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IN State Police practice questions

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Question 1Reading Comprehension

Read the paragraph: "When an officer arrives at a crash scene, the first priority is safety: park the patrol car to shield the scene, check for injuries, and request medical help if needed. Only after those steps should the officer begin measuring skid marks and interviewing witnesses." Which statement best expresses the main point?

  1. Patrol cars should be parked away from the crash to keep traffic moving.
  2. Safety and aid to the injured come before evidence collection. Correct answer.
  3. Witness interviews should be finished before medical help is called.
  4. Skid-mark measurement is the most important duty at a crash.

Explanation

The paragraph orders the officer's tasks, placing scene safety and medical aid first and evidence work afterward. The main point is that priority, not the value of any single task. Everything after the word "Only" is explicitly secondary.

Question 2Reading Comprehension

A sergeant tells a new trooper: "Your report was cursory. It lists the time and place of the stop but says nothing about what the driver said or why the vehicle was searched." In the sergeant's comment, "cursory" most nearly means:

  1. rude and disrespectful in tone
  2. quick and lacking in detail Correct answer.
  3. handwritten rather than typed
  4. thorough and carefully detailed

Explanation

The second sentence defines the word by contrast: the report gives only time and place while omitting key content. That shows "cursory" describes something done hastily and without depth. Context clues, not outside knowledge, settle the meaning here.

Question 3Reading Comprehension

Read the policy excerpt: "A trooper may continue a chase only while the fleeing driver poses an immediate threat to others. Once the suspect's vehicle slows and the risk to the public drops, the trooper must end the pursuit and hand off tracking to air support or a supervisor." According to the excerpt, when must the trooper end the pursuit?

  1. only after the suspect has been taken into custody
  2. when the danger to the public decreases Correct answer.
  3. whenever no supervisor is on duty that shift
  4. as soon as the suspect exceeds the posted speed limit

Explanation

The policy ties the end of the pursuit to the drop in public risk, replacing the threat standard that allowed it to continue. Speed alone is not the trigger, and custody is a later event. The excerpt states the rule directly, so the answer is stated rather than inferred.

Question 4Reading Comprehension

Read the report excerpt: "Trooper Hale noted that the driver's eyes were bloodshot, his speech was slurred, and he failed three field sobriety tests. The driver refused a chemical test, and a blood draw was later obtained under a warrant." Which conclusion is best supported?

  1. The officer documented signs of impairment before seeking the blood draw. Correct answer.
  2. The driver admitted to drinking before driving.
  3. The officer lacked any legal basis for the blood draw.
  4. The driver passed the field sobriety tests.

Explanation

The observations and failed tests are recorded before the refusal and the warrant, so the report shows impairment evidence existed first. The warrant supplied the legal authority the refusal would otherwise have blocked. A supported conclusion must follow from stated facts, not from assumptions about admission or test results.

Question 5Reading Comprehension

Read the procedure: "After stopping a vehicle, the trooper greets the driver and explains the reason for the stop. Next, the trooper asks for license and registration and checks them against dispatch records. Only then, if the stop has grown into a criminal investigation, does the trooper ask the driver to step out." What does the trooper do immediately after explaining the reason for the stop?

  1. asks the driver to step out of the vehicle
  2. searches the trunk of the vehicle
  3. asks for the license and registration Correct answer.
  4. runs a warrant check on the passengers

Explanation

The passage uses sequence words "Next" and "Only then" to order the steps. The action directly following the explanation is the request for license and registration. Asking the driver out comes later and only under a stated condition.

Question 6Reading Comprehension

Read the bulletin: "This bulletin replaces the October memo on evidence handling. It sets out the new packaging rules for biological evidence, explains why the old paper envelopes failed in humid conditions, and lists the dates when each district will receive training on the change." The primary purpose of the bulletin is to:

  1. criticize districts that have not scheduled training
  2. describe the history of the department's evidence room
  3. announce and explain a change in evidence packaging Correct answer.
  4. persuade troopers to oppose the new packaging rules

Explanation

The bulletin supersedes an earlier memo and then gives rules, reasons, and training dates for one change. That combination signals an announcement meant to inform readers about a new procedure. A persuasive or disciplinary purpose would require calls to action or blame.

