Iowa 2019-2024 Lesson Summaries

This is a technical skills lesson for Iowa law enforcement officers regarding bloodborne pathogens. This lesson addresses the following topics:

• Why the issue of bloodborne pathogens is important to the law enforcement community.

• Vocabulary and fundamental principles relative to bloodborne pathogens.

• Steps for protecting officers from having contact with infectious bloodborne pathogens.

• Decontamination and follow-up procedures.

• OSHA standard for an exposure control plan.

This lesson has been designed to help satisfy the bloodborne pathogens training requirement in Iowa Administrative Code section 501-8.1(1)(e), which references the related OSHA standard. This course has been reviewed and approved by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• The purpose of using de-escalation techniques.

• Assessment of the situation in determining whether to engage in de-escalation.

• Verbal de-escalation techniques.

• Physical de-escalation techniques.

• Concluding the encounter.

Training Category. This lesson has been designed to provide one hour of instruction on de-escalation techniques, including verbal and physical tactics to minimize the need for the use of force and nonlethal methods of applying force. See Iowa Code section 80B.11G. See also Iowa Administrative Code section 501—8.1(6). This lesson has been reviewed and approved by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

This is an online interpersonal perspectives course regarding implicit bias.

Section one addresses how to recognize implicit bias; how culture, developmental history, and experience can lead to the emergence of implicit bias; how implicit (e.g., unconscious) bias has the potential to produce biased or unfair decisions and behavior; and studies demonstrating the effects of implicit bias.

Section two examines unconscious associations some individuals may make between race and criminal activity. It highlights several studies exploring this relationship. It provides information on other types of biases that may also affect decision making and be influenced by implicit racial bias.    

Section three explains the concept of microaggressions and how micro-aggressive behavior may result from implicit bias. It provides examples of microaggressions and tips for changing micro-aggressive behavior. 

Section four examines strategies for reducing implicit bias, including stereotype replacement, counter-stereotypic imaging, individuation, perspective taking, and increasing contact in a positive setting.

This training has been reviewed as approved by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• Voluntary versus coerced confessions.

• Summary of major approaches to conducting interviews and interrogations.

• Suggestibility in the general population.

• Suggestibility in suspect interrogations.

• Best practices for truthful and complete interviews and interrogations.

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• When does an officer unlawfully extend a traffic stop to allow time for a K-9 sniff?

• What facts are sufficient to support probable cause for a blood draw warrant?

• What facts are sufficient to raise a reasonable suspicion that a defendant is driving while intoxicated?

• When has a law enforcement officer entrapped a defendant?

• Will an officer be entitled to qualified immunity for arresting a suspect by taking him to the ground when the suspect was a journalist reporting on rioters?

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• What parts of landlord-tenant law are most relevant to officers in performing their duties?

• What is the eviction process in Iowa?

• How does landlord-tenant law affect an officer’s ability to conduct a warrantless search of a premises?

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• Does a tinted license plate cover that obscures the letters and numbers on the plate violate Iowa law?

• When has an individual been “seized” under the Fourth Amendment?

• When can a trespass be charged as a hate crime?

• What evidence is sufficient to show that a defendant has understood the Miranda warnings and has validly waived his or her Miranda rights?

• What evidence is sufficient to show a defendant possessed a firearm as a felon?

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• An Opioids Overview

• Officer Safety

• Signs of and Responses to an Overdose

• Iowa Law Combating Overdose

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• General Principles of Ethics in Law Enforcement.

• Definitions and Disciplinary Process.

• Fair Treatment.

• Ethical Execution of Law Enforcement Officer’s Duties.

• General Misbehavior and Criminal Acts by Law Enforcement Officers.

• Why the issue of bloodborne pathogens is important to the law enforcement community.

• Vocabulary and fundamental principles relative to bloodborne pathogens.

• Steps for protecting officers from having contact with infectious bloodborne pathogens.

• Decontamination and follow-up procedures.

• OSHA standard for an exposure control plan.

This lesson has been designed to help satisfy the bloodborne pathogens training requirement in Iowa Administrative Code section 501-8.1(1)(e), which references the related OSHA standard. This course has been reviewed and approved by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

This is a part 2 of a two-part lesson focused on diverse communities, cultural competence, bias prevention, and a history of the American civil rights movement.

Section three provides a summary of certain noteworthy people and events that are part of the history of the American civil rights movement, including: slavery; abolition; reconstruction; the Jim Crow era; lynchings; school segregation; the Great Migration; World War I and the Red Summer; mass violence against Black Americans; civil rights protests of the 1960s; Rosa Parks; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; Malcom X; the Little Rock Nine; the Freedom Riders; and other people and events.

Section four examines paths for self-evaluation and engaging with diverse communities. It explains how individuals can examine how culture has influenced their own perspectives and that of others. It explains how law enforcement agencies can practice cultural competence and how an agency might use a racial equity toolkit.

This lesson has been reviewed and approved by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

This is a part 1 of a two-part lesson focused on diverse communities, cultural competence, bias prevention, and a history of the American civil rights movement.

Section one defines cultural competence and explores why the concept is important to the law enforcement community. It explains how cultural competence can be practiced at the individual and organizational level.

Section two examines elements of culture and describes how those elements distinguish one culture from another. It explores concepts of race and ethnicity, including how racial labels can vary over time and from one location to another. The lesson describes the following elements of culture and how those can shape a person’s experiences and perspectives: language and communication; geographic location; values and traditions; family and kinship; gender roles; socioeconomic status and education; immigration and migration; heritage and history; sexuality; perspectives on health, illness, and healing; and religion and spirituality.

This lesson is designed to help satisfy the annual bias prevention and de-escalation training requirement under Iowa Code section 80B.11G and Iowa Administrative Code section 501-8.1(6).

This lesson has been reviewed and approved by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• The purpose of using de-escalation techniques.

• Assessment of the situation in determining whether to engage in de-escalation.

• Verbal de-escalation techniques.

• Physical de-escalation techniques.

• Concluding the encounter.

Training Category. This lesson has been designed to provide one hour of instruction on de-escalation techniques, including verbal and physical tactics to minimize the need for the use of force and nonlethal methods of applying force. See Iowa Code section 80B.11G. See also Iowa Administrative Code section 501—8.1(6). This lesson has been reviewed and approved by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• Reasons for Studying Implicit Bias

• How to Identify Implicit Bias

• How Implicit Bias Affects Police Work

• Practical Ways to Combat Implicit Bias

This lesson is designed to help satisfy the annual bias prevention and de-escalation training requirement under Iowa Code section 80B.11G and Iowa Administrative Code section 501-8.1(6).

