OSP Trooper Exam flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Main idea

The central claim a passage is built to support; every other sentence either explains, illustrates, or qualifies it.

Scope trap answer

An answer choice that is factually true in general but not supported by the passage; correct answers stay within the text's stated scope.

Active voice

Sentence structure where the subject performs the action, as in 'The officer secured the door,' which is clearer than passive wording.

Objective report language

Recording observable facts and behaviors rather than conclusions, so 'slurred speech and unsteady gait' replaces 'subject was intoxicated'.

Weapon focus

The narrowing of attention onto a threat such as a weapon, which reduces a witness's ability to recall faces and surrounding details.

Change blindness

Failure to notice a difference between two similar scenes, such as one added, missing, or moved object, when scanning quickly.

Contrapositive

The logically equivalent form of a conditional statement; 'If P then Q' becomes 'If not Q then not P'.

Necessary versus sufficient

A necessary condition must hold for the outcome; a sufficient condition guarantees it. 'Only if' signals necessary, 'if' signals sufficient.

Use-of-force continuum

A framework ranking officer responses from presence and verbal commands up to higher force, matched to the subject's actions and reassessed continuously.

De-escalation tactics

Using time, distance, cover, calm tone, and a single communicating officer to reduce a subject's agitation before force becomes necessary.

Active listening

Paraphrasing the speaker's content and reflecting their emotion before responding, which signals understanding and lowers defensiveness.

Position versus interest

A position is what a party demands; an interest is the underlying need. Resolving conflict usually requires addressing the interest.

Conflict of interest

A personal relationship or stake that could bias official action; it must be disclosed and the assignment reassigned.

Duty to intervene

The obligation to stop or report a colleague's misconduct through proper channels rather than ignoring or concealing it.

Percent change formula

Percent change equals the new value minus the old value, divided by the old value, times 100; a rise from 40 to 50 is 25 percent.

Distance, rate, time

Distance equals rate multiplied by time; time equals distance divided by rate. Units such as miles and hours must match.

Map scale

The ratio relating map distance to real distance; multiply a measured map distance by the scale factor to get ground distance.

Contour line spacing

Closely spaced contour lines indicate steep terrain, while widely spaced lines indicate a gentle slope.

Back bearing

The reciprocal compass direction, found by adding 180 degrees when the bearing is under 180 or subtracting 180 when it is 180 or more.

Oregon capital and counties

Oregon's capital is Salem, and the state is divided into 36 counties; Portland is its largest city.

Cascade Range effect

The Cascades separate wet western Oregon from dry eastern Oregon and create a strong rain-shadow climate difference across the state.

Oregon legislature structure

Oregon has a bicameral legislature with a 30-member Senate and a 60-member House of Representatives, meeting in limited sessions.

Inference validity

An inference is acceptable only when the passage's stated facts make it necessarily or highly likely true, not merely possible.

Subject-verb agreement

The verb must match the true subject, ignoring intervening prepositional phrases, so 'the list of names is' is correct.

Sequential detail checking

Verifying each stated item in a question against the source material before accepting an option, catching altered order or swapped details.

Correlation and causation

Two events occurring together does not prove one causes the other; a third variable or reverse direction may explain the link.

Priority of life

The decision rule ranking life safety first, then public protection and containment, then evidence preservation, then documentation.

I statements

Framing concerns around one's own observations and feelings rather than accusing language, which reduces defensiveness and escalation.

Gratuity acceptance risk

Accepting gifts or favors that could influence or appear to influence official decisions violates ethics policy and public trust.

Mean, median, mode

The mean is the sum divided by the count, the median is the sorted middle value, and the mode is the most frequent value.

Grid reference order

Map grid references are read easting first, then northing, with the north arrow and legend establishing orientation.

Oregon State Police role

A statewide agency handling highway patrol, criminal investigations, and support to local law enforcement across Oregon.