U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector Entrance Exam

All Postal Inspectors are federal law enforcement officers. All federal law enforcement officers are authorized to carry a firearm on duty. Which conclusion follows necessarily?

• ASome firearm carriers are not Postal Inspectors
• BAll Postal Inspectors are authorized to carry a firearm on duty
• CAnyone authorized to carry a firearm is a Postal Inspector
• DPostal Inspectors do not carry firearms off duty

If a parcel is flagged as suspicious, then a Postal Inspector reviews it before delivery. A parcel was not reviewed by a Postal Inspector before delivery. Which conclusion follows?

• AThe parcel was flagged as suspicious
• BThe parcel was not flagged as suspicious
• CThe parcel contained contraband
• DThe parcel was delayed in transit

No mail fraud cases are handled by the FBI as primary agency. Some federal fraud cases are handled by the FBI as primary agency. Which conclusion must be true?

• AAll federal fraud cases are mail fraud cases
• BSome federal fraud cases are not mail fraud cases
• CNo federal fraud cases are mail fraud cases
• DAll mail fraud cases are federal fraud cases

Every evidence bag from a mail theft scene is sealed with tamper-evident tape. Some sealed bags are stored in Locker 4. Which conclusion is supported?

• AAll Locker 4 contents are from mail theft scenes
• BSome Locker 4 contents may be evidence bags from mail theft scenes
• CNo mail theft evidence is in Locker 4
• DAll mail theft evidence is in Locker 4

If a search warrant is executed on a postal facility, then the Chief Postal Inspector is notified. The Chief Postal Inspector was notified. Which conclusion follows?

• AA search warrant was executed on a postal facility
• BA search warrant was not executed on a postal facility
• CNothing can be concluded about whether a warrant was executed
• DAll notifications involve search warrants

All confidential informants in the case file have signed cooperation agreements. Witness B has not signed a cooperation agreement. Which conclusion follows?

• AWitness B is hostile
• BWitness B is a confidential informant
• CWitness B is not a confidential informant in the case file
• DWitness B will be subpoenaed

No undercover purchase is logged on the public docket until charges are filed. Item 42 is logged on the public docket. Which conclusion is supported?

• AItem 42 is an undercover purchase awaiting charges
• BCharges have been filed in the case involving Item 42 if it is an undercover purchase
• CItem 42 cannot be an undercover purchase
• DItem 42 is not connected to any case

Every dangerous-mail referral requires a hazmat clearance before opening. The package was opened. Which conclusion follows?

• AThe package was a dangerous-mail referral
• BThe package was not a dangerous-mail referral
• CIf the package was a dangerous-mail referral, a hazmat clearance was completed
• DHazmat clearance is never needed

All federal criminal investigators in the 1811 series have arrest authority. Some employees of USPIS are 1811 series. Which conclusion is supported?

• AAll USPIS employees have arrest authority
• BSome USPIS employees have arrest authority
• CNo USPIS employees have arrest authority
• DOnly 1811-series employees work at USPIS

A report stated that every suspect interview in Case 88 was video recorded. Investigator X claims to have interviewed a suspect in Case 88 without recording. Which is a logical contradiction?

• ABoth claims can be true if X interviewed the suspect twice
• BBoth claims cannot be true at the same time
• CX's claim implies he was not the lead investigator
• DThe report is irrelevant to X's claim

If a parcel is sent first class, it is delivered within 5 business days. A parcel was sent first class and delivered on the 7th business day. Which conclusion is best supported?

• AThe delivery commitment was met
• BThe general rule did not hold in this instance
• CThe parcel was not actually first class
• D5 business days really means 7

All assigned vehicles must be inspected each Monday. Vehicle 7 was not inspected this Monday. Which conclusion follows?

• AVehicle 7 is not an assigned vehicle, OR the required inspection did not occur
• BVehicle 7 was inspected on a different day
• CVehicle 7 is out of service
• DMonday inspections are optional

All mail addressed to PO Box 100 is held for pickup. Letter Z is held for pickup. Which conclusion follows?

• ALetter Z is addressed to PO Box 100
• BLetter Z is not addressed to PO Box 100
• CLetter Z may or may not be addressed to PO Box 100
• DPO Box 100 is closed

No Postal Inspector field operations are conducted alone. Operation T was conducted alone. Which conclusion follows?

• AOperation T was a Postal Inspector field operation
• BOperation T was not a Postal Inspector field operation
• CPostal Inspectors sometimes work alone
• DOperation T was unsuccessful

Every chain of custody form must be signed by both the seizing inspector and a witness. Form 22 has only the seizing inspector's signature. Which conclusion follows necessarily?

• AForm 22 is fully compliant
• BForm 22 is not fully compliant with the signing rule
• CForm 22 is forged
• DForm 22 will not be admitted at trial

Some narcotics interdictions involve canine alerts. All canine alerts in this district are documented in the K-9 log. Which conclusion is supported?

• AAll narcotics interdictions are in the K-9 log
• BSome narcotics interdictions in this district are documented in the K-9 log
• CNo narcotics interdictions are in the K-9 log
• DK-9 alerts are unreliable

If a parcel is detained for inspection longer than 24 hours, a notice is provided to the addressee. The addressee received a notice. Which conclusion is best supported?

• AThe parcel was detained longer than 24 hours
• BNotices are only issued after 24 hours, so detention exceeded 24 hours
• CWithout more facts, we cannot conclude detention length
• DThe notice was issued in error

All Postal Police Officers protect USPS facilities. No Postal Police Officer has nationwide investigative authority. Which conclusion follows?