This lesson has been reviewed and approved by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• What evidence makes it necessary for police to give a suspect the Miranda warnings? And, when is evidence sufficient for obtaining a search warrant for a cell phone and Google search history?

• When does a citizen’s report of erratic driving provide a basis for a traffic stop?

• When does a search warrant for child pornography become stale?

• Does a driver’s failure to yield to pedestrians who are crossing a roadway within a marked crosswalk or intersection provide probable cause to stop the driver?

• When are police justified in using deadly force against an individual holding a knife?

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• Signs of Human Trafficking.

• Methods of Curbing Supply and Demand.

• Investigation Tips.

• Methods of Interviewing Victims.

• Victim’s Rights and Resources.

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• What is Human Trafficking?

• Iowa Laws Against Human Trafficking.

• Federal Laws Against Human Trafficking.

• Misconceptions about Human Trafficking.

• Tactics of Human Traffickers.

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• Do police need a warrant to collect DNA from a suspect’s discarded drinking straw?

• When do exigent circumstances permit a warrantless entry into a home?

• When can an officer be liable for malicious prosecution?

• If an officer arrests a suspect on a warrant that had been recalled but which, due to a clerical error, had remained active in the computer system, will evidence discovered during that arrest be suppressed?

• When does an officer use excessive force while detaining a suspect?

This lesson provides guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers on new laws from the 2023 legislative session. Topics include:

• Domestic Abuse Assault.

• Designer Drugs and Fentanyl.

• Ransomware.

• Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child.

• Explosives.

• Commercial Vehicle Licenses.

• Eluding and Arrest Power.

• Assault on a Pregnant Person.

• Controlled Substances and Fentanyl.

• Human Trafficking.

• Brady-Giglio Lists.

• Sexual Exploitation/Stalking.

• Maximum Age for Officers.

• Prohibiting Entry into Restrooms.

• Miscellaneous.

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• What must officers do to comply with Iowa’s knock and announce statute?

• When does the community caretaking exception to the warrant requirement apply to a traffic stop?

• Is a traffic stop unlawful when an officer believes a driver has committed a traffic violation, but the officer is mistaken?

• What facts provide reasonable suspicion to justify a vehicle stop?

• What circumstances justify a police officer’s warrantless seizure of a suspect’s cell phone?

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• Strains of the Job.

• Understanding Stress and Trauma.

• Resilience.

• Depression and Suicide Prevention.

Training Category. This lesson is designed to help satisfy the annual in-service mental health training requirement under Iowa Code section 80B.11(1) and Iowa Administrative Code r. 501-8.1(1). This lesson has been reviewed and approved by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• When is a person in custody so that they must be given the Miranda warnings, and when is a Miranda waiver rendered involuntary?

• Does a warrant authorizing a blood draw for alcohol also permit testing the blood for other drugs?

• When does a dog sniff impermissibly prolong a traffic stop? And, what shows that a dog sniff is reliable?

• When does an officer have a duty to intervene to prevent another officer from using excessive force?

• If a car owner consents to the installation of a tracking device and then lets a suspect borrow the car, do law enforcement officers violate the suspect’s Fourth Amendment rights by tracking the suspect’s location while the suspect drives the car on public roads?

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• How did the sovereign citizens movement begin?

• What are common beliefs of those who belong to sovereign citizens groups?

• What are common “paper” crimes committed by individuals who are associated with sovereign citizens groups?

• What other crimes do sovereign citizens commonly commit?

• How can a law enforcement officer recognize that he or she has encountered a sovereign citizen?

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• How can implied consent be effectively invoked when there is no interpreter for a motorist who has only a limited use of English?

• When has a suspect who has previously requested an attorney reinitiated an interview, and when can property be considered abandoned?

• What evidence will be sufficient to prove an eluding charge?

• Can an inability to read a temporary vehicle tag justify a stop of the vehicle?

• What evidence will constitute probable cause to arrest someone for interference with official acts?

This lesson provides guidance for law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Iowa Disability Law.

• How the ADA Affects Police Work.

• Officer Awareness of Common Disabilities

• Service Animals

This is a part 2 of a two-part lesson focused on diverse communities, cultural competence, bias prevention, and a history of the American civil rights movement.

Section three provides a summary of certain noteworthy people and events that are part of the history of the American civil rights movement, including: slavery; abolition; reconstruction; the Jim Crow era; lynchings; school segregation; the Great Migration; World War I and the Red Summer; mass violence against Black Americans; civil rights protests of the 1960s; Rosa Parks; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; Malcom X; the Little Rock Nine; the Freedom Riders; and other people and events.

Section four examines paths for self-evaluation and engaging with diverse communities. It explains how individuals can examine how culture has influenced their own perspectives and that of others. It explains how law enforcement agencies can practice cultural competence and how an agency might use a racial equity toolkit.

This is a part 1 of a two-part lesson focused on diverse communities, cultural competence, bias prevention, and a history of the American civil rights movement.

Section one defines cultural competence and explores why the concept is important to the law enforcement community. It explains how cultural competence can be practiced at the individual and organizational level.

Section two examines elements of culture and describes how those elements distinguish one culture from another. It explores concepts of race and ethnicity, including how racial labels can vary over time and from one location to another. The lesson describes the following elements of culture and how those can shape a person’s experiences and perspectives: language and communication; geographic location; values and traditions; family and kinship; gender roles; socioeconomic status and education; immigration and migration; heritage and history; sexuality; perspectives on health, illness, and healing; and religion and spirituality.

This is online interpersonal perspectives course for police regarding implicit bias.

Section one addresses how to recognize implicit bias; how culture, developmental history, and experience can lead to the emergence of implicit bias; how implicit (e.g., unconscious) bias has the potential to produce biased or unfair decisions and behavior; and studies demonstrating the effects of implicit bias.

Section two examines how implicit bias might affect the thoughts, decisions, and behaviors of law enforcement officers and witnesses. It explains how recognizing implicit bias can improve officer safety. It also provides examples of actual cases involving potential implicit bias.

Section three explains the concept of microaggressions and how micro-aggressive behavior may result from implicit bias. It provides examples of microaggressions and tips for changing micro-aggressive behavior.

