Policy Text
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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4.8 Police Office Custody of Mentally Ill Persons
4.8.2 Criteria for Custody (Revised: 6/04/08)
A. Officers exercising “Peace Officer Custody of a Mentally Ill Person” will do so in
accordance with California W&I Code § 5150 et sequential.
B. Officers must have probable cause to believe the person is a mentally ill person who is
dangerous to self or others and in need of immediate care, custody or treatment for
mental illness.
C. Officers may be directed to take custody of a suspected mentally ill person by means of a
BOLO (“Be on the look -out”) placed in the CLETS. The CLETS advisement often
requests that a peace officer initiate a mental status assessment and take whatever action
is deemed necessary.
1. Officers shall take a person into custody when a qualified W&I Code 5150
psychotherapist directs the officer to do so. When so directed by written order,
officers shall remove the person to:
a. The Psychiatric Emergency Services W ard at SFGH, 1001 Portrero Avenue,
San Francisco, CA 94110 (415 -206-8125). Officers when transporting
mentally ill persons may bypass the Emergency Department.
b. An alternate location for W&I Code 5150 evaluations is the Long Hospital
Emergency Department , 505 Parnassus Avenue. If a W&I Code 5150
subject is taken to Long Hospital, he/she shall be admitted at the registration
desk unless the subjects’ condition requires immediate restraint in a
treatment room.
c. The choice of locations will be determined b y the processing officer and is
based on the most expeditious destination for the subject to be examined by
appropriate professional staff.
D. The psychotherapist shall provide, in advance, a written report that the officer shall
deliver to the treating p hysician.
1. The report shall state:
a. The reason for custody
b. The date, time and place the person was taken into custody
c. The name of the psychotherapist and a telephone number where he/she
may be reached at all times.
2. The psychotherapist’s writt en report shall support the custody and serve as
probable cause to take the person into custody.
E. When a request is received for voluntary commitment to transport/escort a subject to
Psychiatric Emergency Services for psychiatric evaluation, the officers shall respond to
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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assess the subject’s qualifications as a W&I Code 5150. (Two officers should be as signed
when possible.)