AL POST study plan

Outline the constitutional amendments that most affect patrol work (4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 14th) and state the core protection each provides

Distinguish reasonable suspicion from probable cause and write one original example of each

Identify the elements of a lawful search incident to arrest, consent search, and exigent-circumstances entry

Explain the exclusionary rule and list two situations in which evidence may still be admissible

Apply Fourth Amendment seizure rules to three written scenarios and justify each decision in two sentences

Summarize the Miranda custody-and-interrogation test and when re-warning is required

Define procedural justice and list three patrol behaviors that build or erode public trust

Identify common ethical pitfalls (bias, gratuities, use of position) and describe the appropriate response to each

List the elements of the major traffic offenses and the documentation each requires

Describe the phases of a DUI investigation from initial observation through arrest decision

Explain the legal limits on vehicle stops, checkpoints, and pretext stops

Outline emergency-vehicle privileges and the duty-of-care standard during code-3 driving

Sequence the first-responder actions at a crime scene from arrival through scene release

Differentiate interview versus interrogation and list three lawful questioning techniques

Describe chain-of-custody requirements for physical and digital evidence

Identify the components of a preliminary investigation report for a property crime

Draft a narrative report that separates observed facts from inferences and avoids conclusory language

Apply the elements of at least three common offenses to hypothetical facts

Explain records-handling rules, including confidentiality and retention basics

Correct five flawed report excerpts by identifying the specific defect in each

State the legal standard for use of force and the factors weighed in a reasonableness analysis

Order the steps of the force continuum and match three scenarios to an appropriate response

Recite the four firearms safety rules and the fundamentals of drawing and reholstering

List officer-safety practices for high-risk stops, domestic calls, and unknown-risk contacts

Recognize behavioral indicators of mental-health crisis, intoxication, and developmental disability

Describe de-escalation tactics and the communication sequence for a crisis contact

Sequence adult CPR and AED use, including compression rate and depth

Outline bleeding control and initial assessment priorities for a trauma patient

Build a sustainable weekly fitness and sleep routine with measurable targets

Re-review the highest-weight legal rules and report-writing standards from weeks 1 and 5

Complete two timed mixed-domain practice sets and log every missed item by domain

Convert missed-item notes into a one-page final-review sheet