Houston Police Department Procedures

General Orders Table of Contents

SERIES 100: ORGANIZATION

• 100-01: Internal Directives
• 100-03: Definitions of Terms, issued on 07-31-19, with 10 pages
• 100-06: Department Mission, Values, Ethics, and Guiding Principles, issued on 01-31-12, with 2 pages
• 100-07: Standard Operating Procedures, issued on 05-09-19, with 2 pages

SERIES 200: ADMINISTRATION

• 200-01: Requesting Legal Opinions, issued on 03-16-20, with 1 page
• 200-02: Employees Facing Legal Action, issued on 06-07-13, with 2 pages
• 200-03: Investigation of Employee Misconduct, issued on 02-21-12, with 8 pages
• 200-04: Assistance to Employees Involved in Critical Incidents, issued on 08-27-21, with 4 pages
• 200-05: Employee Parking Regulations, issued on 04-30-18, with 8 pages

SERIES 300: PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

• 300-01: Allocation of Positions, issued on 08-12-10, with 1 page
• 300-02: Transfer of Classified Employees, issued on 07-22-14, with 15 pages
• 300-03: Seniority, issued on 02-02-17, with 4 pages
• 300-04: Compensation, issued on 01-13-21, with 6 pages
• 300-05: Workers’ Compensation, issued on 05-02-19, with 10 pages

SERIES 400: EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS

• 400-02: HPD Badges and Identification Cards, issued on 02-22-21, with 7 pages
• 400-05: Firearms Qualification, Training, and Control, issued on 02-03-21, with 22 pages
• 400-07: Vehicle Use and Assignment, issued on 09-17-18, with 10 pages

SERIES 500: ARREST AND DETENTION

• 500-01: Effecting Arrests and Searches, issued on 05-02-19, with 12 pages
• 500-02: Handling and Transporting Prisoners and Other Persons, issued on 10-04-19, with 4 pages
• 500-03: Guarding Prisoners at Area Hospitals, issued on 11-25-19, with 4 pages
• 500-04: Driving While Intoxicated, issued on 10-03-18, with 10 pages

SERIES 600: OPERATIONS

• 600-01: Response Management, issued on 04-07-23, with 16 pages
• 600-02: Beat Accountability, issued on 03-17-14, with 2 pages
• 600-03: General Broadcasts, issued on 03-15-17, with 4 pages
• 600-04: Motor Vehicle Pursuits, issued on 09-14-23, with 15 pages
• 600-05: Special Threat Situations, issued on 05-24-17, with 8 pages### General Orders Table of Contents
• Series 600: Operations
  • Involves various topics, including Emergency Management, Parking Citations, Burglar Alarms, and more
  • Each topic has a corresponding General Order number, issue date, and page total
• Series 700: Evidence Control
  • Involves regulations, asset seizure, and forfeiture, as well as photograph and lineup identification procedures
  • Each topic has a corresponding General Order number, issue date, and page total
• Series 800: Information and Records
  • Involves data governance, media relations, critical incident video public release, and more
  • Each topic has a corresponding General Order number, issue date, and page total
• Series 900: Civilian Personnel
  • Involves absence from duty, training, employee concern resolution, and overtime compensation for civilians

Internal Directives

• Employees must abide by all internal directives of the Houston Police Department
• Internal directives are written policies and procedures established by the Chief of Police
• Violation of internal directives may be cause for disciplinary action

General Orders

• General Orders are a collection of written orders of the Chief of Police that establish the policies and procedures of the Houston Police Department
• Changes and exceptions to the General Orders may be made or approved by only the Chief of Police
• Discipline for violations of the General Orders shall be administered as outlined in the department's Corrective Action Manual

General Order Series

• Series 100: Organization
• Series 200: Administration
• Series 300: Personnel Management
• Series 400: Equipment and Uniforms
• Series 500: Arrest and Detention
• Series 600: Operations
• Series 700: Evidence Control
• Series 800: Information and Records
• Series 900: Civilian Personnel

