General Policy Information
Law Enforcement Code of Ethics
Latest Revision Date: 5/15/2013
Title 1 - Department Structure and Function
1.010 - Authority and Jurisdiction
1.025 - Consultant Contract Administration
1.040 - Department Mission Statement and Priorities
1.050 - Functional Structure and Command of the Department
1.060 - General Information and Definitions
1.090 - Organization and Function-Administration
1.100 - Organization and Function-Chief of Police
1.110 - Organization and Function-Operations
1.119 - Unit Number Assignments
1.140 - Special Event Planning
1.160 - University of Washington
1.170 - Inspections and Audits
Title 2 - Department Employment
2.020 - Appointments and Probation
2.030 - Retirements and Separations
Title 3 - Employee Welfare
3.035 - Reasonable Accommodation (ADA)
3.050 - Coordinating Officer Fatalities
3.070 - Early Intervention System (EIS)
3.080 - Travel Training System
3.090 - Employee Recognition Awards Program
3.170 - Honoring Those Killed in the Line of Duty
3.200 - Limited Duty Assignments
3.270 - Police Charity Committee
Title 4 - Timekeeping
Title 5 - Employee Conduct
5.002 - Public and Internal Complaint Process
5.030 - Criminal Case Testimony
5.040 - EEO Complaints and Investigations
5.060 - Employee Political Activity
5.090 - Operations Bureau General Personnel Matters
5.100 - Operations Bureau Individual Responsibilities
5.130 - Supervisor/Employee Relationships
5.150 - Use of Private Vehicles for City Business
5.160 - Citizen Observation of Officers
5.170 - Alcohol and Substance Use
5.175 - Critical Incident Stress Management Communications
Title 6 - Arrests, Search and Seizure
6.010 - Reporting Arrests and Detentions
6.020 - Arrests and Detentions of Foreign Nationals
6.060 - Collection of Information for Law Enforcement Purposes
6.090 - Full Restraint Position
6.140 - Locating a Cell Phone during an Emergency
6.150 - Advising Persons of Right to Counsel and Miranda
6.181 - Performing Inventory Searches
6.220 - Social Contacts, Terry Stops and Arrests
6.247 - Reviewing Use of Force Incidents
Title 7 - Evidence and Property
7.010 - Converting Property-Evidence for Departmental Use
7.020 - Evidence, Private Property collection & Release
7.050 - Firearms and Shell Casings as Evidence
7.070 - Narcotics and Firearms Property Release for Training Canines
Title 8 - Use of Force
8.050 - Use of Force Definitions
8.300 - Use of Force Reporting and Investigations
8.400 - Reviewing Use of Force
Title 9 - Equipment and Uniforms
9.010 - Employee Dress Standards
9.050 - Reinbursement for Personal Property
9.070 - Uniform and Equipment Committee
9.080 - Firearms Qualification Review Board
9.090 - Rifle and Shotgun Program
9.100 - Department Firearms Management
Title 10 - Police Facilities & Security
Title 11 - Detainee Management
11.010 - Detainee Management in Department Facilities
11.020 - Transportation of Detainees
Title 12 - Department Information Systems
12.030 - Computer Hardware & Devices
12.055 - Criminal Justice Research
12.060 - Department Forms Control
12.070 - Department Publications
12.080 - Department Records Access, Inspection & Dissemination
12.090 - Departmental Correspondence
12.091 - Mobile Reporting Entity (MRE) Laptops
12.110 - Use of Department E-mail & Internet Systems
Title 13 - Vehicle Operations
13.010 - Collisions Involving Department Vehicles
13.015 - Collision Review Board
13.030 - Emergency Vehicle Operations
13.031 - Vehicle Eluding/Pursuits
13.040 - Patrol Operations Equipment, Police Vehicles and Facilities
13.050 - Policing by Mountain Bike
Title 14 - Emergency Operations
14.060 - Serious Incident Plan
14.070 - Serious Injury or Fatality to a Police Officer
Title 15 - Primary Investigation
15.015 – Bomb Threats and Explosive Devices
15.055 - Death Investigations (Non Traffic)
15.080 - Follow-up Unit Notification and Follow-up Investigation
15.140 - Narcotics Activity Report
15.180 - Primary Investigations
15.185 - Vulnerable Adults-Elder Abuse and Neglect
15.210 - Investigating Property Held by a Pawnshop or Used-Goods Store
15.215 - Domestic Violence Firearms Seizures
15.250 - Interpreters/Translators
15.260 - Collision Investigations
15.270 - Trespass Warning Program
15.275 - Enforcing Trespass in Parks
15.290 - Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution (SOAP)
15.300 - Stay Out of Drug Areas (SODA)-Define Boundaries
15.310 - Foreign Nationals Seeking Asylum
15.320 - Police Action on Military Reservations
Title 16 - Patrol Operations
16.030 - Citizen Rider Program
