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Department policy

General Orders Manual

The standing policy library for department members and residents, now maintained in the same modern website as the rest of CPD.

GO 01-01

Organization, Authority and Chain of Command

Primary owner: Office of the Superintendent

Purpose and scope

Establishes department organization, command authority, lawful orders, and succession of command.

Policy areas

  • Mission and values
  • Department components
  • Command authority
  • Policy administration
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for organization, authority and chain of command. It shall be applied consistently while preserving officer discretion, fair play and meaningful scene development.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Structure should make responsibilities obvious without turning rank into status. Administrative talent may be recognized through appointments while patrol authority remains tied to demonstrated field competence.

3. POLICY

The Department shall follow the organizational structure approved by the Superintendent. Department-wide policy authority originates with the Office of the Superintendent and is carried out through the designated offices, bureaus, divisions, sections and units. Rank, command position and administrative title are separate concepts. An appointment such as Director, Executive Director, General Counsel or Deputy Director grants authority within the assigned function but does not automatically create patrol-command authority. Members shall follow lawful orders issued within the official chain of command and shall seek clarification when authority, scope or responsibility is unclear.

4. RESPONSIBILITIES

Superintendent of Police: serves as the Department head, establishes executive direction, approves General Orders and appoints command and administrative leadership. First Deputy Superintendent: oversees the major operational bureaus and support functions assigned to that office, including the Bureau of Patrol, Bureau of Detectives and Bureau of Counterterrorism. Bureau Chiefs and Deputy Chiefs: exercise command over their assigned bureaus, areas and citywide operational groups. District and Division Commanders: manage district, division or specialized-command operations, personnel and major incidents within their assigned authority. Lieutenants and Sergeants: provide watch-level and field supervision, scene management, approvals, coaching and policy enforcement. Field Training Officers: train and evaluate probationary members under the Field Training and Evaluation Program. Police Officers: perform patrol, response, enforcement, preliminary investigation, reporting and community service duties. Executive Directors, Directors, Deputy Directors, General Counsel and other administrative leaders: manage their designated office, division, section or professional function under the reporting relationship shown in the Department Organization for Command.

5. PROCEDURES

Routine operational questions shall be resolved through the member's immediate supervisor and then elevated through the applicable district, area, bureau or office chain. Members may bypass normal channels for emergencies, misconduct complaints, conflicts of interest, protected reporting or a direct assignment from authorized executive leadership. When the assigned commander or supervisor is unavailable, temporary operational authority passes to the designated acting member or the highest-ranking on-duty member within that function. Administrative appointees do not assume unrelated field command solely by title.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

Current Department Organization for Command (Attachments 1-7), appointment roster, acting-command designations and policy revision log.

8. RELATED ORDERS

All General Orders.

GO 02-01

Patrol Operations

Primary owner: Bureau of Patrol

Purpose and scope

Sets the operating standard for district patrol, beat responsibility, calls for service, and supervisor oversight.

Policy areas

  • Beat assignments
  • Calls for service
  • Scene responsibility
  • Supervisor response
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for patrol operations. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Patrol should generate stories, not merely process violations. Officers are expected to create room for conversation, investigation, discretion and civilian participation before rushing toward enforcement.

3. POLICY

Patrol is the Department's primary public-facing function and shall balance enforcement, visibility, service and quality roleplay. Members shall not manufacture unreasonable enforcement encounters solely to create action. Enforcement must arise from observed conduct, credible information, calls for service or lawful investigative development. Officers shall use discretion consistently and explain decisions when practical.

4. PROCEDURES

Before patrol, members shall be properly uniformed, equipped, logged into available systems and assigned a call sign. Officers shall remain within their assigned district unless dispatched, pursuing, assisting another unit or authorized by a supervisor. The first unit on scene assumes initial scene responsibility until relieved by a supervisor or specialized investigator. Members shall request backup before entering high-risk locations, confronting multiple armed suspects or initiating planned felony enforcement. Officers shall clear completed calls with an appropriate disposition and complete required reports before end of watch unless excused.

5. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Maintain radio awareness and acknowledge priority traffic. Protect life first, stabilize scenes second, investigate third. Create space for civilian roleplay instead of rushing directly to arrest. Use warnings, citations, referrals or release when reasonable and lawful. Document major discretionary decisions in the incident report.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

CAD dispositions, incident reports and supervisor notes for major calls.

