LA Police Sergeant cheat sheet

Span of control: the number of subordinates directly supervised by one sergeant; typical effective range 6-10, narrower for complex or high-risk assignments.

Situational leadership: leader adjusts directive and supportive behavior to follower readiness (ability plus willingness); low readiness requires high task direction.

Transactional leadership uses contingent rewards and management-by-exception; transformational leadership uses idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration.

Accountability chain: sergeant enforces standards, documents deficiencies, and refers sustained misconduct upward; the sergeant does not impose discipline beyond authorized corrective action.

Delegation rule: assign authority with the task, define the deliverable and deadline, and retain accountability for the outcome.

Briefing model (e.g., roll call): state mission, known hazards, assignments, contingency plan, and communication check.

After-action review sequence: what was supposed to happen, what happened, why the difference, what to sustain or improve.

Supervisor's duty to intervene: a sergeant who observes excessive force or unlawful conduct must act to stop it and report it, regardless of rank present.

Policy hierarchy: law and constitution control over department policy; policy controls over procedure, training bulletin, and roll-call instruction.

General orders are department-wide and remain in effect until rescinded; special orders are temporary or unit-specific.

Chain of command: officer reports to sergeant, sergeant to lieutenant, lieutenant to captain; skip-level only for emergencies or misconduct reporting.

Reportable use of force: any force beyond unresisted handcuffing typically requires a written report before end of shift or within a stated window.

Vehicle pursuit decision rests on balancing offense severity, risk to public, and policy-permitted conditions; supervisor may terminate.

Body-worn camera activation, retention, and review rules are set by policy, not officer discretion; supervisory review is restricted to specified case types.

Evidence and property handling: document chain of custody at each transfer; secure narcotics, currency, and firearms under separate procedures.

Grievance and discipline timelines are mandatory; missing a deadline can void the action or the appeal.

Fourth Amendment seizure: a person is seized when a reasonable person would not feel free to leave; probable cause or reasonable suspicion thresholds apply.

Terry stop requires reasonable suspicion of criminal activity; frisk requires reasonable suspicion the person is armed and dangerous.

Search warrant exceptions: consent, exigent circumstances, search incident to arrest, automobile, plain view, inventory, and community caretaking.

Miranda custody plus interrogation triggers warnings; spontaneous statements and routine booking questions are exempt.

Sixth Amendment right to counsel attaches at formal charging and applies to all critical stages.

Probable cause affidavit must state facts supporting each element and the reliability of informants under the totality test.

Use-of-force legal standard: objective reasonableness under Graham v. Connor, judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on scene.

Chain of custody and Brady disclosure: exculpatory evidence must be disclosed to the prosecution; suppression may follow material violations.

Report elements: who, what, when, where, why, how; plus observations, actions taken, evidence collected, and witnesses identified.

Chronological narrative with times and locations; distinguish direct observation from hearsay and label each.

Crime scene sequence: secure, render aid, preserve, photograph, sketch, collect, package, and log evidence.

Interview versus interrogation: interviews are information-gathering and non-custodial; interrogations follow custody and Miranda rules.

Photograph and document before moving items; use scale markers and log each photo number.

Follow-up checklist: canvass, video retrieval within retention window, records checks, and victim/witness contact.

Report review: supervisor checks completeness, legal sufficiency, consistency, and correct classification before approval.

Case file organization: offense report, supplements, evidence log, statements, and chain-of-custody forms in one indexed package.

Procedural justice elements: voice, neutrality, respect, and trustworthy motives; each correlates with perceived legitimacy.

Community policing model: partnership, problem solving, and organizational transformation (the three pillars).

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

Contact rule: identify yourself, state the reason for contact, and explain what happens next.

Bias-free policing: decisions based on behavior and specific, articulable facts, not demographic categories.

Public trust measure: complaints, use-of-force rates, and survey legitimacy scores are tracked as performance indicators.

Language access and disability accommodation are required for effective service and statement reliability.

Media and social media: only designated spokespersons release case information; do not post case details.

Force options continuum: presence, verbal, soft empty hand, hard empty hand, intermediate (OC, TASER, baton), lethal.

Objective reasonableness factors: severity of crime, immediate threat, active resistance, and flight; plus officer and subject factors.

Deadly force is justified only to prevent imminent death or serious bodily injury to the officer or another person.

Tactical disengagement and repositioning are legitimate options when feasible and not increasing risk.

Duty to render aid after force: medical assistance and monitoring until relieved.

Post-force reporting: document each force application, target area, number of applications, and effect.

TASER deployment cautions: avoid chest, head, neck, and groin; limit cycles; account for excited delirium and positional asphyxia.

Supervisor's force scene role: ensure aid, separate involved parties, preserve evidence, and complete the force review.

Progressive discipline: documented counseling, written reprimand, suspension, demotion, termination; match to offense and record.

Just cause framework: notice, reasonable rule, investigation, proof, equal treatment, and proportionate penalty.

Weingarten rights: union-represented employee may request representation in an investigatory interview that could lead to discipline.

Garrity rule: compelled statements cannot be used in a criminal prosecution but may support administrative discipline.

Performance improvement plan: measurable goals, timeline, support, and review dates documented in writing.

Early intervention system flags patterns of complaints, force, or sick leave; supervisor reviews triggers.

Employee assistance referral is confidential and non-disciplinary; supervisors should know the referral pathway.

Documentation rule: if it is not in writing, it did not happen; contemporaneous notes support later actions.

Staffing formula: required posts times shift coverage divided by available officer hours yields minimum headcount.

Deployment principles: visibility in hot spots, directed patrol, and response-time targets by priority level.

Budget cycle: request, justification, approval, expenditure, and audit; track overtime against allocation.

Records retention schedules set minimum and maximum retention by record type; litigation holds override destruction.

Risk management: review incident reports for liability exposure and refer to city attorney or risk pool.

Operational plan elements: objective, intelligence, personnel, communications, contingency, and after-action review.

Equipment accountability: serialized inventory, issuance log, inspection schedule, and replacement cycle.

Mutual aid and event management: written agreement, unified command, and resource ordering process.