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Law Enforcement Organization and Administration Review Questions 1


1. Which administrative acronym represents the functions of management as defined by Luther Gulick?

A. CPM

B. SMART

C. SWOT

D. POSDCORB


Answer: D. This stands for Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Reporting, and Budgeting.



2. Which principle dictates that every employee should be accountable to only one supervisor?

A. Scalar principle

B. Unity of command

C. Span of control

D. Chain of command


Answer: B. This principle ensures clear reporting lines and prevents conflicting orders from multiple superiors.



3. What term describes the number of subordinates that a manager can effectively supervise?

A. Line of authority

B. Span of control

C. Area of responsibility

D. Unity of direction


Answer: B. It defines the limit of the number of subordinates one person can manage to maintain efficiency and safety.



4. In a police agency, which units are directly responsible for achieving the primary goals of the organization?

A. Staff units

B. Line units

C. Administrative units

D. Auxiliary units


Answer: B. These units, such as patrol and investigation, perform the actual fieldwork of law enforcement.



5. What is the process of distributing tasks and authority from a superior to a subordinate?

A. Centralization

B. Commanding

C. Delegation

D. Supervising


Answer: C. This allows managers to assign responsibility and authority to lower-level employees to improve efficiency.



6. Which organizational principle involves a clear hierarchy of authority from top to bottom?

A. Equitable distribution

B. Discretionary authority

C. Scalar principle

D. Functional principle


Answer: C. It establishes a vertical 'ladder' of authority, ensuring every position has a specific rank.



7. Which function in POSDCORB involves the continuous task of making decisions and embodying them in specific orders?

A. Reporting

B. Planning

C. Directing

D. Coordinating


Answer: C. Directing is the active process of leading, instructing, and issuing orders to subordinates.



8. Who is credited with the concept of 'Bureaucracy' as a highly efficient organizational form?

A. Frederick Taylor

B. Henri Fayol

C. Douglas McGregor

D. Max Weber


Answer: D. Weber defined the ideal bureaucracy characterized by hierarchy, rules, and impersonal relationships.



9. What is the primary purpose of 'staff' units in a large law enforcement organization?

A. Making arrests

B. Directing operations

C. Advising line units

D. Conducting patrol


Answer: C. Staff units provide specialized advice, technical support, and research to help line officers perform their duties.



10. The line of authority extending from top management to lower levels is known as:

A. Span of control

B. Unity of command

C. Chain of command

D. Delegation


Answer: C 

Explanation: The chain of command is the formal line of authority that extends from the highest level of management down through each successive level of the organization. It establishes who reports to whom and clarifies the flow of authority and responsibility.


Memorize or Familiarize


A. Span of control – Refers to the number of employees a manager directly supervises.

B. Unity of command – The principle that each employee should receive orders from only one supervisor.

C. Chain of command – The line of authority extending from top management to lower organizational levels.

D. Delegation – The process of assigning authority and responsibility to subordinates.



11. In administrative hierarchy, which organizational structure represents the largest functional subdivision of a government department, usually headed by a Director or Chief?

A. Division

B. Unit

C. Bureau

D. Section


Answer: C. Bureau

Explanation: A Bureau is a primary, principal subdivision of a government department or executive agency (e.g., Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology). It holds broad functional responsibilities and is higher in rank than divisions, sections, and units.



12. In standard police organizational structure, which level is immediately subordinate to a Bureau or Department and is responsible for a specific major functional area such as Patrol, Investigation, or Logistics?

A. Section

B. Division

C. Unit

D. Squad


Answer: B. Division

Explanation: A Division is a primary subunit of a bureau or department created to handle major specific operational or administrative functions (e.g., Investigation Division, Patrol Division).



13. Within a police department's organizational setup, a Section is primarily defined as:

A. The smallest functional element designed for specific field tasks

B. The highest administrative authority in a law enforcement agency

C. A subdivision of a Division responsible for a specialized area of work

D. A temporary task force created for a special operation


Answer: C. A subdivision of a Division responsible for a specialized area of work

Explanation: A Section is a subunit under a Division designed to handle specialized tasks within that division's broader scope (e.g., Homicide Section under the Investigation Division).



14. Which of the following represents the smallest functional element within a police organization, usually tasked with specific line or staff duties?

A. Unit

B. Division

C. Bureau

D. Section


Answer: A. Unit

Explanation: A Unit is the smallest basic functional subgrouping within a police structure (often under a Section) dedicated to highly specific operational or administrative duties (e.g., Evidence Unit, Fingerprint Unit).



15. Arrange the following police organizational subdivisions in descending order (from largest to smallest hierarchy):

1. Section

2. Bureau

3. Unit

4. Division


A. 2 – 1 – 4 – 3

B. 2 – 4 – 1 – 3

C. 4 – 2 – 1 – 3

D. 1 – 4 – 2 – 3


Answer: B. 2 – 4 – 1 – 3

Explanation: The standard organizational hierarchy from highest to lowest echelon is Bureau (2), Division (4), Section (1), Unit (3).



16. If the PNP Crime Laboratory is treated as a major administrative body, under which organizational level would the Fingerprint Identification Unit directly report if it is a specialized sub-grouping under the Crime Scene Investigation Section of the Physical Identification Division?

A. Bureau level

B. Division level

C. Section level

D. Unit level


Answer: D. Unit level

Explanation: Since it performs a specific micro-level technical task (fingerprint identification) under a Section, it operates at the Unit level, which is the lowest functional tier in the hierarchy.


Comparative Models in Policing Review Questions 1