Deck 5: Police Personnel Roles and Functions

Question 1

Sheriffs tend to be____________________ than police chiefs.

A) older and less highly trained and educated
B) younger and more highly trained and educated
C) in charge of more valuable resources
D) more actively involved in civic activities

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is not one of the three major roles of CEOs under the Mintzberg model?

A) Negotiator
B) Informationa
C) Interpersonal
D) Decision-maker

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following "Ten Commandments" advocates building teamwork?

A) Practice what you preach.
B) Be abrupt, to the point.
C) Develop a positive image.
D) Accept assistance from others.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following is not one of the three basic skills that executives must develop?

A) Technical
B) Conceptual
C) Human
D) Authoritarian

Question 5

The assessment center method might include all but which of the following?

A) Psychological tests
B) Management tasks
C) Physical strength and agility tests
D) Role-playing exercises

Question 6

According to Dennis Nowicki,an essential quality for an entry-level officer that could help them best cope with the regular exposure to human pain and suffering.

A) Being well-adjusted
B) Being incorruptible
C) Having creativity
D) Having a sense of humor
E) None of the above

Question 7

The decision-maker role includes all but which of the following duties?

A) Liaison
B) Disturbance handler
C) Resource allocator
D) Entrepreneur

Question 8

A new approach to training new officers as well as an alternative to FTO is the:

A) Police Training Officer program, or PTO.
B) Skills and Tactical training, or SAT.
C) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities testing, or KSAs.
D) First-line Advancement Trainings, or FATS.

Question 9

Some of the most important tasks performed by police captains are all of the following,except:

A) Reviewing the final disposition of assignments.
B) Reviewing and approving overtime in the section/unit.
C) Monitoring section/unit operations to evaluate performance.
D) Holding the roll call.

Question 10

The executive's role that includes figurehead,leadership,and liaison duties is:

A) liaison.
B) spokesperson.
C) interpersonal.
D) leadership.

Question 11

Sheriffs have a unique role in all but which of the following?

A) Law enforcement
B) The courts
C) Corrections
D) Prisons

Question 12

Which one of the following duties is not an interpersonal role of a CEO?

A) Leadership
B) Figurehead
C) Spokesperson
D) Liaison

Question 13

Duties that include monitoring/inspecting and spokesperson functions are:

A) part of the liaison role.
B) part of the spokesperson role.
C) part of the negotiating role.
D) part of the informational role.

Question 14

A person who is overly would likely not become a good police officer.

A) well-adjusted
B) incorruptible
C) emotional
D) physically fit

Question 15

Which method has been developed to obtain the most capable people for executive positions?

A) "Johad Window"
B) Assessment center
C) Situational question/answer
D) Managerial grid

Question 16

A very difficult rank to hold,caught between upper management and rank-and-file officers,is that of:

A) sergeant.
B) corporal.
C) captain.
D) lieutenant.

Question 17

According to the author's discussion of Machiavelli,if the chief was promoted up the ranks and "inherited the kingdom" in a rather easy uncontested fashion,Machiavelli would likely advise the leader to:

A) Change the department to suit his style.
B) Avoid stupid mistakes.
C) Fire those in the department he or she does not like.
D) All the above
E) None of the above

Question 18

One of these duties is typical of a police lieutenant.

A) Reviewing the final disposition of assignments
B) Reviewing and approving overtime in the section/unit
C) Monitoring section/unit operations to evaluate performance
D) Responding to field calls requiring an on-scene commander

Question 19

According to the author's discussion of Machiavelli,if the chief executive was brought in from the outside the organization and had to compete with others for the position,perhaps insiders who were more highly qualified,Machiavelli would likely advise the leader to:

A) Change the department to suit his style.
B) Avoid stupid mistakes.
C) Build alliances.
D) All the above
E) None of the above

Question 20

The lowest yet very important level of leadership: this supervisor directs,controls,and evaluates the work of field personnel,and ensures that agency policies and procedures are followed.

A) Sergeant
B) Corporal
C) Captain
D) Lieutenant

Question 21

Specialized knowledge,analytical ability,and facility in the use of tools are found in the technical skill area.

Question 22

Recommendations by the U.S.Department of Justice,the National Institute of Justice and the RAND Corporation included all but which of the following recruiting measures?

A) Having one leader in charge of recruiting measures
B) Ignoring the academy dropout rate
C) Publicizing hiring campaigns
D) Including an online sample test on the agency website

Question 23

The assessment center method might include all but which of the following?

A) Psychological tests
B) Management tasks
C) Physical strength and agility tests
D) Role-playing exercises

Question 24

Machiavelli focused on those who have a newly acquired leadership role,and (for current purposes)both promoted from within their agency as well as hired from without.This is particularly apropos today,when job tenure for police chief executives is typically quite extensive.

Question 25

The founders of PTO believe that it provides all but which of the following?

A) The ability to be much more physically intimidating when necessary
B) A foundation for life-long learning
C) Evaluation of new officers on their understanding of community policing problem solving
D) A foundation for life-long learning and evaluation of new officers on their understanding of community policing and problem solving

Question 26

There are three types of political arenas: confrontation,shaky alliance,and a politicized organization.

