Table of Contents 

Chapter 1 Introduction 5 
Chapter 02 Jurisdiction 7 
Chapter 02-1 Law Enforcement Role and Authority 9 
Chapter 02-2 Uniform and Dress Code 13 
Chapter 02-3 Contractual Services 18 
Chapter 03 Organization and Direction 19 
Chapter 03-2 Goals and Objectives 26 
Chapter 03-4 Hiring Standards 28 
Chapter 03-5 Promotions and Appointment Procedures 35 
Chapter 03-9 Planning and Research 40 
Chapter 03-10 Employee Evaluations 41 
Chapter 04 Training 46 
Chapter 04-01 Field Training Program 55 
Chapter 05 Conduct 57 
Chapter 05-1 Office of Professional Standards 66 
Chapter 05-2 Outside Employment 73 
Chapter 05-3 Workplace Harassment 79 
Chapter 05-4 Grievance Process 83 
Chapter 06 Early Warning System 85 
Chapter 07 Mobile Data Computers 88 
Chapter 07-1 On Officer Body Camera (rev) 90 


Chapter 07-1 On Officer Body Camera 93 
Chapter 07-2 GCIC Operational Policy 96 
Chapter 08 Arrest 103 
Chapter 08-1 Taking suspects into custody 107 
Chapter 08-2 Processing Juvenile Offenders 113 
Chapter 08-4 Family Violence 118 
Chapter 09 Search and Seizure 120 
Chapter 10 Firearms 129 
Chapter 11 Police Response to Aggression Resistance 135 
Chapter 11-1 Employee involved Critical Incidents 140 
Chapter 11-2 Line of Duty Serious Injury 143 
Chapter 11-3 Less than Lethal Weapons_Final 148 
Chapter 12 Vehicle Operations_Final 153 
Chapter 12-2 Department Vehicles 166 
Chapter 13 Property and Evidence 170 
Chapter 13-2 Vehicle Inventory and Impound 176 
Chapter 13-3 Blood and Urine Test Kits 179 
Chapter 14 Records Department 181 
Chapter 14-1 Release of Information 193 
Chapter 15 Traffic and Parking Enforcement 204 
Chapter 15-1 Traffic Citations Special Procedure 216 
Chapter 15-2 Traffic Accident Investigation 219 


Chapter 15-3 Traffic Direction and Control (Final) 224 
Chapter 15-4 Use of Radar 230 
Chapter 16 Patrol 232 
Chapter 16-01 Communication 241 
Chapter 16-04 Foot Pursuits 245 
Chapter 16-05 Code Enforcement 247 
Chapter 16-08 Crime Analysis 249 
Chapter 16-09 Bias Based Profiling 252 
Chapter 16-10 Citizen Ride Along Program 255 
Chapter 16-12A Civil Disturbance 260 
Chapter 16-12B Bomb Threats 266 
Chapter 16-12C Hostage Sniper Barricaded Subject 269 
Chapter 16-12D Unusual Occurrences_Tactical Responses 272 
Chapter 16-13 Missing and Endangered Persons 283 
Chapter 16-14 Rights of Victims and Witnesses 289 
Chapter 16-19 Officer Discretion 292 
Chapter 17 Criminal Investigations Divison 294 
Chapter 17-01 Special Investigations Unit (Final I) 308 
Chapter 17-03 Arson Protocol 320 
Chapter 17-04 Crime Scene Processing 322 
Chapter 17-07 Marijuana Identification and Testing 332 
Chapter 17-08 ICAC 336 


Chapter 18 Courtroom Security and Procedures 339 
Chapter 19 Cellular Telephones 343 
Social Media Policy 345 


Chapter 1 Introduction 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 1 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/19/2018 
Subject: Introduction 

