Policy Text
Roll Call Training Bulletin
Produced by: Lt. Bob McCloskey, Major Crimes Divi sion Daniel Hahn , Chief of Police
Prepar ed by: Ofc. Rose Cabrera Volume 69
January 8, 2019
Public Safety Statements
This bulletin was drafted to review Public Safety Statements and assist supervisors with effectively manag ing
the scene of an officer -involved shooting incident. The Public Safety Statement was created specifical ly to help
supervisors manage on-going event s by allowing them to ask a series of limited scope questions while
protect ing the Constitutional and POBR rights of the involved officer(s). Officers are required to provide a
Public Safety Statement to a super visor d irectly following an officer -involved shooting , which is an exception
to the Miranda requirement and nothing more .
The Sacramento Police Department’s protocol has always been to obtain a voluntary Public Safety St atement
from officers following a shooting and we strongly encourage officers to continue this practice .
Upon arriv ing at the scene of an officer -involved shooting, the on-scene supervisor should first ensure
emergency medica l attention has been obtained for all injured individuals and attempt to obtain an overview of
the incident from any non -shoot ing officer(s). If there are only officers present who discharged their firearm
during the incident, the supervisor sh all obtain a Public Safety Statement from at least one of them . If there are
multiple officers involved, the supervisor should , if feasible, obtain separate Public Safety Statements from each
involved officer . In the event an officer(s) involved in a shooting refuses to provide a voluntary Public Safety
Statement , the on-scene supervisor can administratively order any SPD officer to immediately provide a Public
Safety Statement . Only one supervisor shall obtain a Public Safety Statement from an involved officer.
Supervisors are directed to ask the involved officers a series of prelimin ary questions about the incident in the
form of a Public Safety Statement. Consistent with existing practice, these questions are designed to help outline
the circumstances surrounding the weapons discharge for purposes of conducting further investigatio n,
identifying a crime scene and providing public safety. While these questions are intended to cover the majority
of situations, they may not fit the fact pattern in every case. These questions , whether voluntary or compelled,
include the followi ng:
1. What was your approximate location(s) when you discharged your firearm?
2. What was the approximate number of rounds you fired and in what direction?
3. Do you know if any other officers fired any rounds?
4. Is it possible the suspect(s) fired ro unds at you? I f so, from what direction?
5. Are you aware of any victims/witnesses/injured people? If so, what is their l ocation?
6. Are there any outstanding suspect(s)?
- Description / Direction and mode of travel / Weapons involved?
7. Are there any weapons / evidence that n eed to be secured? If so, what is their l ocation?
The supervisor obtaining the Public Safety Statement shall not ask the involved officer(s) why he/she reacted to
the incident or fired their weapon(s) . Investigators will conduct a complete interview of th e involved officer(s)
at a later time.
Roll Call Training Bulletin
Produced by: Lt. Bob McCloskey, Major Crimes Divi sion Daniel Hahn , Chief of Police
Prepar ed by: Ofc. Rose Cabrera Volume 69
PUBLIC SAFETY STATEMENT
Directions to Supervisor For Voluntary Public Safety Statement (PSS) :
The supervisor taking this stat ement shall video record the PS S and do the following :
• Will not deviate from its conten t, especially t he questions asked.
• Will disseminate public safety information via radio as appropriate.
• If PSS is compelled, refer to compelled admonishment on back side of card.
Questions to Involved Officer :
Admonishment : “I will be taking your Public Sa fety Statement. I will be asking you
specific questions, so please answer only the questions asked of you.”
1. What was your approximate location(s) when you discharge d your firearm?
2. What was the ap proximate number of rounds you fired & in what direction ?
3. Do you know i f any other officers fired any rounds?
4. Is it possible the suspect(s) fired rounds at you? If so, from what direction?
5. Are you aware of any victims/witness es/injured people? Location?
6. Are there any outstanding suspect(s)?
- Description / Dire ction and mode of travel / Weapons involved?
7. Are there any weapons/evidence that need to be secured? Location?
Following the Public Safety Statement, each involved officer should be given an administrative order to turn off
their body -worn cameras and not to discuss the incident with other officers pending further direction from a
supervisor. Supervisors should collect the body -worn cameras from all involved officers and place them into
separate envelopes to star t the chain of custody. Supervisors that obt ain a Public Safety Statement should
remain on -scene to brief arriving investigators and answer questions that may arise. After turning the scene over
to the Homicide Sergeant , the supervisor shall prepare a supplemental report , memorializing the Public Safety
Statement (s) and other actions taken at the scene for the Gen eral Offe nse (GO) report .
The ‘Public Safety Statement’ 3X5 cards below will be available to supervisors/officers in the near