Question 7Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "The new radio system covers 94 percent of the county, compared with 71 percent under the old system. Troopers have complained that the handsets are heavy, and one sergeant called the design 'needlessly bulky.' The department has ordered 60 additional handsets for the coming year." Which statement is an opinion rather than a fact?

  1. The design is needlessly bulky. Correct answer.
  2. The department ordered 60 additional handsets.
  3. The old system covered 71 percent of the county.
  4. The new system covers 94 percent of the county.

Explanation

Facts can be verified independently, such as coverage percentages and an order quantity. Judgments about whether a design is "needlessly" bulky rest on a personal standard of what is necessary. Quotation marks signal the sergeant's evaluation, not a measurable property.

Question 8Reading Comprehension

Read the guidance: "A crash report separates what the officer personally saw from what others said. Statements from drivers go in the witness section and must be attributed by name. Skid-mark measurements and scene photographs belong in the officer's observations. A bystander told the trooper, 'The car was going about 50 when it braked.' Where should the trooper record that estimate?

  1. in the officer's observations, without attribution, because speed estimates are routine
  2. in the officer's observations, because speed is measured at the scene
  3. in neither section, because estimated speeds are not recorded in reports
  4. in the witness section, attributed to the witness by name Correct answer.

Explanation

The estimate came from a bystander, so it is secondhand information that the guidance places in the witness section with attribution. It is not the officer's own measurement or photograph. Failing to attribute it would present someone else's claim as an official observation.

Question 9Reading Comprehension

Read the account: "Two witnesses describe the same intersection crash. Witness A watched from a bus stop 30 feet away in daylight and says the northbound light was red. Witness B was driving southbound, heard tires squeal, and looked up after the impact; she believes her light was green but admits she did not see the northbound signal change." Which account is more reliable on the northbound signal, and why?

  1. Neither, because eyewitness accounts are never useful in crash reports
  2. Witness B, because she heard the tires squeal
  3. Witness B, because she was a driver involved in the crash
  4. Witness A, because she saw the signal before the impact Correct answer.

Explanation

Reliability here turns on who actually observed the signal before the collision. Witness A had a clear daylight view and reported what she saw, while Witness B looked up only after impact and concedes she did not see the light change. The stronger account is the one with direct, unimpeded observation.

Question 10Reading Comprehension

Read the memo sentence: "While we appreciate the effort troopers have put into the new reporting software, repeated late submissions suggest the current deadline is unworkable." How does the memo treat the late reports?

  1. as evidence that the deadline, not the troopers, should change Correct answer.
  2. as proof that the software should be replaced
  3. as a problem caused mainly by supervisors
  4. as misconduct that will be disciplined

Explanation

The sentence concedes effort and then blames the deadline rather than the troopers, which sets up a change in the rule. The concession clause keeps the tone supportive while the main clause shifts responsibility. This is an inference about framing, since discipline, software replacement, and supervisor blame are never mentioned.

Question 11Reading Comprehension

Read this sentence from a supervisor's review of a probable-cause affidavit: "The affidavit was conclusory: it asserted that the driver was impaired but offered no observations to support that conclusion." As used in the sentence, what does conclusory most nearly mean?

  1. Contradicted by other witnesses at the scene
  2. Stating a conclusion without supporting detail Correct answer.
  3. Based on careful measurements and recorded test results
  4. Written in a formal and legally required format

Explanation

Conclusory means stating a conclusion without the supporting facts. The sentence says the affidavit "offered no observations," which signals that detail was missing. A conclusory allegation asserts the result but not the basis for it.

