In what year was the Knapp Commission established?

• A. 1962
• B. 1972
• C. 1982
• D. 1992

Answer: (B)

This question tests when the Knapp Commission was established to examine corruption in the New York City Police Department. The Knapp Commission is a landmark inquiry from the early 1970s, and its work and findings brought corruption issues into sharp public focus. The date most commonly associated with its emergence in official action and public life is 1972, the year the commission’s influential report was released after months of investigation. That report helped define the scope of police corruption and introduced enduring ideas about how corruption operated within the department.

The other dates don’t fit the period in which the Knapp Commission operated. The early 1960s are before the commission was formed, while the 1980s and 1990s fall later, corresponding to other investigations and reform efforts that are not tied to the Knapp Commission’s 1970s activity and its famous 1972 report.

So, 1972 is the best answer because it reflects the era when the commission was actively investigating and, most distinctly, when its findings were made public and widely recognized, shaping the discussion on police corruption for years to come.