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TPD | Policies

To enhance transparency, the Tallahassee Police Department is making all of its internal policies available to public here online, which expands its prior practice of always making policies available to the public upon request. As the second-longest nationally accredited agency in the country, TPD’s policies are continually reviewed and updated to incorporate best practices within the evolving field of law enforcement. As part of this, TPD looks at national trends, internal data and community needs to ensure it provides the highest level of service. Portions of these policies have had to be redacted in accordance with State Statute and with sensitivity to possible criminal use that would be harmful to investigations.

General Orders

  1. Written Directive System
  2. Chain of Command - General Management
  3. Alarm Response
  4. Appearance and Uniform Regulations
  5. Professional Development
  6. Arrests and Alternatives to Arrest
  7. Conducted Electrical Weapons
  8. Mentally Ill Persons
  9. Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems
  10. Citations and Awards
  11. Communicable Disease Control
  12. Radio Communications
  13. Traffic Enforcement Measuring Devices
  14. Cash Management
  15. (unused)
  16. Digital Audio-Video Recording Systems
  17. Records Management
  18. Criminal Investigations
  19. Digital Evidence Capturing Devices
  20. Corrective Action Procedures
  21. Domestic Violence Investigations
  22. Emergency Response Driving
  23. (unused)
  24. Substance Abuse Impaired Persons
  25. Time and Attendance Reporting
  26. High Risk Incidents
  27. Vehicle Pursuits
  28. Honor Guard
  29. The Internal Affairs Unit and Administrative Investigations
  30. Criminal Intelligence Protocols
  31. Harassing Phone Calls
  32. Juvenile Procedures and Programs
  33. Jurisdiction, Mutual Aid, and Investigative Task Forces
  34. Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations
  35. Line Inspections
  36. News Media Relations
  37. Notification of Death or Serious Injury
  38. Natural Death Investigations
  39. Intelligence Led Policing
  40. Budget,Grant, Purchase Procedures
  41. Citizen and Policing Program
  42. Impounding and Control of Property and Evidence
  43. Missing Juveniles - Interference with Custody
  44. Patrol Ride-Along Program
  45. Truth Verification Examinations
  46. Rules of Conduct
  47. Missing Adult Investigations
  48. Outside and Secondary Employment
  49. Seizures and Forfeitures
  50. Sexual Battery Investigation
  51. Sexual Predator-Offender Verifications and Notifications
  52. Staff Inspections
  53. Impaired Driving Enforcement
  54. Stress Management
  55. Rapid ID Device
  56. License Plate Recognition System
  57. Training Protocols
  58. Travel and Training Expenses
  59. Transporting and Booking Procedures
  60. Response to Resistance
  61. Weapons, Firearms, and Less-Lethal Firearms
  62. Management of Confidential Informants
  63. Officer-Involved Action Resulting in Serious Injury or Death
  64. Vehicle Impounding
  65. Tactical Flight Officer Program
  66. Vehicle Assignment and Operations
  67. Victim Advocacy
  68. Reserve Police Officer Unit
  69. Foreign Nationals and Diplomatic Immunity
  70. (unused)
  71. Juvenile Civil Citation Program
  72. Search and Seizure
  73. Chaplain Program
  74. (unused)
  75. Tactical Apprehension and Control Team
  76. Traffic and Parking Enforcement
  77. Computer, Cellular Telephone and Data Utilization
  78. Social Media Protocols
  79. (unused)
  80. CopLogic
  81. Lineups and Show-ups
  82. Military Deployment and Reintergraton
  83. Emergency Opioid Intervention Program
  84. Performance Evaluations and Improvement Plans
  85. Special Events - Dignitary Security
  86. Special Response Team
  87. Investigative Operations and Search Warrant Procedures
  88. PepperBall® Launcher Protocols

Bias-Based Profiling Policy

Fair and Impartial Policing

The Department and its members are committed to unbiased policing of the community we serve. Department policies, protocols, and training are founded on our belief in fair and impartial policing, and serve to assure the public we are providing service and enforcing laws in an equitable way.

I. Policing Impartially
  1. Investigative detentions, traffic stops, arrests, searches and property seizures by officers will be based on a standard of reasonable suspicion or probable cause in accordance with the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
  2. Officers must be able to articulate specific facts and circumstances which support reasonable suspicion or probable cause for investigative detentions, traffic stops, arrests, nonconsensual searches and property seizures.
  3. Except as provided in subsection D below, officers shall not consider race/ethnicity in:
    1. Establishing either reasonable suspicion or probable cause,
    2. Deciding to initiate a nonconsensual encounter which does not amount to a legal detention, or
    3. Requesting consent to search.
  4. Officers may take into account the reported race or ethnicity of a specific suspect or suspects based on trustworthy, locally relevant information which links a person or persons of a specific race/ethnicity to a particular unlawful incident.
    1. Race/ethnicity can never be used as the sole basis for probable cause or reasonable suspicion.
    2. Except as provided above, race/ethnicity shall not be motivating factors in making law enforcement decisions.
II. Preventing Perception of Biased Policing
  1. The protocols in this section augment existing procedures in General Orders 56 (Traffic Stops) and 76 (Traffic and Parking Enforcement), Patrol Operations SOP 32 (Field Interviews), and the Work Standards section of this written directive.
  2. In an effort to prevent inappropriate perceptions of biased law enforcement, each officer is responsible for adhering to the following when conducting field interviews and unknown risk traffic stops:
    1. Being courteous and professional
    2. Providing their name as an introduction, and:
      1. If not in standard uniform, providing Department affiliation (i.e., "with the Tallahassee Police Department"), and
      2. Stating the reason for the stop as soon as practical, unless providing this information will compromise officer or public safety.
    3. Ensuring the detention last no longer than is reasonably necessary to take appropriate action for the known or suspected offense, and providing the citizen the reason/purpose for any delays.
    4. Addressing any questions/concerns the citizen may have about the detention.
    5. When requested, providing their name and badge number in writing or on a business card.
    6. In situations where the officer determines reasonable suspicion has been dispelled or probable cause does not exist for the continued detention, explaining the situation to the citizen, when possible.
How to Report Bias Based Profiling

Citizens who feel they have been stopped or searched based upon bias-based profiling are encouraged to file a complaint with the Department. Complaints can be made directly to the Internal Affairs Unit 24 hours-a-day via mail, e-mail, the online complaint form on Talgov.com, or telephone (850-891-4321; please leave a voice message after business hours). Members of the Internal Affairs Unit are available to accept complaints in person or by telephone (850-891-4321) between 8:00am and 5:00pm, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). Additionally, complaints can be made to any police supervisor at any time. All complaints will be investigated.