MA POST flashcards

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

Probable cause

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

Warrantless arrest authority

Massachusetts officers may arrest without a warrant for any felony, for a misdemeanor committed in their presence, or where a statute expressly grants arrest authority.

Section 58A dangerousness hearing

A pretrial detention proceeding in Massachusetts where the Commonwealth must prove by clear and convincing evidence that no release conditions will reasonably assure safety.

Article 14

The Massachusetts constitutional provision against unreasonable searches and seizures, interpreted in some areas more protectively than the Fourth Amendment, including rejection of a good-faith exception.

Terry stop standard

A brief investigative detention is lawful when an officer has reasonable suspicion, based on specific and articulable facts, that criminal activity is afoot.

Automatic standing

Massachusetts doctrine allowing a defendant charged with a possessory offense to challenge the search that produced the evidence without separately proving a privacy interest.

Miranda custody test

Custody exists when a reasonable person in the suspect's position would not feel free to leave; station-house interrogation is custodial, ordinary roadside questioning usually is not.

SARA problem-solving model

A four-stage community policing method: Scanning to identify the problem, Analysis of causes, Response with tailored action, and Assessment of whether the problem was reduced.

Directed patrol

Deployment of officers to specific times and places identified by crime analysis, measured against baseline crime and call data rather than by activity counts alone.

CPTED

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design: reducing opportunity through natural surveillance, access control, territorial reinforcement, and maintenance of the physical environment.

Graham v. Connor

Supreme Court decision holding that use of force is judged by objective reasonableness under the totality of circumstances, without hindsight and allowing split-second judgments.

Tennessee v. Garner

Deadly force to prevent escape is unreasonable unless the officer has probable cause to believe the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury.

Duty to intervene

An officer who sees another officer using excessive force must intervene when in a position to do so and must report the conduct through the chain of command.

De-escalation tools

Time, distance, cover, tactical repositioning, calm communication, and reduced stimuli, used before force when feasible and when they do not create additional risk.

Chain of custody

A documented record of every transfer of evidence, showing date, time, handler, and purpose, used to show the item is unchanged from seizure to trial.

Double-blind sequential lineup

An identification procedure in which the administering officer does not know which lineup member is the suspect and photographs are shown one at a time.

Showup identification

A one-on-one identification near the scene; Massachusetts requires a contemporaneous record of the circumstances and scrutiny for suggestiveness.

Search warrant affidavit

A sworn statement establishing probable cause, including the informant's basis of knowledge and veracity, and showing the information is not stale.

Reasonable suspicion to stop

For a traffic stop, specific and articulable facts suggesting a civil motor vehicle infraction or crime; probable cause is not required to initiate the stop.

OUI per se limit

In Massachusetts, operating with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher is OUI; drivers under 21 face suspension at 0.02 percent.

Implied consent warning

The statutory advisement given before a breath test; refusal produces a license suspension and may be used as evidence at trial in Massachusetts.

Field sobriety tests

Voluntary roadside assessments of impairment; the officer must advise the driver of the right to refuse, and refusal may not be used as evidence of guilt.

Report narrative order

Chronological first-person past-tense account covering who, what, when, where, why, and how, with exact quotations and observations separated from conclusions.

Observation versus inference

Reports state what was seen, heard, and done; conclusions such as intoxication must be supported by specific observed indicators like slurred speech and odor.

Supplemental report

A follow-up narrative adding facts, corrections, or follow-up actions; it must be consistent with the primary report and explain any correction.

Brady obligation

The duty to disclose exculpatory evidence to the prosecution; officers and agencies must preserve and share material that could favor the defendant.

Giglio disclosure

The obligation to disclose impeachment material about a testifying officer, including findings of dishonesty, which can affect case viability and credibility.

Section 1983 claim

A federal civil action against a person acting under color of law who deprives another of a constitutional right; qualified immunity may bar the claim.

Massachusetts POST

The statutory commission that certifies Massachusetts police officers and may decertify them for misconduct, including excessive force, bias, and dishonesty.

Section 12(a) transport

Massachusetts authority allowing a police officer to send a person to a facility for evaluation on reasonable belief of mental illness and likelihood of serious harm.

Section 35 petition

A court petition for involuntary commitment for substance use disorder, filed by police, family, or medical personnel, distinct from a Section 12(a) evaluation.

Incident Command System

A standardized command structure with an Incident Commander, command staff, and general staff, targeting a span of control of about five subordinates per supervisor.