Policy Text
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
GO 120.01
Page 1 of 2
120.01
ORGANIZATIONAL AND RANK STRUCTURE DEFIN ED
6-05-17
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to define the organization al and chain of command structure of the Department.
POLICY
It shall be the policy of the Sacramento Police Department to maintain an organizational structure that provides
for the orderly and timely flow of information and decisions both up and down the chain of command .
PROCEDURE
A. DEFINITIONS
The structures of the Sacramento Police Department are outlined in the definitions in this order.
These definitions provide standardized terminology to use when discussing the organization and
operations of the Department.
1. DEPARTMENT – The Sacramento Police Department .
2. OFFICE – The primary subordinate organizational unit in the Department.
3. DIVISION – A primary subordinate organizational unit of an office. A division has Department -wide
responsibility for performing a specific function.
4. SECTION – Usually the secondary unit of an office, the primary unit of a division. A section is assigned
to per form part of the responsibility of the division.
5. UNIT – A subdivision of a section/ district assigned to perform a specialized activity.
6. DETAIL/ TEAM – A subordinate part of a unit designed to handle specific tasks or projects. The
assignment may be temporary or permanent.
7. AREA – A primary geographic subdivision of the Department. Currently, only the Office of Operations
uses this subdivision.
8. DIST RICT – A district is a primary geographical subdivision of an area and the primary organizational
unit of a w atch.
9. BEAT – A beat is the primary geographical subdivision of a d istrict.
10. WATCH – A primary organizational unit of an area command. A watch is a designated span of time
personnel are scheduled to work, i.e. Day, Mid, or Late.
B. CHAIN OF COMMAND
1. The Department shall have two separate but related ranking orders of authority to reflect the different
but interrelated operations of the Department.
2. Line operations of the Department that are involved in enforcement and emergency operations shall
function through the following chain of command:
a. Chief of Police (COP) .
b. Deputy Chief of Police .
c. Captain .
d. Lieutenant .
e. Sergeant .
f. Officer .
3. Administrative Operations of the D epartment that are involved in administration shall function through
the following chain of command:
a. Chief of Police.
b. Deputy Chief .
c. Division Commander/Manager .
d. Section Commander/Administrator .
e. Unit Supervisor .
f. Shift/Team/Detail/Leader .
g. Other employees .
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
GO 120.01
Page 2 of 2
C. COMMAND OF THE DEPARTMENT
1. The COP shall exercise command over all personnel within the Department.
2. In the absence of the COP, a deputy chief shall be designated as the “Acting Chief of Police” based on
succession to the command. NOTE: Succession as Acting Chief of Police is subject to approval by
the City Manager.
3. In the absence of the Chief or Deputy Chiefs , the Special Services Captain in the Office of the Ch ief
shall be designated as the ranking authority of the Department. This includes supervisory
responsibility for all personnel in the Department.
4. During a long -term absence or disability of the COP, a member of the Department designated by the
City Manager shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the COP.
D. DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION
1. The Department organizational chart, Diagram 120.01.01, illustrates the hierarchical structure of the
Sacramento Police Department.
2. All orders, instructions, reports and formal communications should adhere to the channels indicated on
this chart and in the chain of command except in cases of emergency.
Chief of Police
Office of
Operations
North
Command
Exec
Day Watch
Mid Watch
Late Watch
Crime
Suppression
Gang
Enforcement
Impact
Team
Justice for
Neighbors
Central
Command
Exec
Late Watch
Bikes/
Mounted/
Marine
Crime
Suppression
Entertainment
Team
East
Command
Exec
Mid Watch
Mid Watch
Gang
Enforcement
Impact
Team
Justice for
Neighbors
South
Command
Exec
Day Watch
Mid Watch
Late Watch
Crime
Suppression
Gang
Enforcement
Justice for
Neighbors
Communications
Center
Emergency
Comm. Mgr.
Day/Overlap
Supv . Disp.
Mid/Late
Supv . Disp.
Dispatch
Academy/
In-Service
Training
Regional Radio
Liaison (SRRCS)
CAD
Sustainment
Office of
Investigations
Detectives
Major Crimes
CCAT
Crime Alert
Felony Assaults/
Homicide
Gangs
Warrants/
Missing Persons
Investigative
Services
Auto Theft
Family Abuse
Forensic
Investigation
Neighborhood
Crimes
Sexual Assault
Child Abuse
Support
Services
PSIT
Info. Tech. Mgr.
Applications
Development
Help
Desk/Desktop
Support
Systems
Engineering
Mobile
Sustainment
Vacant
Police Admin.
Mgr.
Crime
Analysis
Evidence and
Property
Real Time
Crime Center
Records
Admin. Ofcr.
Office of
Specialized Services
Emergency
Services
Regional
Transit
Regional
Transit
Personnel
Services
Human
Resources
Admin. Ofcr.
Backgrounds