NYPD Lieutenant study guide
NYPD Lieutenant · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The NYPD Lieutenant Promotion Examination is the civil-service test that sergeants in the New York City Police Department take to be considered for promotion to lieutenant, a rank that carries platoon command, supervisory responsibility for multiple squads, and accountability for the paperwork and discipline that flow upward from sergeants. The exam is built for working supervisors, not recruits: it assumes you already run a squad and asks whether you can run a command. The NYPD Lieutenant study guide has 10 sections and about 2,708 words.
01Department Procedures
Department Procedures tests how a lieutenant finds, interprets, and enforces written Department direction. The exam favors scenarios: a new order arrives, a procedure conflicts with practice, or a subordinate claims he "wasn't told." Patrol Guide supplies operational procedure: stops, arrests, use of force, scene control, property, and prisoners.
294 words, about 1 min02Rules and Regulations
Rules and Regulations tests the standards of conduct that apply on and off duty, and whether a lieutenant recognizes a rule violation before it becomes a discipline case. Conduct prejudicial to the good order, efficiency, or reputation of the Department is prohibited even when the underlying act is lawful.
291 words, about 1 min03Patrol Supervision and Field Operations
Patrol Supervision and Field Operations tests command presence: whether a lieutenant can deploy resources, run a radio incident, and keep a scene controlled while subordinates act. Conditions are posted hazards or recurring problems; a supervisor checks whether conditions are addressed at roll call and on patrol.
276 words, about 1 min04Criminal Law and Procedure (NY Penal Law and CPL)
Criminal Law and Procedure tests the line between lawful street action and suppression. The lieutenant must supervise stops, arrests, searches, and interrogations so that officers can articulate facts, not conclusions.
296 words, about 1 min05Investigative and Case Management Supervision
Investigative and Case Management Supervision tests whether a lieutenant manages a case rather than merely signing a report. The exam focuses on assignment, follow-up, evidence integrity, and case-file quality.
279 words, about 1 min06Personnel Management
Personnel Management tests the lieutenant's ability to run a squad fairly and consistently: scheduling, attendance, performance, and early intervention. Scheduling : know the chart, RDOs, court time, and overtime rules; publish changes in writing.
238 words, about 1 min07Discipline and Labor Relations
Discipline and Labor Relations tests the boundary between a supervisor's correction and the Department's formal disciplinary system. A lieutenant must know when to counsel, when to report, and when to stop questioning.
266 words, about 1 min08Community Relations and Interpersonal Skills
Community Relations and Interpersonal Skills tests whether a lieutenant can build legitimacy while enforcing the law. The exam favors scenarios about tone, bias, de-escalation, and responding to community complaints.
245 words, about 1 min09Administration, Records and Report Review
Administration, Records and Report Review tests the lieutenant's desk discipline: whether reports, property, timekeeping, and records can survive audit and court review. Complaint Report (UF-61) and DD5 narratives: who, what, when, where, why, and how; elements; victim and witness contacts.
252 words, about 1 min10Written Communication and Reading Comprehension
Written Communication and Reading Comprehension tests whether a lieutenant can read a directive accurately and write a clear, usable document. The exam favors short memos, report narratives, and questions that turn on a single word in an order.
271 words, about 1 min