Policy Text
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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4.15 Traffic Law Enforcement
4.15.4 Uniform Traffic Enforcement (Revised: 7/18/18 )
All officers of the Police Department are responsible for maintaining a working knowledge of
the CVC and San Francisco Municipal Code relating to traffic offenses. Consistency is a critical
element of the traffic enforcement pract ices of the Police Departm ent. Even so, t he policy is not
intended to supersede officer judgment , since it is impossible to foresee every conceivable
situation involving traffic violations.
A. Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
Individuals operating a vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants present a serious
threat to the safety of others. It is a policy of the UCSF Police Department to strictly
enforce the law prohibiting this conduct.
B. Speeding Violations
Speeding violations and other hazardous moving violations pose an immediate threat to
the motoring and pedestrian public. It is a policy of the UCSF Police Department to
strictly enforce the law prohibiting this conduct.
1. Officers shall take into consideration the time of day, traffic flow and previous
history of violations to determine the most appropriate method of enforcement.
Enforcement may be accomplished through the use of verbal warnings or issuance
of citations.
2. Officers will use their certified speedometer to gauge the speed of a suspected
violator. The officer should maintain a constant speed for at least two blocks to
measure the speed of a suspected violator.
3. Department -approved training and certification techniques will be adhered to.
4. Speedometers will be calibrated every year at a certified location.
a. The Equipment Officer maintains a calibration log for each police
vehicle.
5. Officer s utilizing Lidar must successfully complete the basic operator training
program and receive certification prior to utilizing departmental speed me asuring
devices.
a. The Field Operations Lieutenant or his/her designee will establish
procedures to:
(1) Periodically recertify operators to ensure their continued
proficiency, consistent with the standards of the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administr ation (NHTSA)
(2) Ensure that the Lidar devices receive proper care
(3) Ensure programmed maintenance, testing and calibration of speed
measuring devices is conducted.
b. Maintenance of Lidar Unit
(1) Per CVC § 40802(D), all speed -measuring devices will m eet or
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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exceed minimal operatio nal standards set forth by the NHTSA.
c. Operation
(1) The Lidar unit must be properly held and connected to the
appropriate power supply.
(2) The effective range of the particular unit must be thoroughly
understood by the op erator , so visual observations can support the
speed meter readings.
(3) The Lidar unit location will be conducive to the effective and safe
operation of Lidar.
(4) The radar/laser unit will be properly calibrated to ensure accuracy
in checking speed, pri or to use. This calibration will be confirmed.
(5) All Lidar units shall comply with all local, state and federal
regulations.
d. Maintenance and Calibration Records
(1) Lidar m aintenance and calibration records will be submitted to the
FSD commander annually.
C. Other Hazardous Violations
1. A number of violations of the CVC statutes applicable to the operation of vehicles
can be considered hazardous. These include, but are not limited to:
a. Disregarding a traffic control device/signal
b. Failure to yield to a vehicle and/or pedestrian
c. Reckless or careless driving
d. Improper lane usage and/or change.
2. When hazardous violations occur, the propensity for causing traffic crashes
demands the Police Department take enforcement action. Cita tions shall be issued
at the scene of a crash when the officer’s post -accident investigation establishes
sufficient evidence (i.e., reasonable grounds) to support a conclusion that an
offense has been committed. Warnings are only appropriate where insuffic ient
evidence exists to establish the elements of an offense or where offenses did not
contribute to the crash.
D. Equipment Violations
Vehicles must be properly equipped, as provided by law, to ensure safe use of public
roadways. In some instances, the o perator of a vehicle may be unaware certain equipment
has malfunctioned or failed. A warning may be all that is necessary to bring about
compliance with the vehicle equipment laws. A driver knowingly operating an
improperly equipped vehicle may require mor e strict enforcement.
E. Public Carrier/Commercial Vehicle Violations
Public/Commercial carriers will be treated the same as the general motoring public.
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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F. Non-hazardous Violations
The enforcement action required in non -hazardous violations remains at the discretion of
the officer. Training, experience and common sense will guide the officer in selecting the
appropriate course of enforcement action.
G. Multiple Violations
The seriousness and circumstances of multiple violations are factors in deciding to what
course of action should be taken by law enforcement officials. Consistent with other
traffic procedures, the discretion of the officer will guide appropriate action.
H. Newly Enacted Laws and/or Regulations
New laws will be enforced fo llowing the guidelines within the text of the law. Officers
must remember the goal is to obtain compliance . They have the authority to determine
the level of enforcement, at their discretion.