Today I’m going to discuss one practice question that you might see on the Civil Service Police Exam. When you read the scenario question below, simply use common sense to decide what to do next. Don’t over analyze the question. I have given an explanation right after the sample question but feel free to leave your comments on what you would do if you were the officer.
Scenario Question # 1
1. Officer Burton has just arrived at the scene of a domestic disturbance. Two other patrol officers are in the back of the residence, fighting with the husband. Officer Burton pulls out his non-lethal departmental approved baton and runs up to assist the officers. The wife steps up in front of him holding a large wooden stick. She then takes a swipe at Officer Burton. What should he do next?
A.Immediately move and try to snatch the wooden stick out of her hand and hope he does not get hurt.
B. Step back and call for more backup.
C. Immediately strike the wife with his non-lethal baton as hard as he can so she can drop the wooden stick.
D. Try to walk away from her and continue on to help the officer being attacked by husband.
Explanation:
The correct answer is C. As a police officer you will be trained to control and subdue combative individuals who pose a threat to you and others. In this situation, the wife posed a threat to Officer Burton and other officers. Because of this, he is justified in deploying his baton to the non-kill zone area of the wife’s body. Officer Burton’s action does not change just because the attacker is a women.
Important Note: If the scenario was different and the wife was coming at Officer Burton with a knife instead of a stick, then Officer Burton could use deadly force to control her.
For more sample questions visit Pass The Police Exam
