CT POSTC Basic Training cheat sheet

Felony classes (G.S. §53a-35a): Class A = 10 to 25 years; Class B = 1 to 20 years; Class C = 1 to 10 years; Class D = up to 5 years.

Misdemeanor classes: Class A = up to 1 year; Class B = up to 6 months; Class C = up to 3 months; an infraction is punishable by fine only, with no jail.

Theft by value: 1st degree over $20,000 (B felony); 2nd over $10,000 (C); 3rd over $2,000 (D); 4th over $1,000 (A misdemeanor); 5th over $500 (B misdemeanor); 6th $500 or less (C misdemeanor).

Family violence (G.S. §46b-38a) covers spouses, former spouses, relatives by blood or marriage, persons with a child in common, current or former dating partners, and persons who live or lived together.

Under G.S. §46b-38b an officer shall arrest on probable cause of a family violence crime involving physical injury or imminent physical violence, or a protective order violation; dual arrests require documented justification.

Connecticut has abolished the death penalty; the most severe available sentence is life imprisonment without the possibility of release.

Statute of limitations (G.S. §54-193): 1 year for misdemeanors, 5 years for most felonies, 20 years for Class A felonies.

Pistol permit path: age 21 or older, safety course, 60-day local temporary permit, then a 5-year state permit issued by DESPP; the permit also authorizes ammunition purchases.

Cannabis: adults 21 and older may possess up to 1.5 ounces in public and 5 ounces at home; the odor of cannabis alone is not probable cause or reasonable suspicion.

The Fourth Amendment and Article First, §7 of the Connecticut Constitution both require reasonableness; a warrantless search must fit a recognized exception.

An investigatory stop requires reasonable suspicion - specific, articulable facts plus rational inferences - that criminal activity is afoot.

A frisk requires separate reasonable suspicion that the person is armed and dangerous and is limited to a pat-down of outer clothing for weapons.

Warrantless search exceptions: search incident to lawful arrest, consent, automobile, plain view, exigent circumstances, inventory, and stop-and-frisk.

Search incident to arrest reaches the arrestee's person and the passenger compartment within reaching distance, or areas where evidence of the offense may be found.

Miranda applies only to custody plus interrogation; a waiver must be knowing, voluntary, and intelligent, and invocation of counsel or silence must be honored.

G.S. §54-1l requires electronic recording of custodial interrogations conducted at a place of detention in felony investigations, with limited exceptions.

G.S. §54-1p requires double-blind, sequential photo lineups, with the administrator unaware of which photograph depicts the suspect.

The exclusionary rule suppresses evidence obtained from an unconstitutional search; derivative fruits are also suppressed unless attenuated, from an independent source, or inevitably discovered.

Reactionary gap: keep enough distance (commonly six to eight feet or more) that there is time to perceive and react to a sudden attack.

Contact and cover: one officer communicates and handles the contact while the second officer watches hands and surroundings and does not divide attention.

Traffic stop: broadcast location, plate, and occupants; offset your vehicle, use it as cover, and consider a passenger-side approach.

High-risk stop: wait for backup, issue commands by PA from behind cover, remove occupants one at a time, and prone and handcuff each before moving to the next.

Building search: control light and sound, move slowly, slice doorways at an angle, and avoid searching alone when backup is available.

Domestic violence call: ask about and locate weapons, separate the parties, interview children separately, and check for active protective orders.

Radio discipline: identify unit, location, and nature; transmit 'officer needs assistance' immediately for any fight or weapons call.

Weapon retention: in a physical struggle, protect the holstered firearm and keep the gun-side arm free to control the weapon.

Ambush indicators include an unoccupied running vehicle, a 911 hang-up with no call-back answer, hidden hands, and lures designed to draw an officer into a location alone.

Force is judged under Graham v. Connor by objective reasonableness from the perspective of a reasonable officer on scene, not by hindsight.

Graham factors: the severity of the crime, the immediate threat to officers or others, and whether the subject was actively resisting or attempting to evade arrest by flight.

G.S. §53a-22 authorizes force to make an arrest, prevent escape, or defend self or others, with deadly force permitted only within its stated limits.

Since P.A. 20-1, a Connecticut officer may use deadly force only when necessary to defend against imminent death or serious bodily injury, or to prevent escape of a suspect posing that threat.

Chokeholds and other restraints that restrict the airway are prohibited unless the officer is justified in using deadly force.

When safe and feasible, an officer must identify, warn of the intended use of force, and attempt de-escalation before using force.

Duty to intervene: an officer must stop another officer's use of excessive force and report it up the chain of command.

After force: render aid, request EMS, notify a supervisor, photograph injuries, and complete the required use-of-force documentation.

Positional asphyxia risk: as soon as a subject is restrained, move them off the chest into a seated or recovery position and monitor breathing.

A written Connecticut crash report is required when a collision causes injury or death, or property damage exceeding $1,000 (G.S. §14-108).

Basic speed law: speed must be reasonable for existing conditions regardless of the posted limit; the maximum on limited-access highways is 65 mph.

OUI per se limits: 0.08 percent for adults, 0.02 percent for drivers under 21, and 0.04 percent for commercial drivers; a first refusal triggers a 45-day implied-consent suspension.

Standardized field sobriety tests: horizontal gaze nystagmus (4 or more clues), walk-and-turn (2 or more clues), one-leg stand (2 or more clues), validated when used together.

Evading responsibility, G.S. §14-224 (hit and run): the driver must stop, render aid, provide name, address, and license, and report the crash.

Move Over Law: on a limited-access highway, slow below the posted limit and move over one lane for stopped emergency, tow, or highway maintenance vehicles.

Crash investigation components: human, vehicle, roadway, and environment; document skid marks, debris, final rest positions, and injuries.