8. RELATED ORDERS

GO 03-01, GO 05-01, GO 06-01, GO 08-01 and GO 10-01.

GO 03-01

Roll Call, Watch and Shift Procedures

Primary owner: Bureau of Patrol

Purpose and scope

Defines how watches begin, how assignments are issued, and how officers account for their activity.

Policy areas

  • Roll call
  • Watch assignments
  • Relief and handoff
  • End-of-shift reporting
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for roll call, watch and shift procedures. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Briefings should create shared direction and useful hooks for the watch. They should never become long meetings that consume the limited time members have to play.

3. POLICY

Roll call is the operational anchor of each peak watch and should be conducted after the scheduled server restart or at a command-designated time.Briefings shall be concise, useful and roleplay-focused rather than ceremonial.

4. PROCEDURES

The watch supervisor records attending members and assigns beats, partners, specialty units and call signs.Briefings should cover wanted persons, recent violent incidents, officer safety information, active investigations, events, road closures and policy reminders.Members shall disclose equipment or certification limitations before deployment.Late members shall report to the supervisor before self-deploying.At the end of major incidents, the supervisor may conduct a short debrief addressing facts, performance, follow-up tasks and learning points.Outgoing watch supervisors shall hand over unresolved incidents, detainees, evidence issues and active operational concerns.

5. BRIEFING STANDARD

Target length: 5-12 minutes.Do not reveal out-of-character information as in-character intelligence.Do not assign every officer to one unit; preserve district coverage.Record action items and distribute them through the approved department channel.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

Roll-call notes, attendance and watch handover items.

8. RELATED ORDERS

GO 02-01, GO 04-01 and GO 05-01.

GO 04-01

Uniforms, Appearance and Equipment

Primary owner: Uniform Support Division

Purpose and scope

Defines approved uniforms, appearance, issued equipment, and readiness expectations.

Policy areas

  • Uniform standards
  • Personal appearance
  • Required equipment
  • Inspection and replacement
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for uniforms, appearance and equipment. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Visual standards should support immersion and make assignments easy to recognize while still allowing members enough variety to enjoy their characters.

3. POLICY

Uniforms and equipment shall communicate professionalism, assignment and rank without creating confusion.Only approved weapon and vehicle loadouts may be used while on duty.

4. PROCEDURES

Members shall wear the uniform designated for their rank and assignment.Supervisors may authorize plainclothes duty for investigative, intelligence or approved special operations.Members shall inspect weapons, less-lethal tools, radio, restraints and medical equipment before deployment.Department vehicles shall be operated responsibly and returned in serviceable condition when game mechanics permit.Lost, duplicated, damaged or improperly transferred equipment shall be reported immediately.Members shall not display specialty insignia or use specialized equipment without current authorization.

5. PROHIBITIONS

Unapproved tactical uniforms for routine patrol.Excessive or unrealistic weapon carriage.Using department vehicles or equipment for personal activity.Misrepresenting rank, assignment or certification.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

Equipment authorizations and loss/damage reports.

8. RELATED ORDERS

GO 02-01, GO 07-01 and GO 09-01.

GO 05-01

Radio and Dispatch Communications

Primary owner: Bureau of Patrol and Dispatch

Purpose and scope

Establishes radio discipline, dispatch procedures, status updates, and emergency traffic.

Policy areas

  • Radio identifiers
  • Dispatch priority
  • Status changes
  • Emergency traffic
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for radio and dispatch communications. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Radio discipline should make scenes easier to follow, not force members to memorize unnecessary codes or speak unnaturally.

3. POLICY

Radio traffic shall be brief, understandable and operationally necessary.Plain language is preferred unless the server has adopted a standardized code system.

4. PROCEDURES

Units shall identify themselves by call sign and wait for acknowledgment when conditions permit.Priority traffic includes officer distress, active violence, pursuits, urgent medical needs and immediate public danger.The primary unit provides location, direction, suspect description, vehicle description and requested resources.Units shall not talk over emergency traffic except to provide critical safety information.Officers shall announce traffic stops, prisoner transports, scene arrivals, hospital trips and out-of-service status.Dispatch may regulate channels and assign incidents; supervisors resolve operational disputes.

