Situational Judgment Scenarios Flashcards

You are dispatched to a noise complaint at a party. Upon arrival, you smell marijuana but it is legal in your state for adults. What do you do?

Answer: Address the noise complaint, verify legal adult use, and leave if no other violations exist

Where marijuana is legal, officers should focus on the original complaint and ensure no underage use or other violations are present.

While off duty and out of jurisdiction, you witness a serious felony in progress. What should you do?

Answer: Call 911, identify yourself as off-duty law enforcement, and provide information to responding units

Off-duty officers should contact local dispatch, identify themselves, and support responding officers rather than taking unilateral action.

A supervisor orders you to write a report in a way that omits key facts that are unfavorable to the department. You should:

Answer: Refuse, write an accurate report, and if necessary report the supervisor's conduct

Officers are obligated to write truthful, accurate reports regardless of supervisor pressure, and must report unethical orders.

You respond to a call about a man with a knife standing in a park. As you approach, he drops the knife and sits on the ground crying. What do you do?

Answer: Secure the weapon, approach calmly, and assess his mental state before deciding on next steps

Once the immediate threat is neutralized, officers should assess the individual's mental and emotional state and determine appropriate next steps.

You are writing a use-of-force report and realize you forgot to document an important detail. The report has already been submitted. What do you do?

Answer: Submit an addendum or supplemental report with the missing information

Submitting a supplemental or addendum report is the proper procedure for adding omitted information after a report has been filed.

You stop a teenager who appears to be a runaway. She is scared and refuses to give her name. You should:

Answer: Try to build rapport, explain you want to help, and contact a juvenile specialist or social services

Building rapport and involving juvenile specialists or social services is the most effective and appropriate response for suspected runaways.

During a traffic stop, the driver provides an out-of-state license and says his vehicle registration is at home. You cannot verify registration through dispatch. You should:

Answer: Issue a citation for failing to produce registration, document the plate and VIN, and allow him to drive if no other violations exist

Issuing a citation and documenting vehicle details allows the process to proceed legally while giving the driver a chance to produce proof later.