Police Department Administration Overview

General Orders

• Dept. Org Structure: The Chief's Office receives, channels, and assures responses to citizen inquiries or complaints related to police services.
• SIB (Special Investigations Bureau): Manages lawsuits, assembles documents, and schedules officer testimony in investigations.
• SIB's Role: Investigates allegations of serious misconduct, incidents that might lead to civil actions, backgrounds of police and fire hires, and liquor license establishments. Reviews vending machines also.
• Admin: Manages department equipment inventories, maintenance, repairs, and building issues. Also manages risk management, emergency management, payroll, budget, overtime, disability, new hires, retirements, resignations, administrative tasks regarding in-car cameras, building security, video storage, and FOIA requests for videos.
• Admin (continued): Monitors False Alarms.
• Training Bureau: Monitors case law changes, coordinates all outside schools, seminars, and conferences, and records employee training programs to maintain up-to-date training.

Records Bureau

• Responsibilities: Collects, maintains, and distributes reports of crimes, incidents, crashes, and other matters required by law.
• Specific Tasks: Responds to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Maintains files on warrants, evidence, property (confiscated and impounded), handgun purchase records, and conducts auctions.

CSB (Community Service Bureau)

• Quick Response Team: Manages the Quick Response Team and facilitates target locations for service responses.
• Support Functions: Backs up PIO, oversees LGBTQ liaisons, and maintains accreditation.

Detective Bureau

• Investigations: Conducts follow-up investigations for crimes involving suspects 18 years and older. Initiates arrests for those with warrants.

Youth Bureau

• Investigations: Conducts follow-up investigations for crimes involving suspects and victims 17 years old and younger.

Crime Suppression Unit

• Responsibilities: Investigates drug law violations involving suspects 18 years old and older and conducts covert investigations of gambling, prostitution, and other vice crimes.

Community Response Unit

• Activities: Conducts focused directed patrols in plain clothes in areas of surveillance to gather intelligence, identify, arrest suspects, successfully prosecute, and deter criminal activity.
• Analysis: Conducts forensic analysis of electronic devices (phones, computers, tablets).

Patrol Bureau

• Criminal Activity Suppression: Suppresses criminal activity through patrols, investigates reported crimes, and coordinates departmental participation in community events.
• Training: Coordinates and maintains a Field Training Officer program for new hires.
  • Orders: Directives, memos, temporary procedures, general orders, policies, procedures, and regulations are synonymous with orders. They provide short-term or specific guidance.

Power DMS (Storage)

• Supervision: Sergeants are the primary supervisory entity within the Department.

Personnel Direction

• Electronic Storage: Electronic documents are stored within the program and will not be stored in physical copy.
• Review Frequency: Documents in the Power DMS need to be reviewed a maximum of 5 years.

Designated Administrators

• Program Oversight: Designated administrators (Administration Captain and Accreditation Manager) have oversight of the program.
• User Management: Adding/removing users and documents, and making assignments to staff are part of their duties.
• Version Control: As documents are modified, the previous version is archived within the program. A site administrator can recall the archived documents if needed.

Newly Promoted Command Officer

• Course Completion: Upon promotion to Sergeant, officers will complete a basic supervisor course within a year.
• Further Training: Lieutenants complete mid-management courses while Captains complete executive management courses.

Working Hours & Leave Time

• Shift & Bureau Limitations: Trades or changes to work schedules are limited to the same shift and bureau, unless written authorization from the affected Division Commander(s) is obtained.
• Exclusions: Sick time cannot be used for weather-related issues or other time-sensitive needs requiring approval.

Seniority Rights

• Probationary Exclusions: Seniority rights do not apply to probationary Officers and assigned OTs.
• Equalized OT: Equalized OT prevails, except during emergencies.
• Vacation Scheduling: Shift vacation lists have priority over single vacation days. (minimum two weeks' notice).

Command Officers

• Posting Vacancies: Chief of police will post the available positions at least 10 days before.
• Filling Spots: If vacant, the least senior command officer is required to fill the spot if no other officer expresses interest.
• Transfer Notices: 60 days' written notice is required for any transfer.
• Time Off: Vacation, compensatory time, and personal leave are used in one-hour increments.
• Officer Minimums: There must be a minimum of two command officers, including one Operations Officer and one street-level officer.
• Overtime Restrictions: Overtime is limited to a maximum of 5 hours in cases of mandatory duty assignments
• Leave Conflicts: Officers on leave time (or injured) cannot be assigned overtime during their absence.
• HR Reporting of Jury Duty: Notify the Chief's office as soon as possible if selected for jury duty.

Court Appearances

• Subpoena Requirements: A subpoena is needed for court appearances, and officers will not be compensated for off-duty court appearances.
• Reporting Missed Sessions: Documenting nonattendance in a specified log in and notifying the court is essential if an officer cannot attend court.

Fiscal Control

• Payment Register: Maintain a register for payments up to $100, forwarding any exceeding that amount to the treasurer’s office.

Performance Evaluations

• Evaluation Timeframe: Evaluations are completed within 10 days of the officer's anniversary.
• Criteria: Criteria for evaluations include integrity, dependability, accuracy, good judgment, courtesy, initiative, professionalism, loyalty, pride, respect, dedication, and courage.
• Halo & Contrast Effects: Be mindful of the potential biases like halo effect (remembering a single positive aspect and generalizing it) and contrast effect (evaluating based on comparing to others).

Light Duty

• Duration: Light duty assignments cannot exceed 30 calendar days.

Funeral Services

• On-Duty Death: A minimum of six officers acts as pallbearers for on-duty deceased officers. Honor Guard members are assigned positions and relief occurs every 15 minutes.