Question 12Reading Comprehension

Read the paragraph: "Each dispatch entry records the time a call is received, the time a unit is assigned, and the time the unit clears. Supervisors review these entries to measure response times and to spot delays. The entries are also used in after-action reviews of major incidents." What is the main idea of the paragraph?

  1. Dispatch entries serve several supervisory purposes. Correct answer.
  2. Response times are the only measure supervisors track.
  3. Dispatch entries are used only for major incidents.
  4. After-action reviews replace dispatch logs.

Explanation

The paragraph lists several uses: measuring response times, spotting delays, and after-action reviews. Those examples support the main idea that dispatch entries serve multiple supervisory purposes. The other choices narrow or reverse the paragraph's point.

Question 13Reading Comprehension

A use-of-force review contains four statements. Which one is an opinion rather than a factual observation?

  1. The trooper's conduct was appropriate under the circumstances. Correct answer.
  2. The officer deployed a conducted energy weapon once.
  3. The subject received a laceration above the left eye.
  4. The incident began at 21:14 and ended at 21:19.

Explanation

An opinion expresses a judgment or evaluation rather than a directly observable fact. "Appropriate under the circumstances" is an evaluative conclusion about the conduct. The other statements describe times, actions, and injuries that can be verified.

Question 14Reading Comprehension

Read the excerpt: "Miranda warnings are required before custodial interrogation. A routine traffic stop is generally not custodial. Once a trooper has arrested a driver and continues questioning to obtain incriminating statements, the questioning is custodial." A trooper arrests a driver for an outstanding warrant and then asks, "Why did you run from me earlier?" What does the excerpt require?

  1. Warnings only if the driver asks for a lawyer.
  2. No warnings, because the question was asked at the roadside.
  3. Warnings, because the questioning is custodial interrogation. Correct answer.
  4. No warnings, because the driver was not yet booked.

Explanation

The excerpt says warnings are required before custodial interrogation. Arresting the driver and then asking an incriminating question is custodial interrogation under the excerpt. The roadside setting does not remove that requirement once the driver is under arrest.

Question 15Reading Comprehension

Read the procedure: "First, the trooper requests a backup unit. After backup arrives, the trooper approaches the vehicle on the passenger side. The trooper then asks the driver to step to the rear of the vehicle." According to the procedure, what should the trooper do immediately after backup arrives?

  1. Request a second backup unit.
  2. Approach the vehicle on the passenger side. Correct answer.
  3. Return to the patrol car and wait.
  4. Ask the driver to step to the rear of the vehicle.

Explanation

The procedure uses time-order words: first request backup, after backup arrives approach on the passenger side, then ask the driver to step back. Therefore the immediate next step after backup arrives is the passenger-side approach.

Question 16Reading Comprehension

Read the account: "When the county 911 center lost power, calls were routed to the neighboring county for 40 minutes. During that period, state police units were dispatched by radio rather than by computer-aided dispatch." What was the effect of the power loss?

  1. Calls were rerouted and radio dispatching replaced CAD. Correct answer.
  2. State police stopped responding to calls for 40 minutes.
  3. The computer-aided dispatch system was used for all calls.
  4. The neighboring county stopped answering 911 calls.

Explanation

The power loss caused 911 calls to be routed to the neighboring county. During that same period, units were dispatched by radio instead of computer-aided dispatch. The passage presents both as effects of the outage.

Question 17Reading Comprehension

Read the bulletin: "Effective March 1, all troopers must upload digital evidence within 24 hours. This deadline replaces the 72-hour rule. Supervisors will audit compliance each week and document any late uploads." What is the primary purpose of the bulletin?

  1. To announce a new upload deadline and weekly audits. Correct answer.
  2. To argue that the old 72-hour rule was more effective.
  3. To explain how troopers should operate the digital evidence software.
  4. To describe the kinds of evidence troopers may collect.

Explanation

The bulletin announces a March 1 deadline and says supervisors will audit compliance weekly. Those details show its purpose is to communicate the new rule and its enforcement. It does not teach software use, compare rules, or list evidence types.