5. RADIO EXAMPLES

Traffic stop: unit, location, vehicle description, plate and occupancy.Pursuit: reason, location, direction, speed, traffic, suspect vehicle and requested units.Emergency: unit identifier, exact location, threat and immediate need.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

Dispatch records or clips for significant communication failures.

8. RELATED ORDERS

GO 02-01, GO 07-01, GO 17-01 and GO 18-01.

GO 06-01

Traffic Enforcement and Vehicle Stops

Primary owner: Bureau of Patrol

Purpose and scope

Sets expectations for lawful traffic enforcement, vehicle stops, citations, and high-risk stops.

Policy areas

  • Reasonable suspicion
  • Stop procedure
  • Citation and warning
  • High-risk stops
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for traffic enforcement and vehicle stops. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Traffic stops are interaction scenes. Warnings, questions, investigation and discretion often produce stronger roleplay than immediately issuing the maximum citation or arrest.

3. POLICY

Traffic enforcement shall promote safety and generate fair, explainable roleplay.Officers shall have an articulable reason before initiating a stop.

4. PROCEDURES

Notify dispatch of stop location and vehicle information when practical.Select a location that reasonably protects occupants, officers and traffic.Introduce yourself, explain the reason for the stop and request required documents.Do not extend a stop beyond what is reasonably necessary without additional lawful cause or voluntary roleplay development.Consent searches must be clearly requested and may be refused.High-risk stop tactics require reasonable belief of a serious threat or felony involvement and should be supervised when practical.Warnings, citations, summonses, arrest and vehicle tow decisions shall be based on total circumstances rather than quotas.

5. DOCUMENTATION

Reports are required for arrests, pursuits, force, contraband seizures, major crashes and contested searches.Routine citations may be documented through the available CAD/MDT system.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

Citations, arrest reports, crash reports and tow records when applicable.

8. RELATED ORDERS

GO 02-01, GO 07-01, GO 08-01 and GO 10-01.

GO 07-01

Emergency Vehicle Operations and Pursuits

Primary owner: Bureau of Patrol

Purpose and scope

Balances apprehension with public safety during emergency response and vehicle pursuits.

Policy areas

  • Emergency response
  • Pursuit authorization
  • Supervisor control
  • Termination and review
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for emergency vehicle operations and pursuits. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Pursuits should be exciting, understandable and finite. Officers should avoid overwhelming a fleeing player with unnecessary units or tactics that remove every reasonable opportunity to participate.

3. POLICY

Preservation of life outweighs immediate apprehension.A pursuit is justified only when the need to apprehend reasonably outweighs the danger created by continuing.

4. INITIATION FACTORS

Seriousness of the suspected offense.Immediate threat posed by the suspect.Traffic, weather, pedestrian density and road conditions.Availability of identifying information and later apprehension.Officer vehicle, training and communications capability.

5. PROCEDURES

The initiating unit immediately broadcasts the reason and conditions.Ground units are limited to four officers and one supervisor unless additional units are specifically authorized.Parallel units should avoid joining the pursuit and instead position for containment, observation or traffic control.Within 60 seconds of initiation, the supervisor of the primary officer shall either authorize or terminate the pursuit. Officers shall not, under any circumstances, engage in a pursuit without supervisor authorization; if the primary officer’s supervisor is unavailable, the next available supervisor shall authorize or terminate the pursuit.Supervisors shall also order termination when danger becomes disproportionate, communication fails, identity is known and later arrest is practical, or the pursuit lacks sufficient justification.PIT maneuvers, spike strips and other authorized tactical interventions require specific supervisor authorization consistent with server mechanics. Ramming and roadblocks are prohibited.Assisting outside agencies: before joining an outside agency’s pursuit, dispatch, the assisting officer or the first available supervisor shall confirm the pursuing agency’s charges, and a supervisor shall authorize the number of officers assisting.After termination, units disengage visibly and avoid secretly continuing unless authorized surveillance is feasible.Above all, responsibility for what the officer is pursuing for rests with that officer. Pursuits are inherently dangerous; use good judgment.

6. REVIEW

All pursuits require a report and supervisory review.Policy violations may be addressed through coaching, remedial training or discipline depending on seriousness.

7. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

8. REQUIRED RECORDS

Pursuit report, involved-unit list and supervisor review.

9. RELATED ORDERS

GO 05-01, GO 06-01, GO 09-01 and GO 10-01.

