Use these DSST Introduction to Law Enforcement sample questions to review the history of policing, the United States criminal-justice process, law-enforcement systems, police organization and management, community policing, discretion, problem-oriented policing, and constitutional law.
Topics Covered
- History of modern policing
- Roles within the criminal-justice system
- Crime measurement and victimization data
- Federal, state, and local law-enforcement systems
- Police hierarchy and chain of command
- Community policing
- Police discretion and ethics
- Problem-oriented policing
- Fourth Amendment investigative stops
- Miranda and custodial interrogation
Sample Questions
- A. August Vollmer
- B. Sir Robert Peel
- C. O. W. Wilson
- D. J. Edgar Hoover
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Sir Robert Peel is closely associated with the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829 and the development of London’s Metropolitan Police.
His name is also the source of the traditional nickname bobbies for British police officers.
- A. Prosecutor
- B. Defense attorney
- C. Probation officer
- D. Court clerk
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Prosecutors represent the government in criminal cases and exercise substantial discretion over charging decisions.
Defense attorneys represent the accused, while probation officers and court clerks perform different functions.
- A. National Crime Victimization Survey
- B. National Incident-Based Reporting System
- C. Police personnel roster
- D. Court sentencing database
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The National Crime Victimization Survey asks people about criminal victimizations they experienced, including incidents never reported to police.
Law-enforcement reporting systems such as NIBRS are based on crimes known to participating law-enforcement agencies.
- A. Municipal police department
- B. Federal Bureau of Investigation
- C. United States Secret Service
- D. Drug Enforcement Administration
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Municipal police departments typically handle routine patrol, calls for service, local criminal-law enforcement, and city ordinances.
Federal agencies have specialized federal responsibilities rather than general responsibility for ordinary municipal patrol.
- A. The formal line of authority through supervisory levels
- B. A list of criminal statutes arranged by penalty
- C. The sequence used to process physical evidence
- D. A rotating schedule for patrol assignments
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The chain of command identifies how authority and responsibility flow through an organization.
It helps employees know who supervises them, who receives reports, and where decisions are made within the hierarchy.
- A. Focusing only on arrests after crimes occur
- B. Building ongoing partnerships with residents to identify and address local problems
- C. Assigning all patrol decisions exclusively to federal agencies
- D. Eliminating officer discretion in every situation
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Community policing emphasizes partnerships between law enforcement and the public, along with collaborative problem solving.
The approach seeks to address underlying community concerns rather than relying only on reactive enforcement.
- A. Ignore constitutional limits when circumstances seem urgent
- B. Choose among lawful alternatives when deciding how to handle a situation
- C. Create new criminal statutes while on patrol
- D. Overrule any decision made by a court
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Police discretion refers to judgment exercised within legal and departmental limits.
Depending on the law and policy, an officer may sometimes choose among several lawful responses to a situation.
- A. Problem-oriented policing
- B. Random patrol
- C. Strict military policing
- D. Reactive case processing
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Problem-oriented policing focuses on recurring problems rather than treating each incident as isolated.
A commonly used framework is SARA: scanning, analysis, response, and assessment.
- A. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime occurred
- B. A warrant signed by a judge in every case
- C. Reasonable suspicion based on specific and articulable facts
- D. A completed criminal conviction
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Terry v. Ohio recognized that a brief investigatory stop may be reasonable under the Fourth Amendment when supported by reasonable suspicion.
A protective frisk for weapons requires an additional reasonable basis to believe the person is armed and dangerous.
- A. Any conversation between an officer and a member of the public
- B. Custodial interrogation
- C. Every traffic stop regardless of questioning
- D. Every request for identification
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The core Miranda rule applies when a person is both in custody and subjected to interrogation.
The rule does not mean that every police conversation, routine question, or brief encounter automatically requires Miranda warnings.
How to Use These Questions
For organization and management questions, distinguish formal structure from policing strategies. Terms such as chain of command, community policing, problem-oriented policing, and discretion describe different aspects of how law-enforcement agencies operate.
For constitutional-law questions, identify the stage of the encounter first. A brief investigative stop, an arrest, a search, and custodial interrogation involve different legal standards.
These practice questions are not official DSST questions and are not endorsed by DSST or Prometric.