I. Purpose 
This manual contains the standard operating procedures of the Auburn Police Department. The primary 
purpose of this manual is to establish uniform and consistent operating procedures that provide 
personnel with guidance in carrying out their daily tasks. The rules and guidelines set forth in this 
manual will aid in ensuring that services are provided in a consistent and lawful manner. This manual 
supersedes any conflicting prior written directives. 
II. Mission 
The Auburn Police Department is committed to serving our community through professional law 
enforcement services that protect the lives and property of the citizens and strives to improve the 
quality of life in our community. 
III. Scope 
The standard operating procedures in this manual are for the use of this department and do not apply 
to any civil or criminal proceedings. Nothing contained in this manual should be construed as setting a 
higher legal standard of safety or care in an evidentiary sense with respect to third party claims. 
Violations of this manual will only form the basis for departmental administrative sanctions. 
IV. Validity 
Any statement in this manual found to be illegal, incorrect, unenforceable or inapplicable shall not affect 
the validity of any other chapter, section, or subsection of this manual. Titles of this manual shall not 
govern, limit, modify, or affect the scope, meaning or intent of any chapter, section or subsection of this 
manual. As the need arises, due to changes in law, the community, or this department this manual or 
any part may be modified as needed. 
V. Applicability 
This manual applies to all employees of the Auburn Police Department, except where specific 
exceptions are made or in cases where job classification provides exemption. 
VI. Gender Reference 
The gender pronoun he/his is used throughout this manual and is intended for purposes of brevity and 
inclusivity only and not intended to discriminate or suggest a preference to any gender. 
VII. Distribution 
During the writing and after completion of this manual, designated supervisors will be assigned a hard 
copy and must make it readily assessable to all employees. All employees shall receive an issued 
FLASH DRIVE version of the written directives from the Chief of Police or his designee. Training of high 
liability policies are conducted upon each orientation of new employees, both sworn and civilian, and 
through in-service training as stated in Chapter 4, Section IV. Additionally, a hard copy of this manual is 
issued to the Office of the City Administrator, and a CD or flash drive version is issued to the Office of 
the City Attorney. All assigned copies of this manual will be updated by the command staff, or by a 
person designated by the Chief of Police. All changes to this manual will be communicated by 
supervisors at roll call and/or division meetings. 
VIII. Equal Employment Opportunity Employer 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to ensure that all individuals be given an equal 
opportunity for employment, regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, handicap, 
medical condition, pregnancy, disability, marital status, age, sexual orientation, and sex. 
Christopher Hodge Date 


Chief of Police 


Chapter 02 Jurisdiction 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 02 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/19/2018 
Subject: Agency Jurisdiction and Mutual Aid 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to clearly establish the geographical boundaries of the jurisdiction of the 
Auburn Police Department and establish guidelines for mutual aid in the event of natural disaster, mass 
disorder, and other emergency and non-emergency situations. 
II. Rules and Regulations 
A. Agency Jurisdiction 
This department provides police services to all areas and all persons within the jurisdictional 
boundaries of the City of Auburn, Georgia. The Patrol Commander will maintain a current map of the 
City of Auburn in a general area within the Patrol Division, where all personnel will have access. This 
map will clearly outline the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of Auburn. 
B. Concurrent Jurisdiction 
The Auburn Police Department is primarily responsible for all police services within the city limits and 
will respond to calls for service from any person within the city limits of Auburn. There are, however, 
other agencies that may conduct law enforcement activities within the city limits of Auburn. These 
include but are not limited to, the Barrow County Sheriff’s Department, the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s 
Department, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Bureau of 
Investigation, Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia Department of Transportation, and various 
federal agencies. The officers of the Auburn Police Department will not interfere with any other 
authorized official of another agency while conducting official law enforcement operations within the 
City of Auburn. The Auburn Police Department shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the Barrow and 
Gwinnett County Sheriff's Departments, and the Gwinnett County Police Department within the 
confines of the city limits of Auburn. The Auburn Police Department shall have the responsibility of 
enforcing City of Auburn ordinances, state traffic laws, and state criminal laws that occur within the city 
limits. Auburn Police Department officers shall have the responsibility to patrol and concentrate their 
activities to areas within the city limits of Auburn. The Auburn Police Department will honor any 
reasonable request made by the Barrow and Gwinnett County Sheriff's Departments, and the Gwinnett 
County Police Department for assistance in enforcing the law. 
C. Mutual Aid 
Georgia Code 36-69-3 allows for interagency assistance in an emergency, in the prevention or 
detection of violations of any law, in the apprehension or arrest of any person who violates a criminal 
law of this state, or in any criminal case. 
1. Any request under the above guidelines for immediate assistance within a one-hour travel of Auburn, 
may be approved by the patrol supervisor. Any other requests for aid outside Barrow County, or for 
assistance of a non-emergency nature outside Barrow County, must be approved by the Chief of 
Police. 
2. At no time will manpower in excess of 50% of the on-duty officers be committed to assist an outside 
agency without the approval of the Chief of Police. 
D. Request for Law Enforcement Assistance 
Only the Chief of Police may authorize a request for assistance from federal law enforcement agencies 
in emergency situations. The patrol supervisor may request assistance from local and state law 
enforcement agencies in emergency situations. All requests of a non-emergency nature must be 
authorized by the Chief of Police. Requests for emergency assistance will be handled through E-911. 
E. National Guard Assistance 