GO 08-01

Arrest, Detention, Search and Prisoner Handling

Primary owner: Patrol and Detectives

Purpose and scope

Defines lawful custody, searches, arrest processing, transport, and prisoner care.

Policy areas

  • Detention and arrest
  • Search authority
  • Transport
  • Prisoner safety
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for arrest, detention, search and prisoner handling. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT An arrest should advance the story rather than abruptly end it. Officers should explain decisions, preserve opportunities for dialogue and avoid using procedure to force a predetermined outcome.

3. POLICY

Arrests and searches shall be based on lawful roleplay facts and documented clearly.Members shall distinguish consensual encounters, temporary detention and arrest.

4. PROCEDURES

Explain the reason for detention or arrest when safety permits.Use restraints reasonably and double-lock or otherwise secure them when supported by game mechanics.Search arrested persons for weapons, evidence and contraband before transport.Do not use an arrest to force cooperation in unrelated roleplay.Transporting officers confirm prisoner identity, charges, property and medical condition.Juvenile or vulnerable-person procedures shall follow server law and staff direction.Members shall provide required rights advisements before custodial interrogation when applicable to the server’s legal framework.Release a detained person promptly when legal justification no longer exists.

5. DOCUMENTATION

Arrest reports shall identify the offense, essential facts, evidence, force used, property seized and involved officers.Supervisors shall review felony and high-liability arrests.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

Arrest report, property record, transport and booking documentation.

8. RELATED ORDERS

GO 09-01, GO 10-01 and GO 11-01.

GO 09-01

Use of Force

Primary owner: Constitutional Policing and Reform

Purpose and scope

Requires force to be lawful, necessary, proportional, documented, and reviewed.

Policy areas

  • De-escalation
  • Force options
  • Medical aid
  • Reporting and review
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for use of force. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Force scenes must remain fair to everyone involved. Officers should communicate, allow reasonable reaction time when circumstances permit and avoid treating game mechanics as automatic proof that greater force was necessary.

3. POLICY

Members may use only the force reasonably necessary to accomplish a lawful objective.De-escalation shall be attempted when safe and practical.Deadly force is reserved for an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.

4. PROCEDURES

Give clear commands and reasonable time to comply when circumstances permit.Continuously reassess resistance and reduce force when control is achieved.Do not use force as punishment, retaliation or to accelerate ordinary compliance.Render or summon medical aid after significant force, visible injury, loss of consciousness, less-lethal deployment or a request for care.Members shall intervene against clearly excessive force and report the incident to a supervisor.Firearm display, firearm discharge, less-lethal deployment and physical force beyond routine restraint shall be documented.

5. SUPERVISOR REVIEW

Separate involved members when necessary to preserve independent accounts.Ensure medical aid, evidence preservation, witness identification and scene security.Determine whether immediate administrative action or command notification is required.Forward the completed force review to the designated command channel.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

Force report, medical documentation and supervisory review.

8. RELATED ORDERS

GO 08-01, GO 10-01, GO 14-01 and GO 18-01.

GO 10-01

Incident Reports and Documentation

Primary owner: All Bureaus and Offices

Purpose and scope

Sets the department standard for complete, accurate, timely, and reviewable reports.

Policy areas

  • Required reports
  • Narrative standards
  • Supervisor review
  • Corrections and supplements
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for incident reports and documentation. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Documentation exists to support future scenes, investigations and accountability. Reports should capture the useful facts without turning gameplay into paperwork duty.

3. POLICY

Reports shall be accurate, chronological, specific and written so another member can understand what happened without watching the scene.Fictional roleplay documentation must remain consistent with what actually occurred in-game.

4. REPORT STANDARD

Who was involved and how each person was identified.What occurred, including the facts supporting enforcement decisions.When and where the incident occurred.What officers observed personally versus learned from others.What evidence was collected and where it was submitted.What force, searches, warnings, citations, arrests or releases occurred.What follow-up remains outstanding.

5. PROCEDURES

Complete reports before ending watch when practical.Use supplemental reports rather than altering another member’s factual account.Supervisors review for legal sufficiency, clarity, policy compliance and obvious contradictions.Corrections shall preserve accountability; material facts may not be secretly rewritten after challenge.Knowingly false reports are serious misconduct.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

Incident, arrest and supplemental reports.

8. RELATED ORDERS

GO 11-01 and GO 14-01.

