Policy Text
San Francisco Police Department 2.02
GENE RAL ORDER Rev. 09/06/23
Eff. 10/ 18/23
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Alcohol Use by Sworn Department Members
2.02.01 PURPOSE
The San Francisco Police Department stands for Safety with Respect for all. It is the San Francisco Police Department’s policy t o ensure that members of the San Francisco Police
Department exhibit the highest level of professionalism while perfo rming their duties, providing
services to the public, and enforcing the laws in a fair, impartial, and ethical manner. D epartm ent
members hold a position of trust with the public. T herefore, it is essential t hat officers be in
complete mental and physical control while performing their duties. Being under the influence of alcohol or consuming alcohol while on duty will not be tolerated.
This order outlines Department policy and procedures regarding alcohol use by members ,
inclu ding definitions, testing, and investigative procedur es. The San Fr ancisco Police
Department strives to achieve a safe and healthy workforce and a workplace free from the
influence of alcohol.
2.02.02 DEFINITIONS
A. Impairment - Consumption of alcohol t hat results in the member’s mental and/or
physical state of being altered in a way that may diminish the members ability to perform
the duties of a sworn officer saf ely and effectively . (e.g., glassy or bl oodshot eyes,
alcohol odor o n breath, s lurred speech, poor coor dination and/or reflexes, etc.)
B. Influence - The memb er under investigation has tested .020 or higher blood alcohol
level.
C. Member - Any sworn officer of the San Francisco Police Department.
D. On Duty - A member is c onsidered on duty during a ny scheduled paid work hours
including det ails to events, conferences, seminars, meetings, training, while on “standby”
pay status and during any voluntary or mandatory overtime assignments .
E. Reasonable Suspicion – A belief based on objec tive and artic ulable facts sufficient to
lead a memb er to suspect that a member is under the influence of dru gs or alcohol .
1. Examples of sit uations in which there may be reasonable suspici on include but are
not limited to:
a. The direct observation of drug or alco hol use; or a report by a reliable and
credible sourc e that a member has engaged in drug or alcohol use, the
identity of which source shall be available to the mem ber and the Union,
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unless the source is a victi m who is eligible for confidentiali ty. (See Gov
§ 6254).
b. Objecti ve signs of being under the influence of alcohol or consumption.
c. A work -related incident in conjunction with other facts which together
support reasonable cause.
2.02.0 3 POLICY
A. Members shall not consume alcohol or be under the influence of alcohol while on duty.
B. Memb ers shall not cons ume alcohol wh ile in a Department police uniform .
C. Members shall not store or bring into any Department vehicle or facility any a lcoholic
beverages, except in the performance o f police duties.
D. Members sha ll not consume alcohol, be impaired or be under the influence of alcohol
while carrying any firearm .
E. Members shall not consume alcohol, be impair ed or be under the influence of alcohol
while operating a Dep artment vehicle.
F. Members sh all not consume alcohol while off-duty to the extent that when reporting for
their duty assignment their ability to perform their duty is impaired.
G. Member s should not activate from an off-duty status to an on-duty status when their
ability to pe rform th eir duties as a sworn officer is impaired. (See DGO 2.01 General
Rules of Conduct)
H. An off-duty sworn offi cer who has consumed alcohol a nd is called back to duty in
response to an eme rgency or any reason shall immediately inform their supervisor of
their alcohol consumption or any impairment. Supervisors s hall allow off -duty officers
who reasonably believe that they may be impai red to decline to return to duty.
I. Members sh all notify a supervisor immediately if they observe behavior or have
reasonab le suspicion that any m ember in the workplace consumed alcohol or is under the
influence of alcohol, such t hat th e member ’s ability to perform the functions of the job
safely and effecti vely is imp aired or reduced .
2.02.0 4 PROCEDURES
A. Reporting and Investigative R esponsibi lities - The commanding officer of the
member’s unit, or if not i mmediately available, the senior rank ing supervisor on duty at
the time of the report of a n alcohol use violation sha ll be respo nsible for directing the
preliminary investigation. If the member to be investigated was detailed or l oaned to
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another unit, the commanding of ficer, o r the senior -ranking supervi sor on duty at that
unit shall be responsib le for direct ing the prelimin ary inve st