Page 1 of 135
NYC Special Officer (NYC Health + Hospitals) Exam
Questions with Correct Answers and explanations
LATEST THIS YEAR -JUST RELEASED
Summarized Exam Coverage – NYC Special Officer (NYC Health + Hospitals)
The NYC Special Officer (H+H) exam covers NYS Penal Law (assault, menacing, criminal trespass,
disorderly conduct, harassment, theft of services, criminal mischief, weapons possession as applies to
hospital grounds), NYS Criminal Procedure Law (arrest authority, use of force, detention), Health +
Hospitals policies (patient confidentiality – HIPAA, patient transport, restraint protocols, access control,
visitor management, identification badging), emergency response (fire safety, active shooter, medical
emergency assistance), traffic and parking enforcement on hospital property, observation and
reporting (writing clear, factual incident reports), interpersonal and communication skills (de-
escalation, dealing with emotionally disturbed persons, patient families).
1. You are stationed at the emergency department entrance when an individual attempts to enter with
a large duffel bag and refuses to let you search it. Hospital policy requires all bags to be checked. What is
the most appropriate first action?
A) Physically block the door and call for backup
B) Politely explain the policy again and, if refused, deny entry and request the person to leave
C) Arrest the individual immediately for trespass
D) Open the bag yourself without consent
Answer: B — Hospital security policy allows refusal of entry for non-compliance; force or arrest is only
justified if they refuse to leave after being told.
, Page 2 of 135
2. A patient in the psychiatric unit becomes verbally abusive, yelling profanities and threatening to “hurt
the nurse.” No weapon is visible. Under NYS Penal Law, what is the most appropriate charge if the
patient continues after a warning to stop?
A) Assault in the third degree
B) Harassment in the second degree
C) Menacing in the second degree
D) Criminal trespass
Answer: B — Harassment in the second degree covers threatening or abusive language with intent to
annoy or alarm, without physical contact.
3. While patrolling the parking garage, you see a visitor smoking a cigarette directly under a “No
Smoking – Oxygen in Use” sign. What is your immediate priority?
A) Issue a summons for violating hospital smoking policy
B) Ask the visitor to extinguish the cigarette and move to a designated smoking area
C) Arrest the visitor for reckless endangerment
D) Call the fire department
, Page 3 of 135
Answer: B — Immediate removal of the ignition source is the priority; education and direction to a proper
area is the first step.
4. A visitor in the lobby becomes argumentative and refuses to show ID as required for after-hours
access. He says he is there to see a patient but will not give the patient’s name. You should:
A) Allow him to proceed to avoid a conflict
B) Deny entry and ask him to leave; if he refuses, inform him he is trespassing
C) Arrest him immediately
D) Call the patient’s room to ask if they know him
Answer: B — Hospital policy requires ID and a legitimate purpose for after-hours entry; refusal justifies
denial of entry and a trespass warning.
5. You receive a report that a visitor has been seen taking photographs of other patients in the waiting
room without permission. This violates patient privacy under HIPAA and hospital policy. What should
you do first?
A) Confiscate the phone
B) Approach the visitor, explain that photography is prohibited, and ask him to delete the photos and
, Page 4 of 135
leave
C) Arrest the visitor for harassment
D) Ignore it because you are not HIPAA enforcement
Answer: B — Special Officers enforce hospital policy; you may request deletion and removal; arrest
would require a specific penal law violation.
6. A patient elopes from the behavioral health unit and runs toward the hospital exit. You are trained in
patient restraint. What is the appropriate action?
A) Do not chase; alert the clinical team and security command
B) Tackle the patient immediately
C) Block the exit physically using your body
D) Yell at the patient to stop and hope they comply
Answer: A — Clinical staff lead patient restraint decisions; security’s role is to contain and alert, not to
physically intervene without clinical direction unless immediate danger exists.
7. During a night shift, you find a door to a medication storage room propped open with a trash can. No
one is inside. What should you do?
