MA Police Lieutenant cheat sheet

Span of control: a sergeant typically directly supervises 6-10 officers; wider spans reduce feedback quality and increase task ambiguity.

Situational leadership: match directive vs. supportive behavior to follower maturity (low maturity = high task, low relationship; high maturity = low task, low relationship).

Maslow hierarchy order: physiological, safety, social, esteem, self-actualization; lower needs dominate until substantially satisfied.

Herzberg: hygiene factors (pay, policy, working conditions) prevent dissatisfaction but do not motivate; motivators (recognition, responsibility, growth) do.

Positive discipline progression: documented verbal counseling, written reprimand, suspension, termination; each step requires contemporaneous documentation and notice.

Early intervention (EI) system thresholds commonly trigger on 3 use-of-force incidents, 3 citizen complaints, or 2 vehicle collisions within 12 months.

Command presence: arriving supervisor assumes incident command until relieved by a higher-ranking or designated commander, and announces the transfer on the radio.

Just-culture (human factors) model: separate system errors (console and fix) from reckless or intentional conduct (discipline) using a documented decision tree.

Fourth Amendment: a search requires a warrant supported by probable cause unless an established exception applies (consent, exigency, search incident to arrest, automobile, inventory, plain view).

Massachusetts art. 14 provides broader protections than the Fourth Amendment in several areas, including vehicle searches and telephone privacy; apply the stricter state standard.

G.L. c. 276 § 1: warrantless arrest requires probable cause for a felony committed in the officer's presence or for certain enumerated offenses; misdemeanor arrests outside presence are limited.

Miranda custody triggers: (1) formal arrest or restraint on freedom of movement to the degree of formal arrest, and (2) interrogation reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response.

Public-safety exception (New York v. Quarles): unwarned questioning is admissible when prompted by an objectively reasonable need to protect the public or officers from immediate danger.

Terry stop: reasonable suspicion of criminal activity permits a brief investigatory detention; a frisk requires reasonable suspicion that the person is armed and dangerous.

Massachusetts wiretap statute, G.L. c. 272 § 99: secret interception of oral communications requires consent of all parties or a warrant; violations carry criminal and civil exposure.

G.L. c. 276 § 2A inventory: standardized written policy, no investigatory motive; inventory results are admissible if conducted per policy.

ICS span of control: 3-7 subordinates per supervisor, with 5 as the target; beyond 7 requires additional supervisory layer.

ICS command staff: Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, Liaison Officer - these advise the Incident Commander and do not command operational divisions.

General staff sections: Operations (does the work), Planning (develops IAP and tracks resources), Logistics (supplies and support), Finance/Administration (cost and reimbursement).

NIMS planning cycle produces an Incident Action Plan for each operational period; operational periods typically run 12 or 24 hours.

Active threat: contact team of 3-4 officers moves to the threat; rescue task force pairs law enforcement with EMS for warm-zone casualty extraction.

High-risk vehicle stop: two-unit minimum, offset positions, cover available, radio channel dedicated, supervisor notified before the stop.

Pursuit decision factors: severity of the offense, risk to public, traffic and weather, road conditions, and availability of alternative investigative means.

Hot, warm, and cold zones: hot = active threat, warm = cleared but not secured, cold = secured; only warm-zone operations use rescue task forces with medical personnel.

Chain of custody documents each transfer: collector, date, time, location, description, purpose, and receiving party signature; breaks in chain affect admissibility.

Biological evidence: air-dry before packaging, package in paper (not plastic) to prevent moisture and degradation, refrigerate or freeze per lab guidance.

Massachusetts drug lab submission: use the state crime lab or approved vendor; submissions require sealed packaging with case number, offense, and submitting officer.

Digital evidence: use a write-blocker for forensic imaging, hash the image (SHA-256), and document hash value in the case file for integrity.

Eyewitness identification (Massachusetts): show-up identifications require reasonable necessity and proximity in time; double-blind sequential procedures reduce misidentification.

