ND POST study guide
ND POST · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The North Dakota Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification exam is the licensing assessment that a candidate must satisfy to be certified as a peace officer in North Dakota. It is aimed at recruits coming out of a basic academy, at officers licensed in another state who are seeking North Dakota certification, and at currently employed officers who must demonstrate continued competence. The ND POST study guide has 12 sections and about 4,316 words.
01Criminal Law and Procedure
Criminal Law and Procedure on the ND POST exam asks you to connect statutory elements to real facts and to the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments. Expect questions on culpability, warrantless arrest, search incident to arrest, Miranda, and the complaint and warrant process.
396 words, about 2 min02Traffic Law and Enforcement
Traffic Law and Enforcement covers NDCC Title 39: licensing, rules of the road, DUI, implied consent, and crash reporting. The exam favors applied questions about what the violation is, whether the stop is lawful, and what happens after a refusal.
401 words, about 2 min03Patrol Procedures and Officer Safety
Patrol Procedures and Officer Safety tests how you plan a contact, control the scene, and avoid preventable harm. ND questions often use domestic disturbances, high-risk stops, and building searches because those calls mix unknown threats with legal duties.
359 words, about 2 min04Investigations and Evidence Collection
Investigations and Evidence Collection tests lawful searches, scene management, interviews, and chain of custody. The ND exam emphasizes warrant requirements, the warrant exceptions, and documented continuity of evidence.
360 words, about 2 min05Use of Force and Defensive Tactics
Use of Force and Defensive Tactics tests constitutional standards, ND statutory justification, de-escalation, and reporting. Expect scenario questions where the force is lawful but poorly explained, or unlawful because the facts do not support it.
393 words, about 2 min06Crisis Intervention and Mental Health Response
Crisis Intervention and Mental Health Response tests recognition, communication, legal authority, and coordination with mental-health providers. ND questions often involve emergency detention, suicide threats, and people who cannot comply because of disability.
351 words, about 2 min07Report Writing and Documentation
Report Writing and Documentation tests whether your report can survive cross-examination and support charging. ND exam items focus on probable-cause affidavits, use-of-force narratives, and the difference between facts and conclusions.
324 words, about 2 min08Community Policing and Ethics
Community Policing and Ethics tests legitimacy, procedural justice, and integrity. ND scenarios often involve gratuities, off-duty conduct, biased policing, and the ends-justify-the-means pressure of drug enforcement.
316 words, about 2 min09Emergency Vehicle Operations
Emergency Vehicle Operations tests lawful emergency driving, intersection discipline, and pursuit decision-making. ND questions use response, pursuit, and code-status scenarios.
357 words, about 2 min10First Aid and CPR
First Aid and CPR tests immediate life-saving actions: CPR, AED, choking, severe bleeding, and overdose. ND items are practical: what you do first, and what you do not do.
366 words, about 2 min11Fitness and Wellness
Fitness and Wellness tests the physical and psychological demands of the job and the habits that sustain a career. ND questions focus on shift work, stress, injury prevention, and critical-incident recovery.
313 words, about 2 min12North Dakota Specific Statutes and Procedures
North Dakota Specific Statutes and Procedures tests the state code provisions that differ from generic national material. Expect DUI, implied consent, warrantless arrest, domestic violence, mental-health custody, firearms, and POST rules.
380 words, about 2 min