UTPD Policy B-26, Written Directive System

Title	Administration / Policy B-26
Effective Date	10-19-07
Rescinds	9-7-04
Subject	Written Directive System
Purpose	To provide guidelines for the implementation and management of a written directive system and to provide guidance for the issuance and control of official correspondence.
Scope	This directive applies to all personnel.
Reference	Foreword — UT System Police Policies and Procedure Manual
CALEA	Chapter 12

Definitions:
1. Policy: A statement of guiding principles which should be followed in activities directed at achievement of departmental goals and objectives in accordance with this agency’s values and mission statement. Policy is objective oriented, stated in general terms, establishes limits of action, and broad enough in scope to encompass most situations.
2. Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): A statement that directs action within a particular situation to perform a specific task within the guidance and limits of policy.
Policy:
1. Formulation:
  1. Only the Chief of Police has the authority to issue, modify, or rescind a policy. Once a policy is adopted, authenticated, and distributed, it will become the official directive on the topic.
  2. The Chief of Police may consult with division and shift commanders prior to authorizing a policy revision or new policy.
  3. All personnel are encouraged to constantly evaluate policy and to forward recommendations regarding revisions or development of new policy to the Chief of Police. Recommendations will be forwarded to the Chief of Police through the employee’s chain of command.
  4. Proposed changes will be submitted by substituting a “change page” for the original page in the directive. This “change page” should reflect proposed revisions in a manner that identifies proposed revisions from the original document.
2. Format: Each policy will be assembled according to the following guidelines.
  1. Header: Each page will capture header information as follows:
    1. Heading: “THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT” in bold type will be centered at the top of the first page. Subsequent pages will include the directive number.
  2. Text: The text follows the header information, will utilize as many pages as necessary, and include the following:
    1. TITLE, SUBJECT, PURPOSE, SCOPE, REFERENCE, CALEA, Effective Date, and Rescinded Date will be placed below the header, aligned left, double spaced, and bordered on all four sides by a double line.
  3. Topic Relationships:
    1. The following descending order of alphanumerics will be used to differentiate and establish topic relationships, and single spaced.
```
A.
 1.
  a.
   1.
```
  4. Glossary:
    1. The glossary provides explanations and definitions of words and phrases unique to the policy, if needed.
  5. Approving Signature:
    1. Signature of the Chief of Police and date will be aligned left at the end of the text section on the last page.
  6. Footer:
    1. The page number (Example: Page 1 of 2) will be centered at the bottom of each page.
3. Page Setup:
  1. Left, right, top, and bottom margins will be 1" block justified.
  2. Font will be 11 point - Times.
4. Publication and Distribution:
  1. The Accreditation Manager is responsible for publishing policy guidance as formulated by the Chief of Police.
  2. The Accreditation Manager will maintain master computerized copies of policies and standard operating procedures on their departmental computer, backed up weekly to the departmental computer servers.
  3. Policy is published in numbered sequence, indexed in two general function areas.
    1. A — Operations
    2. B — Administration
  4. Policies are published and bound in the UTPD — Policy and Procedure Manual. Printed copies are distributed as follows:
    1. Chief of Police
    2. Accreditation Manager
    3. Commander’s Desk
    4. UT System Office of Director of Police
  5. Policies, Standard Operating Procedures, and System Policies are published in computerized form on the Violane server. Policies are also available on the UTPD webpage.
  6. Rescinded directives, whether printed copies or computerized documents, will be maintained by the Accreditation Manager and subject to the University records retention schedule.
5. Training:
  1. The training officer is responsible for coordinating the distribution of training advisories to effected personnel whenever a policy is revised or new policy is developed.
  2. Personnel will sign an acknowledgement form / roster documenting that they have reviewed and understand the directive. That they have been provided the opportunity to forward any questions relating to the directive their first line supervisor.
  3. The training sergeant will maintain acknowledgement forms / rosters in the departmental training files, subject to the University records retention schedule.
6. Review:
  1. Policies are revised as needed and will be reviewed annually by the Chief of Police or designee. This review will be documented.
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP):
1. Formulation:
  1. Division and shift commanders are responsible for the formulation of standard operating procedures to implement policy. The Field Operations division and Support Services division have separate and diverse functions within the general field of law enforcement. Each procedure should be evaluated from the viewpoint of each division’s responsibilities.
  2. All personnel are encouraged to constantly evaluate standard operating procedures and to forward recommendations regarding revisions or development of new procedure through the chain of command to their respective division commander.
  3. Proposed changes will be submitted by substituting a “change page” for the original page in the directive. This “change page” should reflect all proposed revisions in a manner that identifies proposed revisions from the original document.
  4. Commanders are encouraged to seek input from division personnel prior to authorizing a policy revision or new policy.
  5. A division commander may authorize a procedure revision or implement new procedure after review and approval of the Chief of Police.
2. Format:
  1. Format for standard operating procedures is the same as that for policy described in paragraph B-2 above, with the following exceptions.
  2. Text immediately below the header information - TITLE, SCOPE, REFERENCE, CALEA, Effective Date, and Rescinded Date will be placed below the header, aligned left, double spaced, and bordered on all four sides by a double line.
  3. The following order of alphanumerics will be used to differentiate and establish topic relationships, and single spaced.
```
1.01
 1.
  a.
   1.
```
  4. Approving Signature:
    1. Signature of a Captain, Chief of Police, and date will be aligned left at the end of the text section on the last page.
3. Page Setup:
  1. Page setup for standard operating procedures is the same as that for policy described in paragraph B-3 above.
4. Publication and Distribution:
  1. Publication and distribution for standard operating procedures is the same as that for policy described in paragraph B-4 above.
  2. Standard operating procedures are published in numbered sequence.
  3. Rescinded directives, whether printed copies or computerized documents, will be stored by the Accreditation Manager and subject to the University records retention schedule.
5. Training:
  1. Training requirements are the same as that for policy described in B-5 above.
6. Review:
  1. Standard operating procedures are revised as needed and will be reviewed annually by division and shift commanders. This review will be documented.