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 Appearance 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
Effective Date: 10/12/2005
PHILOSOPHY
The Seattle Police Department believes that it is in the employees’ and the Department’s best interest to keep business and professional relationships separate from personal relationships. It is imperative that the Department strives at all times to prevent the reality or appearance of impropriety. The performance of official duties in a situation where a reasonable and prudent person would believe that an employee’s marital, domestic partnership, familial or other relationship interest would or could supersede or interfere with the interests of the Department shall be avoided. For the purposes of this section, family or household member shall be defined as domestic partners, spouses, parents, siblings, parents or siblings in-law, children, step-children, aunts, uncles and grandparents of the employee, without condition, as well as any person who is dependent upon or resides with the employee. This section shall apply to all employees non-sworn , sworn, represented, and non-represented.
I. Policy
A. The Seattle Police Department will not knowingly assign employees who are family or household members, spouses, or domestic partners, to work assignments that involve the following circumstances:
1. Where one employee will directly supervise, appoint, remove, or discipline the other.
2. Where one employee will evaluate or audit the work of the other.
3. Where circumstances exist or reasonably could exist which would place the spouses, domestic partners, or household members in a situation that a reasonable and prudent person would believe that an employee’s marital, domestic partnership, familial or other relationship interest would or could supercede or interfere with the interests of the Department.
4. Where business necessity dictates that some action by SPD management is necessary in order to avoid the reality or appearance of improper influence.
B. If a supervisor and subordinate enter into a domestic partnership or marital relationship during the course of employment, and the Department reasonably believes the relationship may create a conflict of interest, one of the employees shall be transferred to another position. Such transfers shall be made in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements.
C. The supervisor or subordinate, currently involved in a relationship as described above, shall report the relationship to the lieutenant. Failure to report such a relationship may subject the involved employees to discipline.