OPOTA Final Exam (Spos) Questions And
Answers Graded A+.
The relationship between a student performance objective and a test question - correct
answer. A test question must respond directly to an SPO and every SPO may be the
basis of a test question
The ultimate reason for law enforcement training - correct answer. To be able to
protect life and property of yourself and the public
A peace officer's main goals - correct answer. 1. Enforce laws
2. Preserve the peace
3. Prevent crimes
4. Protect civil rights and liberties
5. Provide services
Considerations when exercising discretion - correct answer. •Use sound judgment to
determine which laws are to be formally enforced
•Determine if there is a more constructive remedy to a situation without an arrest or
citation (e.g., referring a homeless person to a shelter rather than a trespassing arrest)
Factors necessary for the commission of a crime (crime triangle) - correct answer. 1.
Desire
•The motivation behind criminal behavior (e.g., financial gain, power, revenge, fear,
narcotics usage)
•This factor is the most difficult to change
2. Victim
•The potential target
•Criminals prefer an easy target that is unaware of his/her surroundings or lacking
proper security precautions
•Difficult to change this factor due to individual personalities
3. Opportunity
,•Removing opportunity for crime with proper security measures applied to the victim's
environment (e.g., locking doors/windows, removing valuables from open view, good
lighting)
•Most effective area to concentrate crime prevention strategies
Core concepts of community policing - correct answer. - a partnership between the
police and the community
- crime prevention
- organizational change of the agency
- a problem- solving approach to the police role that is proactive
Considerations for off duty situations - correct answer. 1. Behavior
•An officer's behavior is often scrutinized by the community even when not on duty
•Not only does this refer to physical and verbal actions, but also online activity on social
media
•An officer is expected to uphold the law enforcement code of ethics
2. Situational awareness
•An officer should make every effort to remain alert even when not working
•You never know when you may need to transition quickly from a private citizen to a
peace officer
•Make certain to preplan with your family should a situation arise while together. Create
a number of scenarios for your family to practice
•Familiarize yourself with your agency's off duty weapon policy
Be a good witness if a situation arises when police intervention is necessary
•If the situation involves a reasonable belief of serious physical harm, provide a
response as soon as practical
•However, if the situation is less serious, the best course of action is to observe the
incident until uniformed officers respond
•If you become involved, make contact withdispatch as soon as possible to provide
information about the incident and information about yourself (e.g., clothing you are
wearing, car you are driving, description of offenders and victims, pertinent officer safety
information)
State the purpose of the bill of rights - correct answer. - protect an individual's
freedoms
- prevent the government from interfering in protected rights
Describe the major components of the criminal justice system - correct answer. 1.
Law enforcement
2. Courts
3. Corrections
List the goals of sentencing - correct answer. 1. punish the offender and in many
cases, rehabilitate the offender
2. Protect society
,3. Restore the victim as much as possible
The concepts of lawful actions and police legitimacy - correct answer. 1. Lawful -
defined by laws and standards
•Criminal law - identifies what actions are prohibited
•Rules of agency (e.g., administrative rules, general orders, standard operating
procedures)
•Constitutional law (e.g., Fourth, Fifth, Sixth Amendments)
•Officers can act lawfully and within the parameters of agency policy and the citizenry
still not perceive there to be police legitimacy - there can be lawful, but awful
interactions
2. Police legitimacy - exists when the public views the police as authorized to exercise
power in order to maintain social order, manage conflicts, and solve problems in the
community
Three resulting judgments of police legitimacy in action that translate into positive
results - correct answer. Judgment
- Public trust and confidence in the police as being honest, trying to do jobs well, trying
to protect the community
Result - Individuals are more likely to become actively involved in police-community
partnerships
Judgment - Public willingness to defer to the law and police authority
Result - There is a correlation between those who obey the laws and those who view
the police as legitimate; in addition, those who see the police as legitimate have an
increased willingness to cooperate by reporting crimes and providing valuable
information about known and suspected offenders
Judgment - Public belief that police actions are morally justified and appropriate
Result - Citizens are more likely to cooperate and defer in moments of crisis
Circumstances when filming police officers is permissible - correct answer. •At least
one party to the encounter consents or
•When officers are carrying out their duties in public, so long as it does not interfere with
the officers carrying out their duties
The relationship between race, genetics, and physical characteristics - correct answer.
•Race is a modern concept used to classify people by similar, observable physical
characteristics
•It is not, as many people think, based on genetics
•Despite surface appearances, humans are one of the most genetically similar of all
species and ...
•Within the human species, there is no distinct genetic profile that completely
distinguishes one so-called race from another
, •This is because most genetically influenced traits, like skin color, hair, eye shape, blood
type, athleticism, and intelligence, are inherited completely independent of one another
The connection between in-groups, out-groups and police legitimacy - correct answer.
•Some individuals interpret their encounters with police in terms of their group's societal
position rather than, or in addition to, the immediate circumstances of the police contact
Types of racism - correct answer. Individual racism - Internalized, unexpressed
biases and prejudices based on race
Interpersonal racism - Occurs between individuals. Includes public expressions of racial
prejudice and hate made by individuals
Institutional racism
•Race based discriminatory policies and treatment that are produced and perpetuated
by institutions (e.g., schools, mass media, governments, banks) that result in inequitable
opportunities and impacts
•Occurs within and between institutions
•Includes the discriminatory actions of individuals exercising the authority of the
institution (e.g., a bank loan officer, representing a banking institution, treating someone
with racial bias; a police officer, representing a law enforcement institution, treating
someone with racial bias)
Structural racism
•Refers to the collective way history, culture, and institutions reinforce and perpetuate
racializedoutcomes, even in the absence of racist intent
•It is broadly encompassing - it touches on all aspects of society (e.g., history, politics,
economics) and is the foundation from which the other types of racism emerge
•Indicators include power inequalities, unequal access to opportunities, and differing
policy outcomes by race, whether or not intentional
Components of bias - correct answer. •Stereotypes - generalizations about the
perceived "typical" characteristics of a social category (i.e., cognitive component)
‒We categorize people by age, gender, race, and role
‒Stereotypes do not necessarily have to have a negative connotation, as social
scientists point out that it is just a way for our brain to quickly sort people into
recognizable groups
•Prejudices - an often negative prejudgment based on characteristics such as race, age,
etc. that is not necessarily reasonable or logical
•Attitude - positive or negative feelings associated with individuals or groups; the
tendency to like or dislike, or to act favorably or unfavorably, toward someone or
something
Bias-based profiling and criminal profiling - correct answer. •Bias-based profiling,
racial profiling, and illegal profiling have the same meaning and are used
interchangeably
