Deck 4: The Structure and Roles of the Police

Question 1

The RCMP has always been the provincial police force in all of the provinces except Quebec and Ontario.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

RCMP officers are not accountable to the provincial police acts in the jurisdictions that they police.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Unlike their municipal and provincial counterparts, RCMP officers are prohibited by legislation from forming a union.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The powers and authority of Aboriginal police officers are limited to reserve lands.

Question 5

There are more private security officers than police officers in Canada.

Question 6

The aspect of policing that is most often the subject of public criticism and investigation is the order maintenance category.

Question 7

Police work involves the frequent use of force.

Question 8

Unlike police recruits in municipal police forces, who are hired by the police department prior to being sent for recruit training, RCMP recruits in training are not members of the RCMP.

Question 9

Crime control activities generally occupy 50 percent of police officers' time.

Question 10

The concept of the "working personality of the police" has been discredited by research studies.

Question 11

Studies show that police work is less dangerous than garbage collection.

Question 12

Policing is the largest component of the justice system and gets the biggest slice of the funding pie (approximately 60 percent).

Question 13

The areas that police officers become involved in can be divided into three major categories: crime control, order maintenance, and crime prevention and service.

Question 14

Police work in itself prevents crime.

Question 15

Funding for Aboriginal police forces comes solely from the federal government.

Question 16

Every police service in Canada operates under local and provincial political authority.

Question 17

Unlike RCMP officers, provincial and municipal police officers are not allowed to participate in international peacekeeping missions.

Question 18

Police are able to resolve 97 percent of incidents with their presence and communication skills.

Question 19

Private police officers cannot arrest and detain someone who commits an offence on private property.

Question 20

Private security officers are not held accountable to any form of oversight commission or community officials, which is a concern with the increasing number of private security officers.

Question 21

Where were the first police constables in Canada, and when were they hired?

A) British soldiers were hired in Ontario by the federal government in the early-1600s.
B) Constables were hired in Toronto in the mid-1800s.
C) Constables were appointed in Quebec City in the mid-1600s.
D) Americans were hired by the government of Upper Canada in the mid-1800s.

Question 22

Joyce is applying for employment with several police agencies. In her application she notes that she is fluent in French, she has volunteered with at-risk youth, and she has a post-secondary certificate in criminal justice. Which of the following categories are these examples of?

A) essential abilities
B) non-essential abilities
C) basic qualifications
D) preferred qualifications

Question 23

Kelly is an RCMP officer who serves in the municipality of Richmond, British Columbia. What is this form of policing called?

A) private policing
B) contract policing
C) plural policing
D) political policing

Question 24

Which of the following is NOT an organizational feature of the RCMP?

A) centralized training
B) a transfer policy
C) unionization
D) a broad mandate

Question 25

Which statement best describes regional police services in Canada?

A) They are found primarily in the eastern regions of the country.
B) They are found primarily in the western regions of the country.
C) They are prohibited by law in Quebec.
D) They have been shown to be more effective than other forms of policing.

Question 26

What difficulty do First Nations police forces face?

A) They exist only in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario.
B) They have authority to police only on reserve lands.
C) They are required to have recruitment standards equal to those of the RCMP.
D) They have had difficulty attracting qualified recruits.

Question 27

Which statement best describes private security officers working within Canada?

A) They are involved only in protecting businesses and industries.
B) They don't collaborate with regular police officers.
C) They can arrest and detain persons on private property.
D) They do not have to adhere to Charter provisions when making an arrest.

Question 28

David owns a private security firm that provides extensive security and investigative services to the local public. He employs many officers who engage in activities that are quite similar to those of public police officers. Which of the following is this practice an example of?

A) the politicization of policing
B) the pluralisation of policing
C) the contractual obligation of policing
D) the operationalization of policing

Question 29

Trevor is a security officer who works in a firm specializing in neighbourhood security. What form of policing is Trevor engaging in?

A) private policing
B) contract policing
C) plural policing
D) political policing

Question 30

What model applies to police recruit training in Canada?

A) It is based on a standardized training model.
B) It includes only a post-employment training model.
C) It includes both pre-employment training models and post-employment training models.
D) It includes only a pre-employment model.

Question 31

Which of the following is indicated by statistics on women, visible minorities, and Aboriginal persons in policing?

A) Female officers comprise approximately 40 percent of police officers in Canada.
B) Visible minorities (excluding Aboriginals) are adequately represented in policing as compared to their numbers in the general Canadian population.
C) Aboriginal persons are adequately represented in policing as compared to their numbers in the general Canadian population.
D) Aboriginal persons are underrepresented in policing as compared to their numbers in the general Canadian population.

Question 32

According to the Law Reform Commission of Canada, police services must strive to be cost-effective. Which of the following key values of police work does this relate to?

A) accountability
B) efficiency
C) justice
D) equality

Question 33

What does the term "working personality of the police" refer to?

A) the attitudes and behaviours of police officers
B) the many personalities that police officers may display while on duty
C) the reasons why police officers behave the way they do
D) the characteristics that are similar to those of other criminal justice professionals

Question 34

According to the Law Reform Commission of Canada, all individuals are entitled to police services. Which of the following key values of police work does this entitlement relate to?

A) efficiency
B) justice
C) equality
D) accountability

Question 35

Leah is a police officer who is responding to a 911 call about a very loud party in a residential neighbourhood. What category of police work does this call fall into?

