Louisiana POST Level 1 study plan
Louisiana POST Level 1 · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Firearms and Tactical Skills & Use of Force and Defensive Tactics
Identify and recite the four universal firearm safety rules and the conditions under which deadly force is justified under Louisiana law
Diagram the force continuum and label at least three defensive-tactics responses appropriate to each level of resistance
Explain the legal standard for use of force from Graham v. Connor in your own words
Demonstrate (or verbally walk through) a proper draw, presentation, and re-holster sequence
Your checkpoint
A one-page force-and-firearms reference sheet covering safety rules, the force continuum, and the Graham standard, written from memory and self-graded.
Firearms and Tactical Skills & Patrol Procedures and Operations
Describe the phases of a high-risk vehicle stop and the officer's positioning at each phase
List the steps of a building search and the responsibilities of cover versus contact officers
Explain how tactical communication (command presence, verbal de-escalation) integrates with tactical movement
Summarize the fundamentals of marksmanship: stance, grip, sight alignment, trigger control, follow-through
Your checkpoint
A written tactical sequence for a high-risk vehicle stop (minimum 10 ordered steps) checked against your course materials.
Criminal Law and Procedure & Constitutional Law and Civil Rights
Distinguish the elements of major offenses (e.g., theft, burglary, battery, assault) and state which element is most often contested
Outline the sequence of a lawful arrest, search incident to arrest, and custodial interrogation under Miranda
Map the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment protections to the specific police actions each governs
Explain the exclusionary rule and at least two recognized exceptions to the warrant requirement
Your checkpoint
A comparison table of five offenses listing each element and one example fact pattern per offense.
Patrol Procedures and Operations & Criminal Investigation and Evidence
Describe patrol functions including directed patrol, preventive patrol, and response priorities
Identify the steps of preliminary investigation and the officer's role in securing a scene
Explain chain of custody and proper packaging/handling for at least four evidence types
Distinguish reasonable suspicion from probable cause using concrete examples
Your checkpoint
A mock scene log and evidence inventory for a hypothetical burglary, with chain-of-custody entries for each item.
Criminal Investigation and Evidence & Traffic Enforcement and Accident Investigation
Interview a hypothetical witness using the cognitive interview or a structured questioning model and note the sequence used
Document the elements of a traffic crash investigation: scene safety, measurements, statements, and diagram
Explain standard field sobriety testing procedures and the observations each test is designed to reveal
Identify common traffic violations and the statutory authority for a traffic stop
Your checkpoint
A completed crash-report narrative and rough scene diagram for a two-vehicle intersection collision.
Traffic Enforcement and Accident Investigation & Emergency Vehicle Operations
List the legal exemptions and restrictions that apply to emergency vehicle operation in Louisiana
Describe the decision points of pursuit driving and the factors that justify terminating a pursuit
Explain the components of a vehicle inspection and the conditions that remove a unit from service
Summarize defensive driving principles for emergency response: following distance, siren use, intersection clearing
Your checkpoint
A written pursuit decision matrix listing at least six go/no-go factors and the associated risk rationale.
First Aid and Emergency Response & Report Writing and Documentation
Sequence the primary assessment (scene safety, responsiveness, airway, breathing, circulation) and the steps of CPR and AED use
Describe control of severe bleeding, shock management, and the recovery position
Write a complete incident report using the who/what/when/where/why/how structure with objective, factual language
Identify common report-writing errors (conclusions, speculation, missing elements) and correct them
Your checkpoint
A full incident report written from a hypothetical scenario and revised once against a self-made checklist of report standards.
Introduction to Law Enforcement and Ethics & Community Relations and Cultural Diversity & Constitutional Law and Civil Rights
Explain the ethical standards and code of conduct expected of Louisiana peace officers, including the duty to intervene
Describe community-oriented policing strategies and how they differ from traditional patrol models
Identify cultural, implicit-bias, and communication factors that affect police-community interactions
Summarize procedural justice principles (voice, neutrality, respect, trustworthiness) and apply them to a scenario
Your checkpoint
A timed 60-question cumulative practice test across all 12 domains with a written review of every missed item.
Milestones
Week 2: Can recite the firearm safety rules and the deadly-force standard without notes and correctly sequence a high-risk stop.
Week 4: Scores at least 75% on a self-made 40-question quiz covering domains 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Week 6: Can explain probable cause versus reasonable suspicion, the warrant exceptions, and pursuit decision factors in a single written summary without reference materials.
Week 8: Scores at least 80% on the cumulative practice test and has a written remediation note for each missed item.