Louisiana POST Level 1 cheat sheet

Louisiana POST Level 1 certification requires completion of the basic training academy and is administered under LA R.S. 40:2531 et seq. (Peace Officer Standards and Training).

The three pillars of the law enforcement role are enforcing the law, preserving the peace, and protecting life and property.

Ethical decision model: identify the issue, gather facts, identify stakeholders, weigh alternatives against policy and law, decide, act, then review the outcome.

Gratuities, bribes, and off-duty employment conflicts are governed by department policy and Louisiana ethics statutes (LA R.S. 42:1101 et seq.).

The Law Enforcement Code of Ethics holds that an officer's private life is a matter of public scrutiny and must model the same standards demanded on duty.

Noble cause corruption is using illegal or unethical means for a perceived good end; it is prohibited regardless of intent.

Duty to intervene: an officer who witnesses excessive force or misconduct by another officer is obligated to intervene and report it.

Chain of command and unity of command: each officer answers to one supervisor at a time; bypassing the chain requires documented justification.

A crime requires actus reus (the prohibited act or omission) plus mens rea (the required mental state) unless the statute imposes strict liability.

Louisiana criminal classifications: felony (death or imprisonment at hard labor), misdemeanor (fine or imprisonment without hard labor), and ordinance violation.

Arrest requires probable cause that a person committed an offense; a warrantless arrest in public is permitted for felonies and misdemeanors committed in the officer's presence.

The exclusionary rule bars use at trial of evidence obtained through unconstitutional search or seizure; fruit of the poisonous tree extends this to derivative evidence.

Miranda warnings (custody plus interrogation) are required before custodial interrogation; spontaneous statements are not subject to Miranda.

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

Search incident to lawful arrest may cover the arrestee's person and the area within the arrestee's immediate reach (armspan).

Consent searches require voluntary consent given by a person with authority over the area; consent may be limited or withdrawn at any time.

Fourth Amendment: searches and seizures must be reasonable; warrantless searches are presumed unreasonable unless an exception applies.

Fifth Amendment: no compelled self-incrimination and no deprivation of life, liberty, or property without due process.

Sixth Amendment: right to counsel attaches at critical stages after formal charges; right to a speedy and public trial by jury.

Eighth Amendment: prohibits cruel and unusual punishment; applies to convicted persons, while excessive-force claims by arrestees are analyzed under the Fourth Amendment.

Fourteenth Amendment: due process and equal protection apply the Bill of Rights to the states.

First Amendment protects speech, assembly, religion, and press; reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions must be content-neutral.

Section 1983 (42 U.S.C.) creates civil liability for persons acting under color of law who deprive others of constitutional rights.

Qualified immunity protects officers from civil liability unless the violated right was clearly established at the time of the conduct.

Ten-code and clear-speech radio discipline: identify unit, give location, state the nature of the call, and request resources in that order.

High-risk vehicle stop: initiate from a position of advantage, use cover, issue loud verbal commands, and approach from the passenger side when tactically sound.

Building clearing principles: move in a stack, clear fatal funnels (doorways, hallways) quickly, and assign sectors of responsibility.

Perimeter containment: establish inner and outer perimeters; the inner perimeter controls the immediate scene and the outer controls access and traffic.

Domestic disturbance response: separate parties, secure weapons, identify the primary aggressor, and document injuries and statements.

Suspicious person contact: observe behavior, note clothing and direction of travel, and broadcast descriptions using head-to-toe format.

Traffic stop positioning: offset the patrol unit to the left of the violator vehicle, angle slightly, and use emergency lighting for visibility.

Foot pursuit decision factors: severity of offense, risk to public, officer familiarity with area, and availability of backup.

Chain of custody documents every transfer of evidence: collector, date, time, location, and each subsequent handler.

Types of evidence: direct (eyewitness testimony), circumstantial (inferential), physical (tangible), and testimonial.

Crime scene priorities: render aid, secure and isolate the scene, document, collect, then release.

Locard's exchange principle: every contact leaves a trace; perpetrators both leave and take away material.

Photograph the scene before altering it: overall, mid-range, and close-up with scale, then sketch to scale.

Interview versus interrogation: interviews are non-accusatory information gathering; interrogations are accusatory and require Miranda if custodial.

Biological evidence should be air-dried, packaged in paper, and refrigerated; wet packaging in plastic promotes degradation.

Field notes must be contemporaneous and preserved; they may be discoverable and should match the final report.

Skid distance formula: speed (mph) ≈ √(30 × drag factor × skid distance in feet).

Reaction distance = speed (fps) × perception-reaction time (typically 1.5 seconds) ; total stopping distance = reaction distance + braking distance.

Accident scene priorities: protect the scene, render aid, identify and interview witnesses, then document.

Document roadway evidence: skid marks, gouges, debris field, and final rest positions with measurements from fixed reference points.

