Québec Security Guard (BSP): Arrest powers and the rights of arrested persons

All 22 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

1. An agent could not tell a struggling suspect the reason for arrest. What is the effect under section 29?

   1. The arrest becomes automatically unlawful
   2. The agent's licence is automatically suspended by the BSP
   3. That alone does not remove their protection
   4. The suspect must be released immediately

2. What must the arrester tell the arrested person, where feasible?

   1. Their home address
   2. The judge's name
   3. The reason for the arrest
   4. The amount of the fine

3. How does s. 494 (4) link a citizen's arrest to the use of force?

   1. It bans any form of force during a citizen's arrest
   2. It makes the arrester 'authorized by law' (s. 25)
   3. It allows the same force the suspect uses
   4. It requires prior police approval

4. An agent hired by a mall sees someone smash a mall window. Which power applies?

   1. Arrest under a provincial trespass statute
   2. A 24-hour detention in the security office
   3. Arrest as a person authorized by the owner
   4. None; a broken window is a civil matter

5. When police arrive, which details should the agent be able to give?

   1. Rumours heard about the suspect
   2. A guess about the suspect's record
   3. Time, place, descriptions and what they saw
   4. Their personal opinion of the suspect's morals and character

6. A customer tells the agent a man stole a bag an hour ago. Can the agent arrest him under s. 494 (1) (a)?

   1. Yes, if the customer signs a written statement
   2. Yes, as long as the man is still in the store
   3. Yes, a customer's word is always enough
   4. No, the agent did not find him committing it

7. Two customers start fighting in a lobby. What does Criminal Code section 30 allow a witness to do?

   1. Keep their ID cards until the next morning, as a precaution
   2. Fine them on the spot
   3. Intervene and detain them for police, with reasonable force
   4. Choose which of the two to punish

8. During an arrest, an agent shouts 'Police!'. What does the regulation say?

   1. It is allowed to get obedience
   2. They must not claim a police officer's powers
   3. It is allowed if a real officer arrives shortly after
   4. It is allowed at night only

9. When may an owner's agent arrest someone a reasonable time after the offence?

   1. If the manager signs an arrest order
   2. If the stolen goods are worth over $5,000
   3. If they believe police cannot feasibly make the arrest
   4. If the suspect returns to the same site within the following week

10. After a citizen's arrest, what must the security agent do?

    1. Release them once they return the goods
    2. Question them for an hour before calling
    3. Deliver the person to a peace officer at once
    4. Keep them until the store closes

11. Under s. 494 (1) (b), when may the author of a criminal offence be arrested?

    1. They are sitting in their car near the store
    2. They refuse to give their name and address to the security agent
    3. They are fleeing people with authority who are pursuing them
    4. They are leaving after a verbal argument

12. An agent holds a person he has not arrested 'until the manager comes'. What does the regulation say?

    1. It is allowed for 30 minutes
    2. Detaining a person not under arrest is prohibited
    3. It is allowed if the person is a minor
    4. It is allowed while the manager is on the way to the store

13. How must every arrested person be treated under the Québec Charter?

    1. With humanity and respect
    2. As the client decides
    3. Isolated with no contact
    4. Handcuffed at all times

14. Under s. 494 (1) (a), whom may anyone arrest without a warrant?

    1. A person who refuses to show their bag at the exit
    2. A person who breaks a municipal bylaw
    3. A person suspected of a theft committed last week
    4. A person found committing an indictable offence

15. After arresting a shoplifter, what should the agent do first?

    1. Call police to hand the person over
    2. Let the manager decide on a punishment
    3. Search the thief's car in the parking lot
    4. Post the thief's photo at the entrance

16. Under section 24 of the Québec Charter, when may a person be deprived of liberty?

    1. Whenever a store customer expressly asks the agent to do it
    2. Whenever a person looks suspicious
    3. For up to one hour with no reason at all
    4. On grounds provided by law, following the prescribed procedure

17. What arrest powers does a security agent have in Québec?

    1. No power at all, even for a serious crime
    2. Those of a peace officer on the client's land
    3. Those of a police officer during their shift
    4. Those of any citizen, under the Criminal Code

18. Under the Québec Charter, how must an arrested person be told the reasons for the arrest?

    1. Only if they ask in writing
    2. In French only, at the police station
    3. In writing, within 48 hours
    4. Promptly, in a language they understand

19. A person arrested by an agent asks to call a relative and a lawyer. What does the Québec Charter provide?

    1. They have this right only if police are present
    2. They may, without delay, notify relatives and a lawyer
    3. They may call only a lawyer, never relatives or family
    4. They must wait until they are before a judge

20. What level of belief does s. 494 (1) (b) require about the fleeing person's offence?

    1. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt, as in a criminal court
    2. A mere hunch based on appearance
    3. A written complaint signed by the victim
    4. Reasonable grounds to believe in a criminal offence

21. A warehouse agent sees a man spray graffiti on the wall. Under s. 494 (2), what must the offence be?

    1. An offence causing over $5,000 in damage
    2. An offence committed during business hours
    3. An offence also seen by a second witness
    4. A criminal offence on or in relation to the property

22. A thief walks calmly away after a small theft and threatens no one. What is often the safest choice?

    1. Block his car with a patrol vehicle
    2. Observe, note a description and call police
    3. Tackle him before he reaches the door
    4. Chase him into the street through traffic