Reading is the largest NPOST section: 25 items in 25 min. The passages are policies, ordinances, short studies and incident reports, and every answer has to come from them. No knowledge of law is needed; the passages are not meant to state the law of any state.
25items on the test
25 minsection time
20questions on this page
Three kinds of reading item
Grouped by what you read, in our words. On the test, true/false items can follow any passage or form.
Rules and policies: an ordinance or a department policy, then detail questions and “which statement is accurate?”
Definitions and a case: four or five parallel definitions, such as degrees of an offense, then a case to sort by them.
Account and form: an officer’s narrative next to a completed report form; find the entry that doesn’t match or is missing.
How the wrong answers are built
Wrong options here sound reasonable and fail one check against the text:
a step the passage never mentions, such as test-firing a weapon to clear it;
a finding true in three of four areas, stated as all four;
a change in the wrong direction: “rose” where the passage says “did not change”;
a duty given to the wrong person, such as a range officer instead of the officer.
You have about a minute per item, reading time included. Read the question first, then find the sentence that answers it, and pick the option that sentence supports, not the one that sounds most like good police work.
From 2023 to 2025, the city assigned the same officers to walk the same beat in four neighborhoods. In three of the four, reports of vandalism and shoplifting fell by at least 20 percent. In the fourth, Eastgate, petty crime did not change, and the report notes that Eastgate's officers were reassigned three times during the period. Serious crimes such as robbery stayed about the same in all four neighborhoods.
Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?
Answer explanations
A
Incorrect: The one area with repeated reassignments was the one where petty crime did not fall.
B
Incorrect: Eastgate's petty crime did not change; it did not rise.
C
Incorrect: The drop happened in three of the four areas, not all four.
D
Correct: Petty crime fell in the three areas with stable beats and did not change in Eastgate, where officers kept being moved.
E
Incorrect: Serious crime stayed about the same, so foot beats did not reduce it.
FIREARM PROTOCOL: Cleaning Procedures Disassemble the weapon on a clean surface according to the manufacturer's guide. Visually and physically inspect the chamber to ensure it is empty before proceeding. Failure to verify the chamber is empty may result in accidental discharge and serious injury.
According to the protocol, what must an officer do before proceeding with cleaning?
Answer explanations
A
Incorrect: Test-firing is never mentioned.
B
Incorrect: Wiping the surface is never mentioned; the surface only has to be clean.
C
Incorrect: The guide is for taking the weapon apart, not the safety check.
D
Incorrect: The protocol puts the check on the officer, not on a range officer.
E
Correct: The protocol says to inspect the chamber, by sight and by touch, to make sure it is empty before going on.
Vehicle Operations Policy: "When operating under emergency 'Code 3' status with lights and sirens, officers shall not exceed the posted speed limit by more than 20 miles per hour (mph). At no time shall the vehicle be operated at a speed that endangers the public." An officer is responding 'Code 3' in a zone with a posted limit of 35 mph. What is the maximum authorized speed?
Answer explanations
A
Correct: 55 mph is the posted limit plus the twenty miles per hour the policy allows.
B
Incorrect: 70 mph doubles the limit.
C
Incorrect: 45 mph adds only 10 mph.
D
Incorrect: 35 mph is the posted limit itself.
E
Incorrect: 20 mph is the allowed excess, not the total speed.
"Officers must practice strict operational security. Careless discussion of case details in public places can compromise ongoing investigations, potentially endangering undercover officers or allowing suspects to destroy evidence."
According to the passage, which of the following is a risk of discussing case details in public?
Answer explanations
A
Incorrect: Witnesses refusing to testify are not mentioned.
B
Incorrect: Victims' names in the press are not mentioned.
C
Incorrect: Reassigning the case is not mentioned.
D
Incorrect: Lawsuits are not mentioned.
E
Correct: The passage says careless talk can let suspects destroy evidence.
A memo begins by noting that officers currently rotate shifts monthly. It then states: "Effective immediately, to improve sleep hygiene and officer wellness, the department will transition to a permanent shift structure." Which statement best captures the main idea?
Answer explanations
A
Incorrect: No weekly rotation is mentioned.
B
Incorrect: The change is effective immediately, with no trial period.
C
Incorrect: Monthly rotation is the current practice being replaced.
D
Correct: The memo moves to permanent shifts effective immediately, to improve sleep and wellness.
Outreach event guideline: Officers may invite residents to outreach events by flyers, social media, or door-to-door visits. Officers must never mention the name or address of a confidential informant, and must not hold an event within one block of an informant's home.
Officer Beck plans a block party two blocks from a confidential informant's home and will advertise it with flyers that give the party's address. According to the guideline, is the plan permitted?
Answer explanations
A
Correct: Two blocks is beyond the one-block limit, and the flyers give the party's address, not the informant's.
