Policy Text
Policy
304San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/05/29, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentOfficer-Involved Shootings and Deaths - 1Officer-Involved Shootings and Deaths
304.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to establish policy and procedures for the investigation of an incident
in which a person is injured or dies as the result of an officer-involved shooting or dies as a result
of another action of an officer.
In other incidents not covered by this policy, the Chief of Police may decide that the investigation
will follow the process provided in this policy.
304.2 TYPES OF INVESTIGATIONS
Officer-involved shootings and deaths involve several separate investigations. The investigations
may include:
•A criminal investigation of the suspect’s actions.
•A criminal investigation of the involved officer’s actions.
•An administrative investigation as to policy compliance by involved officers.
•A civil investigation to determine potential liability.
304.3 CONTROL OF INVESTIGATIONS
Investigators from surrounding agencies may be assigned to work on the criminal investigation of
officer-involved shootings and deaths. This may include at least one investigator from the agency
that employs the involved officer.
Jurisdiction is determined by the location of the shooting or death and the agency employing the
involved officer. The following scenarios outline the jurisdictional responsibilities for investigating
officer-involved shootings and deaths.
304.3.1 CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF SUSPECT ACTIONS
The investigation of any possible criminal conduct by the suspect is controlled by the agency
in whose jurisdiction the suspect’s crime occurred. For example, the San Luis Obispo Police
Department would control the investigation if the suspect’s crime occurred in the City of San Luis
Obispo.
If multiple crimes have been committed in multiple jurisdictions, identification of the agency that
will control the investigation may be reached in the same way as with any other crime. The
investigation may be conducted by the agency in control of the criminal investigation of the involved
officer, at the discretion of the Chief of Police and with concurrence from the other agency.
304.3.2 CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF OFFICER ACTIONS
The control of the criminal investigation into the involved officer’s conduct during the incident
will be determined by the employing agency’s protocol. When an officer from this department is
San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Officer-Involved Shootings and Deaths
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/05/29, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentOfficer-Involved Shootings and Deaths - 2involved, the criminal investigation will be handled according to the Criminal Investigation section
of this policy.
Requests made of this department to investigate a shooting or death involving an outside agency’s
officer shall be referred to the Chief of Police or the authorized designee for approval.
304.3.3 ADMINISTRATIVE AND CIVIL INVESTIGATION
Regardless of where the incident occurs, the administrative and civil investigation of each involved
officer is controlled by the respective employing agency.
304.4 INVESTIGATION PROCESS
The following procedures are guidelines used in the investigation of an officer-involved shooting
or death.
304.4.1 UNINVOLVED OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES
Upon arrival at the scene of an officer-involved shooting, the first uninvolved Department acronym:
officer will be the officer-in-charge and will assume the responsibilities of a supervisor until
properly relieved. This officer should, as appropriate:
(a)Secure the scene and identify and eliminate hazards for all those involved.
(b)Take reasonable steps to obtain emergency medical attention for injured individuals.
(c)Request additional resources from the Department or other agencies.
(d)Coordinate a perimeter or pursuit of suspects.
(e)Check for injured persons and evacuate as needed.
(f)Brief the supervisor upon arrival.
304.4.2 WATCHCOMMANDER RESPONSIBILITIES
Upon learning of an officer-involved shooting or death, the Watch Commander shall be responsible
for coordinating all aspects of the incident until he/she is relieved by the Chief of Police or a
Division Chief.
All outside inquiries about the incident shall be directed to the Watch Commander
304.4.3 NOTIFICATIONS
The following person(s) shall be notified as soon as practicable:
•Chief of Police
•Investigation Division Chief
•Officer Involved Shooting Protocol rollout team
•Outside agency investigator (if appropriate)
•Internal Affairs Bureau supervisor
•Civil liability response team
San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Officer-Involved Shootings and Deaths
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/05/29, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentOfficer-Involved Shootings and Deaths - 3•Psychological/peer support personnel
•Chaplain
•Coroner (if necessary)
•Involved officer's agency representative (if requested)
•Public Information Officer
304.4.4 RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY STATEMENTS
The first responding supervisor should state the following to the involved officer(s):
(a)"Officer, I am ordering you to give me a public safety statement. Due to the immediate
need to take action, you do not have the right to wait for representation before
answering these limited questions."
(b)"In what direction did you fire rounds?"
(c)"If you know of anyone who is injured, what is their location?"
(d)"If