Study guides for the Texas peace officer licensing exam

Each guide summarizes one topic from the study workspace in plain language and lists the provisions it covers. The full topics add revision cards and scenario questions.

Legal foundations and authority

Constitutional limits on police action: the federal and Texas guarantees that govern searches, seizures and the rights of the accused.
Peace officer authority and jurisdiction: who counts as a peace officer, the general powers, and arrests outside an officer's own jurisdiction.
Culpable mental states and criminal responsibility: the four mental states in Penal Code Chapter 6 and the Chapter 8 bars to responsibility.
Parties, inchoate offenses and punishment ranges: responsibility for another's conduct, attempt, conspiracy, solicitation and the punishment ladder.

Arrest and custody powers

Arrest without a warrant: the Chapter 14 list of situations in which an officer may arrest without a warrant.
Arrest under warrant and magistrate duties: the warrant, the complaint, execution and the warnings a magistrate gives under article 15.17.
Investigative detention and stops: reasonable suspicion, the frisk and how long a stop may last.
Citation in lieu of arrest and release decisions: the two citation powers in article 14.06 and their conditions.

Search, seizure and evidence

Search warrants and warrantless searches: the sworn affidavit, who may issue a warrant, how many whole days it runs and the Texas exclusionary rule.
Executing a warrant and handling seized property: the copy, the inventory, the return and custody of what is seized.
The exclusionary rule and suppression: article 38.23, the jury instruction and the good faith exception.
Confessions and custodial interrogation: custody, the warnings, written and oral statements and recorded interrogations.
Crime scene evidence and chain of custody: inquests, laboratory accreditation, retention of biological evidence and tampering.

Force and officer safety

Use of force and deadly force: the conditions in section 9.51 and the definition of deadly force.
Defense of self, others and property: the justifications in sections 9.31 to 9.43 and the presumption of reasonable belief.
Response to resistance and de-escalation: resisting arrest, the duty to intervene, rendering aid, training and reporting.

Offenses against the person

Assaultive offenses: the three kinds of assault, aggravated assault, deadly conduct and terroristic threat.
Homicide offenses: murder, capital murder, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and sudden passion.
Kidnapping, trafficking and smuggling: unlawful restraint, kidnapping, smuggling of persons, trafficking of persons and the safe release issue.
Sexual offenses: sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, indecency with a child and continuous sexual abuse.
Offenses against children, elderly and disabled persons: injury by act or omission, abandoning and endangering, and interference with child custody.

Property and dishonesty offenses

Theft and theft of service: unlawful appropriation, the value ladder, theft of service and aggregation.
Robbery and burglary: robbery in the course of theft, aggravated robbery, the three ways to commit burglary and what counts as entry.
Criminal mischief and trespass: the pecuniary loss ladder, graffiti, notice and the grades of criminal trespass.
Fraud, forgery and financial crimes: forgery, card abuse, issuing a bad check and insurance fraud.
Identity theft and computer crimes: the counting rule for identifying information, breach of computer security and stored customer data.

Public order, drugs and weapons

Disorderly conduct and public order: disorderly conduct, riot, public intoxication, harassment, stalking and cruelty to animals.
Controlled substances offenses: penalty groups, the possession and delivery ladders, marihuana and drug-free zones.
Alcoholic beverage offenses: the minor offenses, sale and furnishing to minors, open containers and the officer's authority under the code.
Weapons offenses and prohibited places: the situations in which carrying is still an offense, the places where weapons are barred, prohibited persons and prohibited weapons.
Offenses against public administration: perjury, false report, failure to identify, resisting, evading, hindering apprehension, escape, bribery and abuse of official capacity.

Traffic and vehicle law

Traffic stops and enforcement: the constitutional basis for a stop, the rules of the road most often enforced and the citation and arrest powers.
Driving while intoxicated and chemical testing: the definition of intoxicated, the grades of the offense, implied consent, refusal and the blood specimen warrant.
Crash investigation and driver duties: the duty to stop, give information and render aid, and the officer's written crash report.
Vehicle documents and registration offenses: registration and plate offenses, driving while license invalid and the proof of financial responsibility.
Emergency vehicle operation and pursuits: the privileges of an emergency vehicle, their conditions, the duty of care and evading arrest or detention.

Victims, families and vulnerable people

Family violence response and protective orders: the definition of family violence, the officer's duties at the scene, the mandatory arrest and orders for protection.
Child protection and reporting duties: the duty to report suspected abuse or neglect, taking possession of a child without a court order and the timetable that follows.

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