Chicago Police Department (CPD) Practice Exam 2025 - Free CPD Practice Questions and Study Guide

Police officers can engage in gathering intelligence when there is a reasonable law enforcement purpose. This principle is grounded in the need for officers to ensure that their actions are justified and serve a specific function related to crime prevention, investigation, or public safety. Gathering intelligence without a clear law enforcement objective could lead to concerns regarding civil liberties and misuse of police resources.

The necessity of a reasonable law enforcement purpose ensures that intelligence gathering is conducted within legal and ethical boundaries, maintaining public trust while allowing officers to perform their duties effectively. This standard helps create accountability, ensuring that police efforts to collect information are not arbitrary but are instead aimed at addressing specific crime-related issues or threats to community safety.

Other choices imply broader or less structured guidelines for intelligence gathering, which can result in undermining the legitimacy of police operations or infringing on citizens' rights without just cause.