In case of an outbreak of insurrection, breach of the peace, riot, or combination to oppose the 
enforcement of the law by force or violence within the City of Auburn, or in the event of a disaster or 
other emergency, the Chief of Police shall notify the City Administrator and the Mayor that there is a 
need for National Guard assistance. The Mayor has the authority to request assistance by notifying the 
governor. If the governor deems the emergency of sufficient magnitude, he may order the National 
Guard into service for such a period, and to such an extent, and in such a manner as he may deem 
necessary according to Georgia Code 38-2-6. 

F. Use of Outside Personnel 
Outside personnel provided to this department in times of emergency or civil disorder shall be utilized to 
assist in all aspects of emergency situation control. Outside agency personnel are to report to the 
Incident Commander of the primary agency for assignments. The Incident Commander or his designee 
shall be responsible for coordinating and maintaining radio communication with outside agency 
personnel. Processing of arrested persons will be the primary responsibility of personnel from this 
department; however, the security and transportation of arrested persons to detention facilities may be 
delegated to outside personnel. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 02-1 Law Enforcement Role and Authority 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 02-1 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/19/2019 
Subject: Law Enforcement Role and Authority 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to define agency personnel, and to establish the respective limitations of 
authority of Auburn Police Department personnel; to establish the functional role of the agency through 
mission statements, goals, basic programs and priorities; and provide guidelines for the use of force 
and discretion. 
II. Definitions 
Sworn officer – A person who is granted those general peace officer powers prescribed by constitution, 
statute, or ordinance in the jurisdiction, including those persons who possess authority to make a full 
custody arrest for limited or specific violations of law within the same jurisdiction. 
Code Enforcement Officer – A person who may be a sworn peace officer. The code enforcement officer 
plays an important role in preserving/ensuring community beautification and safety not only with regard 
to new construction, but also with the repair and alteration of existing buildings. The code enforcement 
department exerts a positive influence on the environment and contributes to the economic health and 
wellbeing of the community. As both an educator and resource, the department provides many services 
to ensure a healthy and safe environment from which the public benefits including but not limited to: 
Animal control 
Solid waste 
Housing code 
Demolition 
Zoning complaints 
Proper sanitary maintenance 
Nuisance abatement 
Abandoned vehicles 
Trees and shrubs 
Civilian personnel – A non-sworn person having no arrest authority as defined in “sworn officer” and 
“full-custody arrest”. Civilians may be employed or affiliated with a law enforcement agency in a variety 
of supporting roles and may be uniformed but lack the authority to make a full-custody arrest. 
Full-custody arrest – Arrest authority with or without a warrant, which includes the legal authority to 
physically remove a person from their location, taking that person to a place of confinement or judicial 
authority. 
Custody – Legal or physical control of a person in an area or facility, or while in transit; legal, 
supervisory, or physical responsibility of a person. 
Arrest – To deprive a person of his/her liberty by legal authority. 
Discretion - the power of free decision or latitude of choice, within certain legal bounds. 
III. Rules and Regulations 
A. Oath of Office 
Prior to assuming sworn status, all officers must take and subsequently abide by an oath of office to 
enforce the law and uphold the nation’s Constitution, the state’s Constitution and the Charter and 
ordinances of the City of Auburn during their employment at the Auburn Police Department. The Chief 
of Police or his designee will administer the Oath of Office and each person taking this oath will sign a 
written copy of such. 
B. Code of Ethics 