Brady obligation: disclose exculpatory and impeachment evidence to the defense; failure results in sanction, reversal, or civil liability.

Photograph the scene before moving anything; include scale references, wide-medium-close sequence, and a scene sketch with measurements.

SARA model: Scanning (identify problem), Analysis (understand causes), Response (implement), Assessment (evaluate results); repeat as needed.

Problem-oriented policing (Goldstein) targets underlying conditions, not just incidents; distinguish problem, response, and outcome measures.

Crime triangle: offender, victim, location - interventions can target any of the three vertices, plus handlers (offender), guardians (victim), and managers (place).

Community policing pillars: organizational transformation, community partnerships, and problem solving; not a program but a philosophy.

Procedural justice elements: voice, neutrality, respect, and trustworthy motives; perceived fairness drives compliance more than outcomes.

Hot spots policing: focus on micro-places (blocks, addresses); effect sizes are larger than broad geographic strategies.

Community meeting documentation: record concerns, commitments, and follow-up dates; unaddressed commitments erode trust.

Massachusetts public records law, G.L. c. 66 § 10 and c. 4 § 7(26): records presumed public; exemptions include active criminal investigations and personnel records where privacy outweighs.

CORI: G.L. c. 6 § 167A restricts access; criminal record information may only be disseminated to authorized parties under statutory exceptions.

Accreditation (CALEA or Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission): written directives should be reviewed annually; policy manual is the department's legal backbone.

Budget line items: personnel (salaries, overtime, benefits), operations (fuel, equipment, supplies), capital (vehicles, technology); overtime is the most volatile line.

Performance evaluation: SMART objectives (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound); ratings must be supported by documented examples.

Grievance procedure: union contract typically specifies steps (immediate supervisor, chief, arbitration); timelines are mandatory and strict.

Records retention: Massachusetts Municipal Records Retention Schedule governs police records; destruction requires documented authorization.

G.L. c. 31 (Civil Service): appointments, promotions, and discipline follow statutory procedures; original appointment involves certification from an eligible list.

Civil service discipline: appointing authority may suspend up to 5 days without a hearing; longer suspensions, demotions, or termination require written notice and a hearing.

G.L. c. 31 § 41: tenured employees (after probationary period) have a property interest; discipline requires just cause and procedural due process.

Promotional process: civil service exam, eligibility list, and selection from top candidates per statutory rule (commonly the 2n+1 or rule of three, subject to current statute).

G.L. c. 41 § 98: police chief appointment and removal; removal requires written notice and a hearing before the appointing authority.

Collective bargaining: G.L. c. 150E governs; mandatory subjects include wages, hours, and conditions of employment; prohibited subjects include inherent managerial rights.

G.L. c. 6E: Massachusetts Fusion Center; information sharing among local, state, and federal agencies under privacy safeguards.

Public employee speech: Garcetti balancing applies; statements made pursuant to official duties are not protected; statements as private citizens on matters of public concern may be.

Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) coordinates statewide preparedness, response, and recovery; local emergency management directors coordinate municipal response.

Incident Command System is mandated under NIMS for multi-agency incidents; unified command is used when multiple agencies have jurisdiction.

Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) organize federal and state response; ESF #13 is Public Safety and Security, coordinating law enforcement.

Stafford Act: presidential declaration triggers federal assistance; Public Assistance reimburses eligible emergency costs; Individual Assistance supports survivors.

Mutual aid: Massachusetts Police Mutual Aid Agreement and regional compacts authorize cross-jurisdictional assistance; requesting agency retains command.

Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is a coordination facility, not a command post; EOC supports the on-scene Incident Commander.

After-action review (AAR): completed within a defined period after an incident; identifies strengths, areas for improvement, and corrective actions with assigned owners.

Continuity of Operations (COOP): essential functions, orders of succession, delegations of authority, and alternate facilities must be documented and exercised.