Total stopping distance = perception distance + reaction distance + braking distance.

Scene safety: position vehicles to protect the scene, wear high-visibility apparel, place warning devices upstream, and never turn your back on traffic.

Chain of custody documents every transfer of an item: who handled it, what it is, when, where, and why; each link must be recorded.

Photograph the scene and evidence in place before moving anything, then sketch and measure from fixed reference points.

Air-dry biological and damp items and package them in paper, not plastic, to prevent mold and degradation; package sharps in puncture-resistant containers.

Seal each item separately with initials and date, and mark items with unique identifiers rather than relying on the case number alone.

Crime scene control: establish a perimeter, log entries and exits, restrict access to essential personnel, and use a single entry point.

Eyewitness identification (G.S. §54-1p): double-blind, sequential presentation with standardized instructions that the perpetrator may or may not be present.

Interview witnesses separately and early; begin with open-ended questions and clarify with specific questions rather than leading ones.

Digital evidence: preserve the original, document hash values, and place powered-on devices in Faraday bags to prevent remote wiping.

Burglary requires unlawful entry into a building with intent to commit a crime inside; robbery requires a taking by force or threat of force.

Connecticut requires 40 hours of crisis intervention training for officers (P.A. 20-1), built on de-escalation and referral rather than arrest where appropriate.

G.S. §17a-503: with reasonable cause that a person has a psychiatric disability and is dangerous to self or others, an officer may take the person into custody for an emergency examination and must arrange prompt evaluation.

De-escalation core: time, distance, cover, and one voice; avoid multiple officers issuing competing commands.

Autism: the person may not respond to commands, may avoid eye contact, and may be nonverbal; reduce stimuli, allow extra time, and use simple language.

Deaf or hard of hearing: use writing, gestures, or a qualified interpreter; do not treat non-response as defiance.

Dementia: expect confusion, wandering, and fear-based aggression; use calm reassurance, simplify questions, and avoid sudden movement.

Suicide intervention: ask directly about intent, plan, and means; remove access to weapons; do not leave the person alone.

Severe agitation or excited delirium is a medical emergency - request EMS early and avoid prolonged prone restraint.

Juveniles: notify a parent or guardian, use age-appropriate language, and remember that custody plus interrogation still triggers Miranda.

The narrative answers who, what, when, where, why, and how, in chronological order, first person, past tense.

Record facts rather than conclusions: write what you saw, heard, and did, and place spoken statements in quotation marks.

Include the elements of the offense and every fact supporting probable cause for arrest or charge.

Document Miranda warnings and waivers, consents, time in and out of custody, and who was present.

Document force used, injuries observed, medical aid rendered, and photographs taken.

Correct errors with a single line through the text plus initials and date; never use correction fluid or obliterate wording.

Write a supplemental report for follow-up, lab results, and later contacts, and never alter the original report.

Connecticut family violence reports must record the relationship, injuries, weapons, and justification for any dual arrest.

Assume the report will be read in court and disclosed in discovery.

Four pillars of procedural justice: giving voice, neutrality in decision-making, respectful treatment, and trustworthy motives.

Procedural justice raises perceived legitimacy, which in turn raises voluntary compliance and willingness to cooperate with police.

Connecticut requires officers to record the race, ethnicity, age, gender, and reason for each traffic stop and report the data to the state.

SARA problem-solving model: Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment.

Bias-free policing: decisions rest on behavior and articulable facts, not race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

Body-worn cameras are required for Connecticut municipal police under P.A. 20-1, with notice to the person when practicable.

Community policing emphasizes partnerships and problem solving alongside enforcement.

Explaining the reason for a stop or action and listening to the person improves acceptance even when the outcome is unfavorable.

G.S. §14-283: an emergency vehicle using lights and siren may exceed the speed limit, proceed past red signals, and disregard certain rules, but only with due regard for safety.

Due regard means the privilege does not relieve the operator of the duty to drive carefully; it does not protect reckless disregard for others.

Clearing an intersection: slow enough to stop, confirm traffic in every lane has stopped, make eye contact, then proceed.

Pursuit decision: weigh the seriousness of the offense against the danger created, and terminate when the risk outweighs the need for immediate apprehension.

Pursuits require radio notification, supervisor coordination, and a written pursuit report; secondary units follow at a safe distance.

Terminate when the suspect is identified and can be apprehended later, or when traffic, weather, or radio conditions make the pursuit unsafe.

Pre-shift inspection: tires, brakes, fluids, lights, siren, and emergency equipment.

Backing and intersections produce the most preventable collisions - use a spotter or get out and look before backing.

Adult CPR: 30 compressions to 2 breaths, 100 to 120 compressions per minute, at least 2 inches deep, full chest recoil, minimal interruptions.

Child CPR: 30:2 for a single rescuer at about 2 inches depth; infant CPR: 30:2 at about 1.5 inches using two fingers or the two-thumb technique.

AED: apply as soon as available, follow the prompts, and ensure no one is touching the patient during analysis and delivery of the shock.

Severe bleeding: direct pressure first; a tourniquet goes 2 to 3 inches above the wound, not over a joint, tightened until bleeding stops with the time recorded.

Suspected opioid overdose: administer naloxone and support breathing; repeat dosing may be needed and the effect wears off in roughly 30 to 90 minutes.

Unresponsive patient: check responsiveness and breathing for no more than 10 seconds, then begin compressions or rescue breathing.

Choking: abdominal thrusts for an adult, 5 back slaps and 5 chest thrusts for an infant, and start CPR if the person becomes unresponsive.

Universal precautions: gloves and eye protection for any contact with blood or body fluids, and hand washing after glove removal.

Officer wellness: peer support, EAP, adequate sleep, and physical fitness are associated with fewer force incidents, collisions, and injuries.