Deck 11: Complaints, Grievances and Conflict

Question 1

Civilian review boards typically have the power to impose disciplinary sanctions on officers involved in complaints.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Small issues, if ignored or discounted, can evolve into larger, more difficult challenges that require more effort and output of resources to correct. This is an example of __________.

A) pauperism
B) overreacting citizens
C) Pinch Model
D) principled negotiation

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Complaints may not be accepted by mail or over the phone.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

To discourage false allegations, the process of making a complaint should be difficult and time-consuming.

Question 5

A sustained complaint is a complaint in which __________.

A) the complaint is a truthful description of what actually occurred but there are no legal grounds for disciplinary action
B) the complaint is carried to a higher court
C) the facts support the complaint
D) the evidence does not support the complaint

Question 6

A good rule to follow when investigating complaints is to __________.

A) treat all complaints as minor
B) delay action in order to prioritize major complaints
C) turn all complaints over to the chief of police
D) treat all complaints seriously

Question 7

Complaints require mandatory action.

Question 8

Conflict itself is not inherently bad and occurs anytime there is a difference of opinion

Question 9

The potential for conflict between officers and the public exists because officers' perception of their duties may differ from that of the public.

Question 10

Employees who are dissatisfied on the job but communicate their feelings about it perform better than do those who are satisfied and do not communicate.

Question 11

Officers are not protected under the Fifth Amendment clause against self-incrimination.

Question 12

Crisis management is usually proactive.

Question 13

The majority of grievances arise from dissatisfaction with physical working conditions and equipment.

Question 14

The National Association of Police Organizations provides legal resources to police defendants and their attorneys.

Question 15

Roughly one-third of grievances result from some management behavior or action.

Question 16

Mediation is always informal, whereas arbitration is always formal.

Question 17

People who are arrested may file a complaint with the police department.

Question 18

Preventing misconduct is a primary way to reduce complaints.

Question 19

Complaints are an unavoidable part of being a manager.

Question 20

External conflicts can be with other agencies or with the public.

Question 21

Concerning the grievance process, __________.

A) the process is an employee's right
B) it is seldom necessary because managers' hold a certain amount of unquestionable authority
C) roughly 10 percent of grievances involve management decisions
D) all of these

Question 22

A complaint may be __________.

A) a charge
B) an accusation
C) a criticism
D) any of these

Question 23

Internal complaints are usually associated with __________.

A) working conditions
B) management style
C) either working conditions or management style
D) neither working conditions nor management style

Question 24

Complaints can be reduced through __________.

A) effective training
B) effective supervision
C) effective recruitment and selection
D) all of these

Question 25

Grievances can be against __________.

A) fellow employees
B) the chief executive manager
C) first-line managers
D) all of these

Question 26

One of the hardest tasks an internal affairs unit has to overcome is __________.

A) trust among officers
B) public bias
C) recruitment of officers
D) respect from fellow department officers

Question 27

Complaints that should be accepted include those from __________.

A) arrestees
B) anonymous sources
C) juveniles
D) all of these

Question 28

Internal complaints should __________.

A) be handled lightly
B) treat the employee as a chronic complainer
C) always be investigated and resolved wherever possible
D) never be resolved by explanation of decision to employee

Question 29

Which of the following is not a benefit of mediation?

A) greater officer satisfaction with complaint process
B) greater citizen understanding of policing
C) reduced police accountability
D) a more efficient complaint process

Question 30

It is not advised to have senior officers investigate junior officers because __________.

A) it can cause hard feelings among ranks
B) it violates the police officer discipline board rules
C) senior officers are out of touch with the goings-on of junior officers
D) senior officers are not the junior officer's "peers"

Question 31

The self-incrimination clause of the ___________ Amendment prohibits forcing individuals to provide evidence against themselves in a criminal matter.

A) Fourth
B) Fifth
C) Sixth
D) Fourteenth

Question 32

Which of the following does the Pinch Model illustrate?

A) Any complaint can come from the public.
B) Any complaint can come from an employee.
C) Any small complaint can turn into a larger one.
D) The key is in keeping things quiet so as not to upset the public.

Question 33

When investigating complaints, managers should __________.

A) collect positive facts only
B) interview both accuser and accused
C) collect negative facts only
D) take only oral statements

Question 34

A good way to reduce employee complaints is to __________.

