and most visible component of a
police department.
2. Despite public perception of police as "crime fighters," approximately what percentage
of calls received and police officers' time is related to actively fighting crime?
A) 50–60%
B) 30–40%
C) 17–19%
D) 5–10%
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Ans: C. Rationale: Only 17–19% of calls and officer time are related to actively fighting
crime.
3. The historical development of police patrol in the United States is generally divided into
three eras. Which era came second (1930s–1970s) and brought organizational concepts
to policing, resulting in highly centralized and bureaucratic agencies?
A) Political Era
B) Reform Era
C) Community Policing Era
D) Professional Era
Ans: B. Rationale: The Reform Era (1930s–1970s) brought organizational concepts,
centralization, and bureaucracy to policing.
4. In what year was the Wickersham Commission created, marking the first national study
on the criminal justice system?
A) 1919
B) 1929
C) 1939
D) 1949
Ans: B. Rationale: President Hoover created the Wickersham Commission in 1929.
5. The use of the word "patrol" as it relates to policing originates from the English term for:
A) Riding a horse
B) Walking in muddy water
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C) Guarding a gate
D) Carrying a torch
Ans: B. Rationale: The term "patrol" originates from the English term for walking in
muddy water.
6. Which of the following is NOT a primary purpose of police patrol?
A) Deterring crime
B) Apprehending offenders
C) Conducting complex white-collar investigations
D) Maintaining public order
Ans: C. Rationale: Complex white-collar investigations are typically handled by
specialized units, not general patrol.
7. What is the purpose of preventive patrol?
A) To respond to calls after a crime is committed
B) To convince criminals that the opportunity to commit a crime does not exist
C) To conduct undercover operations
D) To investigate past crimes
Ans: B. Rationale: Preventive patrol aims to convince criminals that there are few safe
times to commit a crime.
8. Which type of patrol involves officers responding to calls after a crime has already been
committed?
A) Proactive policing
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B) Reactive policing
C) Coactive policing
D) Directed patrol
Ans: B. Rationale: Reactive policing involves responding to calls after a crime is
committed.
9. Which patrol strategy involves officers actively seeking out criminal activity rather than
waiting for calls?
A) Reactive patrol
B) Proactive patrol
C) Random patrol
D) Passive patrol
Ans: B. Rationale: Proactive patrol involves officers actively seeking out criminal activity.
10. What is differential response in the context of patrol?
A) Responding differently based on the race of the caller
B) Using different response methods (e.g., phone, online, in-person) based on call
priority
C) Responding only to high-priority calls
D) Ignoring low-priority calls
Ans: B. Rationale: Differential response uses different methods based on the nature and
priority of the call.
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POLICE FIELD OPERATIONS: THEORY MEETS EXAM PRACTICE GUIDE
AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST EDITION
SECTION 1: The Police Career & Patrol Foundation (Questions 1–35)
1. Which of these is the largest and most visible component of a police department?
A) Investigations Division
B) Traffic Division
C) Patrol Division
D) Administrative Division
Ans: C. Rationale: The patrol division is the largest and most visible component of a
police department.
2. Despite public perception of police as "crime fighters," approximately what percentage
of calls received and police officers' time is related to actively fighting crime?
A) 50–60%
B) 30–40%
C) 17–19%
D) 5–10%
1|Page
,Page 2 of 81
Ans: C. Rationale: Only 17–19% of calls and officer time are related to actively fighting
crime.
3. The historical development of police patrol in the United States is generally divided into
three eras. Which era came second (1930s–1970s) and brought organizational concepts
to policing, resulting in highly centralized and bureaucratic agencies?
A) Political Era
B) Reform Era
C) Community Policing Era
D) Professional Era
Ans: B. Rationale: The Reform Era (1930s–1970s) brought organizational concepts,
centralization, and bureaucracy to policing.
4. In what year was the Wickersham Commission created, marking the first national study
on the criminal justice system?
A) 1919
B) 1929
C) 1939
D) 1949
Ans: B. Rationale: President Hoover created the Wickersham Commission in 1929.
5. The use of the word "patrol" as it relates to policing originates from the English term for:
A) Riding a horse
B) Walking in muddy water
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,Page 3 of 81
C) Guarding a gate
D) Carrying a torch
Ans: B. Rationale: The term "patrol" originates from the English term for walking in
muddy water.
6. Which of the following is NOT a primary purpose of police patrol?
A) Deterring crime
B) Apprehending offenders
C) Conducting complex white-collar investigations
D) Maintaining public order
Ans: C. Rationale: Complex white-collar investigations are typically handled by
specialized units, not general patrol.
7. What is the purpose of preventive patrol?
A) To respond to calls after a crime is committed
B) To convince criminals that the opportunity to commit a crime does not exist
C) To conduct undercover operations
D) To investigate past crimes
Ans: B. Rationale: Preventive patrol aims to convince criminals that there are few safe
times to commit a crime.
8. Which type of patrol involves officers responding to calls after a crime has already been
committed?
A) Proactive policing
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B) Reactive policing
C) Coactive policing
D) Directed patrol
Ans: B. Rationale: Reactive policing involves responding to calls after a crime is
committed.
9. Which patrol strategy involves officers actively seeking out criminal activity rather than
waiting for calls?
A) Reactive patrol
B) Proactive patrol
C) Random patrol
D) Passive patrol
Ans: B. Rationale: Proactive patrol involves officers actively seeking out criminal activity.
10. What is differential response in the context of patrol?
A) Responding differently based on the race of the caller
B) Using different response methods (e.g., phone, online, in-person) based on call
priority
C) Responding only to high-priority calls
D) Ignoring low-priority calls
Ans: B. Rationale: Differential response uses different methods based on the nature and
priority of the call.
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