Question 18Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "A K-9 alert can support probable cause to search a vehicle, but courts examine the dog's reliability. Handlers should document training and certification records. A single alert without such records may not be enough on its own." Which sentence best summarizes the passage?

  1. Handlers should avoid relying on K-9 alerts in vehicle searches.
  2. K-9 alerts require documented reliability for probable cause. Correct answer.
  3. K-9 alerts can never establish probable cause to search a vehicle.
  4. Training records are required for every traffic stop involving a dog.

Explanation

The passage says a K-9 alert can support probable cause but that reliability matters. It stresses documenting training and certification, and warns that a single undocumented alert may not suffice. The best summary therefore ties probable cause to documented reliability.

Question 19Reading Comprehension

Read the two records: "Dispatch log: At 2:14 a.m., Trooper Lane radioed that he was in pursuit. Lane's report: I initiated the pursuit at 2:20 a.m." Which conclusion is best supported by the two records?

  1. The pursuit began at 2:14 and ended at 2:20.
  2. Lane's report is more reliable because it was written later.
  3. The dispatch log proves that Lane lied about the pursuit.
  4. The records disagree about when the pursuit began. Correct answer.

Explanation

The dispatch log places Lane's radio call at 2:14, while Lane's report says he began the pursuit at 2:20. The two records therefore conflict on the start time. The excerpt does not establish which is accurate or why they differ.

Question 20Reading Comprehension

Read the excerpt: "A person commits resisting law enforcement if the person knowingly or intentionally forcibly resists, obstructs, or interferes with a law enforcement officer while the officer is lawfully engaged in the execution of the officer's duties." A suspect pulls his arm away from an officer who is lawfully trying to handcuff him. Based only on the excerpt, which statement is best supported?

  1. It cannot qualify because the suspect did not strike or injure the officer.
  2. It is not covered because handcuffing a suspect is not an officer's lawful duty.
  3. It may qualify because he forcibly interfered with a lawful arrest. Correct answer.
  4. It qualifies only if the suspect also verbally threatened the officer during the arrest.

Explanation

The excerpt covers knowingly or intentionally forcible resistance, obstruction, or interference with an officer lawfully performing duties. Pulling an arm away from a lawful handcuffing attempt can be forcible interference. The excerpt does not require a strike, a threat, or any injury.

Question 21Reading Comprehension

Read the report excerpt: "In his report, the trooper's account was terse: it listed the time of the stop, the location, and the citation number, but nothing else." As used in the excerpt, the word "terse" most nearly means

  1. Unclear
  2. Detailed
  3. Brief Correct answer.
  4. Biased

Explanation

Terse means brief and to the point. The excerpt shows the report included only a few facts, not narrative detail or explanation. "Detailed" is the opposite, while "unclear" and "biased" are not supported by the text.

Question 22Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "Beginning next month, troopers will file crash reports through a mobile application instead of paper forms. The application flags missing fields before a report can be submitted and sends completed reports directly to records. Supervisors will review each submission within one business day." Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?

  1. Troopers will need to purchase their own mobile devices for reporting.
  2. Paper crash forms will remain available for troopers who prefer them.
  3. A mobile app will change how crash reports are completed and routed. Correct answer.
  4. Supervisors will begin writing crash reports during their shifts.

Explanation

The passage describes a shift from paper forms to a mobile application that checks for missing fields and routes reports to records. The other choices introduce details the passage does not state, such as continued paper use, supervisor authorship, or device purchases.

Question 23Reading Comprehension

Read the bulletin: "Effective June 15, the quartermaster will issue reflective vests only after a trooper completes the online fitting form. Requests submitted without the form will be returned. The form takes about five minutes and must be updated whenever a trooper changes assignment." The primary purpose of this bulletin is to

  1. persuade troopers to wear vests more often.
  2. announce a new requirement for obtaining reflective vests. Correct answer.
  3. describe the history of reflective vests in the department.
  4. explain why vests are inspected each year.

