IA POST cheat sheet

Use-of-force legal standard (Graham v. Connor, 1989): objective reasonableness judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on scene, considering severity of the crime, immediate threat, and active resistance or flight.

Miranda custody triggers: warnings are required before custodial interrogation; custody means a reasonable person would not feel free to leave, and interrogation means words or actions reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response.

Fourth Amendment search authority: warrants require probable cause and particularity; warrantless searches are limited to recognized exceptions such as consent, exigency, search incident to arrest, plain view, and automobile exception.

Elements of arrest: a seizure occurs when a reasonable person would not feel free to leave; probable cause must exist at the moment of seizure, and a warrantless felony arrest in public requires probable cause, not a warrant.

Report writing standard: document who, what, when, where, why, and how; record observations separately from conclusions, and note evidence chain-of-custody transfers with time, date, and receiving party.

Crime scene priorities in order: officer and public safety, medical aid, scene containment, suspect apprehension, evidence preservation, and documentation; the scene is secured before evidence collection begins.

Chain of custody requires every transfer to be logged; a break in continuity can render physical evidence inadmissible or reduce its weight at trial.

Defensive tactics principle: reactionary gap is roughly 6–9 feet (2–3 meters) for a subject with edged or blunt weapon potential; distance, cover, and time are the officer's primary tactical resources.

Constitutional standards of proof ladder: reasonable suspicion (Terry stop) < probable cause (arrest, warrant) < preponderance of evidence < clear and convincing < beyond a reasonable doubt.

Reserve officers generally hold peace officer authority only while on duty or activated, and their authority derives from state statute plus the appointing agency's policy; scope varies by jurisdiction.

Reserve status is typically part-time, volunteer, or auxiliary; pay status does not determine authority - statutory appointment and agency policy do.

Liability exposure: reserves are generally covered by the agency's indemnification and qualified immunity only when acting within policy and scope of assigned duties.

Training standards: many states require reserves to complete the same basic academy or an approved abbreviated academy plus field training before independent patrol assignment.

Supervision rule: reserve officers commonly work under a regular full-time officer or supervisor, and solo assignment requires documented authorization under agency policy.

Off-duty action rule: reserves generally act as private citizens off duty unless the agency has activated them; intervening off duty can create policy and liability issues.

Documentation parity: reserve-generated reports, citations, and use-of-force reports follow the same standards and review chain as full-time officer reports.

Mutual aid and jurisdiction: authority outside the appointing jurisdiction depends on statute (fresh pursuit, mutual aid agreement, or peace officer status statewide) and must be confirmed before acting.

Call prioritization triage: life-threatening emergencies (active violence, cardiac arrest, imminent danger) are dispatched immediately; property and non-emergency calls are queued by priority, not arrival order.

Location first: obtain an exact address or GPS coordinates, callback number, and caller identity before detailed questioning, because calls drop and location drives response.

Emergency medical dispatch sequence: verify consciousness and breathing, then give protocol-driven pre-arrival instructions (CPR compressions at 100–120 per minute, 2 inches deep) while units are en route.

NCIC/CLETS-style queries require a valid purpose and operator certification; misuse of criminal justice databases is a criminal and administrative violation.

Radio discipline: use plain language, identify unit and dispatcher, keep transmissions brief, and use clear text instead of agency-specific codes when interoperability matters.

Ten-code ambiguity: codes vary between agencies, so plain-language confirmation is required for critical information such as officer needs help or shots fired.

Caller management: use a calm, direct tone, ask one question at a time, and repeat critical details back to confirm accuracy before dispatch.

Officer safety broadcast: when an officer reports emergency traffic, the dispatcher clears the channel, notes the last known location, and dispatches backup per protocol.

Records and confidentiality: CJIS and state rules restrict dissemination of criminal history and call data; release follows agency records policy and legal process.