Title 15 — Field Reference

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§ 15.01 — Citation, arrest, and charging guide

Situation	Preferred response
Infraction; identity confirmed; no continuing danger	Warning or citation.
M3 or M2; cooperative person; no victim-safety concern	Citation or summons unless repeat conduct, flight risk, or law requires arrest.
M1	Custodial arrest permitted; consider citation only where policy and safety allow.
Felony	Custodial arrest on probable cause, subject to warrant rules and agency policy.
Domestic violence, protection-order violation, stalking, or credible threat	Prioritize victim separation, weapon inquiry, protection-order check, and mandatory-arrest policy where applicable.
Impairment or behavioral crisis without serious crime	Consider protective custody, EMS, treatment, or diversion.

Armed robbery, § 3.21.
Firearm possession by prohibited person, § 7.12, if independently supported.
Unlawful firearm transfer or defaced firearm, if independently supported.
Assault counts only for distinct injury or conduct beyond force inherent in the robbery.
Vehicle fleeing, § 6.04 or §§ 9.91–9.92, if a pursuit occurs.

Burglary in the second degree, § 3.24; first degree if armed, occupied, or injury occurs.
Theft graded by aggregate value.
Criminal mischief for distinct forced-entry damage.
Possession of burglary tools only when criminal intent is independently shown.

Grand theft motor vehicle or possession of stolen vehicle—not both for the original thief.
Felony vehicular fleeing; aggravated fleeing when its additional elements exist.
Reckless driving may be charged for a distinct course of dangerous conduct.
Hit and run for each collision from which the driver knowingly fails to stop.

Possession with intent/distribution or trafficking based on substance, quantity, and evidence.
Do not also charge simple possession for the same quantity.
Firearm and drug-premises offenses require their own elements.
Cash alone does not establish distribution or laundering.

Determine justification before charging.
Charge homicide or assault based on intent and injury.
Unlawful discharge applies when discharge creates a distinct public danger not fully included in the assaultive count.
Each intentionally targeted victim may support a separate count.

Protect lawful speech, recording, and assembly.
Identify specific criminal conduct and the responsible actor.
Give clear warnings and a reasonable chance to comply before failure-to-disperse charges.
Do not infer riot participation from proximity, clothing, viewpoint, or association alone.

Before adding a count, record:

Conduct: What act or omission occurred?
Mental state: What facts show intent, knowledge, recklessness, or negligence?
Circumstance: What fact made the conduct unlawful—lack of consent, value, prohibited status, location, order, or license?
Result: What injury, damage, risk, loss, or disruption occurred?
Identity: What links the suspect to the act?
Defense: Is there apparent self-defense, necessity, consent, lawful authority, or factual mistake?
Merger: Is the proposed count merely a lesser-included or duplicative charge?
Evidence: What witness, video, physical item, record, admission, or observation supports each element?

Grade	Custody	Fine	Shorthand
I	0	$500	Infraction
M3	5	$1,000	Minor misdemeanor
M2	10	$2,500	Standard misdemeanor
M1	20	$5,000	Serious misdemeanor
F5	30	$10,000	Low felony
F4	45	$15,000	Standard felony
F3	60	$25,000	Serious felony
F2	90	$50,000	Major violent/enterprise felony
F1	120	$100,000	Highest ordinary felony
LF	180 or life	$250,000	Life felony

The following may be changed by server policy without altering the substantive definitions:

Substantive changes to offense elements, grade, available defenses, or enhancement rules should be adopted as a numbered Code amendment.

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