Deck 10: Police Officers

Question 1

It is difficult to assess effects of age on officer performance because age is related to police experience.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Representation of women and minorities on local police agencies is greater in agencies serving:

A) suburban areas
B) rural area
C) small populations
D) large populations

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The largest 2 percent of local police agencies employ what percentage of local police officers?

A) over 80 percent
B) over 50 percent
C) over 60 percent
D) over 70 percent

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The "police personality" includes characteristics of:

A) authoritarianism
B) cynicism
C) suspicion
D) all of the above

Question 5

Some observers have concluded that policing is a tainted occupation.

Question 6

Most applicants for police jobs are motivated by a desire to do meaningful work.

Question 7

Most police officers in local American police agencies work in organizations that are:

A) large
B) small
C) state level
D) none of the above

Question 8

Lundman argues traditional police training teaches values/attitudes of police culture through its:

A) formal content
B) field training component
C) informal content
D) recruit selection process

Question 9

Lundman suggests that changes in recruitment, selection, and training have served to:

A) produce more different types of police officers
B) narrow the view police hold of their job
C) reduce the quality of police officers
D) increase the numbers of police officers

Question 10

Police officers working in local police agencies in America are predominantly:

A) white females
B) minorities and females
C) white males
D) black males

Question 11

In Muir's typology of police officers, the officer who had passion was one who was:

A) uncomfortable using force
B) comfortable using force
C) insensitive to others
D) able to empathize with others

Question 12

Typologies and the stereotypes they produce are designed to discriminate against people.

Question 13

Characteristics of the job of policing seem important as explanations of how police officers come to be different from civilians, including:

A) danger
B) power
C) uniforms
D) all of the above

Question 14

Females comprise fewer than what percentage of local police officers?

A) 20 percent
B) 10 percent
C) 5 percent
D) 3 percent

Question 15

Initial research into the police personality sought an explanation in the characteristics of people who:

A) became police officers
B) selected police officers
C) observed the police
D) trained police officers

Question 16

Most comparisons between male and female officers report:

A) males are better
B) no differences in performance
C) females are better
D) some differences exist

Question 17

In a survey of police training programs, field training officers and programs were reported in about:

A) two- thirds of agencies
B) one- tenth of agencies
C) one- half of agencies
D) one- quarter of agencies

Question 18

Police socialization is the process by which police officers learn the values, skills, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of policing.

Question 19

In the early 1970s, police agencies changed their recruitment process to increase the number of minority officers by:

A) increasing the pool of minority candidates
B) dropping civil service tests
C) increasing height and weight requirements
D) all of the above

Question 20

Supporters of college education for police officers argue that such education will:

A) improve officer communications
B) make officers more sensitive to citizens
C) gain public respect for the police
D) all of the above

Question 21

In a test of police officer typologies, Hochstedler concluded that the data clearly confirmed the existence of types.

Question 22

According to Van Maamen, the police recruit first tests his or her expectations of policing with the realities of the job in the period of encounter.

Question 23

The weight of existing evidence generally supports the existence of a unique police personality.

Question 24

The very existence of so many police officer typologies indicates that they are not very useful.

Question 25

Most typologies of police officers identify one type, which focuses primarily on crime- control efforts.

Question 26

Research indicates no differences in decisions or behavior between white and black officers.

Question 27

To date, little research has been reported which attempts to evaluate links between police attitudes and behaviors.

Question 28

More highly educated officers appear to encounter more friction in their interactions with the public than do less educated officers.

Question 29

The effect of officer type on officer actions is influenced or constrained by agency policies.

Question 30

The Equal Employment Opportunity Act requires that criteria used to select employees must be bona fide occupational qualifications.