Supervision / Administration Flashcards
Which of the following would not be considered a good approach when a supervisor is involved in issuing a reprimand to an employee?
A: All employees should be treated equally.
B: Be certain that the reprimand is deserved.
C: Do it in private when possible.
D: Allow for an explanation or positive response from the employee.
A: All employees should be treated equally.
Evaluate the following statements as they relate to proper supervisory practices when investigating a complaint made by a citizen against a police officer.
- Record the statement of someone who was at the scene at the alleged time of occurrence but claims to have seen nothing.
- Bring the complainant and the accused officer together after initial statements have been obtained.
- Interview an intoxicated complainant.
A: All 3 actions would be proper
B: Only #1 and #2 would be proper
C: Only #2 and #3 would be proper
D: Only #1 and #3 would be proper
D: Only #1 and #3 would be proper
An individual who is experiencing frustrations to which he is unable to adapt may become emotional, irritable, or inflexible. And this may have a negative impact on his work performance.
Which of the following is not considered a common reaction to frustration?
A: Rationalization
B: Regression
C: Sensitization
D: Projection
C: Sensitization
The most obvious means of preventing frustrations arising out of the work environment is:
A: A well-positioned grievance procedure within the organization structure.
B: The discovery and removal of the underlying causes.
C: The mandate by top management that first-line supervisors engage in “participative management” whenever possible.
D: An emphasis on positive rather than negative discipline.
B: The discovery and removal of the underlying causes.
A police officer under your supervision comes to you to complain about a decision you have made in a specific assignment. You consider the matter to be unimportant but it seems to be very important to him. He is excited and angry. The best reaction by you would be to
A: tell him to take it up with the Captain.
B: refuse to talk to him until he has cooled down.
C: show him at once how unimportant the matter is and how absurd his argument is.
D: let him talk until “he gets it off his chest,” and then explain the reasons for your decision.
D: let him talk until “he gets it off his chest,” and then explain the reasons for your decision.
Which of the following would not be considered a basic rule which should be followed by supervisors when issuing reprimands?
A: Treat employees equally since they are individuals.
B: Be sure the reprimand is deserved.
C: Keep the process private if possible
D: Give the employee a chance to make a positive response.
A: A review question which you should have recognized
In the process of personnel management a transfer may, at times, be applicable. Which of the following would not be considered a valid reason for transferring a police officer from one command to another
A: To increase versatility through planned variation in experience
B: To meet fluctuations in work load
C: To shift a problem employee to a more skilled supervisor
D: To relieve monotony
C: But remember – a transfer which is effected to create a better “job match” is often an acceptable way to go.
Sergeant Mullins has decided to do his part in attempting to reduce the number of formal disciplinary cases within his command. In furtherance of this effort the Sergeant forwards the following recommendations (thru channels) to the Chief of the Department:
- Systematic on-the-job training
- Post-appraisal interviews
- Periodic service ratings
Evaluate the appropriateness of the Sergeant’s recommendations.
A: All of the recommendations are appropriate
B: Only #1 and #3 are appropriate
C: Only #1 and #2 are appropriate
D: Only #2 and #3 are appropriate
A: Each of the recommendations is concerned with better trained employees and with letting them know their strengths and weaknesses.
We have stated that disciplinary action will, in most instances, be initiated by the immediate supervisor of the person being disciplined. This is so chiefly because
A: it allows higher ranking officers who are engaged in more diversified tasks to devote more time to their assignments.
B: it helps develop a forceful image of the immediate supervisor which will serve as deterrent to other acts of misconduct by subordinates.
C: the immediate supervisor is the one most qualified to make recommendations as to the severity of punishment to be applied
D: the immediate supervisor is usually in the best position to observe derelictions of duty requiring some kind of corrective action
D: He is usually closest to the situation. He is NOT necessarily “the most qualified” as suggested in choice C.
Sergeant Sullivan has issued a verbal reprimand to Police Officer Mullins as a result of an infraction of a department rule. Officer Mullins corrects the situation and appears to be performing his duties in an acceptable manner. For Sergeant Sullivan to remind Mullins occasionally of the past infraction would be
A: bad; it suggests that Sergeant Sullivan is devoting too much time to one individual.
B: good; it is an indication of the use of positive discipline on a continuing basis.
C: bad; it appears that the original corrective action has served its purpose.
D: good; Sergeant Sullivan obviously is interested in developing the productivity of P.O. Mullins.
C: It’s over – leave it alone!
A supervisor decides that one of his subordinates is to be disciplined. In selecting the specific type of disciplinary action to be taken, the supervisor should be guided by the principle that the primary purpose of discipline in an individual case is to
A: demonstrate to the public that departmental rules and regulations are being properly enforced.
B: improve and preserve the morale of all her subordinates.
C: insure that the subordinate involved will perform his official duties properlyserve as an example to other potential offenders.
C: Discipline is a form of training. The D choice has merit but we were looking for “the primary purpose of discipline.”
For a supervisor who is supervising officers on patrol to make a notation in his memorandum book whenever she strongly reprimands a subordinate verbally is
A: inadvisable, chiefly because an undue amount of supervisory time will be devoted to the recording of such information.
B: advisable, chiefly because the supervisor is developing a fund of information which will be useful in the future.
C: inadvisable, chiefly because the subordinate may resent such a procedure.
D: advisable, chiefly because all subordinates will make greater efforts to improve their job performance since they will not want to be the subject of such notations
B: Such a procedure would provide the supervisor with objective data for future use in such things as evaluations, official disciplinary hearings, etc.
It has been argued that the certainty of punishment for an infraction is more important than severity. If we assume this to be true, then it would logically follow that
A: disciplinary action for errors or violations should be administered without exception.
