IDAHO POST CORE EXAM 2026 TEST QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS SCORED A+
✔✔What is one of the most common tactics used in law enforcement? - ✔✔Contact and
cover.
✔✔What is the role of the contact officer? Cover officer? - ✔✔The contact officer has
80% focus on the contact, and 20% focus on everything else; the cover officer has 80%
of focus on everything else, and 20% focus on the business of the contact.
✔✔What is the most important element to survive if wounded? - ✔✔Will to survive.
✔✔Describe a statesman. - ✔✔Having the ability to influence others with just words; a
good communicator.
✔✔What is the fatal funnel? - ✔✔The doorway area.
✔✔What are the 3 common elements of the deadly mix? - ✔✔The officer, the offender,
and the circumstances that brought them together.
✔✔Describe a scholar. - ✔✔Having a knowledge and understanding of practical
application; having knowledge of the law, case law, practices, procedures, etc.; having
the ability to apply training properly; having knowledge about why we can do something.
✔✔What are the 3 major factors identified by the Below 100 initiative that contribute to
officer safety and survival? - ✔✔Ballistic vests, seat belts, and speed.
✔✔Define time. - ✔✔How long an officer needs to react to the cues and stimuli from
others.
✔✔Define distance. - ✔✔How far officers are from anyone at any given time and in any
given circumstance.
✔✔Generally, what is the distance of a reactionary gap? - ✔✔4 to 6 feet.
✔✔What is the minimum safe distance from a suspect armed with an edged weapon? -
✔✔30 to 35 feet.
✔✔Define reactionary gap. - ✔✔The space and distance between an officer and
anyone else that buys the officer time.
✔✔What are the 3 vital components of the reactionary gap? - ✔✔Space, time, and
distance.
,✔✔Define space. - ✔✔The area between the officers and anyone else.
✔✔List and describe the 5 colors of awareness - ✔✔White (environmentally unaware).
Yellow (alert, but not ready to act; aware of surroundings, but not expecting an attack).
Orange (officer detects danger and is ready to act; plan in mind/crisis rehearsal). Red
(taking action; focus is on the threat and acts reasonably to control it). Black (blind
panic; tunnel vision, slowed responses; loss of thought process).
✔✔Define cover. - ✔✔Anything that will stop bullets and hide the officer.
✔✔Define concealment. - ✔✔Anything that prevents an officer from being observed.
✔✔What 2 enforcement options do officers have? - ✔✔Cite and release, or make a
physical arrest.
✔✔When identifying vehicles, what characteristics should an officer know? - ✔✔Make,
model, color, license plate, and body style.
✔✔What are the 3 fundamental objectives of security checks? - ✔✔Remain
knowledgeable about a structure; discover suspicious activity or evidence of suspicious
activity; enhance community relations by maintaining high visibility.
✔✔Describe directed enforcement. - ✔✔Directed enforcement targets areas where
problems are likely, concentrates patrol activities, and determines target areas.
✔✔Describe preventative patrol. - ✔✔Preventative patrol increases visibility to
discourage criminal activity. It includes activities such as security checks of high-risk
targets, checks of persons who may be involved in suspicious activities, and foot patrol.
✔✔Describe cruiser ready 1. - ✔✔Bolt is forward, safety is on fire position, magazine is
inserted.
✔✔Describe cruiser ready 2. - ✔✔Bolt is locked to the rear, safety is on safe position,
magazine is inserted.
✔✔What are the 2 basic patrol strategies? - ✔✔Preventative patrol and directed
enforcement.
✔✔What items can be considered additional personal equipment? - ✔✔Rain gear, cold
weather gear, weapon cleaning equipment, reflective vest, hearing protection.
✔✔What 3 things influence the way officers do their duties? - ✔✔The law, department
policies, and procedures.
, ✔✔What are some items that should be placed in a patrol bag? - ✔✔Department forms,
citation book, extra pens/notebooks, extra magazines, extra flashlight, spit sock, extra
handcuffs, flex cuffs, extra batteries, binoculars.
✔✔What are some items that are considered personal equipment? - ✔✔Body
armor/plates, handgun/ammo, baton, handcuffs, gloves, body camera, cell phone, duty
belt, taser, radio, TQ, flashlights, hobbles, pouches, narcan.
✔✔What are some consequences of corruption? - ✔✔Criminal action, loss of public
support, loss of funding for both the department and the profession, and loss of
personal and professional reputation.
✔✔What is the Lautenberg Amendment? - ✔✔The domestic violence offender gun ban.
✔✔What is noble cause corruption. - ✔✔Being corrupt for the greater good.
✔✔What are the components of the ACT decision-making model? - ✔✔A: identify
alternatives.
C: project the consequences.
T: tell your story (consider your defense)
✔✔What steps should you take if you see someone fall through ice? - ✔✔Don't go onto
the ice; call for backup.
✔✔Describe preponderance. - ✔✔More likely than not.
✔✔What are the 2 stages of the walk-and-turn test? - ✔✔Instruction stage, walking
stage.
✔✔What are the 2 stages of the one leg stand test? - ✔✔Instruction stage, balance and
counting stage.
✔✔What are the 8 WAT test clues? - ✔✔Cannot keep balance while listening to
instructions; starts too soon; does not touch heel-to-toe; stops while walking; steps off
line; uses arms for balance; improper turn; incorrect number of steps.
✔✔What are the 4 OLS test clues? - ✔✔Sways while balancing; uses arms for balance;
hopping; puts foot down.
✔✔What are the 5 required components of a search warrant? - ✔✔Probable cause;
support by affidavit; name/description of person; specific description of property; place
to be searched.
