MA Police Lieutenant flashcards

33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Span of control

The number of subordinates reporting to one supervisor. In police and ICS settings, the target is three to seven, with five as the ideal, to preserve effective direction and feedback.

Situational leadership

A leadership model matching directive and supportive behavior to follower maturity. Low-maturity followers need high task direction; high-maturity followers need low direction and low support.

Herzberg two-factor theory

Hygiene factors such as pay and policy prevent dissatisfaction but do not motivate; motivators such as recognition, responsibility, and growth produce genuine satisfaction and effort.

Just culture model

A framework separating system errors, which are consoled and corrected, from at-risk behavior, which is coached, and from reckless or intentional conduct, which is disciplined.

Early intervention system

A data-driven supervisory tool that flags officers exceeding thresholds for use of force, complaints, or collisions, triggering review, training, or counseling before problems escalate.

Probable cause

Facts and circumstances that would lead a reasonable officer to believe an offense has been, is being, or will be committed, or that evidence will be found in a location.

Terry stop and frisk

A brief detention based on reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. A pat-down frisk requires separate reasonable suspicion that the person is armed and presently dangerous.

Miranda custody test

Custody exists when a reasonable person would not feel free to leave, or is formally arrested. Interrogation means words or actions reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response.

Article 14 protections

The Massachusetts Declaration of Rights provision interpreted in some areas more broadly than the Fourth Amendment, notably vehicle searches, telephone privacy, and certain identifications.

Massachusetts wiretap statute

General Laws chapter 272 section 99 prohibits secret interception of oral communications without all-party consent or a warrant, with criminal and civil penalties for violations.

Inventory search policy

A standardized written procedure for cataloging impounded property, conducted without investigatory motive. Results are admissible when the policy is followed exactly.

Unified command

An ICS structure in which agencies with jurisdictional or functional responsibility jointly set objectives and strategy through a single command organization, each retaining its own authority.

ICS general staff sections

Operations executes the tactical response; Planning develops the action plan and tracks resources; Logistics provides supplies and support; Finance handles costs and reimbursement documentation.

Rescue task force

A team pairing law enforcement officers with EMS personnel to extract casualties from warm zones that have been cleared of active threats but not fully secured.

Incident Action Plan

A written plan covering one operational period, typically twelve or twenty-four hours, stating objectives, tactics, assignments, and communications for the incident.

Pursuit decision factors

Severity of the offense, risk to the public, traffic and weather conditions, road and vehicle conditions, and availability of alternative investigative means such as later identification.

Chain of custody

A documented record of every transfer of evidence, including collector, date, time, location, description, purpose, and receiving signature, supporting authenticity at trial.

Biological evidence packaging

Air-dry biological items before packaging, place them in paper rather than plastic to prevent moisture and degradation, and refrigerate or freeze according to laboratory guidance.

Digital evidence hashing

Computing a cryptographic hash such as SHA-256 of a forensic image and documenting the value so later verification can prove the image was not altered.

Brady disclosure duty

The prosecution's constitutional obligation to disclose exculpatory and impeachment evidence to the defense; failure can result in sanctions, reversal, or civil liability.

Show-up identification

A one-on-one identification near the time and place of the offense. Massachusetts requires reasonable necessity and proximity in time to limit suggestiveness.

SARA problem-solving model

Scanning identifies and prioritizes the problem; Analysis examines causes; Response implements tailored interventions; Assessment evaluates results and restarts the cycle as needed.

Crime triangle

A framework linking offender, victim, and location. Interventions target any vertex through handlers of offenders, guardians of victims, and managers of places.

Procedural justice

Fairness in process built on voice, neutrality, respect, and trustworthy motives. Perceived fairness increases compliance and cooperation more than outcomes alone.

Hot spots policing

Concentrating resources on micro-places such as addresses, blocks, or intersections with concentrated crime, generally producing larger effects than broad geographic strategies.

Community policing pillars

Organizational transformation, community partnerships, and problem solving. Community policing is a philosophy embedded in operations, not a standalone program or unit.

Public records law

General Laws chapter 66 section 10 and chapter 4 section 7(26) make records presumptively public, subject to exemptions including active investigations and certain personnel records.

CORI restrictions

General Laws chapter 6 section 167A limits access to criminal record information and permits dissemination only to authorized parties under specified statutory exceptions.

Civil service discipline

Under chapter 31, appointing authorities may suspend up to five days without a hearing; longer suspensions, demotions, and terminations require written notice and a hearing.

Collective bargaining subjects

Under chapter 150E, wages, hours, and conditions of employment are mandatory subjects of bargaining; inherent managerial rights such as deployment and organization are prohibited subjects.

Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency

The state agency coordinating preparedness, response, and recovery, working through local emergency management directors and the statewide emergency operations structure.

Emergency Support Function 13

The ESF coordinating public safety and security functions, including law enforcement, during declared emergencies and large-scale planned events across agencies.

After-action review

A structured post-incident review documenting strengths, areas for improvement, and corrective actions with assigned owners and deadlines, supporting continuous improvement.