Standard collision report captures driver, vehicle, occupant, witness, and environmental data plus a diagram.

Implied consent: a driver lawfully arrested for DWI is deemed to consent to a chemical test; refusal carries administrative license consequences.

Field sobriety testing: standardized divided-attention tests include horizontal gaze nystagmus, walk-and-turn, and one-leg stand.

Traffic control at a crash: position the unit upstream, use flares or cones to channel traffic, and wear high-visibility apparel.

Graham v. Connor objective reasonableness standard: evaluate severity of the crime, immediate threat, and active resistance or flight.

Force must be proportional and objectively reasonable from the perspective of a reasonable officer on scene, not with 20/20 hindsight.

Louisiana R.S. 14:18-14:22 governs justifiable use of force, including defense of self, others, and property.

Force continuum levels: officer presence, verbal direction, soft empty-hand control, hard empty-hand control, intermediate weapon, deadly force.

Deadly force is justified only to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to the officer or another, or to prevent a forcible felony.

Target areas for empty-hand strikes: large muscle groups; avoid the head, neck, spine, and groin unless deadly force is authorized.

Handcuffing: double-lock, check for tightness, and position hands behind the back; monitor for positional asphyxia.

Post-force duties: render aid, notify supervisor, document force used, and complete a use-of-force report.

A complete report answers who, what, when, where, why, and how, and is written in the first person, past tense, active voice.

Reports are permanent legal records admissible in court; write facts, not opinions, and avoid conclusory language.

Chronological narrative structure: initial observation, action taken, findings, disposition.

Quote direct statements in quotation marks; paraphrase only when necessary and attribute clearly.

Document all Miranda warnings given, waivers, and any invocation of rights verbatim.

Use objective descriptors (height, weight, clothing, distinguishing marks) rather than labels or conclusions.

Correct errors with a single line-through and initials; never obliterate or use correction fluid on official reports.

Supplemental reports document follow-up, evidence submissions, and information discovered after the initial report.

Procedural justice elements: voice, neutrality, respect, and trustworthiness in interactions with the public.

Community-oriented policing emphasizes partnership, problem-solving (SARA model: scanning, analysis, response, assessment), and organizational change.

Bias-free policing prohibits profiling based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or national origin.

Cultural competence includes awareness of language barriers, customs, and historical mistrust of law enforcement.

De-escalation techniques: active listening, slowing the pace, maintaining distance, and using calm verbal communication.

Community engagement builds legitimacy; legitimacy increases voluntary compliance and cooperation with investigations.

Interpreter and language-access resources must be used when a person has limited English proficiency.

Implicit bias awareness: recognize automatic associations and apply objective, behavior-based decision criteria.

Emergency vehicle operation is governed by Louisiana R.S. 32:24, which grants privileges only when responding to an emergency with lights and siren.

Due regard for the safety of others is required at all times; emergency privileges do not relieve the driver of liability for reckless disregard.

The three phases of a pursuit: initiation, tactical containment, and termination.

Pursuit decision factors: severity of offense, traffic and road conditions, weather, and risk to the public versus the need to apprehend.

Intersection approach: slow, scan left-right-left, clear each lane, and never assume other drivers hear the siren.

Vehicle inspection before shift: tires, brakes, lights, siren, and fluid levels.

Braking technique: threshold braking avoids wheel lock; ABS requires firm steady pressure without pumping.

Pursuit termination is required when risk to the public outweighs the need for apprehension; document the reason.

Scene safety first: assess for hazards, traffic, and violence before approaching a patient.

Primary assessment: airway, breathing, circulation, and severe bleeding control.

Severe bleeding: apply direct pressure, then a tourniquet high and tight on the limb if pressure fails.

CPR ratio for adults: 30 compressions to 2 breaths; compression rate 100-120 per minute, depth at least 2 inches.

AED use: apply pads, follow voice prompts, and ensure no one touches the patient during analysis or shock.

Recovery position for an unresponsive breathing patient without suspected spinal injury.

Suspected spinal injury: maintain manual in-line stabilization and minimize movement.

Document care provided, time of arrival, and patient condition changes for the medical and incident report.

The four universal firearm safety rules: treat every gun as loaded, never point at anything you are unwilling to destroy, keep finger off the trigger until ready to fire, and know your target and what is beyond.

Weapon conditions: condition 1 (round chambered, hammer cocked), condition 3 (round chambered, hammer down), condition 4 (empty chamber).

Ammunition must match the firearm's caliber; never mix calibers.

Malfunction clearance: tap the magazine, rack the slide, and reacquire the sight picture.

Sight alignment and trigger control are the fundamentals of accuracy; the trigger is pressed straight to the rear.

Tactical reload retains the partially used magazine; administrative reload occurs during a lull and may discard the magazine.

Cover versus concealment: cover stops projectiles; concealment only hides.

After-action: secure the weapon, account for rounds fired, and document the incident per use-of-force policy.