FL Law Enforcement SOCE flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Probable Cause

Facts and circumstances that would lead a reasonable officer to believe an offense has been committed and that a particular person committed it.

Reasonable Suspicion

Articulable facts that would lead a reasonable officer to believe criminal activity is afoot, justifying a brief investigative detention.

Miranda Custody

A suspect is in custody when a reasonable person would not feel free to leave; warnings are required before interrogation.

Exclusionary Rule

Evidence obtained through an unconstitutional search or seizure is generally inadmissible at trial, subject to recognized exceptions.

Grand Theft Threshold

In Florida, theft of property valued at $750 or more is grand theft; below that amount is petit theft.

Burglary Elements

Unauthorized entry of a structure with intent to commit an offense inside; the intent must be formed at the time of entry.

Entrapment Defense

A defense requiring government inducement; the State must then show the defendant was predisposed to commit the offense.

Chain of Custody

A documented record of every person who handled evidence, from collection to court, showing date, time, and purpose.

Felony Vehicle Stop

A high-risk stop using cover, verbal commands, and one suspect at a time, with hands visible and suspects backing toward officers.

Domestic Violence Arrest

Florida law requires arrest when probable cause of a battery exists between spouses, cohabitants, or parents of a common child.

Crime Scene Log

A record of every person entering or leaving the scene, with name, agency, time, and purpose, to preserve scene integrity.

SARA Model

A problem-solving framework: Scanning, Analysis, Response, and Assessment used in community-oriented policing.

Pursuit Factors

Decision factors include the offense, traffic conditions, road hazards, and agency policy; many agencies limit pursuits to forcible felonies.

Skid Speed Formula

Speed in mph is approximately the square root of 30 times the drag factor times the skid distance in feet.

Legal Alcohol Limit

In Florida, 0.08% blood alcohol for drivers 21 and older; 0.02% for drivers under 21; 0.04% for commercial drivers.

Implied Consent

A lawful DUI arrest implies consent to a breath or blood test; refusal results in license suspension.

Crash Scene Priorities

Render aid, secure the scene, protect the scene, and then investigate; do not move vehicles until documentation is complete.

Point of Impact

The location where vehicles first collide, documented with measurements from fixed reference points for reconstruction.

Hit-and-Run Injury

A driver involved in a crash with injury or death must stop, render aid, and remain; leaving is a felony.

Use-of-Force Continuum

A progression from officer presence and verbal commands through empty-hand control, intermediate weapons, and deadly force, matched to the threat.

Objective Reasonableness

Force is judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, considering the totality of the circumstances.

Firearms Safety Rules

Treat every weapon as loaded, keep the muzzle in a safe direction, keep the finger off the trigger, and know the target and beyond.

Positional Asphyxia

Breathing impairment caused by body position after restraint; place the subject in a recovery position and monitor breathing.

Weapon Retention

Maintaining control of the duty weapon at all times; protect the holster side and create distance before drawing during a struggle.

Terry Frisk

A limited pat-down for weapons, permitted when reasonable suspicion exists that a person is armed and dangerous.

Automobile Exception

A warrantless vehicle search requires probable cause that contraband or evidence is inside, limited to where the item could be found.

Consent Search

A search based on voluntary consent; the person may limit its scope or withdraw consent at any time.

Plain View Doctrine

Requires lawful presence, lawful access, and immediately apparent incriminating character of the item before warrantless seizure.

Exigent Circumstances

Hot pursuit, destruction of evidence, danger to officers or others, and emergency aid justify warrantless entry.

Evidence Packaging

Paper bags for biological evidence to prevent mold; plastic for non-biological items; each package sealed, labeled, and initialed.

Interview vs Interrogation

Interviews gather information from any person; interrogations are accusatory and directed at a suspect and may require Miranda warnings.

Field Sobriety Tests

Divided-attention tasks including horizontal gaze nystagmus, walk-and-turn, and one-leg stand, with clues and conditions documented.