Policy Text
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTIVE
___________________________________________________________________________________________
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTIVE 500.03
Page 1 of 3
500.03
CRITERIA FOR DISPATCH
1-31-2023
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Communications Directive is to provide guidelines for Communications Division personnel to
use when screening incoming calls for service.
POLICY
It shall be the policy of the Communications Division to enter an incident into the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system for calls meeting the criteria for dispatch.
PROCEDURE
A. PARAMETERS
Prudent judgment shall be used, and the following shall be considered when making decisions regarding requests for service :
1. Is there an injury or illness for which medical aid could possibly save a life or reduce trauma?
2. Is a crime in progress or just occurred that requires an o fficer’s presence to preserve life and property
or to make an apprehension?
3. Is a fire in progress or is there imminent threat of fire?
4. Is an o fficer needed to prevent a pending crime or injury?
5. Does a physical hazard exist that endangers life?
6. Does a situation exist for which no other agency is available or more appropriately suited to provide
services and there is a possibility of harm to an individual if someone does not intervene?
B. INCIDENTS REQUIRING DISPATCH OF A POLICE UNIT
1. All crimes in progress .
2. Alarms ringing or silent. Police officers shall not be dispatched on recorded alarms telephoned to the
police department (A recorded alarm is when an automated system calls in a prerecorded message
about an alarm) .
3. Arson in progress or within the last 15 minutes .
4. Bias/Hate crimes .
5. Bomb threats or explosive devices .
6. Brandishing of a weapon that has occurred within the last 15 minutes .
7. Burglaries of businesses or residences (unless the burglary was di scovered over 3 days ago).
8. Car clout where law enforcement equipment or identification has been taken.
9. Carjacking.
10. Child abuse or child neglect .
11. Civil Standbys when the following applies :
a. History or potential for domestic violence
b. Child custody issues with history or potential for violence
c. Legitimate request from allied agencies.
12. Critical Tips (involving school/active shooting reports, or major investigations such as AMBER alerts, etc.).
13. Deceased persons with suspicious circumstances or the death of a child.
14. Death threats that , per the caller , are credible and may be carried out .
15. Disturbances in progress .
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTIVE
___________________________________________________________________________________________
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTIVE 500.03
Page 2 of 3 16. Domestic violence.
17. Drunk persons in public .
18. Suspected drunk drivers when the c aller has a visual of the suspect.
19. Elder and/or dependent -adult abuse or neglect.
20. Errands requiring specific follow -up.
21. Felony assaults .
22. Felony battery .
23. Felony hit and runs .
a. To include complaint of pain or visible injuries not needing an ambulance.
24. Forgeries with the suspect on scene .
25. Found property .
26. Hazards .
27. Homicides .
28. Incomplete telephone calls for help.
29. Indecent exposures in progress or with suspect in immediate area.
30. Kidnapping.
31. Medical aid requests that involve some type of criminal activity or may pose a danger to the public
safety personnel responding to render medical aid.
32. Mental subjects creating disturbances or presenting safety hazards to themselves or others .
33. Misdemeanor assaults in progress or with the suspect still on scene .
34. Misdemeanor hit and runs when any of the following are present:
a. Suspect v ehicle left on scene.
b. City property is involved.
c. Sworn employee (law enforcement, fire, medics) drivi ng a vehicle owned, rented, or leased by their
department is involved.
d. A hazard exists .
e. Victim or witness have the full plate of the suspect vehicle and can identify the suspect driver.
35. Missing persons falling within the “at -risk” categories, and “non-at-risk” missing persons when the
Report Writing Unit is closed .
36. Narcotic activity in progress.
37. Officer assistance requested by an allied agency .
38. Possession of stolen property .
39. Prisoners in custody .
40. Protective custody holds for children who have been abandoned, or holds at the request of CPS who
may ask for assistance in placing a child in protective custody
41. Prowlers .
42. Rapes and sex crimes .
43. Reckless drivers at locations when cal ler has a visual of the suspect .
44. Robberies .
45. Shootings into inhabited dwellings .
46. Shootings into unoccupied vehicle.
47. Shots fired less than 15 minutes ago or any report of sounds of shots fired where the origin is unknown.
48. ShotSpotter activations .
49. Solicitin g prostitution.
50. Stolen vehicles in progress or with suspect(s) in the area. All stolen vehicle calls when Report Writing
Unit is closed .
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTIVE
___________________________________________________________________________________________
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTIVE 500.03
Page 3 of 3 51. Stolen vehicle recoveries .
52. Suspicious persons, circumstances, or vehicles .
53. Suicides, and attempted suicides , when the m ethods are other than overdose.
54. Thefts in progress . All license