16.040 - Community Police Teams
16.070 - Responding to Monitored Alarms
16.080 - Fireworks Disposal and Disposition
16.100 - Patrol Training and Publications
16.110 - Referring Subjects to the Crisis Solutions Center
16.130 - Sick and Injured Persons
16.140 - Traffic Direction and Control
16.170 - Automatic License Plate Readers
16.180 - Patrol Operations Order
16.190 - Labor Management Disputes
1.010 – Authority & Jurisdiction
Effective Date: 3/1/2002
I. Municipalities
A. The Washington State Constitution provides for the incorporation of municipalities. Cities having a population of ten thousand or more inhabitants are designated as First Class Cities (RCW 35.22.010) and shall be governed and organized according to the law in accordance with the State Constitution (Article 11, Section 10, Amendment 40).The form of the organization and the manner and mode in which cities of the first class shall exercise the powers, functions and duties conferred upon them by law, with respect to their own government, shall be as provided in the charters thereof (RCW 35.22.020).
II. Mayor, Powers and Duties
A. The Mayor shall see that the laws of the City are enforced, and shall direct and control all subordinate officers of the City, except in so far as such enforcement, direction and control is by this charter reposed in some other officer or board, and shall maintain peace and order in the City.
B. The mayor shall be the judge in any emergency, and may assume command of all or any part of the police force of the City. Before assuming such control, the mayor shall issue a proclamation to that effect, and it shall be the duty of the Chief of Police to execute orders promulgated by the mayor during such emergency.
C. The mayor shall perform such other duties and exercise such other authority as may be prescribed by law (City Charter, Article V, Section 2).
III. Chief of Police and Police Officers, Powers and Duties
A. The Chief of Police shall manage the Police Department, and shall prescribe rules and regulations, consistent with law, for its government and control; provided, that the Chief of Police shall be responsible to the Mayor for the administration of the Police Department and the enforcement of law (City Charter, Article VI, Section 4).
B. The Chief of Police shall be the chief peace officer of the City. All process issued by the police judge of the City shall be directed to the Chief of Police for service, and may be served and returned by the Chief or any peace officer. The Chief of Police shall maintain the peace and quiet of the City. The Chief shall have like powers and responsibilities as the Sheriff of King County in similar cases, and shall perform such other duties as may be imposed by ordinance (City Charter, Article VI, Section 5, First).
C. The Chief of Police or any police officer may make arrests for any crime or violation of the laws of the State, or any ordinance of the City committed within the City. The Chief of Police shall keep a correct record of all arrests, showing the time and cause of complaint upon which each arrest was made, with a list and description of all property and money taken from each person (City Charter, Article VI, Section 5, Second).
D. The Chief of Police shall be responsible for all property and money taken from any person. The Chief shall be liable therefore on the official bond, and any person may recover for loss of any such property or money in an action brought for that purpose (City Charter, Article VI, Section 5, Third).
E. The Chief of Police and duly authorized deputies and assistants acting on the Chief’s behalf shall function as the Port Warden of the City and assume control and jurisdiction over all waters within the City limits, and shall maintain safety and enforce the ordinances and regulations of the Harbor Code as described in Chapters 16.04 and 16.12, of the Seattle Municipal Code.
IV. Police Department Organization
A. The Police Department shall consist of a Chief of Police and as many subordinate officers and employees as may by ordinance be prescribed. There shall be maintained adequate police protection in each district of the City (City Charter, Article VI, Section 1).
V. Appointment to Office
A. The Chief of Police shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation of all members of the City Council (City Charter, Article VI, Section 2).
B. All subordinate police officers shall be appointed by the Chief of Police under Civil Service Rules and Regulations (City Charter, Article VI, Section 2).