Death Notifications

• Prohibited Actions: Family members should go to the hospital in a police vehicle; the officer's name is not released during the family's absence; and no notifications are done from a porch or similar setting.

Notifications (Early Warning System)

• Employee Incidents: 10 incidents with the same employee within a year should trigger a review.
• Severity Related Review: Severity of incidents warrants a review of the employee's conduct.

Disciplinary Procedures

• Stages of Discipline: Includes informal discussion/training, verbal reprimands, written reprimands, suspensions or punitive actions, and the required notice periods of 30 days or less.
• Critical Incidents & Stress: Debriefing sessions for critical incidents involving mental health professionals within 10 days are required.

Departmental Training

• RADAR/LIDAR Requirements: Officers require training in RADAR/LIDAR every five years.
• Training Notice: Training must provide 72 hours' notice.

Training of Probationary Officers

• FTO Program: Follows a DeWolf & Associates program, including a 14-17 week duration for step-by-step progress (with a potential "Limbo Week" in some situations).
• Additional Training: Additional training for each step is up to 80 hours more than initially planned.
• Ratings: 7 possible performance ratings for periods of 31 days.

Peer Support Program

• Meetings: Quarterly meetings by all staff and hierarchical organization.
• Defusing: Defusing procedures after critical incidents last no more than one hour.
• Debriefing: Debriefing occur within 24-72 hours of an event in order to resolve conflict, and is mandatory for everyone involved. (Exceptions include conversation related to information about an identified crime).

Off Duty Employment

• Prohibitions: Prohibits extra-duty work for another job, owning a business that sells/delivers alcohol. Work cannot be done when on paid sick leave.

Off-Duty Conduct: Powers of Arrest

• Liability Protection: Offers liability protection for both on-duty and off-duty official actions.
• Arrest Authority: Details when an off-duty officer might arrest if the arrest is related to the involvement of the officer and an immediate need, potential apprehension of a suspect, and when a situation's immediate and clear need suggests an arrestable offense is being committed.
• Reporting Requirements: Reporting criminal activity to on-duty authorities is required by officers.

Citations and Awards

• Highest Level Citation: Chief can assign a Board of Review to award exceptionally courageous officers, noting their response to risky situations involving a potentially life-threatening incident or action involving the preventing/stopping of a crime causing serious harm.

Explorers Program

• Requirements: At least 14 years old, completed 8th grade, and no older than 20 years old.
• GPA Requirements: Maintaining a 2.0 GPA is necessary to participate
• Meetings: Regular meetings (3 times per month) are required to be present for the program
• Eligibility: Must complete 3 month probation and be at least 16 years.
• Activities: Community service is required with a minimum of 40 hours or participation in MLEYAC academy.

Personal Grooming

• Hair and Appearance: Clear guidelines cover hair length, color, sideburns, mustaches, and beards..
• Cleanliness: Must be neat, clean, and properly groomed (such that facial hair is properly maintained and short).
• Uniform Specifications: Guidelines for the requirements of uniform wear (and restrictions for wearing armor).
• Personal Body Armor: Level 2 ballistic protection should be provided as a minimum.

Handling Unknown Substances

• Gloves & Protection: Double-gloving, avoiding alcohol, avoidance of chemicals, using specialized safety equipment (gloves, etc) should be used in all cases. Safety protocols and procedures for unknown and hazmat materials must be followed.

Safe Delivery of Newborns

• Procedures: Specific steps are described for accepting an infant (including the completion and submission of forms).

Vehicle Pursuits

• Authorized Vehicles: Clarifies restrictions on which vehicles are permitted for pursuit (motorcycles, unmarked vehicles are not allowed).
• Factors for Pursuit: Lists factors that must be considered prior to deciding a pursuit should occur (nature of offense, road conditions, time of day, weather, speed, etc).
• Supervisor Approval: Supervisor approval is required to start or resume pursuits.
• Authority and Responsibilities: An outside agency that begins a pursuit remains responsible for the progress of the pursuit.

Comfort Dog Program

• Annual Demonstrations: Dogs trained by SHPD must demonstrate their efficiency annually.
• Handler Role: Only the handler can issue commands to the comfort dog.

Call-In Procedure

• Duty of Officer: Officers (OO) are required to notify the on-call CID supervisor of their presence.

Traffic Crash Procedures

• Dispatcher Notification: Officers involved in occupational traffic crashes shall immediately notify the dispatcher.
• Written Statements: Officers must write a detailed, handwritten witness statement.
• Reporting Requirements: The incident report (UD10) should list the same case number and include details regarding vehicle damages. (exemptions apply for single vehicle incidents involving less than $1,000 of private vehicle damages.)

Investigative Detentions and Pat-Downs

• Searches: Justifications for pat-downs are outlined. Officers should only conduct pat-downs when there's reasonable suspicion that the individual is armed.
• Procedures: These situations require simultaneous involvement of at least two officers.
• Documentation: Documentation of all victim or witness statements must be done promptly.

Strip Searches

• Conditions for Strip Search: Two specific situations trigger a strip search: the person is lodged due to court order or there's reasonable cause to suspect they have weapons.
• Authorization: Prior authorization from either the Chief or designee is necessary for cavity searches.

Enforcement of Traffic Laws

• Special Classes of Offenders: Specific types of individuals or individuals with specific privileges (like diplomats and their staff or US military personnel) have limitations on methods of arrest and detention.
• Immunities: Various levels of immunity exist, potentially preventing arrest; special situations needing approval.

Arrest Procedures

• Confiscation of Licenses: Suspended or revoked operator licenses must be confiscated and disposed of by proper authorities.
• Custodial Restraints: Officers in custody of a resisting suspect but unsure of their intentions to harm others or the suspect themselves need equipment (handcuffs, etc).