DSST® practice test

Free DSST Introduction to Law Enforcement Practice Test

This is a set of 25 original practice questions that follow the official DSST Introduction to Law Enforcement content outline and its topic weights, each with a short explanation. Answer all 25, then read the explanations to see which topics need more study.

  • 25 questions
  • 5 topics from the official outline
  • No timer
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The practice test

25 questions

Question 1 of 25Under Terry v. Ohio, what level of proof does an officer need to briefly stop a person and pat down the outer clothing for weapons?
Question 2 of 25Which theory, set out by James Q. Wilson and George Kelling in 1982, holds that leaving minor disorder such as graffiti and broken windows unaddressed invites more serious crime?
Question 3 of 25Which federal program transfers surplus military equipment, such as armored vehicles, from the Department of Defense to local police?
Question 4 of 25After an arrest, which official decides whether to file criminal charges and which charges to bring?
Question 5 of 25An officer sees a partner commit misconduct but says nothing, following the unwritten rule that officers do not report one another. This norm of police subculture is known as
Question 6 of 25A city hospital's computer files are suddenly encrypted, and the attackers demand payment in cryptocurrency for the key to unlock them. What kind of cybercrime is this?
Question 7 of 25In states that separate the two, how does a highway patrol usually differ from a state police agency?
Question 8 of 25Which of these federal law enforcement agencies is part of the Department of Homeland Security rather than the Department of Justice?
Question 9 of 25Which Supreme Court case held that police use of force is judged by objective reasonableness, from the view of a reasonable officer on the scene rather than with hindsight?
Question 10 of 25Which of these is an example of a special district police agency?
Question 11 of 25A department sends officers right away to emergencies but handles minor, non-urgent calls, such as old thefts, by phone, online report or a scheduled visit. This strategy is
Question 12 of 25After 9/11, states and large cities set up hubs where federal, state and local agencies gather, analyze and share information about threats and crime. These hubs are called
Question 13 of 25Which early 1900s police chief of Berkeley, California, promoted college-educated officers and the first university police courses, and is often called the father of modern American policing?
Question 14 of 25Who pushed the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829 through Parliament, creating London's first full-time, uniformed police force?
Question 15 of 25Which Supreme Court case applied the exclusionary rule to state courts, so that evidence from an illegal search can't be used in a state trial?
Question 16 of 25A patrol sergeant directly supervises eight officers. The number of people a supervisor directly oversees is known as the
Question 17 of 25When must police give Miranda warnings?
Question 18 of 25In 1994 the New York City Police Department began using up-to-date crime statistics and maps in regular meetings that held precinct commanders accountable for crime in their areas. This system is called
Question 19 of 25At a sentencing hearing, a robbery victim tells the judge how the crime affected her finances and her sense of safety. This is called
Question 20 of 25An offender is released from prison after serving part of his sentence and must report to an officer and follow conditions in the community. This is
Question 21 of 25What was the main finding of the Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment of the early 1970s?
Question 22 of 25In most states, which law enforcement leader is elected by the voters of a county and typically also runs the county jail?
Question 23 of 25What does research on women in patrol work generally find?
Question 24 of 25At which court stage is a defendant formally read the charges and asked to plead guilty, not guilty or no contest?
Question 25 of 25Which national data source asks a sample of households about crimes they experienced, including crimes never reported to the police?

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