All agency personnel, both sworn and civilian, will adhere to the law enforcement Code of Ethics. A 
printed copy of the Code of Ethics Acknowledgement form will be dated and signed by all personnel 
prior to any enforcement or assigned responsibilities and duties. Additionally, all agency personnel shall 
receive ethics training annually. A printed copy will be dated and signed by each employee during 
employee orientation by the Training Section. The signed copies will then be forwarded to the Office of 
the Chief of Police and maintained within the employee’s personnel file at City Hall. 

C. Police Authority 
Article IX, Section II, Paragraph III of the Georgia Constitution gives municipal governments the 
authority to provide police services within their jurisdictional boundaries. The Charter of the City of 
Auburn, Article I provides for a police agency. Auburn Police Officers are vested with the authority to 
enforce the ordinances of the City of Auburn, the laws of the State of Georgia, and the Constitution of 
the United States to protect lives and property. Sworn officers will be issued weapons, receive training 
in the usage of and carry the same as a condition of their duties in protecting life and property. The 
legal authority for law enforcement officers to carry and use weapons in the performance of their duties 
is granted by exemption under the provisions of Georgia Code Annotated 16-11-130. Said weapons 
and tactical use thereof shall only be utilized in conformance with sound policies, procedures, and 
training. 
While possessing such authority, officers should be mindful of the fact that they also have the freedom 
to exercise discretion in the performance of their duties. Obviously, it is not possible to rigidly regulate 
discretion; however, through training, supervision, and the recognition of written policy, discretion may 
be more reasonably applied. All agency personnel are encouraged to exercise discretion in a legal and 
appropriate manner at all times, and to do so according to the circumstances of any given situation. 
Officers are not required to arrest all offenders of law or ordinance, nor issue a citation to every traffic 
offender. The intent of this order is to encourage common sense evaluation of the situations when 
making functional law enforcement decisions, and to employ appropriate alternatives to arrest to 
address the variety of problems presented. All official acts will be performed in a businesslike and 
professional manner. 
D. Limits of Police Authority 
The Auburn Police Department will ensure the rights of accused persons are not violated. Officers will 
conduct searches, effect arrests, and conduct questioning in accordance with the United States 
Constitution, the statutes of the United States, as well as the constitution and statutes of Georgia. This 
manual provides guidelines for officers in the areas of response to resistance/aggression, search and 
seizure, arrest, interviews and interrogations, and other issues that affect the manner in which police 
services are provided. 
E. Functional Role 
It is the mission of the Auburn Police Department not only to protect lives and property, but also to 
satisfy customers and citizens by providing responsive and effective services, and a well-maintained 
public infrastructure, which will add value to the community. In providing these services, all sworn and 
civilian employees are required to adhere to the Basic Employment Standards set forth by the 
Personnel Manual of the City of Auburn. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 
I, _________________________, do solemnly swear or affirm that I will support and defend the 
Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Georgia; that I will 
faithfully perform all the duties of my office; that I will faithfully observe all the rules, orders and 
regulations of the Auburn Police Department; and that I will faithfully enforce the laws of the State of 
Georgia and the ordinances of the City of Auburn. 
I do further swear or affirm that I am not the holder of any unaccounted for public money due this state 
or any political subdivision or authority thereof; that I am not the holder of any office of trust under the 
government of the United States, any other state, or any foreign state which, by the laws of the State of 
Georgia, I am prohibited from holding; and that I am otherwise qualified to be a police officer according 
to the Constitution and the laws of Georgia. 


