Which principle states that each employee should receive orders from only one supervisor?

• A. Field training
• B. Squad
• C. Adverse impact
• D. Unity of command

Answer: (D)

Unity of command is the principle that a worker receives orders from only one supervisor. This keeps instructions consistent, makes accountability clear, and reduces confusion from conflicting directions. In policing, having one clear supervisor for each officer ensures that tasks, performance feedback, and disciplinary actions flow through a single chain of command, which helps maintain discipline and effective supervision. The other terms refer to different ideas: field training is about on-the-job instruction, a squad is a unit or team, and adverse impact concerns the statistical effects of personnel decisions on protected groups—not how orders are issued.