Deck 5: Policing and Professional Conduct

Question 1

A(n) _____ can be symptomatic of an unethical behavior pattern.

A) chronic performance problem
B) officer's involvement in a use of force incident
C) officer's involvement in a resisting arrest incident
D) average number of citizen complaints
E) All of the above.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Many experts on policing believe that the single greatest obstacle to achieving accountability for police behavior is:

A) the news media.
B) police agency policy.
C) individual police officers.
D) the police subculture.
E) all of the above.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Because mutual support, group solidarity, and loyalty are critical to survival in police work, an officer can tolerate non-serious misconduct on the part of another officer.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

If officers are well trained and educated, policing strategy can be effective without community support.

Question 5

An early warning symptom reporting system can be used to identify problem officers and, ultimately, administer timely corrective interventions.

Question 6

The results of a study of police officers indicated that most officers will report any type of misconduct on the part of another officer.

Question 7

Nothing undermines public confidence, trust, and support for the police more than unethical police conduct.

Question 8

Most police activity is situational, discretionary, and agency-specific, involving the use of some type of force.

Question 9

A common characteristic of professions and professionalism includes: a a private service orientation.
B) supervisory training.
C) a code of ethics and standards of conduct.
D) a system for credentialing chief executive officers.
E) all of the above.

Question 10

Since the police are continually the targets of ethical evaluation, they must assume a leadership role by acting responsibly and professionally to gain and maintain the public's trust and support.

Question 11

Maintenance of an ethical standard of conduct is one of an organization's responsibilities.Therefore, a police officer need not intervene to prevent or respond to unethical behavior demonstrated by another officer.

Question 12

Police officer bills of rights:

A) have been enacted in all states to protect officers from arbitrary punitive action.
B) are an alternative to policies that support police management rights to control officer conduct.
C) are designed to protect incompetent officers.
D) expressly provide statutory rights to protect officers from arbitrary disciplinary action.
E) all of the above.

Question 13

A distinction between the police subculture and many other occupational subcultures include:

A) the degree to which values and beliefs are informally promulgated and adhered to.
B) occupational stress.
C) the presence of danger.
D) the need for a defense mechanism against perceived threats from others.
E) all of the above.

Question 14

A subculture is:

A) an enclave within a culture.
B) characterized by a distinct, integrated network of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
C) a mechanism for self-protection.
D) something that develops in all occupations.
E) all of the above.

Question 15

Unethical police behavior can be prevented if police agencies:

A) exercise care in the recruitment and selection of officers.
B) communicate professional values.
C) hold officers accountable for their actions.
D) take corrective action when unethical conduct occurs.
E) all of the above.

Question 16

The consequences of police misconduct and unethical behavior include:

A) full enforcement of the law.
B) miscarriages of justice.
C) enhanced relationships with the media.
D) a positive police public image.
E) all of the above.

Question 17

A police subculture can have positive as well as negative qualities and consequences.

Question 18

The police encounter dangerous situations and officers are often expected to solve problems that officers create and have the capacity to resolve.

Question 19

Unethical (unprofessional) police behavior:

A) is systemic.
B) manifests itself rarely and in only a few forms.
C) is typically limited to municipal police agencies.
D) is displayed by some individual officers.
E) all of the above.

Question 20

An ethical culture can be established and maintained in a police organization through:

A) leadership that models ethical behavior.
B) unification of individuals in support of ethical behavior.
C) ethics education and training.
D) ethics integration in personal as well as professional lives.
E) all of the above.