Explanation

The bulletin announces a procedural change: troopers must complete an online fitting form before the quartermaster will issue a reflective vest. It does not trace history, describe annual inspections, or argue for greater vest use.

Question 24Reading Comprehension

Read the account: "During a traffic stop, the driver answered 'yes' to every question the trooper asked, including whether he had been drinking and whether the car was his. The car was registered to another person, and the driver's license listed an address in a different state. The trooper called for a translator before continuing." What is the most reasonable inference from the passage?

  1. The driver admitted to drinking alcohol.
  2. The driver owned the car but had not updated the registration.
  3. The driver may not have understood the trooper's questions. Correct answer.
  4. The trooper had already decided to arrest the driver.

Explanation

Answering yes to contradictory questions, combined with the translator request, suggests a language barrier rather than reliable admissions. The passage does not establish ownership, drinking, or an arrest decision.

Question 25Reading Comprehension

Read the procedure: "At a DUI investigation, the trooper first observes the driver's behavior and speech. The trooper then asks the driver to exit the vehicle. Next, the trooper administers standardized field sobriety tests. If probable cause exists after those tests, the trooper requests a chemical test." According to the passage, what does the trooper do immediately before requesting a chemical test?

  1. Observes the driver's behavior and speech
  2. Asks the driver to exit the vehicle
  3. Administers standardized field sobriety tests Correct answer.
  4. Applies handcuffs to the driver

Explanation

The procedure places standardized field sobriety tests directly before the chemical test request. Observation and the request to exit occur earlier, and handcuffing is not mentioned in the passage.

Question 26Reading Comprehension

Read the two records: "Report A says a pursuit began at 9:12 p.m. and ended at 9:19 p.m. Report B says the pursuit began at 9:14 p.m. and lasted nine minutes. A dispatch recording time-stamps the start at 9:13 p.m." Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

  1. The reports disagree about the start time and duration. Correct answer.
  2. The pursuit lasted exactly two minutes.
  3. The reports agree on when the pursuit began.
  4. The dispatch recording confirms Report A's start time.

Explanation

Report A gives a 9:12 start and seven-minute duration, while Report B gives a 9:14 start and nine-minute duration. The dispatch time stamp of 9:13 also conflicts with both reported start times, so the records disagree.

Question 27Reading Comprehension

Read the memo: "The new evidence log has been in use for six weeks. Several entries remain incomplete, and three items were checked out without a return time. These gaps create chain-of-custody problems. Supervisors will audit the logs weekly until compliance improves." The tone of the memo is best described as

  1. celebratory and optimistic
  2. concerned and directive Correct answer.
  3. amused but instructive
  4. indifferent and detached

Explanation

The memo identifies compliance gaps that create chain-of-custody problems and directs weekly audits until improvement occurs. That combination shows concern about the problem and a directive response.

Question 28Reading Comprehension

Read the policy: "A supervisor must review any use-of-force report within 72 hours. If the report involves a firearm discharge, review must occur within 24 hours. A report filed Monday at 10:00 a.m. describes a baton use during an arrest." Based on the policy, when is the review due?

  1. Friday at 10:00 a.m.
  2. Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Correct answer.
  3. Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.
  4. Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.

Explanation

The report involves a baton, not a firearm discharge, so the 72-hour rule applies. Seventy-two hours after Monday at 10:00 a.m. is Thursday at 10:00 a.m.; the 24-hour firearm rule does not apply.

Question 29Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "The department newsletter reports that citizen complaints fell 18 percent after body cameras were issued. It does not mention that camera failures rose during the same period, leaving 9 percent of shifts without recorded video." What should a careful reader conclude about the newsletter's presentation?

  1. It proves that body cameras caused the drop in complaints.
  2. It is entirely false and should be disregarded.
  3. It recommends that the department remove the cameras.
  4. It gives a partial picture by omitting a relevant trend. Correct answer.

