Colorado POST Practice Exam

In the S.A.R.A. model, what role does a police officer fulfill during the Assessment phase?

1. Identifying community issues

2. Gathering evidence

3. Evaluating the effectiveness of interventions

4. Enforcing the law

The correct answer is: Evaluating the effectiveness of interventions

Within the S.A.R.A. model, the Assessment phase is critical for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions that were implemented to address specific community problems. During this phase, a police officer assesses whether the strategies and actions taken have been successful in reducing or eliminating the identified issues. This includes analyzing data, gathering feedback from the community, and reviewing the overall impact of the enforcement activities. The focus is on determining what worked, what didn't, and why certain interventions may have had varying levels of success. This process helps inform future policing strategies and ensures that resources are effectively allocated to improve community safety and quality of life. Assessing the effectiveness of interventions allows for continuous improvement in policing approaches, which ultimately strengthens community relations and enhances public trust in law enforcement. In contrast, identifying community issues occurs in the Scanning phase, gathering evidence is part of the Analysis phase, and enforcing the law typically falls under actions taken during the response to identified problems, rather than during the Assessment phase.