GO 11-01

Evidence, Property and Vehicle Impound

Primary owner: Forensic Services Division

Purpose and scope

Protects evidence integrity and establishes property, chain-of-custody, and impound procedures.

Policy areas

  • Collection
  • Packaging
  • Chain of custody
  • Property and impound
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for evidence, property and vehicle impound. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Evidence should create investigative opportunities and continuity. It must never be invented, manipulated or hidden simply to guarantee a preferred result.

3. POLICY

Evidence shall be collected, documented and transferred in a manner that preserves roleplay integrity.Members shall not spawn, alter, conceal or destroy evidence to predetermine an outcome.

4. PROCEDURES

Photograph or otherwise document evidence location before collection when practical.Record the collecting officer, item description, source location, related incident and transfer destination.Separate incompatible or hazardous items when supported by server mechanics.Digital evidence such as clips, screenshots or dispatch records shall be preserved through approved channels and not selectively edited in a misleading way.Found property shall be returned when ownership is verified or entered into property storage.Vehicle inventories are administrative and shall not be used as a pretext for an unrelated evidence search.Supervisors shall resolve disputed evidence handling before court or major investigative roleplay proceeds.

5. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

6. REQUIRED RECORDS

Evidence log, chain-of-custody entry and property disposition.

7. RELATED ORDERS

GO 08-01 and GO 10-01.

GO 12-01

Field Training and Probationary Officers

Primary owner: Training Division

Purpose and scope

Defines academy completion, field training, evaluation, remediation, and solo release.

Policy areas

  • FTO assignment
  • Training phases
  • Evaluation
  • Solo release
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for field training and probationary officers. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Field training should build confidence and good judgment through active scenes. It is not meant to embarrass recruits or make them imitate one officer’s personal style.

3. POLICY

The FTO program shall create competent, confident and fair patrol officers rather than simply testing rule memorization.Training shall include practical scenarios, report writing, radio use, stops, arrests, force judgment and roleplay etiquette.

4. PROCEDURES

FTOs must be approved, active, patient and familiar with current policy.Probationary officers shall not perform independent high-risk enforcement until cleared for the relevant phase.FTOs provide immediate coaching when safe and complete documented evaluations at designated milestones.Minor mistakes should result in instruction; repeated or serious failures require remedial training or command review.Final release requires demonstrated competency, not merely time served.Probationary status may continue after solo release to allow performance monitoring.

5. EVALUATION CATEGORIES

Officer safety and judgment.Knowledge of law and policy.Radio communication.Driving and pursuit judgment.Public interaction and roleplay quality.Report writing and evidence handling.Accepting feedback and professional conduct.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

FTO evaluations, remediation plan and release recommendation.

8. RELATED ORDERS

GO 02-01 through GO 11-01, and GO 13-01.

GO 13-01

Recruitment, Promotions and Performance Evaluation

Primary owner: Training Division

Purpose and scope

Establishes fair recruitment, career selection, promotion, and performance review processes.

Policy areas

  • Recruitment
  • Eligibility
  • Selection boards
  • Performance review
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for recruitment, promotions and performance evaluation. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Positions should be earned by the work a member can actually perform. Promotions are not rewards for friendship, longevity alone or out-of-character influence.

3. POLICY

Appointments and promotions shall be based on capability, conduct, activity, leadership potential and department need, not friendship alone.Rank shall reflect responsibility actually performed.

4. PROCEDURES

Recruitment may include application, interview, academy, background review and probation.Promotion candidates should demonstrate policy knowledge, sound judgment, reliability and the ability to improve others.Command may use written exercises, scenarios, interviews and documented performance history.Administrative expertise may support appointment to a director role without requiring an inflated patrol rank.New supervisors serve a probationary period and may be returned to prior rank when performance does not meet expectations.Performance reviews should identify strengths, risks, goals and training needs.

5. DISQUALIFIERS

Dishonesty or falsified experience.Repeated policy violations.Abuse of authority or favoritism.Chronic inactivity without communication.Inability to accept coaching.Using rank primarily for status.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

Application, evaluation, promotion recommendation and appointment record. Detailed rank-by-rank procedure, specialized assignment requirements and all promotional forms are published separately as GO 13-02, Promotions and Career Development Manual.

8. RELATED ORDERS

GO 01-01, GO 12-01 and GO 14-01.

