Policy Text
OFFICE OF CHIEF OF POLICE
OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
TO: All Personnel DATE: 18 Jun 12
SUBJECT: Revision of Departme ntal General Order Q-1,
MAJOR INCIDENT NOTIFICATIONS
Formerly titled, NOTIFICATIO NS TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE,
DEPUTY CHIEFS, CITY ATTORNEY, MAYOR, CITY
MANAGER, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND FAMILES.
(Rev. 2 Feb 01)
The subject order has been re vised to update Departmental policy and procedures for
incidents that must be reported to the Ch ief of Police, Assist ant Chief of Police,
Deputy Chiefs of Police, Mayor, City Administrator, elected officials, and families of
personnel. The Evaluation Coordinator for this order shall be the Assistant Ch ief of Police, who,
without further notice, shall forward the required report to the Chief of Police on or by 18 Dec 12. The Evaluation Coordinator shall receive, review and document the acceptance or
rejection of all comments and/or recommendations received prior to submitting his/her six-month evaluation report. The Evaluation Coordinator shall forward a copy of the six-month evaluation report,
along with the comments/recommendations r eceived, to the Polic y and Publication
Development Unit to be maintained in th e appropriate Departme ntal General Order
archive folder. Personnel shall acknowledge rece ipt, review, and understanding of this directive in
accordance with the provisions of DGO A-1, DEPARTMENTAL PUBLICATIONS.
By order of
Howard A. Jordan Chief of Police Date Signed: ____ ___________
DEPARTMENTAL GENERAL ORDER Q-1 Index as: Major Incident Notifications
Effective Date:
18 Jun 12
Evaluation Coordinator:
Assistant Chief of Police
Evaluation Due Date:
18 Dec 12
Automatic Revision Cycle:
3 Years
Page 1 of 3
MAJOR INCIDENT NOTIFICATIONS
The purpose of this order is to set forth po licy and procedures rega rding incidents that
must be reported to the Chief of Police, As sistant Chief of Polic e, Deputy Chiefs of
Police, Mayor, City Administrator, elected of ficials, and families of personnel.
I. REQUIRED NOTIFICATIONS
A. Regardless of the time of day, the Chief of Police, Assistant Chief of
Police, City Administrator, Mayor, or their respective designees, shall be
notified as soon as possible whenever:
1. A member or employee is seriously injured or killed on or off
duty. Serious injury is defined as one likely to result in loss of life
or limb.
2. A member or employee of the De partment takes action, or is
involved in any action, which causes or poten tially causes fatal or
great bodily injury to any person, to include all uses of force
classified as Level 1 in Depa rtmental General Order K-4,
REPORTING AND INVESTIGATING THE USE OF FORCE.
3. Any person is seriously injured on City property.
4. A riot, public catastrophe, or othe r major disaster takes place in
Oakland or in a nearby jurisdiction if City personnel or resources are likely to be requested.
5. A member or employee, on or off du ty, takes or is involved in any
action, which is likely to be the focu s of great public interest, or is
likely to bring the Department into disrepute.
DEPARTMENTAL GENERAL ORDER Q-1 Effective Date:
18 Jun 12 OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT
6. A criminal incident occurs which is likely to be the focus of
significant media and public interest (e.g., homicide(s), confirmed
child abduction, etc.).
7. A City facility receives a bomb threat (notification shall include
whether the building is being/was evacuated and searched).
8. Anytime there is an incident that has the potential for significant
media coverage (e.g. fatal traffi c accidents, major pursuits, and
city property traffic co llisions with injury).
B. Immediate notification to the Chief of Police regarding incidents listed in
Part I, A, shall be made as follows:
1. The ranking officer who is at the scene or becomes aware of any
incident described in Part I, A, shall immediately notify the Patrol Division Watch Commander.
2. The commander who receives such notification shall immediately
cause or ensure notification thro ughout the appropriate chain of
command to include the Chief of Police.
3. For incidents other than those liste d in Part I, A, 2, the Chief of
Police may cause notification to th e City Administrator and Mayor
if determined to be necessary or appropriate.
4. Whenever any incident described in Part I, A, 2 occurs, regardless
of the time of day, the Chief of Police shall notify the City
Administrator and Mayor within sixty (60) minutes of the incident’s occurrence. Designees may be notified when the Chief
of Police, City Administrator, or Mayor are out of town or
otherwise indisposed.
5. The City Administrator may in struct the Chief of Police or
Assistant Chief of Police to notif y certain member(s) of the City
Council.
6. Elected officials who request info rmation about a specific crime or
incident shall be referred to the Office of Chief of Police (OCOP).
Page 2 of 3
DEPARTMENTAL GENERAL ORDER
OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT Q-1 Effective Date:
18 Jun 12
Page 3 of 3 II. NOTIFICATIONS TO THE CITY MANAGER, MAYOR AND ELECTED OFFICIALS, OTHER TH AN MAJOR INCIDENTS