SOLUTIONS SCORED A+
✔✔What is one of the most common tactics used in law enforcement? - ✔✔Contact and
cover.
✔✔What is the role of the contact officer? Cover officer? - ✔✔The contact officer has
80% focus on the contact, and 20% focus on everything else; the cover officer has 80%
of focus on everything else, and 20% focus on the business of the contact.
✔✔What is the most important element to survive if wounded? - ✔✔Will to survive.
✔✔Describe a statesman. - ✔✔Having the ability to influence others with just words; a
good communicator.
✔✔What is the fatal funnel? - ✔✔The doorway area.
✔✔What are the 3 common elements of the deadly mix? - ✔✔The officer, the offender,
and the circumstances that brought them together.
✔✔Describe a scholar. - ✔✔Having a knowledge and understanding of practical
application; having knowledge of the law, case law, practices, procedures, etc.; having
the ability to apply training properly; having knowledge about why we can do something.
✔✔What are the 3 major factors identified by the Below 100 initiative that contribute to
officer safety and survival? - ✔✔Ballistic vests, seat belts, and speed.
✔✔Define time. - ✔✔How long an officer needs to react to the cues and stimuli from
others.
✔✔Define distance. - ✔✔How far officers are from anyone at any given time and in any
given circumstance.
✔✔Generally, what is the distance of a reactionary gap? - ✔✔4 to 6 feet.
✔✔What is the minimum safe distance from a suspect armed with an edged weapon? -
✔✔30 to 35 feet.
✔✔Define reactionary gap. - ✔✔The space and distance between an officer and
anyone else that buys the officer time.
✔✔What are the 3 vital components of the reactionary gap? - ✔✔Space, time, and
distance.
,✔✔Define space. - ✔✔The area between the officers and anyone else.
✔✔List and describe the 5 colors of awareness - ✔✔White (environmentally unaware).
Yellow (alert, but not ready to act; aware of surroundings, but not expecting an attack).
Orange (officer detects danger and is ready to act; plan in mind/crisis rehearsal). Red
(taking action; focus is on the threat and acts reasonably to control it). Black (blind
panic; tunnel vision, slowed responses; loss of thought process).
✔✔Define cover. - ✔✔Anything that will stop bullets and hide the officer.
✔✔Define concealment. - ✔✔Anything that prevents an officer from being observed.
✔✔What 2 enforcement options do officers have? - ✔✔Cite and release, or make a
physical arrest.
✔✔When identifying vehicles, what characteristics should an officer know? - ✔✔Make,
model, color, license plate, and body style.
✔✔What are the 3 fundamental objectives of security checks? - ✔✔Remain
knowledgeable about a structure; discover suspicious activity or evidence of suspicious
activity; enhance community relations by maintaining high visibility.
✔✔Describe directed enforcement. - ✔✔Directed enforcement targets areas where
problems are likely, concentrates patrol activities, and determines target areas.
✔✔Describe preventative patrol. - ✔✔Preventative patrol increases visibility to
discourage criminal activity. It includes activities such as security checks of high-risk
targets, checks of persons who may be involved in suspicious activities, and foot patrol.
✔✔Describe cruiser ready 1. - ✔✔Bolt is forward, safety is on fire position, magazine is
inserted.
✔✔Describe cruiser ready 2. - ✔✔Bolt is locked to the rear, safety is on safe position,
magazine is inserted.
✔✔What are the 2 basic patrol strategies? - ✔✔Preventative patrol and directed
enforcement.
✔✔What items can be considered additional personal equipment? - ✔✔Rain gear, cold
weather gear, weapon cleaning equipment, reflective vest, hearing protection.
✔✔What 3 things influence the way officers do their duties? - ✔✔The law, department
policies, and procedures.
, ✔✔What are some items that should be placed in a patrol bag? - ✔✔Department forms,
citation book, extra pens/notebooks, extra magazines, extra flashlight, spit sock, extra
handcuffs, flex cuffs, extra batteries, binoculars.
✔✔What are some items that are considered personal equipment? - ✔✔Body
armor/plates, handgun/ammo, baton, handcuffs, gloves, body camera, cell phone, duty
belt, taser, radio, TQ, flashlights, hobbles, pouches, narcan.
✔✔What are some consequences of corruption? - ✔✔Criminal action, loss of public
support, loss of funding for both the department and the profession, and loss of
personal and professional reputation.
✔✔What is the Lautenberg Amendment? - ✔✔The domestic violence offender gun ban.
✔✔What is noble cause corruption. - ✔✔Being corrupt for the greater good.
✔✔What are the components of the ACT decision-making model? - ✔✔A: identify
alternatives.
C: project the consequences.
T: tell your story (consider your defense)
✔✔What steps should you take if you see someone fall through ice? - ✔✔Don't go onto
the ice; call for backup.
✔✔Describe preponderance. - ✔✔More likely than not.
✔✔What are the 2 stages of the walk-and-turn test? - ✔✔Instruction stage, walking
stage.
✔✔What are the 2 stages of the one leg stand test? - ✔✔Instruction stage, balance and
counting stage.
✔✔What are the 8 WAT test clues? - ✔✔Cannot keep balance while listening to
instructions; starts too soon; does not touch heel-to-toe; stops while walking; steps off
line; uses arms for balance; improper turn; incorrect number of steps.
✔✔What are the 4 OLS test clues? - ✔✔Sways while balancing; uses arms for balance;
hopping; puts foot down.
✔✔What are the 5 required components of a search warrant? - ✔✔Probable cause;
support by affidavit; name/description of person; specific description of property; place
to be searched.