Explanation

The newsletter reports a favorable trend while leaving out a related and unfavorable trend about camera failures. A careful reader should recognize the selective presentation rather than treat the complaint decline as fully explained.

Question 30Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "A training memo argues that the new de-escalation course reduced citizen complaints. It notes that officers who completed the course had fewer complaints than officers who did not. The memo does not mention that supervisors assigned officers with prior complaints to the course first." Which statement best evaluates the memo's argument?

  1. The argument is irrelevant because complaints are not measured.
  2. The argument is proven because supervisors chose the course participants.
  3. The argument is strong because complaint numbers fell after training.
  4. Prior complaints may explain the difference in complaint rates. Correct answer.

Explanation

The memo compares two groups but omits that the course group was selected partly because its members already had more complaints. That selection difference weakens the claim that the course itself reduced complaints.

Question 31Reading Comprehension

In a trooper's crash narrative, the sentence reads: "The account was dispassionate: it recorded the driver's slurred speech and unsteady balance without commentary or ridicule." As used here, "dispassionate" most nearly means:

  1. Objective and free of emotion Correct answer.
  2. Harshly critical in tone
  3. Short and incomplete
  4. Uncertain and hesitant

Explanation

The colon introduces a restatement, and the phrase "without commentary or ridicule" tells the reader the account sticks to observed facts rather than feelings or mockery. A word meaning calm and unemotional fits that contrast. The surrounding details describe what was observed, not how the trooper felt about it.

Question 32Reading Comprehension

Read the narrative: "Trooper Reyes stopped a pickup for a burned-out taillight at 11:40 p.m. Before reaching the driver's window, he saw the passenger push a small bag under the seat and heard the driver say, 'Put it away.' Reyes asked the driver to step out and requested a second unit." Which conclusion is best supported by the narrative?

  1. Reyes already had probable cause to arrest the driver for a drug offense before he approached the truck.
  2. The furtive movement and the driver's statement gave Reyes reasonable suspicion to extend the stop and investigate further. Correct answer.
  3. The stop was invalid because a burned-out taillight is only a civil infraction.
  4. Reyes committed an unlawful search by ordering the driver out of the vehicle during a routine stop.

Explanation

A traffic violation supplies the initial lawful basis for the stop, and the passenger's concealment plus the driver's remark are specific, articulable facts supporting reasonable suspicion. That suspicion justifies keeping the driver and passenger briefly while the trooper investigates. Probable cause to arrest would require more than a vague gesture and an ambiguous statement.

Question 33Reading Comprehension

Read the memo: "The new pursuit policy is not a ban. It raises the threshold: pursuit is authorized only when the trooper reasonably believes the fleeing driver committed a violent felony, and a supervisor must approve within 60 seconds when practicable. Troopers who terminate a pursuit will not be disciplined for that decision." Which statement best captures the memo's main point?

  1. Pursuits are limited to violent-felony situations, and ending one is a decision the Department supports. Correct answer.
  2. Pursuits are now prohibited unless a supervisor is riding in the patrol car.
  3. The policy applies only to motorcycle units and takes effect next fiscal year.
  4. Troopers should pursue any fleeing vehicle until a supervisor orders them to break off.

Explanation

The memo's central message is that pursuit remains permitted but is narrowed to violent-felony circumstances, with supervisory approval and protection for troopers who call one off. The opening line, "not a ban," plus the no-discipline clause, frames the policy as restrained rather than prohibitive. The other statements add conditions or scope the memo never mentions.

Question 34Reading Comprehension

A training bulletin states: "Troopers who completed the new report-writing module averaged 22 minutes per crash report; troopers who did not averaged 31 minutes. The module therefore cut report time by nine minutes." Which criticism of that conclusion is most sound?

  1. The conclusion is flawed only because it reports means rather than medians.
  2. The conclusion fails because averages from two separate groups can never be compared.
  3. The conclusion assumes the two groups were alike in other respects, such as experience and call volume. Correct answer.
  4. The conclusion is sound, since a nine-minute difference is large enough to matter on a busy shift.

