POST Reading Comprehension Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A police report states: 'The suspect fled eastbound on Oak Street, then turned northbound onto Elm Avenue.' Which direction was the suspect last traveling?
- East
- North (Correct answer)
- West
- South
Correct answer: North
The suspect's last stated direction of travel was northbound on Elm Avenue.
Question 2: A policy manual states: 'Officers shall not discharge their firearm in a crowded area unless there is an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury that cannot be mitigated by other means.' An officer in a crowded mall sees a man threatening another person with a knife but a clear shot exists. What does the policy require the officer to consider FIRST?
- Whether the shot is accurate enough
- Whether other means can mitigate the threat (Correct answer)
- Whether backup has been called
- Whether bystanders can evacuate
Correct answer: Whether other means can mitigate the threat
The policy specifies that discharge is only permitted if the threat cannot be mitigated by other means.
Question 3: A witness statement reads: 'I saw two men arguing. The taller one pushed the shorter one, who then fell and hit his head on the curb.' Who fell and hit their head?
- The taller man
- The shorter man (Correct answer)
- Both men
- Neither man; they both ran
Correct answer: The shorter man
The shorter man was pushed by the taller man and fell, hitting his head on the curb.
Question 4: An incident report reads: 'At 1435 hours the call was received; officers arrived at 1448 hours.' How long did it take officers to arrive after the call was received?
- 11 minutes
- 13 minutes (Correct answer)
- 15 minutes
- 17 minutes
Correct answer: 13 minutes
From 1435 to 1448 is 13 minutes.
Question 5: A department directive states: 'Any use of force beyond soft empty-hand control must be documented within 24 hours of the incident.' An officer uses a control hold at 10:00 PM on Monday. By what time must documentation be completed?
- 10:00 AM Tuesday
- 10:00 PM Tuesday (Correct answer)
- Midnight Monday
- Before the end of the officer's shift
Correct answer: 10:00 PM Tuesday
24 hours after 10:00 PM Monday is 10:00 PM Tuesday.
Question 6: A passage states: 'Investigative interviews differ from interrogations in that interviews are information-gathering conversations, while interrogations are accusatory in nature and aimed at obtaining a confession.' Which statement is MOST consistent with this passage?
- Interrogations are used to gather neutral information
- Interviews are accusatory and confession-focused
- Interviews gather information without accusation (Correct answer)
- Both processes are identical in purpose
Correct answer: Interviews gather information without accusation
The passage defines interviews as information-gathering and non-accusatory, contrasting with interrogations.
Question 7: A crime bulletin reads: 'Be on the lookout for a white sedan, possibly a Honda, with a cracked rear windshield and a missing front license plate.' An officer spots a white Honda with an intact rear windshield and a missing front plate. How closely does this vehicle match the bulletin?
- Exact match on all details
- Partial match — two details match, one does not (Correct answer)
- No match — missing plate is not relevant
- Full match — the cracked windshield may have been repaired
Correct answer: Partial match — two details match, one does not
The vehicle matches on color/make and missing front plate but the rear windshield is intact rather than cracked, making it a partial match.
POST Reading Comprehension Skills 2
A police report states: 'The suspect fled eastbound on Oak Street, then turned northbound onto Elm Avenue.' Which direction was the suspect last traveling?