B: the amount of punishment should be related to the seriousness of the action.
C: the termination of an employee is a result of management’s failure to properly train its employees
D: it is less important to impress an offender with his guilt than with the inevitability of punishment.
D: For those of you who chose A – answer the following question: “Would you punish someone who has made an honest error?”
You have recently been promoted to the rank of sergeant and are desirous of making your position on discipline known to your subordinates. While turning out the second platoon you make the following statements:
- “You will find me demanding but fair. For example, everyone who is off post will receive the same penalty. I don’t play favorites.”
- “I deal with the present. I don’t care what you did in the past. I believe in the equal application of punishment for everyone.”
Evaluate the statements made by you.
A: Both statements were consistent with acceptable supervisory practices.
B: Neither statement is consistent with acceptable supervisory practices
C: Only statement #1 is consistent with acceptable supervisory practices.
D: Only statement #2 is consistent with acceptable supervisory practices.
B: Neither statement allows for the reason why a situation occurred. Statement #2 implies that a good past record means nothing to you.
While instructing a subordinate in a new procedure you notice that she appears confused but does not ask any questions about the procedure. You should
A: repeat the instructions.
B: rephrase the instructions
C: ask her if there are things in her personal life that are interfering with her ability to concentrate.
D: ask the subordinate to explain the procedure in her own words.
D: A good example of when immediate face-to-face feedback is desirable.
Several of your subordinates are involved, while on duty, in a discussion about rumored changes in working conditions. This discussion can best be terminated by you telling the subordinates that
A: existing conditions are satisfactory.
B: you will check on the rumor.
C: discussing rumors while on duty is inconsistent with the attainment of agency objectives
D: their discussions should be held in abeyance until changes are implemented.
B: The antidote to rumor is fact.
Research studies on patterns of informal communication have concluded that most individuals in a group tend to be passive recipients of news, while a few make it their business to spread it around in an organization. With this conclusion in mind, it would be most correct for the sergeant to attempt to identify these few individuals and
A: give them complete facts on important matters in advance of others.
B: inform other subordinates of the identity of these few individuals and thereby reduce their influence.
C: keep them informed on facts relating to important matters
D: indicate to them the difference between your role in the attainment of agency goals and theirs.
C: If they are going to pass on information let it be accurate information.
Of the following, probably the greatest advantage of oral communications as compared to written is the
A: informality of the communications atmosphere.
B: rapidity with which orders can be carried out.
C: opportunity afforded for immediate feedback.
D: reduced need for the structured organization of content.
C: Should have been an easy one.
Of the following, the most important reason for holding periodic staff conferences is to
A: brief the staff on the plans and prospects of the organization.
B: hear the grievances and problems of the subordinate members of the staff
C: obtain suggestions from subordinate members of the staff
D: obtain uniformity in interpretation of policies and procedures.
E: permit expression of opinion about policies of the organization.
D: Conferences, in addition to being a problem-solving device, are forms of communication. One legitimate purpose is to bring about understanding.
Command decisions depend, to a great extent, on reports submitted by sergeants. To the officer using the report, it is most important that a report
A: presents information in logical sequence.
B: avoids repetition or wordy language
C: presents all of the relevant information
D: contains specific facts rather than generalizations.
C: Relevant information is required for the making of sound command decisions.
“Reports submitted to the department head should be complete to the last detail. As far as possible, summaries should be avoided.” This statement is, in general
A: correct; only on the basis of complete information can a proper decision be reached.
B: not correct; if all reports submitted were of this character, a department head might never complete his work.
C: correct; the decision as to what is important and what is not can only be made by the person who is responsible for the action
D: not correct; preliminary reports, obviously, cannot be complete to the last detail.
E: correct; summaries tend to conceal the actual state of affairs and to encourage generalizations, which would not be made if the details were known. Consequently, they should be avoided if possible.
B: Summaries allow for avoiding the necessity to read every word in every report.
You are a sergeant in an active patrol command. One of your subordinates tells you that he is dissatisfied with his work assignment and is desirous of discussing the matter with you. The subordinate is obviously very angry and upset. Of the following, the most appropriate course of action for you would be to
A: postpone the discussion by explaining to the subordinate that the matter could be settled more satisfactorily if discussed calmly
B: have the employee describe his complaint, correcting him whenever the complaint is inconsistent with the facts.
C: permit the employee to present his complaint in full withholding your comments until he has finished describing his complaint.
D: promise the employee that you will review all the work assignments in the unit to determine whether or not any changes should be made.
C: Let the subordinate get it out in a non-threatening environment. (Let him ventilate!)
Assume that a subordinate comes to you, a sergeant, and wishes to discuss a personal problem when you have the time. For you to agree to discuss such a problem would be
A: advisable, chiefly because you should demonstrate a sincere interest in your subordinates as individuals
B: inadvisable, chiefly because other members under your command may resent such special attention being given to one subordinate
C: advisable, chiefly because one of your major supervisory duties is to give advice to employees about their personal problems
D: inadvisable, chiefly because any involvement in the personal problems of subordinates may lead to favoritism in job assignments
A: Usually, supervisors don’t get involved in the personal problems of subordinates unless:
1) – job is suffering.
2) – employee requests it (as in this question).
Which one of the following is not a recognized guideline for helping supervising officers to become good listeners in face-to-face communications?
A: Anticipating what the speaker is going to say before he says it.
B: Recognizing and allowing for the supervisor’s own prejudices.
C: Removing sources of distraction as much as possible.
D: Facing and watching the speaker while he talks before answering.
A: Choice A would not be a good guideline. (The other choices would be.)
