MO POST cheat sheet

Three seizure levels: consensual encounter (no justification needed, person free to leave); investigative detention (reasonable suspicion); arrest (probable cause).

Miranda applies only to custodial interrogation; general on-scene questioning and routine booking questions are not interrogation.

A Terry frisk is limited to a pat-down of outer clothing for weapons and requires reasonable suspicion that the person is armed and dangerous.

Vehicle search incident to arrest: passenger compartment only, and only when the arrestee is unsecured and within reaching distance of that compartment.

Automobile exception: probable cause that the vehicle contains contraband or evidence allows a warrantless search of every place the item could be hidden, including containers.

Exclusionary rule exceptions: independent source, inevitable discovery, attenuation, and good-faith reliance on a warrant.

Warrantless home entry requires consent, exigency (hot pursuit, imminent destruction of evidence, emergency aid), or an arrest warrant plus reason to believe the subject is inside.

Deadly force to prevent escape is permitted only when the officer has probable cause the subject poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury.

A warrantless misdemeanor arrest generally requires the offense to occur in the officer's presence unless a statute provides otherwise.

SARA: Scanning (identify and prioritize), Analysis (root causes), Response (tailored strategy), Assessment (measure the outcome).

Random patrol produces limited deterrence; directed patrol and hot-spot policing concentrate presence where crime clusters.

Community policing rests on partnership, problem solving, and organizational transformation; it is not a public-relations program.

BOLO content: person or vehicle description, direction and time of travel, weapon involvement, and the reason for the alert.

Contact/cover: one officer communicates and controls while the other watches hands and surroundings; both should not focus on the same task.

Reactionary gap: about 21 feet is the commonly trained minimum against an edged-weapon threat; closing distance compresses decision time.

Field interview: separate subjects when possible, record time, place, and identifying data, and document the legal basis for the encounter.

Directed patrol tasking should specify location, time window, activity, and a measurable outcome.

Sequence: secure the scene, then document, then collect - perimeter, photographs before movement, measured sketches, then collection.

Chain of custody must show each transfer: collector, date and time, item description, storage location, and every subsequent handler.

Package biological evidence in paper and air-dry wet items to prevent mold and degradation; package each item separately.

Latent prints: powders for nonporous surfaces, fuming or chemical methods for porous items; wear gloves and minimize handling.

Photo array protocol: double-blind administration, sequential presentation, fillers matching the witness description, and a documented confidence statement.

Hearsay exceptions commonly used: excited utterance, present sense impression, dying declaration, and statements for medical diagnosis.

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

Document negative findings and scene conditions (weather, lighting, entry and exit points) because they establish reliability later.

A crash is reportable in Missouri when it results in injury, death, or property damage at or above the statutory dollar threshold; complete the state crash report.

Minimum skid speed: S = the square root of (30 x d x f), where d is skid distance in feet and f is the drag factor.

Conversion: miles per hour x 1.467 = feet per second; feet per second divided by 1.467 = miles per hour.

Total stopping distance = perception distance + reaction distance + braking distance.

SFST battery: horizontal gaze nystagmus, walk-and-turn, one-leg stand; the battery is validated for alcohol, not for classifying drug impairment.

HGN clues per eye: lack of smooth pursuit, distinct nystagmus at maximum deviation, onset before 45 degrees - six total clues, four or more indicates impairment.

Implied consent: refusal triggers license sanctions, and a forced blood draw generally requires a warrant.

Staged crash indicators: damage inconsistent with injuries, occupants with no relationship to the vehicle, prior-damage patterns, and prepared witness statements.

Traffic stop: record plate and occupancy before the stop, select a safe location, and approach from the passenger side when driver-side exposure is unsafe.

Graham v. Connor: reasonableness is judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on scene, weighing severity of the crime, immediate threat, and active resistance or flight.

Force must be objectively reasonable, necessary, and proportional; the test is totality of circumstances, not hindsight.

The force continuum is descriptive, not a rigid ladder; officers may escalate to the level reasonably required by the subject's actions.

Deadly force means force likely to cause death or serious bodily injury; it is justified only against an imminent threat of death or serious injury to officers or others.

Duty to intervene: stop excessive force when in a position to do so, report it, and render aid afterward.

