Review the scenario. Consider different ways the responding officer(s) might respond to each situation, and consider the discretionary factors that might apply.
• The Law
• Seriousness of the Offense
• Officer & Citizen’s attitudes
• Victim/Offender Relationship
• Evidence of a Crime
• Complainant Opinion
Note: You may make any and all assumptions necessary to answer these scenarios as long as they do not conflict with the details provided.
Examine two actions the officer could take in this scenario including at least two discretionary factors used in selecting those actions. Select one action and justify which of the two actions you would have selected if you were the responding officer, using at least two discretionary factors in your response.
Scenario 4
Officer Thomas responds to the local high school for a “graffiti” or destruction of school property complaint. Officer Thomas speaks with the Principal who indicates a student has written racial and sexual orientation remarks in the bathroom. The slanderous remarks are directed toward a student who is a minority and a transgender student. The Principal has the suspect student on in-school surveillance cameras going into the bathroom with a can of spray paint and coming out of the bathroom empty-handed. The student was called in and admitted spray painting the bathroom. The student indicated he intended on scaring the transgender student in an effort to get the student to leave the school.