Explanation

The bulletin compares two groups that were not randomly assigned, so the nine-minute gap may reflect pre-existing differences such as experience, shift, or caseload rather than the module itself. A sound criticism targets that confounding rather than the arithmetic. The data are consistent with the module helping, but they do not establish it.

Question 35Written Communication and Grammar

Choose the sentence that uses the correct verb form for a police report: "The team of investigators ___ the evidence before the briefing."

  1. has reviewed Correct answer.
  2. have reviewed
  3. have been reviewed
  4. were reviewed

Explanation

The subject is "team," a collective noun treated as singular here, so it takes "has reviewed." The phrase "of investigators" is a prepositional phrase and does not change the verb's number.

Question 36Written Communication and Grammar

A patrol officer is writing a narrative about a vehicle belonging to one officer. Which phrase correctly uses the apostrophe?

  1. the officers' vehicle
  2. the officers's vehicle
  3. the officer's vehicle Correct answer.
  4. the officers vehicle

Explanation

For a singular noun, add apostrophe plus s to show possession: "officer's." The plural possessive "officers'" would refer to multiple officers, which the stem excludes.

Question 37Written Communication and Grammar

Which pronoun correctly completes this line from an incident report? "The sergeant assigned the follow-up interview to Detective Ruiz and ___."

  1. we
  2. I
  3. me Correct answer.
  4. myself

Explanation

The blank is the object of the preposition "to," so the object pronoun "me" is required. "I" would be used only as a subject, and "myself" needs a reflexive antecedent in the same clause.

Question 38Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence correctly punctuates a clause that is nonessential to identifying the suspect?

  1. The suspect who was wearing a gray hoodie fled on foot.
  2. The suspect, who was wearing a gray hoodie, fled on foot. Correct answer.
  3. The suspect who was wearing a gray hoodie, fled on foot.
  4. The suspect, who was wearing a gray hoodie fled on foot.

Explanation

The clause "who was wearing a gray hoodie" is nonessential because the suspect is already identified, so it must be enclosed by commas on both sides. Omitting one comma or both creates an ungrammatical or confusing structure.

Question 39Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence correctly joins two independent clauses in a use-of-force narrative?

  1. The officer secured the perimeter then he radioed dispatch.
  2. The officer secured the perimeter, then he radioed dispatch.
  3. The officer secured the perimeter; and then he radioed dispatch.
  4. The officer secured the perimeter; then he radioed dispatch. Correct answer.

Explanation

Both "The officer secured the perimeter" and "then he radioed dispatch" are independent clauses. A semicolon correctly separates them; a comma alone creates a comma splice, and a semicolon before "and" is unnecessary here.

Question 40Written Communication and Grammar

Which list is parallel and appropriate for a performance evaluation of a patrol officer?

  1. patrolling the highway, writing reports, and to testify in court
  2. to patrol the highway, writing reports, and testify in court
  3. patrol the highway, writing reports, and testifying in court
  4. patrolling the highway, writing reports, and testifying in court Correct answer.

Explanation

Parallel structure requires matching grammatical forms in a list. "Patrolling," "writing," and "testifying" are all gerunds, so the list is balanced and readable.

Question 41Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence avoids a dangling modifier in a witness statement?

  1. While interviewing the witness, a discrepancy was noticed.
  2. While interviewing the witness, a discrepancy was noticed by the officer.
  3. While interviewing the witness, the officer noticed a discrepancy. Correct answer.
  4. While interviewing the witness, it was noticed that a discrepancy existed.

Explanation

An introductory participial phrase must modify the subject of the main clause. In the correct sentence, "the officer" is the one interviewing the witness, so the modifier is attached properly.

Question 42Written Communication and Grammar

Which word correctly completes this question from a detective's notes? "The detective asked ___ the witness had called before the interview."