After restraint, place the subject seated or in a recovery position, monitor breathing, and avoid prolonged prone pressure because of positional asphyxia risk.

Handcuffing: double-lock the cuffs, check tightness, reposition as needed, and document complaints of pain or injury.

Document the specific facts: subject's actions, officer's perception, options considered, force applied, and medical aid provided.

Four rules: treat every firearm as loaded; keep the muzzle in a safe direction; finger off the trigger until sights are on target; know the target and backstop.

Fundamentals: stable grip, sight alignment, smooth trigger press, respiratory pause, and follow-through.

Failure to fire immediate action: tap the magazine, rack the slide, reacquire and assess; a squib load or stuck case requires inspection rather than another shot.

Cover stops projectiles; concealment only obscures vision - select cover and a safe backstop before engaging.

Qualification scoring rewards accuracy first; speed is added only after consistent hits at the required standard.

Weapon retention: control the weapon side during a struggle, keep the holster covered, and create distance before attempting a draw.

Inspect, clean, and lubricate the duty weapon per the manufacturer schedule; verify function before each shift.

No engagement without an identified threat and an acceptable background.

Emergency-vehicle privileges apply only when the vehicle is operated with required lights and siren and with due regard for the safety of all persons.

Due regard: the officer remains responsible for collisions caused by reckless or unsafe operation despite the statutory exemption.

Following distance: at least three seconds in ideal conditions; add time for rain, darkness, or heavy vehicle load.

Weight transfer: braking shifts weight forward and increases front traction; acceleration shifts weight rearward; abrupt steering unloads the tires and reduces grip.

Understeer (front tires lose grip, vehicle continues straight) is corrected by reducing speed and steering input; oversteer is corrected by steering into the skid and easing off the throttle.

With ABS, apply firm steady brake pressure and steer; do not pump the pedal.

Intersection approach: cover the brake, slow to a scanning speed, clear left-right-left, and proceed only when the path is confirmed.

Pursuit decision: weigh the need to apprehend against danger to the public; terminate when the risk exceeds the need.

A report must answer who, what, when, where, how, and why; a missing element makes the report incomplete.

Write in first person, past tense, active voice, in chronological order.

Separate observations (I saw, I heard) from conclusions (the subject was intoxicated), and include the facts supporting each conclusion.

Quote statements verbatim inside quotation marks; paraphrase only when it is clearly identified as a paraphrase.

Document the legal basis for each intrusion: reasonable suspicion, probable cause, consent, or warrant.

Avoid 10-codes, jargon, and undefined abbreviations; use plain language the reader can follow without radio context.

Corrections: strike a single line, write the correction, then initial and date; never erase, white out, or overwrite.

Reports are discoverable and may be used to impeach; write every report as if it will be read aloud in court.

Procedural justice elements: voice, neutrality, respect, and trustworthy motives; these drive perceived legitimacy more than the outcome itself.

Gratuities and small favors create a sense of obligation and undermine impartiality; decline and document the offer.

Brady and Giglio obligations require that exculpatory and impeaching information be documented and disclosed, not withheld.

Bias-based policing is unconstitutional and unlawful; decisions must rest on behavior and specific facts, not protected characteristics.

The duty to report misconduct, including excessive force and dishonesty, applies regardless of peer loyalty.

Discretion is not arbitrary: decisions must be guided by law, policy, and articulable facts.

Off-duty and online conduct remains subject to the code of conduct and can affect POST licensure.

Scene safety and body substance isolation precede patient care; do not enter an unsafe scene to treat.

MARCH: massive hemorrhage, airway, respirations, circulation, hypothermia - treat in that order.

Adult CPR: 30 compressions to 2 breaths, 100 to 120 compressions per minute, at least 2 inches deep; apply an AED as soon as it is available.

Severe extremity bleeding: direct pressure first, then a tourniquet placed high and tight if pressure fails; record the application time.

Naloxone reverses opioid-related respiratory depression; support ventilation and repeat dosing as needed.

Positional asphyxia: after restraint, place the subject in a recovery or seated position and monitor breathing continuously.

Excited delirium: cooling, medical control, and rapid transport, because restraint-related sudden death risk is high.

Critical-incident stress reactions are common; peer support, employee assistance, sleep, and hydration reduce long-term impact.