Section four examines strategies for reducing implicit bias, including stereotype replacement, counter-stereotypic imaging, individuation, perspective taking, and increasing contact in a positive setting.

This is an online law enforcement course focused on de-escalation. It provides officers with a greater understanding of an involuntary phenomenon that virtually all human beings can experience, called flooding. Flooding occurs when the brain is overwhelmed by adrenaline. The fight-fight response—which serves to help us in the face of threat—goes too far. The resulting flood of adrenaline disrupts the brain instead of helping it. The lesson explains the relationship between escalation/de-escalation and the fight-flight response. It explores how potentially tragic outcomes of many encounters between officers and citizens can be avoided if the officers can manage the flooding that occurs, either the citizen's and/or their own. Finally, the lesson provides instruction on how to prevent situations from unnecessarily escalating and how to de-escalate situations when possible.

This lesson provides guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• What constitutes an improper promise of leniency during an interrogation?

• When is information too stale to support an application for a search warrant? And what evidence is sufficient to establish a defendant’s “intent” to deliver a controlled substance?

• What evidence is sufficient to prove that a driver had constructive possession over drugs discovered inside a bag located in the passenger area of the vehicle?

• When may officers rely on the emergency aid exception to the warrant requirement to enter a residence?

• What constitutes an excessive use of force when apprehending a fleeing suspect?

This lesson provides guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• May police officers detain and question innocent bystanders who have witnessed a crime?

• What actions by law enforcement officers constitute a seizure of a package? What justifies the seizure of a package?

• Does a person have Fourth Amendment protection in his/her hospital room?

• Is an officer entitled to qualified immunity for shooting a person’s dog when the dog is not an imminent threat?

• What actions by a suspect will give an officer reasonable suspicion of criminal activity? What officer actions turn a brief investigatory detention into an arrest?

This lesson provides guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers on the following topics:

• Is an out-of-state medical marijuana registry identification card a valid prescription or order that constitutes a defense to a possession of marijuana charge in Iowa?

• What factors show consent to a search, and does the Iowa Constitution protect a right to be advised of a right to refuse a search?

• Will briefly crossing the fog line on a roadway provide reasonable suspicion to justify a vehicle stop for operating while intoxicated?

• May an officer stop the operator of a utility vehicle (UTV) without first having reasonable suspicion of criminal activity or probable cause of a traffic violation?

• When does the possibility of an imminent destruction of evidence justify an officer’s warrantless entry and search of a suspect’s home?

This is an online technical skills course for Iowa police officers focused on the documentation of high risk incidents.

Section one addresses defines “high risk” for purposes of the lesson. In addition to physical risk, it describes the following risks officers face: reputation damage, administrative discipline, civil liability, and criminal prosecution.

Section two provides general principles of report writing and explains how good police reports can help mitigate risks. It examines the wide range of audiences who use police reports. It also provides tips for gathering information to include in field reports and identifies fundamental content that to include in police reports.

Section three provides guidance on information officers should include in use of force reports in consideration of the legal standards that apply to an officer’s use of force.

Section four provides guidance on reporting writing for officer-involved injuries and in-custody injuries. It provides tips for what to document and where to document it, even in cases involving apparently minor injuries.

Section five addresses report writing for high-risk search and seizure incidents based on the legal standards that apply. It also provides considerations for the documentation of consensual encounters that could lead to liability.

Section six addresses report writing regarding exculpatory information. It explains the risks involved when officers become aware of exculpatory information regarding a suspect. It provides guidance proper documentation.

This lesson provides guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers on the following topics: 

• What evidence is sufficient to establish probable cause for a search warrant?

• When may an officer search a car’s glove compartment for proof of the driver’s identity?

• Does a truck’s ball hitch that partially blocks the view of the truck’s license plate violate Iowa Code section 321.38 and provide an officer with probable cause to justify a traffic stop?

• May an officer ever enter a hotel room at the request of hotel management without violating the Fourth Amendment rights of persons inside the room?

• What does a plaintiff need to show to succeed in a lawsuit against an officer for malicious prosecution?

• Does a Miranda violation support a claim for money damages against a police officer under 42 United States Code section 1983?

This lesson addresses amendments to the Iowa Code from teh 2022 legislative session, includign the following topics: 

• Use of Driver’s License Photos.

• Non-Consensual Termination of Pregnancy.

• Hunting.

• Procedure for Prosecutors with Brady-Giglio List.

• Controlled Substances.

• ATVs, off-road utility vehicles.

• Limited exemption from traffic violations.

• Penalties for Crimes Against “Older Individuals.”

• Assisted Reproduction Fraud.

• Certain Police Reports Made Confidential Records; Medical Authority to Detain

• Individuals Expanded.

• Limitation on Control of Fireworks Sales.

• Sale of Stolen Catalytic Converters.

• Seizure of Garbage for Criminal Investigations.

• Modification of Sex Offender Registration.

• Miscellaneous.

This lesson addresses amendments to the Iowa Code from teh 2022 legislative session, includign the following topics: 

• Use of Driver’s License Photos.

• Non-Consensual Termination of Pregnancy.

• Hunting.

• Procedure for Prosecutors with Brady-Giglio List.

• Controlled Substances.

• ATVs, off-road utility vehicles.

• Limited exemption from traffic violations.

• Penalties for Crimes Against “Older Individuals.”

• Assisted Reproduction Fraud.

• Certain Police Reports Made Confidential Records; Medical Authority to Detain

• Individuals Expanded.

• Limitation on Control of Fireworks Sales.

• Sale of Stolen Catalytic Converters.

• Seizure of Garbage for Criminal Investigations.

• Modification of Sex Offender Registration.

• Miscellaneous.

This is an crisis management course for Iowa police officers. It explains three basic categories of people experiencing a mental health crisis (“PICs”) and examples of what might precipitate a mental health crisis. The lesson describes behaviors that might indicate a person is experiencing a mental health crisis and the crisis cycle. The lesson provides warning signs indicating that a PIC might be dangerous. The lesson provides detailed guidelines for interacting with PICs and de-escalating the crisis. 

The Iowa Law Enforcement Academy has reviewed the 2022 PLS Online Crisis Management lesson and found that it meets the criteria for annual in-service mental health training as outlined in Iowa Administrative Code r. 501-8.1(4). 

