NYPD NYPD Entry Exam 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An officer observes a vehicle with a broken taillight and initiates a traffic stop. The driver provides a license, registration, and insurance card. Which action should the officer take FIRST?
- Issue a summons immediately
- Verify the documents through dispatch (Correct answer)
- Ask the driver to step out of the vehicle
- Call for backup before approaching
Correct answer: Verify the documents through dispatch
Officers must verify documents through dispatch to check for warrants or flags before taking further action.
Question 2: When writing a police report, which information is considered MOST essential to include?
- The officer's personal opinion of the suspect
- The exact time, date, location, and description of the incident (Correct answer)
- A summary of similar past incidents in the area
- Recommendations for sentencing
Correct answer: The exact time, date, location, and description of the incident
Accurate factual details — time, date, location, and incident description — form the foundation of a valid police report.
Question 3: A bystander reports witnessing a robbery and provides a description of the suspect. Which detail is MOST useful for an immediate search?
- The suspect's approximate age
- Clothing color and direction of flight (Correct answer)
- Whether the suspect appeared nervous
- The suspect's estimated weight
Correct answer: Clothing color and direction of flight
Clothing color and direction of flight are immediately actionable details that allow officers to locate a suspect quickly.
Question 4: Which of the following BEST describes the concept of 'reasonable suspicion' as it applies to police stops?
- A hunch based on an officer's gut feeling
- Articulable facts suggesting criminal activity may be occurring (Correct answer)
- Proof beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime was committed
- A warrant issued by a judge
Correct answer: Articulable facts suggesting criminal activity may be occurring
Reasonable suspicion requires specific, articulable facts that criminal activity is afoot, as established in Terry v. Ohio.
Question 5: A person approaches an officer on patrol and reports that her purse was stolen five minutes ago. The officer should FIRST:
- Broadcast a description of the suspect over the radio
- Ask the victim to come to the precinct to file a report
- Obtain a detailed description of the suspect and the direction of flight (Correct answer)
- Call a supervisor for guidance
Correct answer: Obtain a detailed description of the suspect and the direction of flight
Obtaining a suspect description and direction of flight immediately maximizes the chance of apprehension while the suspect is nearby.
Question 6: Under New York State law, how long can a person be held for questioning without being charged or released?
- 12 hours
- 24 hours
- 48 hours (Correct answer)
- 72 hours
Correct answer: 48 hours
New York law generally requires that a person be arraigned or released within 24 hours of arrest, but investigative holds prior to formal arrest are limited.
Question 7: An officer responds to a domestic dispute and finds both parties have visible injuries. What is the MOST appropriate action?
- Tell the parties to resolve the issue privately
- Separate the parties, gather information, and arrest the primary aggressor (Correct answer)
- Advise the couple to seek counseling
- Leave if both parties say nothing happened
Correct answer: Separate the parties, gather information, and arrest the primary aggressor
NYPD mandatory arrest policy requires officers to arrest the primary physical aggressor when visible injuries are present in a domestic dispute.
NYPD NYPD Entry Exam 2
An officer observes a vehicle with a broken taillight and initiates a traffic stop.
The driver provides a license, registration, and insurance card.
Which action should the officer take FIRST?