TCOLE flashcards
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32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- TCOLE
- Texas Commission on Law Enforcement; the state agency that sets minimum licensing standards, administers the peace officer exam, and regulates continuing education for Texas officers.
- Law Enforcement Code of Ethics
- IACP ethical code stating an officer's fundamental duties are to protect life and property, prevent crime, and preserve peace while maintaining integrity.
- Brady disclosure
- Constitutional rule from Brady v. Maryland requiring prosecutors to disclose exculpatory evidence to the defense; officers must document and preserve such information.
- Giglio material
- Evidence affecting a testifying officer's credibility, including dishonesty findings; it must be disclosed under Giglio and can bar the officer from testifying.
- Racial profiling prohibited
- Texas CCP Art. 2.131 bars law enforcement from profiling based on race, ethnicity, or national origin and requires agency policies and stop-data reporting.
- Duty to intervene
- Texas law requires officers to intervene to stop another officer's excessive force and to report it; failure may lead to discipline and license action.
- Abuse of office
- Penal Code offense for a public servant who intentionally or knowingly misuses government property, services, personnel, or information for private benefit.
- Professional courtesy
- Unwritten practice of extending leniency to fellow officers; it is ethically problematic when it creates preferential treatment or compromises impartial enforcement.
- Probable cause
- Facts and circumstances that would lead a reasonable officer to believe an offense has been, is being, or will be committed.
- Reasonable suspicion
- Specific articulable facts suggesting criminal activity may be occurring; sufficient for an investigative detention but less than probable cause.
- Terry stop
- Investigative detention permitted when an officer has reasonable suspicion; scope must be reasonably related to the suspicion and limited in duration.
- Miranda custody
- Miranda warnings are required before custodial interrogation; custody means a reasonable person would not feel free to leave.
- Article 38.23
- Texas exclusionary statute barring evidence obtained in violation of the U.S. or Texas Constitution or laws from being used at trial.
- Art. 14.01 arrest
- Texas CCP provision allowing warrantless arrest for an offense committed in the officer's presence or view, including some traffic offenses.
- Culpable mental states
- Texas Penal Code mental states are intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, and criminal negligence; each offense specifies the required mental element.
- Search warrant particularity
- Fourth Amendment requirement that a warrant describe with particularity the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.
- Traffic stop seizure
- A traffic stop is a Fourth Amendment seizure requiring reasonable suspicion or probable cause of a violation; it must be temporary and limited in scope.
- Whren v. United States
- Supreme Court holding that a traffic stop is valid if probable cause exists, even if the officer's subjective motive is pretextual.
- Chain of custody
- Documented chronological record of evidence handling from collection through trial; gaps can undermine authenticity and admissibility.
- Crime scene perimeter
- Outer boundary securing the scene; establish an inner perimeter for evidence and an outer perimeter for crowd and media control.
- Report writing elements
- Reports should be factual, chronological, objective, and complete, including elements of the offense and all pertinent observations.
- DWI SFSTs
- Standardized field sobriety tests include horizontal gaze nystagmus, walk-and-turn, and one-leg stand; they are administered per validated protocol.
- Implied consent
- Texas law deems drivers to consent to breath or blood testing; refusal can lead to license suspension and may require a warrant.
- Crash report threshold
- Texas requires a crash report when a collision causes injury, death, or property damage of at least $1,000.
- Graham v. Connor
- Objective reasonableness standard for force; evaluated from a reasonable officer's perspective considering severity, immediate threat, and resistance or flight.
- Tennessee v. Garner
- Deadly force against a fleeing suspect is unreasonable unless the officer has probable cause the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious injury.
- De-escalation
- Techniques to reduce intensity of an encounter, including time, distance, cover, tactical repositioning, and communication, when feasible before force.
- Force continuum
- Conceptual range of response options from officer presence and verbal commands through empty-hand, less-lethal, and deadly force.
- Emergency detention
- Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 573 allows a peace officer to detain a person with mental illness who poses imminent danger for evaluation.
- Crisis intervention
- Focused response to behavioral health crises using communication, containment, and referral; aims to reduce injury and avoid unnecessary force.
- Critical incident stress
- Physical and emotional reactions after traumatic events; peer support, employee assistance programs, and debriefing can mitigate impact on officer wellness.
- Duty to render aid
- After use of force, officers must provide or summon medical aid for injured persons and document the aid rendered.