This is an online Iowa legal update course for law enforcement  officers. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance  to Iowa police officers regarding the following questions:

• What evidence is required to prove a defendant possessed illegal drugs?

• When is a drug dog adequately reliable?

• Can an anonymous tip provide probable cause that a crime has occurred?

• To come within the plain-feel exception to the warrant requirement,  what must be immediately apparent to an officer conducting a lawful  pat-down search?

• How long may a police officer keep a compliant, non-threatening individual in handcuffs during a Terry stop?

This is an online Iowa legal update course for law enforcement  officers. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance  to Iowa police officers regarding the following questions:

• What are the recognized limits on a person’s constitutional right to assemble?

• When may law enforcement officers use force against protesters?

• What is symbolic speech?

• Does the First Amendment protect all speech, including fighting words and true threats?

• Are there limits on what people can say to law enforcement officers?

• Do people have the right to record police activities?

• What are the First Amendment rights of law enforcement officials?

This is an online Iowa legal update course for law enforcement officers. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa police officers regarding the following questions:

• When is a suspect in custody for purposes of Miranda warnings?

• When and under what circumstances may law enforcement officers reinitiate questioning of a suspect after the suspect has invoked the right to remain silent?

• When will an officer have reasonable suspicion of criminal activity to justify extending a traffic stop beyond its original mission?

• Does the plain view doctrine allow an officer to examine glass vials lying on a couch to determine whether they contain illegal substances?

This is an online technical skills course focused on drone operations and drone investigations.  

Section one addresses the prevalence of drones in the United States and why law enforcement agencies may use drones. It examines how law enforcement officers may become involved in drone use, including situations where a person shoots another person’s drone, drones are used in search and rescue operations, drones interfere with police operations, drones are used to further criminal activity, and drones are used for commercial purposes. 

Section two examines the rules that apply to the public and to law enforcement agencies using drones. It explains the exception for recreational flyers and the Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems rule, also known as Part 107. The section identifies prohibited drone operations. It explains how to comply with temporary flight restrictions, rules regarding operating over people and at night, and how to avoid hazards associated with flying near airports. 

Section three examines the role of local law enforcement officers in investigations involving drones. It provides guidance from the Federal Aviation Administration on suggested questions local law enforcement officers should ask drone operators. It provides examples of a remote pilot certificate, Small UAS Certificate of Registration, and a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization. It also indicates state laws that may be implicated in drone operations. 

Section four examines how to set up a law enforcement drone program. It provides examples of how police may use drones in their operations and the options for setting up a drone program. It explores pre-implementation considerations for agencies, including: researching relevant laws and regulations; community outreach; selecting drone equipment; funding the drone program; staffing the drone team; and training. It examines countermeasures against threats posed by drones. 

Section five addresses search and seizure considerations for agencies implementing a drone program.

This is an online Iowa legal update course for law enforcement officers. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa police officers regarding the following questions:

• What should an officer seeking a blood specimen from an OWI suspect do if, after a medical professional certifies that the person is unconscious, the suspect briefly regains consciousness before a blood draw is completed? Does an officer need a search warrant to obtain a blood sample from a hospitalized and unconscious driver whom the officer has probable cause to believe was operating a motor vehicle with any amount of a controlled substance present in the person?

• Why is it important for officers to record or carefully document the statements of important witnesses?

• When is a person “in custody,” such that police must provide Miranda warnings before questioning?

• When may an officer order a passenger to exit a stopped vehicle?

• What are the consequences when an officer continues to tase a suspect after the suspect has become compliant?

This is a part 2 of a two-part lesson focused on diverse communities, cultural competence, bias prevention, and a history of the American civil rights movement. 

Section three provides a summary of certain noteworthy people and events that are part of the history of the American civil rights movement, including: slavery; abolition; reconstruction; the Jim Crow era; lynchings; school segregation; the Great Migration; World War I and the Red Summer; mass violence against Black Americans; civil rights protests of the 1960s; Rosa Parks; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; Malcom X; the Little Rock Nine; the Freedom Riders; and other people and events. 

Section four examines paths for self-evaluation and engaging with diverse communities. It explains how individuals can examine how culture has influenced their own perspectives and that of others. It explains how law enforcement agencies can practice cultural competence and how an agency might use a racial equity toolkit.

This is a part 1 of a two-part lesson focused on diverse communities, cultural competence, bias prevention, and a history of the American civil rights movement. 

Section one defines cultural competence and explores why the concept is important to the law enforcement community. It explains how cultural competence can be practiced at the individual and organizational level. 

Section two examines elements of culture and describes how those elements distinguish one culture from another. It explores concepts of race and ethnicity, including how racial labels can vary over time and from one location to another. The lesson describes the following elements of culture and how those can shape a person’s experiences and perspectives: language and communication; geographic location; values and traditions; family and kinship; gender roles; socioeconomic status and education; immigration and migration; heritage and history; sexuality; perspectives on health, illness, and healing; and religion and spirituality. 

This is an online law enforcement course focused on de-escalation. It provides officers with a greater understanding of an involuntary phenomenon that virtually all human beings can experience, called flooding. Flooding occurs when the brain is overwhelmed by adrenaline. The fight-fight response—which serves to help us in the face of threat—goes too far. The resulting flood of adrenaline disrupts the brain instead of helping it. The lesson explains the relationship between escalation/de-escalation and the fight-flight response. It explores how potentially tragic outcomes of many encounters between officers and citizens can be avoided if the officers can manage the flooding that occurs, either the citizen's and/or their own. Finally, the lesson provides instruction on how to prevent situations from unnecessarily escalating and how to de-escalate situations when possible.

This is online interpersonal perspectives course for police regarding implicit bias. 

Section one addresses how to recognize implicit bias; how culture, developmental history, and experience can lead to the emergence of implicit bias; how implicit (e.g., unconscious) bias has the potential to produce biased or unfair decisions and behavior; and studies demonstrating the effects of implicit bias. 

Section two examines how implicit bias might affect the thoughts, decisions, and behaviors of law enforcement officers and witnesses. It explains how recognizing implicit bias can improve officer safety. It also provides examples of actual cases involving potential implicit bias.  

Section three explains the concept of microaggressions and how micro-aggressive behavior may result from implicit bias. It provides examples of microaggressions and tips for changing micro-aggressive behavior.  