A) improve communications
B) listen to what employees say
C) improve working conditions
D) all of these

Question 35

An exonerated complaint is one in which __________.

A) the complaint is a truthful description of what actually occurred but there are no legal grounds for disciplinary action
B) the complaint is carried to a higher court
C) the facts supported the complaint, which was, in fact, illegal
D) the complaint was false

Question 36

External complaints usually arise from __________.

A) fellow employees
B) city managers
C) citizens
D) none of these

Question 37

In which case did the U.S. Supreme Court rule that a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment occurs when the government uses a police officer's statement in a criminal trial against that officer?

A) Davis v. City of Dallas
B) Garrity v. New Jersey
C) Miranda v. Arizona
D) City of Canton, Ohio v. Harris

Question 38

Which of the following is not a minimum standard for adjudication according to your text?

A) the burden of proof is on the agency
B) the standard of proof is a preponderance of the evidence
C) no presumptions of truth are made regarding facts in disputes or witness credibility; all persons are equally creditable
D) all are minimum standards

Question 39

Most minor complaints are investigated by __________.

A) the internal affairs division
B) the first-line manager
C) the middle manager
D) a fellow officer of the same level

Question 40

A good investigation of a complaint __________.

A) protects the accused
B) satisfies the accuser
C) both protects and satisfies the accuser
D) neither protects nor satisfies the accuser

Question 41

A person or group filing a complaint is called a(n) __________________.

Question 42

If investigative facts are insufficient to support an accusation, the complaint or grievance is __________.

A) exonerated
B) unfounded
C) sustained
D) not sustained

Question 43

Demographic analysis shows 75 percent of all complaints against the police are made by __________.

A) White, married males over the age of 40
B) non-White, unmarried males under the age of 30
C) non-White, unmarried females under the age of 40
D) non-White, married males over the age of 40

Question 44

The final step in the grievance chain of command is __________.

A) the courts
B) a hearing
C) arbitration
D) the chief of police

Question 45

_________________ protection is a written notification that an officer is making his or her statement or report in an internal affairs investigation involuntarily.

Question 47

A process that turns a decision over to an individual or panel to make the final recommendation is called ________________.

Question 48

When a complaint is made in which the act did not occur or the complaint/grievance was false, it is often referred to as __________________.

Question 49

Grievances concerning rules, regulations, policies and procedures center primarily on violations of __________.

A) safety codes
B) civil rights
C) the Garrity protection clause
D) city ordinances

Question 50

Complaints handled inappropriately often become _________________.

Question 51

The Pinch Model illustrates the importance of __________________ in dealing with complaints and the consequences of not doing so effectively.

Question 52

Although some conflicts are negative in nature, ___________ conflicts challenge the status quo and offer constructive alternatives.

Question 54

A person filing a grievance is known as a(n) _________________.

Question 55

A ______________ is a major problem, whereas a _________ is a minor problem.

Question 56

The process of dispute resolution in which one or more impartial third parties intervenes in a conflict or dispute with the consent of the participants and assists them in negotiating a consensual and informed agreement is called _______________.

Question 58

The most frequent source of conflict is __________.

A) department personnel
B) officers and citizens
C) managers and subordinates
D) senior management and elected officials

Question 59

Officers most likely to receive complaints against them were __________.

A) those assigned to patrol duties
B) those assigned to the investigative division
C) those over age 45, with more than 12 years of police experience
D) those with a college degree

Question 60

If a complaint leads to an internal affairs investigation in which criminal behavior by the officer is suspected, __________.

A) the criminal investigation should be conducted first, including giving the Miranda warning if applicable
B) the administrative investigation should be conducted first, including the Miranda warning if applicable
C) the criminal investigation should be conducted first, including a Garrity warning if applicable
D) the administrative investigation should be conducted first, including a Garrity warning if applicable

Question 61

What major sources of conflict exist in the law enforcement organization and how do managers' actions affect departmental conflict and conflict resolution?

Question 62

Discuss the controversy surrounding use of civilian review boards-what claims are made by proponents and opponents of such boards.

Question 63

Explain Garrity protection and discuss the circumstances under which it applies.

Question 64

What is accomplished by healthy conflict? What are the keys to maintaining healthy conflict?

Question 65

Illustrate the Pinch Model and discuss the significance of communication in it.