  1. whoever
  2. whom Correct answer.
  3. whomever
  4. who

Explanation

The pronoun is the object of "called," so the objective case "whom" is required. "Who" is subjective, and "whoever/whomever" would introduce a different fused-relative structure.

Question 43Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence maintains the correct sequence of tenses in a supplemental report?

  1. When the trooper arrives, the driver had already left the scene.
  2. When the trooper arrived, the driver had already left the scene. Correct answer.
  3. When the trooper had arrived, the driver has already left the scene.
  4. When the trooper arrived, the driver has already left the scene.

Explanation

The arrival is a simple past event, and the driver's departure happened before it. Past perfect "had left" correctly marks the earlier action; shifting to present perfect or present tense breaks the timeline.

Question 44Written Communication and Grammar

Which revision of this report sentence is clearest and most direct for a police narrative? "The suspect was observed by the officer fleeing from the vehicle."

  1. Fleeing from the vehicle, the suspect was observed by the officer.
  2. It was observed by the officer that the suspect was fleeing from the vehicle.
  3. The officer observed the suspect fleeing from the vehicle. Correct answer.
  4. The suspect was observed by the officer to be fleeing from the vehicle.

Explanation

Active voice names the actor first: "the officer observed the suspect." The original passive construction also places "fleeing" next to "officer," which can suggest the officer was fleeing.

Question 45Written Communication and Grammar

A collision report reads: "Neither the driver nor the two passengers ___ able to describe the other vehicle." Which verb form correctly completes the sentence?

  1. was
  2. has been
  3. is
  4. were Correct answer.

Explanation

When subjects are joined by "neither ... nor," the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. The nearer subject here is "two passengers," which is plural, so the plural past-tense verb "were" is required by both agreement and the past-tense context of the report.

Question 46Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence in a property-room log uses the possessive form of "it" correctly?

  1. The department replaced it's radio system in every marked unit last month.
  2. The office filed it's report before the end of shift.
  3. The cruiser lost its left mirror during the pursuit. Correct answer.
  4. Its important that the chain of custody stay unbroken.

Explanation

"Its" without an apostrophe is the possessive form, while "it's" is a contraction of "it is" or "it has." Only the sentence about the cruiser places the possessive directly before a noun it owns, which is the correct use.

Question 47Written Communication and Grammar

Which pronoun correctly completes this line from a case summary? "Detective Owens and ___ interviewed the clerk at the end of the shift."

  1. myself
  2. herself
  3. me
  4. I Correct answer.

Explanation

The pronoun sits in the compound subject of the sentence, so the subject form "I" is required. A useful test is to drop the other subject: "I interviewed the clerk" sounds correct, while "me interviewed the clerk" does not.

Question 48Written Communication and Grammar

Which word correctly completes this sentence from a use-of-force review? "The supervisor concluded that the officer's tone had no ___ on the subject's decision to comply."

  1. effect Correct answer.
  2. affect
  3. affects
  4. effective

Explanation

"Effect" is the noun meaning result or outcome, and the sentence needs a noun after "no." "Affect" is normally a verb meaning to influence, so it cannot fill that slot.

Question 49Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence in a crash report follows the standard AP-style convention for recording a suspect's height?

  1. The suspect stands about six-foot-two.
  2. The suspect is six feet two inches tall.
  3. The suspect is 6 feet 2 inches tall. Correct answer.
  4. The suspect is 6 foot 2 inches tall.

Explanation

Standard news and report style spells out numbers under ten but uses numerals for dimensions and measurements, and the plural "feet" is required after a number greater than one. That makes "6 feet 2 inches" the correct rendering.

Question 50Written Communication and Grammar

Which word correctly completes this sentence from a staffing memo? "The night shift has ___ officers available than the day shift."

  1. less
  2. lesser
  3. fewer Correct answer.
  4. fewest

Explanation

"Fewer" is used with countable items such as individual officers, while "less" applies to mass or uncountable quantities. The comparison with "than" requires the comparative form, so "fewer" fits.