Section four examines strategies for reducing implicit bias, including stereotype replacement, counter-stereotypic imaging, individuation, perspective taking, and increasing contact in a positive setting.

This is an online Iowa legal update course for law enforcement officers. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa police officers regarding the following questions:

• Do police officers need a warrant to seize trash that a person puts out for collection?

• Does hot pursuit of a fleeing misdemeanor suspect always qualify as an exigent circumstance justifying a warrantless entry into a home?

• Does a community caretaking exception to the warrant requirement ever permit police officers to make warrantless searches and seizures inside the home?

• What statements by an officer constitute a “promise of leniency” making a suspect’s confession inadmissible?

• When may officers enter the porch of a suspect’s home?

This is an online Iowa legal update course for law enforcement officers. This lesson addresses recent changes to the Iowa Code on the following topics of interest to police:

• Sexual Abuse of a Child.

• Sexual Exploitation, Human Trafficking, and Sex Offenses with Minor Victims.

• Child Endangerment by Sex Offender.

• Detaining a Child Who Has Been Waived to Adult Court.

• Dependent Adult Abuse Resulting in Death.

• Weapons.

• Crime & Law Enforcement

This is an online Iowa legal update course for law enforcement officers. This lesson addresses recent changes to the Iowa Code on the following topics of interest to police: 

• Personal Delivery Devices.

• DOT Emergency Contact Information.

• School and Farm Drivers’ Licenses.

• Abandoned Motor Vehicles.

• Leaving the Scene.

• Speeding Causing Death.

• Alcohol & Controlled Substances.

• Massage Therapy, Cosmetology, and Human Trafficking.

• Disorderly Conduct.

• Urine Fraud.

• Lottery Offenses.

• Interfering with the Transportation of Agricultural Animals.

• Trespass and Information from Agricultural Operations.

• Corpses & Failure to Assist.

• Sex Acts Definition.

• Sexual Abuse Forensic Evidence Kits.

This is an online Iowa legal update course for law enforcement officers. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa police officers regarding the following questions:

• When may an officer stop a driver for suspected illegal cell phone use?

• May an officer seize a person to enforce an observed parking violation? May the officer subsequently extend the stop to investigate other criminal activity?

• Must an officer arrest a person for a violation of Iowa Code section 321J.2 (OWI) before the officer may invoke implied consent proceedings?

• If an officer never takes physical control of a suspect, but does fire a weapon and strike a fleeing suspect with a bullet, has the officer seized the suspect under the Fourth Amendment?

• What officer actions convert a consensual encounter into a seizure?

This is an online officer wellbeing course, focused on officer mental health awareness. It provides stories by individual officers about how the stress and trauma they experienced on the job affected them and about how they preserved their wellbeing.  It explains common physical and psychological responses to stress and critical incidents. The lesson further describes the symptoms of PTSD and depression, as well as signs that an officer may be contemplating suicide. Finally, the lesson provides proactive suggestions for building and maintaining officer resilience and wellbeing, before, during, and after critical incidents with a focus on mental health awareness.

This is an online, Iowa-specific legal studies course. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers regarding the following questions:

• When will officers who mistakenly arrest the wrong person be denied qualified immunity in a civil lawsuit?

• When may an officer briefly seize and investigate a person filming police activity? When will an officer be denied qualified immunity for seizing a person’s cell phone?

• When, under the community caretaking exception to the warrant requirement, may an officer briefly seize a person in a parked car?

• When may an officer enter a person’s home and take the person into custody for an involuntary mental health evaluation?

• When must an officer give Miranda warnings? What factors do courts consider when determining if a confession was made voluntarily?

This is Part 2 of a two-part lesson on hazardous materials and hazard communication. It is intended to provide first responder awareness level refresher training.

Section four examines the information communicated by DOT warning placards. It explains what the colors on the placards signal and explains various hazard classes. It explains what shipping documents are and where to find them. It provides a case study of officers and the public exposed to anhydrous ammonia during a farm accident.

Section five examines the Emergency Response Guidebook. It explains what information is found in the color-coded pages of the guidebook. It explains how to determine initial isolation and protective action distances using the guidebook. It has officers practice looking up a placard number and determining the initial isolation zone for the hazard encountered.

Section six examines personal protective equipment and decontamination. It describes the four levels of PPE and what each level of PPE protects against. It examines decontamination procedures. It provides a case study of officers exposed to drugs in a hotel room.

Section seven examines the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, a/k/a the “Right to Know” requirements. It examines how officers may be exposed to chemicals in the workplace. This section examines an employer’s responsibilities to: have a written hazard communication program; train employees; conduct a materials inventory; ensure products are labeled appropriately; and provide safety data sheets. It also lists worker’s rights under OSHA law.

Section eight examines safety data sheets and explains what information that can be found in the 16 sections of a safety data sheet.

This is Part 1 of a two-part lesson on hazardous materials and hazard communication. It is intended to provide first responder awareness level refresher training.

This lesson provides examples of situations where officers have encountered hazardous materials and the potential outcomes of those events.

Section one defines hazardous materials, explains the potential health risks posed by hazardous materials: thermal, radiological, asphyxiation, chemical, etiological, or mechanical. It identifies OSHA’S five levels of training and responsibilities in hazardous materials incidents.

The lesson explains clues to recognizing hazmat events, including: occupancy and location; container shape and size; placards and labels; shipping papers, safety data sheets, and facility documents; markings and colors; and human senses. The lesson reviews the recommended initial response to hazardous materials incidents.

Section two examines routes of exposure and chemical characteristics. It explains that chemicals can enter the body through inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion and injection and provides tips for avoiding exposure. Section two examines case studies of officer inhalation exposures to phosphine at a residence and drugs at a traffic stop.

Section three examines containers used for transporting hazardous materials. It explains how a container’s shape and size can provide responding officers with initial information about the type of chemicals involved in a hazardous materials incident. It specifically addresses rail cars, commercial tanker trailers, agricultural tanks, and fuel trailers. This section provides case studies of officers exposure to vinyl chloride from a train derailment and the dangers of a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE).

This is an online, Iowa-specific legal studies course. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers regarding the following questions:

• What evidence must police have to convince a judge that a person consented to a search?

• When a child calls 9-1-1 reporting domestic violence, can that report ever justify stopping a suspected perpetrator who has left the residence by vehicle? 

