Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) Technical Standards

• Ability to calmly intervene in various verbal and/or physical conflicts; make correct initial decisions and draw reasonable conclusions that allow selection and pursuit of acceptable outcome options; make references to the appropriate person(s) for further remedy.
• Assess crime scenes and interpret evidence to determine the cause of the incident.
• Formulate correct decisions based on department policy and procedure.
• Advise disputants of legal options (attorney, magistrate, etc.); consider appropriate alternatives when possible.
• Devise and implement an accepted plan to provide effective police services in typical/atypical situations.
• Utilize standard/approved equipment for officer and citizen safety.

• Quickly establish and maintain supportive relationships with citizens, victims, witnesses, family members, bystanders, public safety, media, political officials, and other law enforcement personnel under stressful and non-stressful situations.
• Rapidly communicate with hostile people using de-escalation techniques.
• Control personal emotions, and biases in high-stress situations.
• Quickly and rapidly communicate with other public safety personnel to develop immediate deployment plans.

• Hear and speak over two-way radio to receive and provide urgent and non-urgent information rapidly.
• Ask questions to obtain information related to calls for service.
• Receive and interpret information from victims, witnesses, suspects, and/or bystanders.
• Receive and clarify orders from supervisors.
• Prepare accurate and legible hand and type-written reports in a normal work shift.
• Read and understand policies and standard operating procedures.
• Communicate effectively with citizens in verbal and written forms.
• Interpret certain non-verbal communication. Examples: Emotional reaction to situations, deceitful indicators, fight or flight posture, etc.

• Appropriately react to emotional situations that affect law enforcement personnel, citizens, victims, families, friends, coworkers, bystanders, and other public safety personnel.
• Recognize personal limitations and request assistance as appropriate.
• Avoid the use of alcohol or prescription medication as a coping strategy.

Physical abilities are sufficient to move in one’s environment with ease and without restriction.

Gross and fine motor abilities are sufficient to provide safe and effective law enforcement procedures.

• Enter/exit patrol car without assistance.
• Perform physical law enforcement activities exceeding 12 continuous hours without a break.
• Physically negotiate hazardous scenes in all environmental extremes including but not limited to light/dark, heat/cold, wet/dry/frozen scenes.
• Wear appropriate personal protective devices (PPDs) without assistance (ex: gloves, masks, etc.).
• Quickly perform physically demanding activities such as climbing fences, jumping ditches, low-crawl, engaging in physical suspect apprehension, perform rescue duties.
• Operate patrol vehicles under extreme environmental conditions.
• Operate assigned firearms, meeting state and agency standards for safe handling, accurate marksmanship, etc.
• Perform physical tasks requiring prolonged physical exertion (ex: walking for long periods of time while carrying equipment or moving individuals).
• Perform a variety of tasks while walking, crawling, stooping, bending, kneeling, or working in a horizontal, flat position.
• Meet state-mandated minimum standards for physical agility in the Police Officer Physical Agility Test (POPAT).

• Hear and speak using two-way radios.
• Effectively use the sense of hearing to aid in locating victims, witnesses, or suspects.
• Recognize and respond to voices under duress.
• Hear and recognize various audible signals during the rescue operation, equipment or emergency alarms, and dangers/warnings associated with hazardous scenes.
• Speak and hear in a variety of environments using typical telephone links.
• Receive and respond to instructor, officer, or supervisor instructions in emergency and non-emergency environments.

• Recognize non-verbal cues indicative of an impending assault.
• Identify medical patient signs as taught in the First responder block.
• Identify and protect evidence.
• Identify normal/abnormal patterns of movement.
• Rapidly assess the environment for hazards in a wide spectrum of light levels.
• Operate a patrol vehicle under normal and emergency conditions in both daylight and darkness.
• Identify aggressor/non-aggressor behaviors in a wide range of situations.

• Conduct “pat-down” and full search for weapons/contraband of persons detained or arrested.
• Safely handle and use patrol vehicles, firearms, impact weapons, mechanical restraints, radio equipment, speed measuring devices, and non-lethal weapons.
• Detect weapons hidden on a person.
• Conduct searches of items, locations, and vehicles.
• Detect and locate a pulse and detect signs of breathing.
• Perform CPR.
• Recover and process evidence.
• Use computers to prepare reports and communicate with other officers.

• Quickly and safely perform physically demanding tasks such as: lifting and moving people and equipment, pushing and pulling heavy objects, restraining hostile individuals.
• Perform all the functions of a law enforcement officer in all weather, stress, space, light, and temperature conditions.

• Adapt rapidly to changing, stressful, dangerous, emergency situations.
• Demonstrate flexibility, honesty, and cooperative behaviors in a variety of environments.
• Display high levels of personal responsibility, competency, honesty, and trustworthiness.
• Demonstrate respect for citizens, victims, witnesses, suspects, and other public safety professionals without regard to the situation or perceptions.
• Present a professional appearance and maintain personal hygiene.