Question 27

Assessment centers can include tests,exercises,tasks,and simulated interviews.

Question 28

Because the chief of police position is elective,it is possible that the only qualification for the job is one's ability to get votes.

Question 29

First-line supervisors are commonly felt to occupy the easiest position in the police hierarchy.

Question 30

Police chiefs cannot be terminated from their positions.

Question 31

It is said that the two types of law enforcement executives are those who have been sued,and those who are going to be sued.

Question 32

Because of its importance,the patrol function typically receives the greatest
amount of planning and analysis.

Question 33

Sheriffs are generally aligned with a political party.

Question 34

According to Mintzberg,there are three roles of the CEO: the intrapersonal,the informational,and the decision-maker roles.

Question 35

The position of sheriff has a long tradition,rooted in the time of the Norman Conquest.

Question 36

The spokesperson function of CEOs is a part of the decision-maker role,per Mintzberg.

Question 37

Middle management includes persons holding the ranks of sergeant and captain.

Question 38

Sheriffs are generally appointed by the city mayor.

Question 39

The police executive's function of engaging in labor negotiations would be part of the interpersonal function.

Question 40

Machiavelli's views of leadership nearly 500 years ago can be very instructive for today's police chief executives.

Question 41

Under PTO,new officers must successfully pass 25 core competencies,representing every type of skill,knowledge,and ability identified as essential for good policing.

Question 42

Police captains have more ____________ responsibilities than lieutenants or sergeants.

Question 43

The _________ ___________is a model that delineates and defines the primary roles of a chief executive officer.

Question 44

Supervising a group of subordinates is made more difficult because of the so-called ______ __________ because people are complex and sometimes unpredictable.

Question 45

Typically a captain or lieutenant coordinates agency units' activities and sees that the administrative strategies and overall mission are carried out.They are also known as ___________ management.

Question 46

As a resource allocator,the CEO must clearly understand the agency's_________ and its _____________.

Question 47

Traditionally,the job tenure of police chiefs has been __________.

Question 48

The 1500s Italian philosopher,Niccolo Machiavelli,focused on those who have a newly acquired ______________ role,and (for current purposes)both promoted from within their agency as well as hired from without.

Question 49

The skill that is the most easily trained for as an executive involves specialized knowledge,analytical ability,and facility in the use of the tools and techniques of the specific discipline and is known as _____________ ________.

Question 50

A process used for promoting and hiring personnel that may include oral interviews,psychological tests,group and in-basket exercises,and writing and role-playing is a hiring process referred to as a(n)___________________.

Question 51

Police departments' recruiting efforts should emphasize the challenges involved in becoming a police officer.

Question 52

Losing the job of police chief is not difficult.Although some,of course,lose their positions because of their shortcomings,others leave their post as a result of situations and conflicts outside their control.These conflicts have been termed political arenas and can be divided into three types: _________________,_________________ and ,________________.

Question 53

In another role identified by Mintzberg's model,the CEO engages in tasks relating to (1)monitoring/inspecting,(2)dissemination,and (3) spokesperson duties.This role is the _________________ one.

Question 54

As a___________,the CEO resolves employee grievances and,through an appointed representative at the bargaining table,tries to represent the best interests of both the city and labor during collective bargaining.

Question 55

Police agencies have stopped using social networking sites to perform background checks.

Question 56

The _________ ________supervisor is the lowest,yet very important level of leadership.This supervisor directs,controls,and evaluates the work of field personnel.

Question 57

____________ or _____________treatment is often expected of new sergeants by their former peers.

Question 58

______________ ___________features pervasive but muted conflict that is tolerable for a time.This kind of conflict is commonplace in American policing,and in this situation,the chief's survival depends on external support.

Question 59

The interpersonal role associated with the Mintzberg CEO model has the following three components: (1)___________,(2)_____________,and (3)______________.

Question 60

The ____________ supervisor is most closely associated with community policing.

Question 61

Out of the several recruiting measures described in the textbook,list and describe five of them.

Question 62

Out of the four distinct types of police supervisors described in Robin S.Engel's study of police supervisors,which type is the most effective type for the new policing era of homeland security? Explain why.

Question 63

The current "cop crunch" described in the textbook is exacerbated in many cities by exploding growth and a competitive job market.Out of several suggestions to remedy this challenge developed by a collaborative meeting between the U.S.Department of Justice,the National Institute of Justice,and the RAND Corporation,discuss two of the measures you agree with the most and explain why you believe these measures are superior to the others suggested.

Question 64

What are some similarities and differences between the FTO and PTO concepts?

Question 65

Describe some innovative strategies for recruiting and hiring the best police personnel,as well as training them after the academy under the field training officer (FTO)and police training officer (PTO)concepts.

Question 66

List the "Ten Commandments" of good executive leadership and briefly describe each.

Question 67

What are the components and advantages of the assessment center process for hiring and promoting police personnel?

Question 68

Describe how police agencies are using social networking sites to perform background checks.

Question 69

Dennis Nowicki, who compiled 12 qualities that he believes are imperative for entry-level police officers,described ______ _________ as making things happen,proactively solving difficult cases,and creating their own luck.