• When may officers who have made valid vehicle stops and concluded their investigation of one crime continue to detain a motorist to investigate a second offense?

• When may officers executing a search warrant at a residence detain occupants of a vehicle parked in front of the residence?

• When is evidence too “stale” to establish probable cause for a search warrant?

• When will a law enforcement officer who fires his weapon on an armed participant in an altercation not be entitled to qualified immunity in a civil suit alleging excessive force?

This lesson is designed to help satisfy the annual bias prevention training requirement under Iowa Code section 80B.11G.

The lesson addresses: how to recognize implicit bias; how culture, developmental history, and experience can lead to the emergence of implicit bias; how implicit (e.g., unconscious) bias has the potential to produce biased or unfair decisions and behavior; studies demonstrating the effects of implicit bias; implicit bias in the law enforcement context; and methods to reduce implicit bias.

The lesson further addresses differences in how the public and police define racial profiling and evaluate police conduct. It explains how police can use procedural justice as an effective, noncombative method to improve law enforcement/community relations in a racially and culturally diverse environment and reduce the likelihood that the public will perceive police as biased or engaged in racial profiling.

This is an online interpersonal perspectives course focused on de-escalation. It provides officers with a greater understanding of an involuntary phenomenon that virtually all human beings can experience, called flooding. Flooding occurs when the brain is overwhelmed by adrenaline. The fight-fight response—which serves to help us in the face of threat—goes too far. The resulting flood of adrenaline disrupts the brain instead of helping it. The lesson explains the relationship between escalation/de-escalation and the fight-flight response. It explores how potentially tragic outcomes of many encounters between officers and citizens can be avoided if the officers can manage the flooding that occurs, either the citizen's and/or their own. Finally, the lesson provides instruction on how to prevent situations from unnecessarily escalating and how to de-escalate situations when possible.

This lesson is designed to help satisfy Iowa's annual bias prevention training requirement for law enforcement officers.

Section one provides definitions regarding terms used throughout the lesson, including: cultural competence, culture, cultural identity, race, ethnicity, acculturation, assimilation, and biculturalism. It also explains why the subject of cultural competence is importance to law enforcement officers.

Section two examines culture. It describes the elements of culture. It examines racial groups used by the U.S. census and shows how those compare to classifications in other countries. It examines overlapping elements in race, ethnicity, and culture, including: language and communication; geographic location; world view, values, and traditions; family and kinship; gender roles; socioeconomic status and education; immigration and migration; heritage and history; sexuality; perspectives on health, illness, and healing; and religion and spirituality.

Section three provides a history of the U.S. civil rights movement and the experiences of African American or Black communities from the 1600s to the present.

Section four examines paths for self-evaluation and engaging with diverse communities.

This is an online, Iowa-specific legal studies course. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers regarding the following questions:

• When is a person “seized” for purposes of the Fourth Amendment?

• If an officer stops a car because it is registered to an unlicensed driver, when may the officer continue to detain the driver who claims not to be the registered owner of the vehicle?

• What evidence is sufficient to prove constructive possession?

• If a suspect in custody has not been read the Miranda warnings, when does the public safety exception to the Miranda rule allow an officer to ask questions likely to elicit an incriminating response from the suspect?

• When may an officer testify that he or she recognized the “odor of marijuana” or the “smell of marijuana”? 

• As a general rule, does the odor of marijuana constitute probable cause to search a person or car?

The lesson also provides information on a new interpretation from the Iowa Supreme Court of Iowa’s “Theft by Check” Statute.

This lesson is an online interpersonal perspective course on police-prosecutor relations.

Section one describes how police and prosecutors can develop positive working relationships that provide a foundation for an effective criminal justice system. It explains essential components for a good relationship: alignment, credibility, a communication system, accountability, cooperative assurance, and respect and giving credit.

Section two describes how the following “executive landmines” can undermine the relationship between police and prosecutors: egos, differences in background, resentment of the county attorney as the chief law enforcement officer, and varying political influences. It provides guidance on how to address these executive landmines.

Section three addresses common criticisms officers may have of prosecutors. It provides perspective that can help address these concerns and improve the police-prosecutor relationship.

Section four addresses how an officer’s report can influence the police prosecutor relationship.

Section five explains the term “alignment” and describes how police and prosecutors can achieve alignment. It describes how alignment facilitates convictions and examines the role of joint activities.

Sections six addresses the issues faced by prosecutors when police are accused of misconduct. It further examines public perceptions of police/prosecutor conflict-of-interests when police are suspected of criminal behavior. Finally, it explores the role of the FBI and the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in addressing alleged police misconduct.

Section seven examines the “Brady” rule and its importance to the police-prosecutor relationship. It provides an overview of Brady-Giglio evidence and explains the importance of police providing that evidence to prosecutors.

This is an online, Iowa-specific legal studies course. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers regarding the following questions:

• Under Iowa Code section 804.20, what statements by a person are a “request” for a telephone call to an attorney or family member? How should officers respond to such a request?

• Does a lawful residential search warrant authorize the seizure and search of a person who left the residence before officers arrived to conduct the search?

• What quality and quantity of evidence will provide probable cause to support a search warrant?

• Does an unlicensed driver in possession of a rental car have Fourth Amendment protection in the car?

• If a first pat-down search of a suspect does not reveal any evidence, when may an officer perform a second pat-down search of the same suspect?

• Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child.

This is an online, Iowa-specific legislative and caselaw update. This lesson addresses 2020 amendments to the Iowa Code regarding: 

• Peace Officers.

• CDL Sanctions.

• Controlled Substances.

• Prescription Monitoring.

• Eluding.

• Criminal Acts.

This lesson also provides caselaw updates regarding the following questions: 

• When may an officer stop a car that is registered to someone who does not have a valid driver’s license? 

• What circumstances will provide reasonable suspicion that justifies a traffic stop?

• When may officers enter a home without a search warrant under the “emergency aid” exception to the warrant requirement?

This is an online, Iowa-specific legal studies course. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers regarding the following questions:

• When does an officer who approaches a parked car “seize” the car’s occupants?

• What is the scope of an officer’s duty to verify a person’s identity before arresting the person pursuant to an arrest warrant?

• What factors do courts consider when determining if a person has given voluntary consent to a home search?

• When will law enforcement officials be entitled to qualified immunity against a student’s claim the officer used excessive force to seize him/her in school?

• What are the rights of civilians to observe police activity?