Creation and Revision of General Orders

• The Inspections Division shall coordinate and process the General Order creation or revision
• Divisions affected by a policy or with expertise in a policy area are expected to perform necessary staff work
• The Chief of Police or a designated supervisor may authorize an employee to begin a General Order project

Issuance and Distribution of General Orders

• The Office of the Chief of Police shall date and distribute the General Order
• The effective date of a new or revised General Order shall be the date of issuance
• General Orders shall be uploaded to the Documents in General section of the department's Intranet Portal

Special Orders

• Special Orders are written orders issued by the Chief of Police and relate to departmental personnel assignments
• Special Orders have a unique number containing the series number, the order of issuance, and the date
• Examples of Special Orders include personnel assignments, temporary personnel assignments, and promotions

Circulars

• Circulars are informational documents issued by the Chief of Police to announce legal matters, specific events, personnel openings, and other information
• Circulars may announce policy or procedural changes pending the addition, update, or revision of the appropriate General Order or Standard Operating Procedure
• Circulars have a unique reference number containing the date of issuance and the order of issuance

Roll Call Training Bulletins

• Roll Call Training Bulletins are used to educate employees on specific subjects, such as equipment usage, officer safety, or new court decisions
• Bulletins are accompanied by a supporting lecture, video, or discussion
• Only the Chief of Police shall approve the publication and issuance of a Roll Call Training Bulletin### Department of Justice and Public Safety Terminology
• Definitions and Terminology: The Houston Police Department uses specific terms to define roles, positions, and concepts within the department.
• Assistant Director: A civilian supervisor equivalent to the rank of an assistant chief.
• Assistant Manager: A civilian supervisor equivalent to the rank of a lieutenant.
• Beat: An area within a district assigned to officers for patrol purposes.
• Bilingual Officer: Officers who have obtained department bilingual certification.

Houston Police Department Organization

• Central Police Complex: The Police Department buildings and property located at or adjacent to 61 Riesner Street.
• Chain of Command: The line of authority extending from the Chief of Police through a single subordinate at each level of command.
• Command Staff: An advisory board to the Chief of Police consisting of all members of the Executive Staff and all division commanders.
• Commander: An employee holding the rank of commander or higher (or civilian equivalent) and supervising a detail, unit, division, office, or command.

Employee Roles and Classifications

• Classified Employee: An employee of the Houston Police Department who is classified as an officer in accordance with Chapter 143 of the Texas Local Government Code.
• Civilian Employee: An employee of the Houston Police Department who is classified as a municipal employee of the City of Houston.
• Employee Performance Rating: A supervisor's evaluation of a subordinate employee's ability to perform assigned tasks.
• Exempt Employee: An employee designated by the City of Houston Human Resources Department as exempt from overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Incident Reporting and Investigation

• Incident Report: An official written account of an incident, offense, or situation assigned a unique incident number by the department.
• Incident Report Title: The identifying title of an offense, complaint, or incident used in an incident report.
• Primary Division: The HPD division responsible for investigating the most serious offense involved in a criminal investigation.

Overtime and Pay

• Overtime Compensation: Compensation in the form of pay or time off for time worked in excess of an officer's regular shift or a civilian employee's workweek.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): For officers, PTO incorporates and replaces the sick and vacation leave banks and specifically excludes the compensatory time off bank and holiday leave.
• Pay Period: A 14-calendar-day period beginning at 0500 hours on the Saturday in the week before a department payday Friday and continuing through 0459 hours on the Saturday in the week following that payday Friday.

Leave and Time Off

• Personal Day (PD): Incentive leave for officers, carrying no cash value, given under the department's Meet and Confer Agreement.
• Personal Hours (PHRS): Incentive leave for officers, carrying no cash value, and given under the department's Fitness and Training Program.
• Red Book: City issued calendar used to record personal leave for employees and to document minimum staffing levels for each particular day and shift.

Quiz about Houston Police Department protocols, including Body Worn Cameras, high-risk vehicle situations, and Internal Directives.