Policy Recommendations

What is a Management Action Recommendation?

During an investigation, OPA sometimes identifies issues with SPD policies or practices that have implications beyond the case at hand. To address them, OPA can issue a Management Action Recommendation (MAR) in the form of a letter to the Chief of Police identifying specific issues and recommending changes.

A MAR is a tool for correcting gaps, ambiguities, or other concerns with SPD policies and/or training.

SPD is not required to implement the suggestions that come from OPA in the form of MARs, but they do actively collaborate and attempt to find solutions as much as possible.

Below are all MARs issued by OPA since 2018, as well as the responses provided by SPD, if available. Links to MARs issued between 2015-2017 are located below their related Closed Case Summary on our Closed Case Summaries page.

Status Definitions

Received: OPA submitted the MAR to SPD, but SPD has not yet provided a substantive response.

In Development: OPA received a response from SPD indicating a plan to address the recommendation(s). The MAR is still open.

Partially Implemented: OPA considers the MAR complete. SPD implemented one or more recommendations. For the recommendation(s) SPD did not implement, a rationale was provided.

Fully Implemented: OPA considers the MAR complete. SPD implemented all recommendation(s) proposed by OPA.

Declined Action: OPA considers the MAR complete. SPD indicated why no action was taken on the recommendation(s). This rationale may be based on feasibility, law, policy and/or a difference in opinion.

Management Action Recommendations - Current Year

Date Issued	Case #	Topic	OPA Status
November 14, 2019	2019OPA-0364 2019COMP-0033	Search Warrant Exception	Received
November 8, 2019	2019OPA-0168 2019COMP-0032	Ruses	Received
November 1, 2019	2019OPA-0280 2019COMP-0031	Vehicle Pursuits	Received
October 15, 2019	2019OPA-0015 2019COMP-0030	Use of Force: Neck and Cartoid Restraint	Received
October 10, 2019	2019OPA-0225 2019COMP-0029	Search Warrant Exception	Received
October 10, 2019	2019OPA-0105 2019COMP-0028	Canine Deployment	Fully Implemented
September 19, 2019	2019OPA-0308 2019COMP-0027	Search Warrant Exception	Received
August 1, 2019	2019OPA-0069 2019COMP-0025	Custodial Search	Received
July 3, 2019	2017OPA-0886 2019COMP-0024	Medical Leave	Received
June 25, 2019	2019OPA-0097 2019COMP-0017	Criminal Justice Information Systems	Received
June 18, 2019	2019OPA-0172 2019COMP-0021	Canine Deployment	Fully Implemented
June 11, 2019	2018OPA-1107 2019COMP-0016	Custodial Search	Received
June 11, 2019	2018OPA-0740 2019COMP-0015	Taser Application	Fully Implemented
June 11, 2019	2018OPA-1037 2019COMP-0020	Canine Deployment	Fully Implemented
May 29, 2019	2018OPA-0783 2019COMP-0014	Canine Deployment	Fully Implemented
May 29, 2019	2015OPA-0370 2019COMP-0013	Secondary Employment	Received
March 15, 2019	2018OPA-0872 2019COMP-0019	Taser Application	Fully Implemented
March 15, 2019	2018OPA-0772 2019COMP-0010	Impact of Swatting	Partially Implemented
March 15, 2019	2018OPA-0751 2019COMP-0009	Detainee Checks	Fully Implemented
March 15, 2019	2018OPA-0198 2019COMP-0008	Pursuit Termination	Declined Action
March 15, 2019	2018OPA-0582 2019COMP-0007	Roadblocks	Fully Implemented
March 13, 2019	2018OPA-0704 2019COMP-0018	De-Escalation/Threats of Force	Fully Implemented
March 13, 2019	2018OPA-0661 2019COMP-0006	Spit Sock Hood Screening and Reporting	Fully Implemented
March 13, 2019	2018OPA-0201 2019COMP-0004	Ferrier Warning	Fully Implemented
January 18, 2019	2018OPA-0250 2019COMP-0023	Terry Template	Received
January 17, 2019	2018OPA-0577 2019COMP-0001	De-Escalation/Threats of Force	Fully Implemented

Management Action Recommendations - Previous Year

OPA submitted the following MARs to the SPD Chief of Police on the dates listed below.

January 10, 2018

Fully Implemented

Bias Reviews (2017OPA-0938, 2017OPA-1014, 2017OPA-1016, 2017OPA-1017, 2017OPA-1018, 2017OPA-1077, 2017OPA-1079, 2017OPA-1108)

Chief of Police Response - Issued February 7, 2018

January 25, 2018

Fully Implemented

2017OPA-0571 - Specialty Unit Manuals

Chief of Police Response - Issued February 7, 2018

March 9, 2018

Declined Action

2016OPA-0719 - Secondary Employment: Volunteer Work

Chief of Police Response - Issued April 10, 2018

Declined Action

2017OPA-0270 - In-Car Video: Exception to Stop Recording

Chief of Police Response - Issued April 10, 2018

April 5, 2018

This letter contains 14 MARs covering various topics. The status of each policy recommendation is shown below.

Fully Implemented
2017OPA-0031 - Collision Review Board
2017OPA-0751 - In-Car Video: Following Ambulances
2017OPA-0755 - Secondary Employment at Large Events
2017OPA-0813 - Reporting Misconduct
2017OPA-0820 - DUI Training
2017OPA-1131 - In-Car Video: Following Ambulances
2017OPA-1015 - Follow-Up Investigations

Partially Implemented
2017OPA-0318 - Use of Force Tools: Taser

Declined Action
2017OPA-0420 - Involvement in Vehicle Pursuits
2017OPA-0667 - High-Risk Felony Stops
2017OPA-0705 - Scheduling Training
2017OPA-0909 - De-Escalation
2017OPA-0937 - In-Car and Body-Worn Video Equipment
2017OPA-0967 - Terry Template