B
Incorrect: Flyers are allowed; door-to-door visits are only one of three options.
C
Incorrect: The guideline says nothing about telling the informant.
D
Incorrect: The rule bars the informant's address, not the event's address.
E
Incorrect: Two blocks away is outside the one-block limit.
Between March 3 and March 17, patrol officers responded to five calls about a barking dog at 14 Oak Court. Officers gave the owner, Mr. Reyes, a verbal warning on March 3 and a written warning on March 10. On March 17, Animal Control Officer Singh removed the dog and left a $150 citation for Mr. Reyes. No one reported being bitten or injured.
According to the passage, which statement is accurate?
Answer explanations
A
Correct: The written warning was given on March 10.
Transport Procedure: 'When transporting a prisoner of the opposite sex, the officer must broadcast the starting mileage to dispatch before departing the scene. Upon arrival at the destination, the officer must broadcast the ending mileage.'
An officer arrests a suspect of the opposite sex, places the suspect in the patrol vehicle, and drives to the station. Upon arrival, the officer calls dispatch to report the ending mileage. According to the procedure, which required step did the officer miss?
Answer explanations
A
Correct: The officer reported only the ending mileage and never broadcast the starting mileage before leaving.
B
Incorrect: A second unit is not part of this procedure.
C
Incorrect: The officer did report the ending mileage on arrival.
D
Incorrect: A back-seat search is not part of this procedure.
E
Incorrect: Notifying a supervisor is not part of this procedure.
Disciplinary Definitions: Verbal counseling — a private discussion between a supervisor and an officer; the date is noted, but no letter is written. Written reprimand — a signed letter describing the misconduct, placed in the officer's personnel file for one year. Suspension — removal from duty without pay for a set number of days. Demotion — a reduction in rank.
After Deputy Ross filed three reports late, Sgt. Blake met with him in private, then wrote and signed a letter describing the late reports and placed it in Ross's personnel file. Ross stayed on duty at full pay and kept his rank. According to the definitions, Sgt. Blake's action is
Answer explanations
A
Incorrect: He was neither removed from duty nor reduced in rank.
B
Incorrect: It is not a verbal counseling: that means no letter is written, and here a letter was written.
C
Incorrect: It is not a demotion: Ross kept his rank.
D
Correct: A signed letter describing the misconduct and placed in the personnel file is a written reprimand.
E
Incorrect: It is not a suspension: Ross stayed on duty at full pay.
Chain-of-Custody Rule: The officer who collects an item of evidence must complete the chain-of-custody form before the item leaves that officer's possession. Each person who later receives the item must sign the form and write the date and time.
At a burglary scene, Officer Lane collected a crowbar and handed it to evidence technician Price, who drove it to the lab and gave it to analyst Moore. According to the rule, who had to complete the chain-of-custody form before the crowbar was handed over?
Answer explanations
A
Incorrect: The rule gives no role to a patrol supervisor.
B
Incorrect: Technician Price received the item later and only signs and dates the form.
C
Correct: Officer Lane collected the crowbar, and the collecting officer must complete the form before handing the item over.
D
Incorrect: Price and Moore each sign when they receive the item, but neither completes the form.
E
Incorrect: Analyst Moore received the item last and only signs and dates the form.
Dispatch Policy 2 states: "Calls are ranked by priority. Priority 1 calls involve a threat to life and must be assigned to an officer within 1 minute. Priority 2 calls involve a crime in progress with no threat to life and must be assigned within 5 minutes. Priority 3 calls, such as a report of a past theft, must be assigned within 30 minutes."
A caller reports that someone is breaking into a parked car right now, and no one is in danger. According to the passage, within how many minutes must the call be assigned?
Answer explanations
A
Incorrect: 30 minutes is the limit for Priority 3 calls such as a past theft.
B
Incorrect: 1 minute is the limit for Priority 1 calls with a threat to life.
C
Correct: A crime in progress with no threat to life is Priority 2, which must be assigned within 5 minutes.
D
Incorrect: No 15-minute limit appears in the policy.
E
Incorrect: Every priority level has an assignment deadline.
Complaint Guideline 5 states: "When a resident complains about a neighbor, the officer may issue a warning, refer both parties to mediation, or file a formal report. If the complaint alleges a crime, the officer must file a formal report. Mediation may not be offered when either party has been arrested in the past 12 months."
Mr. Ochoa complains that his neighbor smashed his mailbox, which is a crime. According to the passage, what must the officer do?
Answer explanations
A
Correct: When a complaint alleges a crime, the guideline requires a formal report.
B
Incorrect: The free choice among three responses ends when a crime is alleged.
C
Incorrect: The report is required whether or not Mr. Ochoa asks for it.
D
Incorrect: Mediation is one option, but a crime requires a formal report.