This is Part 3 of a three-part online interpersonal perspectives course on Substance Use, Behavior, and Medical Emergencies. This lesson provides officers with critical information about medical conditions sometimes producing odd behavior or mistaken for intoxication so officers can make more informed decisions, reduce reaction time, obtain appropriate medical care, and improve the outcome of many of these encounters.  

Where possible, the lesson includes examples from lawsuits alleging officers used excessive force against a person with one of the serious medical conditions described in the lesson or were deliberately indifferent to a serious medical condition. It is beyond the scope of this lesson to provide first aid instructions.

Section seven defines traumatic brain injury (TBI), explains common causes of TBI, identifies when law enforcement officers might encounter a person with a TBI, and identifies potential effects of TBI. The lesson also lists danger signs of TBI that indicate a person needs immediate medical attention. It also provides case study examples.

Section eight explains the types of stroke, signs of stroke, methods for identifying stroke, and provides a video of a person experiencing a stroke. It also provides case study examples.

Section nine addresses hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. It defines hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, identifies symptoms of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, and explains an appropriate law enforcement response to persons with hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. It also provides case study examples.

Section ten defines epilepsy and explains how law enforcement officers can help a person experiencing a seizure while waiting for medical care.

Section eleven addresses other medical emergencies, including heart attack, heat stroke, breathing emergencies, and sepsis. It also provides case study examples.

This is Part 2 of a three-part online interpersonal perspectives course on Substance Use, Behavior, and Medical Emergencies.

Section four addresses involuntary commitment procedures for persons presenting a likelihood of serious harm to themselves or others as a result of alcohol or drug abuse. 

It includes definitions relevant to Iowa’s involuntary detention procedures for drug or alcohol abuse. It explains who may file an application for detention, treatment, and rehabilitation in an alcohol or drug abuse facility.

Section five provides an overview of behavioral signs of medical conditions. It explains the importance of officers recognizing behavioral indicators of medical conditions. The section describes how certain behavioral signs of medical conditions are associated with in-custody death. The lesson also describes how officers, like EMTs, can learn to generate a field impression of subjects and spot problem behaviors.

Section six addresses delirium. It defines delirium and explains its causes and its symptoms. It identifies the three medically recognized types of delirium: hyperactive delirium; hypoactive delirium; and mixed delirium. It explains the history and controversy surrounding “excited delirium syndrome.” The section identifies behaviors associated with hyperactive or excited delirium and provides several case study examples. 

Finally, the section provides guidance on the law enforcement response to people experiencing delirium.

This is Part 1 of a three-part online interpersonal perspectives course on Substance Use, Behavior, and Medical Emergencies.

Section one addresses the importance of law enforcement officials understanding their duty of care when in contact with people using substances or who may be experiencing a medical emergency. It examines the two situations under which the Fourteenth Amendment imposes an affirmative duty on police to protect or care for private citizens: 1) In custodial and other settings in which the state has limited the individuals' ability to care for themselves; and 2) When the state affirmatively places a particular individual in a position of danger the individual would not otherwise have faced. The lesson also provides examples of cases illustrating these concepts.

Section two addresses substance use. It explains general indicators of intoxication, substance use disorders, drug overdose, withdrawal, and drug-related medical emergencies. It goes on to explain the specific health and behavioral effects of specific drugs, including: alcohol; tobacco; marijuana; stimulants (including methamphetamine and cocaine); hallucinogens; MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly); and opioids (including prescription opioids and heroin).

Section three addresses law enforcement officers responding to substance users. It provides details on crisis-intervention guidelines.

The Iowa Law Enforcement Academy has reviewed the 2020 PLS Substance Use, Behavior, & Medical Emergencies – Part 1 online lesson and found that it meets the criteria for annual in-service mental health training as outlined in Iowa Administrative Code r. 501-8.1(4). This lesson is intended to take one hour to complete and focuses on substance use as a subset of issues involved in mental health.

This is an online, Iowa-specific legal studies course. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers regarding the following questions:

• When does a law enforcement officer violate the Fourth Amendment by extending a traffic stop to investigate suspected drug activity?

• May probation/parole officers ever enter a residence without a warrant? 

• May officers ever handcuff a person for officer safety purposes without arresting him/her?

• When may officers enter a home under the community caretaking exception to the warrant requirement?

• When will an officer accused of using excessive force for deploying a Taser be entitled to qualified immunity?

• When will officers who use deadly force to seize a suicidal person be entitled to qualified immunity?

This is an online officer safety and interpersonal perspectives course. This lesson focuses on preventing law enforcement officer line-of-duty deaths through maintaining vigilance. It examines what can be learned from studying data on line of duty deaths and case studies on the deaths of individual officers. The lesson focuses on communicating with dispatchers and other law enforcement officers, and anticipating potential threats. The lesson is based on a report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund that studied officers responding to dispatched calls for service, officers engaged in self-initiated activity (such as traffic stops), and ambushes. Based on the report, the lesson offers recommendations to help improve officer safety.

This is an online, Iowa-specific legal studies course. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers regarding the following questions:

• When may officers use flash-bang grenades to execute search warrants?

• What disclosures by police will violate a victim’s Fourteenth Amendment right to privacy?

• Is Iowa Code section 321J.2(1)(c)’s prohibition on operating a motor vehicle with “any amount” of a controlled substance in a person’s body constitutional under all circumstances?

• Can a person in jail who threatens a police officer’s family commit harassment?

• When will an officer be entitled to qualified immunity for enforcing a store search policy?

This is part three of a three-part domestic violence investigations lesson.

Section 8 examines criminal no-contact orders.

Section 9 addresses the challenges of investigating domestic violence, why victims may fear involving law enforcement officers, and how officers investigating domestic violence can help gain a victim’s cooperation.

Section 10 provides an outline for a domestic assault investigation, including: gathering information and approaching the scene, interviewing the victim, identifying the predominant aggressor, collecting evidence, writing a report, making an arrest decision, safety planning with the victim, gathering input from other professionals, and identifying additional resources.

Section 11 examines victim’s rights and resources, with a focus on the duties officers have towards domestic violence victims.

This is part two of a three-part domestic violence investigations lesson.

Section 5 provides detailed guidance from the United States Department of Justice to help law enforcement agencies comply with relevant federal laws and prevent gender bias in their response to sexual assault and domestic violence (the Guidance). The Guidance provides examples of gender bias and tips on identifying bias in an investigation. It then provides seven principles to prevent gender bias in investigations.

