DC Security Officer cheat sheet

Standards ladder: reasonable suspicion to stop, probable cause to arrest, proof beyond a reasonable doubt to convict.

D.C. grades offenses by maximum penalty - felony: more than one year of imprisonment; misdemeanor: one year or less.

Simple assault, D.C. Code § 22-404: up to 180 days and/or a $1,000 fine; assault with a dangerous weapon, § 22-402: up to 10 years.

Robbery, § 22-2801: taking property by force or violence, or by putting the victim in fear; maximum 15 years.

Theft, §§ 22-3211 to 22-3212: value of $1,000 or more is felony theft (up to 10 years); under $1,000 is a misdemeanor.

Carrying a pistol without a license, § 22-4504(a): up to 5 years for a first offense; firearms must be registered under § 7-2502.

Bias-related crime, § 22-3701: where the offense is motivated by bias against a protected group, the maximum penalty may be raised to 1.5 times the base maximum.

Presentment: an arrestee is brought before a judicial officer without unnecessary delay, presumptively within 48 hours.

Intrafamily offenses (§ 16-1001) and civil protection order violations (§ 16-1005) permit warrantless arrest even when the act did not occur in the officer's presence.

D.C. Code § 23-581: an officer may arrest without a warrant for a felony, for a misdemeanor committed in the officer's presence, and for enumerated offenses such as intrafamily offenses and CPO violations.

D.C. Code § 23-582: a private person may arrest for a felony committed in their presence, or on reasonable grounds to believe a felony was committed, and must deliver the arrestee to police or a judicial officer without unnecessary delay, using only reasonable force.

Probable cause = facts and circumstances that would lead a reasonable person to believe an offense was committed and that this person committed it.

Reasonable suspicion (Terry) = specific, articulable facts suggesting criminal activity; it authorizes a brief investigative detention, not a full search.

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

Search incident to a lawful custodial arrest covers the arrestee's person and the area within immediate reach (Chimel), for weapons and destructible evidence.

Plain view requires three elements: lawful vantage point, immediately apparent incriminating character, and lawful right of access to the item.

Warrant execution: execute within the time authorized (commonly 10 days), during authorized hours unless nighttime execution is approved, and return the warrant with an inventory.

Consent must be voluntary, given by a person with authority over the area, and may be limited or withdrawn at any time; officers may not exceed the scope granted.

Objective reasonableness (Graham v. Connor) is judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on scene, under the totality of circumstances, without hindsight.

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

Tennessee v. Garner: deadly force to prevent escape is permitted only where the officer has probable cause to believe the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury.

D.C. law limits deadly force to what is necessary to prevent imminent death or serious bodily injury to the officer or another person.

Force must be proportional to the threat, and de-escalation must be used where feasible; time, distance, cover, and communication reduce the need for force.

Neck restraints and chokeholds are prohibited, and officers have an affirmative duty to intervene in and report clearly excessive force by another officer.

Force progression: officer presence → verbal direction → empty-hand control → intermediate weapons (OC spray, baton, conducted energy weapon) → deadly force.

After force causing injury or a complaint of injury: render aid, request EMS, and document injuries and treatment in the use-of-force report.

SARA problem-solving cycle: Scanning (identify the problem), Analysis (find causes), Response (tailor action), Assessment (measure results).

Crime triangle: offender, victim or target, and place - removing any one element reduces the opportunity for the offense.

Patrol modes: preventive/foot, directed (time-and-place based on analysis), hot spot (micro-locations), and saturation.

Observation records must capture time, distance, lighting, duration of observation, obstructions, and viewing angle.

Descriptions run top to bottom and flag unique identifiers: scars, tattoos, dental features, gait, voice, and clothing logos.

Transient details are recorded immediately: direction and means of travel, vehicle make/model/color/tag, and number of occupants.

Radio broadcasts use plain language, not agency codes: unit identification, location, nature of incident, suspect description, and direction of travel.

Report structure: who, what, when, where, why, and how, written in first person, past tense, chronological order.

Record sensory observations, not conclusions: 'a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage came from the subject's breath' rather than 'the subject was drunk.'

Each element of the offense must be supported by a specific, stated fact in the narrative.

Statements are quoted verbatim inside quotation marks and attributed to the speaker.

Corrections are a single line through the error, initialed and dated; whiteout, erasure, and obliteration are prohibited.

Chain of custody must be unbroken: every transfer records the handler, date, time, and purpose.

Wet biological evidence is air-dried, then packaged in paper; non-biological items may be sealed in plastic; sharps go in rigid containers.

Every package is labeled with case number, item number, date, time, and the collecting officer's name.

Firearms are rendered safe and unloaded before packaging; record make, model, caliber, serial number, and condition.

The first-arriving unit becomes the initial Incident Commander and remains in command until command is formally transferred.

ICS command staff: Incident Commander plus Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, and Liaison Officer.

ICS general staff: Operations (does the work), Planning (builds the plan), Logistics (provides resources), Finance/Administration (tracks costs).

Span of control: 3 to 7 subordinates per supervisor, with 5 considered optimal.

Unity of command: each responder reports to exactly one supervisor, preventing conflicting orders.

NIMS requires common terminology and plain language so that agencies can communicate without agency-specific codes.

Initial size-up: facts, probabilities, own situation, decision, and plan of action; then secure the scene, set perimeters, and establish staging.

Terrorism: unlawful use or threatened use of violence to intimidate or coerce a government or civilian population for political, religious, or ideological goals.

Pre-incident indicators: unusual surveillance, photography of security features, elicitation of employees, testing of security, dry runs, and unusual acquisition of materials.

Suspicious activity reporting documents observed behavior and circumstances, never identity or group affiliation.

Layered security: perimeter → building exterior → interior → critical asset; breaching one layer must not expose the target.

CPTED principles: natural surveillance, natural access control, territorial reinforcement, and maintenance.

WMD/package indicators: unexpected powders, vapors, mists, unusual odors, leaking or abandoned packages - do not touch; isolate, evacuate, notify.

VBIED indicators: a vehicle sagging under load, visible wiring or containers, fuel or chemical odor, and unattended parking near entrances or crowds.

High-risk target types: symbolic sites, critical infrastructure, transportation hubs, mass gatherings, and government facilities.

Ethics screen: Is it legal? Is it within policy? Would I defend it publicly? Would I accept it done to a family member?

Truthfulness is a continuing obligation; dishonesty in any official matter destroys testimony credibility and can end a career.

Duty to report misconduct - including excessive force, dishonesty, and criminal conduct by colleagues - to a supervisor or internal affairs.

Bias-free policing: enforcement decisions rest on behavior and credible information, never on race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation.

Procedural justice: voice, neutrality, respect, and trustworthy motives increase compliance and public confidence.

Conflicts of interest (personal, financial, or family) must be disclosed, and the officer must withdraw from the matter.

Confidentiality: information about ongoing investigations, juveniles, victims, and protected personal data is not released outside authorized channels.