NYC Special Officer (NYC Health + Hospitals) Exam
Questions with Correct Answers and explanations
LATEST THIS YEAR -JUST RELEASED
Summarized Exam Coverage – NYC Special Officer (NYC Health + Hospitals)
The NYC Special Officer (H+H) exam covers NYS Penal Law (assault, menacing, criminal trespass,
disorderly conduct, harassment, theft of services, criminal mischief, weapons possession as applies to
hospital grounds), NYS Criminal Procedure Law (arrest authority, use of force, detention), Health +
Hospitals policies (patient confidentiality – HIPAA, patient transport, restraint protocols, access control,
visitor management, identification badging), emergency response (fire safety, active shooter, medical
emergency assistance), traffic and parking enforcement on hospital property, observation and
reporting (writing clear, factual incident reports), interpersonal and communication skills (de-
escalation, dealing with emotionally disturbed persons, patient families).
1. You are stationed at the emergency department entrance when an individual attempts to enter with
a large duffel bag and refuses to let you search it. Hospital policy requires all bags to be checked. What is
the most appropriate first action?
A) Physically block the door and call for backup
B) Politely explain the policy again and, if refused, deny entry and request the person to leave
C) Arrest the individual immediately for trespass
D) Open the bag yourself without consent
Answer: B — Hospital security policy allows refusal of entry for non-compliance; force or arrest is only
justified if they refuse to leave after being told.
, Page 2 of 135
2. A patient in the psychiatric unit becomes verbally abusive, yelling profanities and threatening to “hurt
the nurse.” No weapon is visible. Under NYS Penal Law, what is the most appropriate charge if the
patient continues after a warning to stop?
A) Assault in the third degree
B) Harassment in the second degree
C) Menacing in the second degree
D) Criminal trespass
Answer: B — Harassment in the second degree covers threatening or abusive language with intent to
annoy or alarm, without physical contact.
3. While patrolling the parking garage, you see a visitor smoking a cigarette directly under a “No
Smoking – Oxygen in Use” sign. What is your immediate priority?
A) Issue a summons for violating hospital smoking policy
B) Ask the visitor to extinguish the cigarette and move to a designated smoking area
C) Arrest the visitor for reckless endangerment
D) Call the fire department
, Page 3 of 135
Answer: B — Immediate removal of the ignition source is the priority; education and direction to a proper
area is the first step.
4. A visitor in the lobby becomes argumentative and refuses to show ID as required for after-hours
access. He says he is there to see a patient but will not give the patient’s name. You should:
A) Allow him to proceed to avoid a conflict
B) Deny entry and ask him to leave; if he refuses, inform him he is trespassing
C) Arrest him immediately
D) Call the patient’s room to ask if they know him
Answer: B — Hospital policy requires ID and a legitimate purpose for after-hours entry; refusal justifies
denial of entry and a trespass warning.
5. You receive a report that a visitor has been seen taking photographs of other patients in the waiting
room without permission. This violates patient privacy under HIPAA and hospital policy. What should
you do first?
A) Confiscate the phone
B) Approach the visitor, explain that photography is prohibited, and ask him to delete the photos and
, Page 4 of 135
leave
C) Arrest the visitor for harassment
D) Ignore it because you are not HIPAA enforcement
Answer: B — Special Officers enforce hospital policy; you may request deletion and removal; arrest
would require a specific penal law violation.
6. A patient elopes from the behavioral health unit and runs toward the hospital exit. You are trained in
patient restraint. What is the appropriate action?
A) Do not chase; alert the clinical team and security command
B) Tackle the patient immediately
C) Block the exit physically using your body
D) Yell at the patient to stop and hope they comply
Answer: A — Clinical staff lead patient restraint decisions; security’s role is to contain and alert, not to
physically intervene without clinical direction unless immediate danger exists.
7. During a night shift, you find a door to a medication storage room propped open with a trash can. No
one is inside. What should you do?