Section 6 examines the Iowa Code provisions describing the process for obtaining civil orders of protection.

Section 7 addresses provisions of Iowa Code Chapter 236 provisions about the required law enforcement response to allegations of domestic violence. It addresses discretionary and mandatory arrests, immunity, foreign protections orders, and more.

This is an online domestic violence investigations lesson. 

Section 1 addresses the dynamics of domestic violence, including domestic violence prevalence, signs of domestic violence in both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships, harms caused by domestic violence, why people batter, why victims are reluctant to end abusive relationships, and risk factors contributing to domestic violence. 

Section 2 defines trauma, explores the concept of “trauma-informed” policing, explains types of trauma, examines how the trauma inflicted by domestic violence differs from other types of traumatic experiences, identifies how a person might respond to trauma, and how trauma might impact a victim’s ability to describe her/his experiences to police. 

Section 3 addresses working with the LGBTQ community by defining important terms, identifying special barriers to seeking help faced by members of the LGBTQ community, and explaining how police can build trust with that community. 

Section 4 addresses victim concerns about calling police for help with domestic violence, including the fear that calling police might make things worse for the victim or offender and that police will not believe victims. Section 4 also addresses what police can do to help victims.

This is an online, Iowa-specific legal studies course. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers regarding the following questions:

• When will officers have reasonable suspicion to stop a vehicle for suspected narcotics trafficking?

• When will misleading statements in a warrant affidavit invalidate the warrant?

• What evidence will provide probable cause to search a house for suspected narcotics trafficking?

• Do officers with probable cause to make an arrest face any civil liability if their motivation for the arrest is retaliation for the person’s speech?

• When a driver suspected of DWI is unconscious and cannot be given a breath test, may an officer obtain a warrantless blood draw from the driver?

This is an online, Iowa-specific legislative update course. This lesson addresses 2019 changes to the Iowa Code regarding:

• Lascivious Conduct with a Minor.

• Dependent Adult Exploitation & Abuse.

• Motor Vehicles.

• School Driver's Licenses.

• Massage Therapy/Human Trafficking Defense.

• Self-Driving Vehicles.

• Retired Officers and Driver’s Education.

• Canned Alcoholic Cocktails.

• Female Genital Mutilation.

• Trespass to Agricultural Facilities.

• Criminal Law.

This is an online, Iowa-specific legal studies course. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers regarding the following questions:

• Under Iowa Code section 804.20, if a person is suspected of OWI, when and under what circumstances does that person have a right to make telephone calls to a family member or an attorney?

• When investigating private real property, which portion of the property is considered the “curtilage” and thereby subject to privacy protection?

• What evidence is sufficient to prove that a person was operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated?

• When will an officer be entitled to qualified immunity for using force against a plaintiff who ignores the officer’s commands?

• When might evidence obtained pursuant to a search warrant be suppressed?

This is an online course designed to assist law enforcement officers in handling persons with mental health and cognitive impairment issues. The lesson addresses various disorders and conditions that affect cognitive function. 

The first section of this lesson examines developmental disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, Prader-Willi syndrome, and fetal alcohol syndrome. It explains how to recognize when a person has a developmental disability and provides detailed guidance for law enforcement officers on handling an encounter with persons with specific developmental disabilities.

The second section of this lesson examines dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. It explains how to recognize when a person has dementia and provides detailed guidance for law enforcement officers on handling encounters with persons with dementia. It provides additional guidance on handling reports of missing persons with dementia.

The Iowa Law Enforcement Academy has reviewed the 2019 PLS Developmental Disabilities & Dementia online lesson and found that it meets the criteria for annual in-service mental health training as outlined in Iowa Administrative Code r. 501-8.1(4). This lesson is intended to take one hour to complete and focuses on developmental disabilities and dementia as a subset of issues involved in mental health.

This is an online, Iowa-specific legal studies course. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers regarding the following questions:

• When may an officer stop and frisk a person whom he knows is carrying a concealed weapon?

• When may an officer extend a traffic stop to investigate suspected criminal activity apart from the traffic violation?

• May police use a search warrant rather than implied consent procedures to obtain a blood sample?

• When will law enforcement officials be denied qualified immunity for neglecting an arrestee’s serious medical needs?

• When will officers be denied qualified immunity for pointing their weapons at a suspect for too long?

This is Part 2 of a two-part online course on Human Trafficking Investigations. 

Section 6 examines the provisions in the Iowa Code prohibiting human trafficking. 

Section 7 addresses federal laws prohibiting human trafficking.

Section 8 examines investigative considerations in human trafficking cases, including the following: tips for proactive identification of trafficking cases; understanding why victims may be difficult to recognize; indicators of human trafficking; the use of interpreters; victim interviews; and collecting evidence.

Section 9 identifies victims’ rights under state and federal laws, as well as resources available to law enforcement and victims.

This is Part 1 of a two-part online course on Human Trafficking Investigations. 

Section 1 addresses the dynamics and significance of human trafficking. It explains that human trafficking falls into two basic categories and explains the difference between them. It identifies the prevalence of human trafficking in the United States and provides examples of cases from the Midwest. It further identifies populations that are vulnerable to becoming victims of human trafficking and describes how traffickers control victims.

Section two describes sex trafficking and provides an explanation of the various subtypes of sex trafficking. It explains how children may become sex trafficking victims and how traffickers control sex trafficking victims. 

Section three describes labor trafficking and explains the various subtypes of labor trafficking, including how traffickers recruit and control victims.

Section four identifies the many reasons why victims may not leave their traffickers or cooperate with law enforcement officials. It further explains how trauma can affect victims.

Section five identifies common misconceptions about human trafficking and explains why those misconceptions are inaccurate.

This is an online, Iowa-specific legal studies course. The lesson addresses recent court decisions providing guidance to Iowa law enforcement officers regarding the following questions:

• When will an officer’s concern for a driver’s safety justify a stop under the community caretaking exception to the warrant requirement?

• What are the rights of passengers in vehicles?

• When will a tip that a vehicle was seen leaving the area of a recently committed crime justify a traffic stop?

• When will an officer not be entitled to qualified immunity for actions taken during an investigation of alleged abuse by a family member?

• When will an officer not be entitled to qualified immunity for using a Taser against a person?