GO 13-02

Promotions and Career Development Manual

Primary owner: Office of the Superintendent

Purpose and scope

Defines minimum duty hours and completed shifts, rank progression, specialized assignments, and promotional procedure.

Policy areas

  • Duty-hour eligibility
  • Completed shifts
  • Rank progression
  • Specialized assignments
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1. PURPOSE

This manual establishes how members advance in rank and earn specialized assignments. It expands GO 13-01 into the rank-by-rank eligibility and selection procedure used by the Department.

2. ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility is measured by full duty hours and completed shifts logged in the member’s current rank. Partial logins, idle time and out-of-character time do not count.

Time served creates eligibility; demonstrated performance, an approved vacancy and the required selection process create promotion.

3. COMPLETE MANUAL

Open the complete manual below for the current eligibility table, rank progression, specialized assignments and promotional procedure.

Open complete manual

GO 14-01

Conduct, Complaints, Discipline and Internal Review

Primary owner: Bureau of Internal Affairs

Purpose and scope

Defines member conduct, complaint intake, Internal Affairs review, and corrective action.

Policy areas

  • Standards of conduct
  • Complaint intake
  • Confidential review
  • Findings and discipline
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for conduct, complaints, discipline and internal review. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Accountability should improve conduct and protect trust, not become a weapon in personal disagreements. Coaching is preferred for honest mistakes; serious abuse and dishonesty require firm action.

3. POLICY

Discipline shall protect fairness, department credibility and future performance.Not every mistake requires punishment, but dishonesty, abuse and repeated misconduct require decisive action.

4. PROCEDURES

Any member may receive a complaint and shall forward it without retaliation.Supervisors may resolve minor service issues through explanation or coaching when no formal allegation exists.Serious allegations shall be referred to Internal Affairs or an uninvolved command member.Members under investigation shall not coordinate false accounts or destroy relevant records.Corrective options include counseling, written warning, remedial training, suspension, demotion, removal from assignment or termination.Discipline should consider intent, harm, history, honesty, rank, training and consistency with prior cases.Members may submit one written appeal through the designated command channel unless staff rules provide otherwise.

5. SERIOUS MISCONDUCT

Dishonesty in an official matter.Intentional abuse of force or authority.Discrimination or targeted harassment.Evidence tampering.Unauthorized disclosure of confidential information.Retaliation against complainants or witnesses.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

Complaint, investigation file, finding, corrective action and appeal.

8. RELATED ORDERS

GO 01-01, GO 09-01 and GO 10-01.

GO 15-01

Office of Communications and Public Affairs

Primary owner: Communications Division

Purpose and scope

Defines the authority and responsibilities of the department communications function.

Policy areas

  • Media coordination
  • Department records
  • Public notices
  • Approval authority
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for the Office of Communications and Public Affairs. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Public communications should create believable citywide continuity, recognize major events and give civilians new reasons to engage with the Department.

3. POLICY

The Office of Communications and Public Affairs is the Department’s official voice.The Communications Division Director oversees public information, publications, department branding and media coordination under the authority of the Superintendent.

4. RESPONSIBILITIES

Draft and publish press releases, public safety notices, recruitment material and official statements.Maintain consistent visual identity, document templates and publication standards.Coordinate with incident command before releasing information about active events.Correct material misinformation without escalating unnecessary conflict.Archive final publications and maintain a revision history.Train designated Public Information Officers.

5. APPROVAL LEVELS

Routine notices: Communications Division Director or designee.Major incidents, officer-involved shootings, command changes and sensitive legal matters: Superintendent or designated executive approval.Emergency life-safety messaging: may be issued immediately by the Director, incident commander or Superintendent, with later documentation.

6. RESTRICTIONS

Do not disclose confidential investigative strategy, protected identities, unreleased evidence or out-of-character information.Members shall not present personal opinions as official department statements.

7. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

8. REQUIRED RECORDS

Publication archive, approval record and brand templates.

9. RELATED ORDERS

GO 16-01, GO 17-01 and GO 18-01.

GO 16-01

Public Information, Press Releases and Social Media

Primary owner: Communications Division

Purpose and scope

Sets standards for public statements, press releases, social media, and protected information.

Policy areas

  • Authorized speakers
  • Release approval
  • Protected information
  • Social media conduct
Read full policy

1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for public information, press releases and social media. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Public releases should extend scenes beyond the moment they occur. They should be informative enough to create follow-up roleplay without exposing information characters could not reasonably know.

