Policy Text
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
GO 523.04
Page 1 of 3
523.04
NOTICE TO APPEAR (CITATIONS )
05-30-17
PURPOSE
The purpose of this order is to establish procedures to ensure c itation s are used to accurately document the
issuance of traffic citations , misdemeanor citations, infraction citations, warnings , and approved Sacramento
Police Department forms.
POLICY
It shall be the policy of t he Sacramento Police Department to ensur e that all citations and forms are issued in a
manner that may assist with criminal prosecution and is consistent with D epartment policies and current law s.
PROCEDURE
A. DEFINITIONS
Electronic Citation Device (ECD) – A portable handheld mobile com puter used to issue citations , warnings ,
and approved forms.
B. ELECTRONIC CITATION EQUIPMENT ISSUANCE , REPLACEMENT AND RETURN
1. Member s of the Public Safety Information Technology (PSIT) Division shall issue the following
equipment :
a. ECD and charging cord .
b. Thumbprint scanner .
c. Printer and charging cord.
2. PSIT shall ensure the equipment issued is documented in the Records Management S ystem (RMS) for
tracking purposes .
3. If the ECD equipment is malfunctioning , employee (s) shall contact their immediate supervisor and notify
the PSIT Help Desk.
4. Employee (s) experiencing problem s with the ECD docking stations shall immediately report the issue to
their supervisor and the PSIT Help Desk.
5. When ECD equipment is lost, stolen, or damaged , employee (s) shall immedi ately notify their chain of
command and submit a red border form.
a. Red border forms shall be sent to the Professional Standards Unit (PSU) .
b. A copy of the red border form shall be forwarded to the Mobile Sustainment T eam.
c. If available, PSIT may issue replacement equipment .
6. If no replacement ECD devices ar e available , employee (s) shall use the City of Sacramento Police
Depart ment Notice to Appear (SPD 109) .
7. ECD equipment shall be issued to employees currently assigned to the Office of Operations . ECD
equipment may be issued to employees not assigned to the Office of Operations at the discretion of the
PSIT supervisor or his/her designee.
8. Employees leaving the Office of Operations shall return all ECD equipment to the SPD armorer.
9. Department personnel shall not attempt to install additiona l software on the ECD equipment without the
consent of PSIT.
C. RESPONSIBILITY
1. Employees shall verify that their ECD equipment is functioning properly prior to each shift.
2. Supervisors shall
a. Conduct an audit of the electronic citation equipment on an annual basis.
b. Log into the electronic citation software regularly to verify employee(s) ’ quality of work and to
ensure that they are using the citation software.
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
GO 523.04
Page 2 of 3
D. ELECTRONIC CITATION ISSUANCE
1. ECD’s shall be used to issue
a. Traffic citations .
b. Misdemeanor citations.
c. Infraction citations.
d. Warnings .
2. Prior to issuing a citation or warning, employees shall ensure that a ll information for involved parties is
accurate and up to date.
3. Employees shall p rint a copy of the citation for the violator.
4. Employees shall collect the violator ’s signature on the ECD.
5. Employees shall c ollect a thumbprint (or print from another finger if a thumb print is unavai lable) from
the violator in cases where one is required.
E. PRIVATE PERSONS ARRESTS
Employee(s) may issue a Private Persons Arrest (PPA) from the ECD. (Reference GO 527.04)
F. WARNING
1. A warning is not a citation . As warning enables the employee to capture violator, passenger, and
vehicle data in the same manner as a street check without having to issue a citation.
2. If a warning is completed, a printed copy shall be provided to the violator.
3. A violator signature is not required for a warning citation.
G. PHOTOGRAPHING/RECORDING FOR COURT PURPOSES
1. Employees may use the ECD to capture photographs for traffic court purposes only.
2. Photos will be stored in the electronic citation software . An e mployee will have access to view any
photos associated with their citation.
H. VEHICLE STOP DATA FO RM
1. A Vehicle Stop Data Form ( VSDF ) will automatically be gen erated once a n electronic citation or
warning is complete d.
2. If an employee issues a hard copy SPD 109 , they shall complete th e VSDF via the VSDF web
application.
I. DOWNLOADING CITATIONS
1. ECD d ocking stations will be located at each of the police facilities.
2. Employee s shall offload their electronic citation (s) at a designated dock ing station before the end of
their shift in which a citation was written . Citations are transferred to the citation web software by
placing the ECD in a docking station and manually syncing the device.
3. After citations have been transferred, employees shall