E
Incorrect: A warning is one option for non-crime complaints, but a crime requires a report.
"Community-oriented policing is not merely a tactic like foot patrols or bike units. It is a philosophy demanding a fundamental shift in how departments interact with the public. Success relies on building long-term partnerships to solve root causes of crime rather than simply reacting to calls."
What is the main idea of the passage?
Answer explanations
A
Incorrect: Foot and bike patrols are named only as examples of what it is not.
B
Correct: The passage says community policing is not just a tactic but a philosophy built on long-term partnerships.
C
Incorrect: Nothing says it replaces patrol units.
D
Incorrect: The passage stresses long-term partnerships, not a short-term program.
E
Incorrect: The passage contrasts it with simply reacting to calls.
MEMO: During the past two weeks, three thefts occurred on the 400 block of Elm Street, all between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Each victim described one suspect running west. The security camera at Building A was not working on any of those nights. The camera at Building C recorded the second theft but not the other two. Patrols on the block have been increased from two to four per night.
According to the memo, which statement is accurate?
Answer explanations
A
Incorrect: The thefts happened between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.
B
Incorrect: Patrols went from two to four per night.
C
Incorrect: Building A's camera was not working on any of those nights.
D
Correct: Building C's camera recorded the second theft but not the other two.
Detective Carver's notes state: "Mr. Hollis says he was at the Lakeside Diner from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on the night of the break-in. The diner's receipt shows his meal was paid for at 9:20 p.m. The diner's camera shows him leaving at 9:35 p.m. The break-in occurred at about 10:15 p.m., 20 minutes from the diner."
According to the notes, which statement is accurate?
Answer explanations
A
Incorrect: The break-in was 20 minutes from the diner.
B
Correct: The notes say the camera shows him leaving the diner at 9:35 p.m.
C
Incorrect: The break-in was at about 10:15 p.m.
D
Incorrect: The meal was paid for at 9:20 p.m., not 9:35.
E
Incorrect: 11:00 p.m. is his own claim; the camera shows him leaving at 9:35.
To prevent fatigue, officers are limited to a maximum of 12 hours of on-duty time in any 24-hour period. Furthermore, officers may not exceed 60 hours of work in a standard Monday-Sunday work week. Exceptions to the daily limit require captain approval, but the weekly limit is absolute and cannot be waived under any circumstances.
Officer Ruiz has already worked 50 hours this Monday-Sunday week and has captain approval to exceed the daily limit. According to the passage, how many more hours may Officer Ruiz work this week?
Answer explanations
A
Incorrect: 12 hours is the daily limit, but the weekly cap leaves less than that.
B
Incorrect: 24 hours ignores the weekly cap, which approval cannot lift.
C
Incorrect: "0 hours" is wrong: Officer Ruiz has worked 50 of the 60 weekly hours.
D
Correct: 10 hours is what remains of the 60-hour weekly limit, which cannot be waived, after 50 hours worked.
E
Incorrect: The weekly limit cannot be waived, so 22 hours is too many.
Witness statement summary: 'The primary suspect, a tall white male in his 40s wearing a red hooded sweatshirt and gray sweatpants, fled south on Oak Avenue. His accomplice, a white female in her 20s with short blonde hair and a black jacket, ran west on Pine Street toward the subway station. A third person, a Black male in his 30s wearing a red baseball cap, was standing at the corner and was not involved.'
According to the statement, which description matches the primary suspect?
Answer explanations
A
Incorrect: The red cap belongs to the bystander, who was not involved.
B
Incorrect: The red sweatshirt is right, but running west on Pine is the accomplice's route.
C
Incorrect: Gray sweatpants fit, but heading toward the subway is the accomplice's route.
D
Incorrect: The black jacket belongs to the accomplice.
E
Correct: The primary suspect wore a red hooded sweatshirt and fled south on Oak Avenue.
Read the introduction to a police training manual:
"The City Police Department was founded in 1899 and has a long tradition of community service. Over the decades, we have evolved from foot patrols to a modern, technology-driven force. The primary goal of this manual is to standardize field procedures to ensure that all officers apply the law consistently and equitably across all precincts."
Which of the following best describes the main purpose of the text?
Answer explanations
A
Incorrect: The manual aims to remove differences between precincts, not describe them.
B
Correct: The introduction says the manual's primary goal is standard procedures so the law is applied consistently.
C
Incorrect: The move to technology is history, not the purpose.
D
Incorrect: The 1899 founding is background, not the purpose.
E
Incorrect: Community service is mentioned as tradition, not as the manual's goal.
Answer every question to see your score
!
Trap: answering from what you know
A policy in a passage can differ from your state’s law or from common sense, and the item is graded against the passage. If the text lets officers on an emergency call go 20 mph over the limit, that is the rule for that question, whatever your local policy says.