A) crime control
B) order maintenance
C) crime prevention
D) due process

Question 36

Policing scholars have acknowledged that the police no longer have a monopoly on policing and that an increasing role in community safety and security is being played by private security officers and para-police officers. What is the term for this phenomenon?

A) centralization of policing
B) decentralization of policing
C) division of policing
D) pluralisation of policing

Question 37

According to the Law Reform Commission of Canada, what are the four key values that form the framework within which to understand police work in Canadian society?

A) justice, equality, accountability, evaluation
B) justice, equality, accountability, efficiency
C) justice, equality, assessment, evaluation
D) justice, equality, assessment, efficiency

Question 38

Damon is a police officer who has been dispatched to police a political protest. What category of police work does this call fall into?

A) crime control
B) due process
C) order maintenance
D) crime prevention

Question 39

Ava is a police officer who works for the RCMP. What form of policing does she practice?

A) federal policing
B) provincial/territorial policing
C) municipal policing
D) private policing

Question 40

Taylor is a police officer who has been dispatched to deal with a reported physical assault. What category of police work does this call fall into?

A) crime control
B) order maintenance
C) crime prevention
D) due process

Question 41

Tony is a police officer serving with the Sûreté du Québec. What form of policing does he practice?

A) federal policing
B) provincial/territorial policing
C) municipal policing
D) contract policing

Question 42

Following several days of a large-scale anti-pollution protest, the Vancouver police intervene to shut the protest down. What type of policing is this an example of?

A) private policing
B) plural policing
C) political policing
D) contract policing

Question 43

Olivia, a police officer who works in an urban area of Winnipeg, is concerned about the increasing numbers of persons with mental illness (PwMI) she is encountering in her day-to-day duties. Many of the calls she responds to involve PwMI, and she often ends up arresting such individuals. Which of the following factors that influence the role and activities of police is this trend an example of?

A) downloading
B) legislation
C) diversity
D) government

Question 44

Maria is applying for jobs with several police agencies. In her application she notes that she is a Canadian citizen, is 25 years old, and has graduated high school. These are examples of which category?

A) essential abilities
B) non-essential abilities
C) preferred qualifications
D) basic qualifications

Question 45

Briefly discuss the structure of Canadian policing, including the four levels at which police services are carried out.

Question 46

Identify and briefly describe the distinctive organizational characteristics of the RCMP.

Question 47

Discuss and define the concept of "contract policing." How is contract policing arranged in Canada? What are some of the strengths of employing contract policing? What are some of the weaknesses?

Question 48

Define the term "pluralisation of policing." How does this term relate to the current state of policing in Canada?

Question 49

What are some of the potential consequences of the attributes of the "working personality" of the police?

Question 50

Discuss how each of the following influences the role and activities of the police: a) legislation; b) geography and demographics; and c) the ethnic and cultural diversity of Canadian society.

Question 51

Describe what is meant by the "working personality of the police" and how this concept furthers our understanding of policing.

Question 52

What are the key features of the "working personality" of the police?

Question 53

Discuss the role of Canadian police services in peacekeeping activities.

Question 54

Briefly discuss the role of private security services in Canadian society.

Question 55

Identify and briefly discuss two of the common misconceptions of modern police work.

Question 56

The organizational features of the RCMP distinguish this police force from other police services in Canada. Consider the positive and potentially problematic aspects of these features.

Question 57

Review the basic and preferred qualifications required of candidates applying to police services. What is your opinion about these qualifications? Do you think that these are sufficient and/or appropriate? In your view, are there other qualifications not listed that should be considered?

Question 58

Many police services include postsecondary education as a preferred qualification. What is your view about the importance that is attached to a college or university degree? What assumptions do you feel are being made by such a requirement?

Question 59

Identify and define the four key values forming the framework for understanding police work in Canada (as described by the Law Reform Commission in Canada. How do these values relate to policing in a democratic society?

Question 60

Discuss your conception of modern police work and whether or not you previously held any of the common misconceptions of police work prior to reading Chapter 4. Did any of the "truths" about police work in modern society surprise you? What led you to believe in some, or all, of the misconceptions regarding police work? How do you suggest the public be informed about the role of the police in "reality" so as to prevent the development of unmet expectations?

Question 61

Discuss regional police services. What are the reasons behind the development of regional police services? Additionally, discuss the pros and cons of regional police services, including discussion of how they may be more beneficial than municipal police services. What are your students' opinions on the use of regional services? Would certain types of crime be easier to address if regional police services existed, rather than independent municipal police services? Discuss the potential challenges in implementing a regional police service where municipal police services currently exist.

Question 62

Discuss the use of private security services in Canada, noting the changes throughout the years. What is your opinion about the use of private security services? Share any previous experiences you've had with private security services. Do you have any concerns about their role in Canadian society?

Question 63

One of the primary concerns with the rise of private security services in Canada is their structure of accountability, which is vastly different from that of public police services. Do you think it's appropriate to have different accountability structures for private versus public police services? Would you recommend any changes be made to the accountability structures in place for private security services?

Question 64

Define, compare, and contrast the following three terms: police acts, policing standards, and police boards/commissions. How do these three mechanisms contribute to the governance of the police in Canada?

Question 65

Define and discuss the three major traditional categories underlying the role of police officers. How might these categories have changed over time? How might these categories interact with each other?