3. POLICY

Official communication shall be timely, accurate, restrained and visually consistent.Speed does not justify publishing unverified facts.

4. RELEASE STANDARD

Headline stating the event or purpose.Date, district and general location.Confirmed summary of events.Public safety instructions when relevant.Status of investigation and request for information when appropriate.Approved contact or department channel.Clear indication when information is preliminary.

5. PROCEDURES

The drafter verifies facts with the incident commander, lead investigator or approved report.Names, charges and casualty information shall be released only when authorized.Material errors shall be corrected promptly and transparently.Official graphics shall use approved marks, typography and templates.Personal accounts shall not leak department business or undermine active operations.During crisis events, one designated spokesperson should coordinate messaging.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

Final release, source verification and correction history.

8. RELATED ORDERS

GO 15-01 and GO 18-01.

GO 17-01

Special Events, Planned Operations and Incident Command

Primary owner: First Deputy Superintendent

Purpose and scope

Establishes planning, briefing, supervision, and command for special events and planned operations.

Policy areas

  • Operational plans
  • Briefings
  • Incident command
  • After-action review
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for special events, planned operations and incident command. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Planning should prevent confusion while leaving room for unexpected choices. An operations plan is a framework for a scene, not a script that predetermines every outcome.

3. POLICY

Planned operations and large events shall use a scalable incident command structure.Operational complexity should create organized roleplay, not unnecessary bureaucracy.

4. PROCEDURES

The operation lead prepares a written or verbal plan covering objective, command, units, communications, rules of engagement, arrest processing, medical support and contingencies.One incident commander has final scene authority unless relieved.Staging areas and radio channels shall be designated for major events.Specialized teams shall remain within assigned functions unless redirected.Mass-arrest operations require a processing plan and sufficient transport resources.After-action reviews shall identify what happened, what worked, what failed and who owns follow-up tasks.Lessons learned may result in a training bulletin or General Order revision.

5. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

6. REQUIRED RECORDS

Operational plan, assignment roster and after-action report.

7. RELATED ORDERS

GO 05-01, GO 07-01, GO 09-01 and GO 18-01.

GO 18-01

Critical Incidents, Mutual Aid and Continuity of Operations

Primary owner: First Deputy Superintendent

Purpose and scope

Defines command and continuity expectations for critical incidents and interagency assistance.

Policy areas

  • Critical incidents
  • Mutual aid
  • Continuity
  • Recovery and review
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1. PURPOSE

This General Order establishes Department policy and minimum operating expectations for critical incidents, mutual aid and continuity of operations. It shall be applied in a manner consistent with department directives, established legal lore, fair play and sound roleplay judgment.

2. SCOPE

This order applies to all Department members unless a provision expressly applies only to a specific rank, assignment or incident type.

★ ROLEPLAY INTENT Critical incidents should feel coordinated and consequential without pulling every available officer into one location or preventing normal city roleplay from continuing.

3. POLICY

Critical incidents require rapid stabilization, disciplined command and controlled information flow.Life safety, scene security, accountability and continuity of service are the initial priorities.

4. PROCEDURES

The first supervisor establishes command, identifies hazards, requests resources and creates an initial operational perimeter.Command staff shall be notified for officer-involved shootings, mass casualty events, major civil disorder, coordinated attacks, hostage incidents and prolonged citywide emergencies.Mutual-aid agencies operate through unified command or clearly assigned sectors.Involved officers in serious force incidents should be relieved from immediate operational duties, medically assessed when necessary and separated for independent reporting.Essential patrol coverage shall be maintained outside the incident area.Command will designate recovery tasks, public information, evidence control and an after-action timeline.

5. CONTINUITY

Maintain alternate communications when the primary channel fails.Preserve command succession.Track personnel assignments and status.Document emergency deviations from policy.Restore normal operations in deliberate phases.

6. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Supervisors shall correct unsafe, unfair or inconsistent practice as soon as practical. A technical deviation that causes no harm may be handled through coaching; deliberate, repeated or high-impact violations may result in formal review under GO 14-01.

7. REQUIRED RECORDS

Incident log, command notifications, mutual-aid record and after-action report.

8. RELATED ORDERS

GO 05-01, GO 09-01, GO 15-01, GO 16-01 and GO 17-01.