• ASome facility protectors have nationwide investigative authority
• BAll facility protectors lack nationwide investigative authority
• CPostal Police Officers who protect facilities lack nationwide investigative authority
• DPostal Inspectors protect only facilities

If a witness statement is taken under oath, then it is admissible as sworn testimony. The statement of Witness M is not admissible as sworn testimony. Which conclusion follows?

• AWitness M lied
• BWitness M's statement was not taken under oath
• CWitness M did not give a statement
• DWitness M's statement was admissible for impeachment

A directive states that every postal contract employee must complete annual ethics training. An audit shows two contract employees did not complete the training. Which conclusion follows?

• AThe directive was rescinded
• BTwo contract employees were not in compliance with the directive
• CAll contract employees completed the training
• DEthics training is optional

Every cooperating defendant in the case received a proffer letter. Defendant P did not receive a proffer letter. Which conclusion follows necessarily?

• ADefendant P was uncooperative at trial
• BDefendant P is not a cooperating defendant in this case
• CDefendant P pleaded not guilty
• DDefendant P was acquitted

All Inspectors completing the Career Development Unit course are eligible for Team Leader assignments. Inspector D is eligible for a Team Leader assignment. Which conclusion is supported?

• AInspector D completed the Career Development Unit course
• BInspector D may have completed the Career Development Unit course
• CInspector D did not complete the Career Development Unit course
• DTeam Leader assignments require nothing else

Look at the sequence: 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, ?. What is the most likely next number?

• A33
• B35
• C37
• D39

Letter pattern: A, C, F, J, O, ?. What letter most likely comes next?

• AT
• BU
• CV
• DW

Mail is to Postal Inspector as currency is to ____?

• ABank teller
• BSecret Service agent
• CFBI agent
• DPostal Police Officer

Sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ?. What number most likely comes next?

• A10
• B11
• C12
• D13

Inspector A has solved 9 of her last 10 mail-theft cases involving locked apartment cluster boxes. Which generalization is most defensible?

• AInspector A solves every mail-theft case she takes
• BMail-theft cases involving locked cluster boxes are usually solvable
• CLocked cluster boxes prevent mail theft
• DInspector A only takes easy cases

Pattern: 81, 27, 9, 3, ?. What is the next number?

• A0
• B1
• C1.5
• D2

Mail fraud is to 18 USC 1341 as wire fraud is to ____?

• A18 USC 1028
• B18 USC 1343
• C21 USC 841
• D39 USC 3001

Sequence: 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, ?. What is the next number?

• A60
• B72
• C84
• D96

A district has shown a steady annual decline in reported mail theft for five consecutive years. Which inductive conclusion is most defensible?

• AMail theft will be zero next year
• BMail theft trends in the district are currently downward
• COther crimes are also declining
• DMail theft has been eliminated nationwide

Pattern: 100, 96, 89, 79, 66, ?. What is the next number?

• A48
• B50
• C52
• D55

Three suspects each used prepaid debit cards bought at separate stores, mailed parcels from the same zip code, and used PO Boxes opened under fictitious names. Which generalization is best supported?

• AAll mail fraud uses prepaid debit cards
• BThese cases share an operational pattern consistent with a coordinated scheme
• CPrepaid debit cards are illegal
• DPO Boxes cause fraud

Sequence: O, T, T, F, F, S, S, E, ?. What is the next letter?

• AN
• BT
• CE
• DR

Identity theft is to 18 USC 1028 as drug trafficking is to ____?

• A18 USC 1341
• B18 USC 1343
• C21 USC 841
• D39 USC 3001

Sequence: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ?. What is the next number?

• A40
• B42
• C44
• D46

In recent training scenarios, undercover purchases conducted by two-person teams produced cleaner chain-of-custody records than single-officer operations. Which generalization is best supported?

• ATwo-person teams always produce perfect chain of custody
• BTwo-person team structure tends to improve chain-of-custody quality on undercover purchas…
• CSingle-officer operations are illegal
• DChain of custody does not matter at trial

Pattern: 64, 32, 16, 8, ?. What is the next number?

• A2
• B4
• C6
• D0

Postmaster General is to USPS as Chief Postal Inspector is to ____?

• AFBI
• BDOJ
• CUSPIS
• DDHS

Sequence: 5, 11, 23, 47, 95, ?. What is the next number?

• A180
• B187
• C191
• D199

Patterns in dangerous-mail incidents over five quarters show that 80% of suspicious-substance reports turned out to be hoaxes after lab testing. Which conclusion is most defensible?

• AMost suspicious-substance reports are hoaxes, but each must still be treated as real unti…
• BAll suspicious-substance reports are hoaxes
• CLab testing is unnecessary
• DPostal Inspectors should ignore suspicious substances

Pattern: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ?. What is the next number?

• A30
• B32
• C36
• D40

Pattern: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, ?. What is the next number?

• A14
• B15
• C17
• D19

Pattern: ZA, YB, XC, WD, ?. What is the next pair?

• AUE
• BVE
• CVF
• DUF

Your training officer asks you to retrieve a sealed evidence bag from a locker. When you arrive, you notice the seal is broken. You are alone. What is the most appropriate first action?

• AReseal the bag with new tape and tell no one to avoid trouble
• BTake the bag to your training officer and proceed with the assignment
• CStop, photograph and document the broken seal, and immediately notify your training offic…
• DOpen the bag to check whether evidence is missing before reporting