I do further swear or affirm that, as a police officer I will faithfully serve and protect, to the best of my 
ability, all citizens regardless of race, color, or creed. 
I accept the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics of the International Association of Chiefs of Police as my 
standard of conduct while on and off duty and swear to faithfully abide by and defend the same. 
________________________ _______________________ Police Officer Date Christopher Hodge 
Date 
Chief of Police 

Notary Public Date 
As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and 
property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and 
the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the Constitutional rights of all people to liberty, 
equality and justice. 
I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all; maintain courageous calm in the face of 
danger, scorn, or ridicule; develop self-restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. 
Honest in thought and deed in both my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the laws 
of the land and regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is 
confided in me in my official capacity will be secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of 
my duty. 
I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities, or friendships to influence 
my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce 
the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or violence and never accepting 
gratuities. 
I recognize the badge of my office as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of law 
enforcement. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before 
God to my chosen profession…law enforcement. 

Signature and Date Witness and Date 
It is the Mission of the Auburn Police Department to promote order, protect the public and deliver the 
highest level of police services through an effective, efficient and professional response in partnership 
with the entire community. Therefore, 
I will abide by the ordinances of the City of Auburn, and the laws of the State of Georgia and the United 
States of America. 
I acknowledge respect for human life above all else, recognizing diversity among the members of the 
communities and departments I serve, allowing for fair and open access to services. 
I will exhibit honesty and integrity through ethical behavior. 
I will protect the safety, health and welfare of the public and proactively advocate in those areas 
affecting the public interest. 
I will not, in the performance of my duty, work for personal advantage or profit and will refrain from 
seeking or dispersing personal favors. 
I will, at all times, recognize that I am a public servant, and that ultimately, I am responsible to the 
public. 
I will give the most efficient, impartial and courteous service of which I am capable at all times. 
I will maintain the privacy and confidentiality where required of information obtained in the course of my 
duty unless disclosure is required by legal authority. 
I will demonstrate professional excellence through leadership, cooperation and dedication serving the 
public. 
I will regard my fellow employees with the same standards as I maintain myself, encouraging 
professional development and fostering respectful relationships. 
I will recognize the positive relationship between good physical and mental conditioning and the 
performance of my duties. 
I will do only those things that will reflect honor on myself, my fellow employees, my supervisors and my 
Department. 
I will accept responsibility for my actions. 


Signature and Date Witness and Date 


Chapter 02-2 Uniform and Dress Code 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 02-2 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/18/2018 
Subject: Uniform and Dress Code 

I. Purpose 
To establish rules and regulations regarding the Agency uniform, equipment and personal appearance 
and establish employee accountability for the Agency uniform and equipment. In addition, this policy 
will establish an Agency dress code and employee personal appearance guidelines. 
II. Rules and Regulations 
General 
Sworn employees will wear the designated uniform when reporting for duty, while on 
duty, and during any authorized special assignment. When the uniform is worn, care 
shall be taken that it fits well, is neat, clean, and that all leather and metal items are 
polished and in presentable order. 
Civilian employees will wear only approved clothing by the Chief of Police. 
Employees of the Agency shall be neat in appearance and well groomed. Male 
employees will be clean shaven. (Mustaches are allowed, see Section S. 6.) 
While wearing the uniform, employees shall maintain a professional appearance. 
Under no conditions will a part of the official uniform be intermixed with the wearing 
of civilian clothes. 
When not in uniform or on special assignment, male employees will wear slacks and a 
dress shirt (tie is optional). 
Female employees wearing civilian clothing will wear skirts/dresses that reflect 
Professional standards in length and design. Dress slacks or pant suits are permissible. 
When necessary, the Chief of Police may prescribe other types of clothing to be worn. 
When any uniform issued item becomes worn or damaged the officer is to notify his 
supervisor who will email the patrol commander requesting to have the item replaced. 
Uniform Shirt 
The uniform shirt will be approved by the Chief of Police. Shirts will be clean and 
will not be frayed or torn. The uniform shirts will be the Tactical Polo, short sleeve in 
LAPD Navy Blue. (3 issued) 
Uniform Shirt Accessories - The only authorized uniform shirt accessories are: 
Badge - To be sown on the outermost garment and clearly visible at all times. 
Name - Shall be sown on the right side of the chest in either silver or gold. The name 
will always be discernible. 
Awards - Pins designated and approved by the Chief of Police indicating E.M.T. 
Training, firearms, etc., will be worn on the right/left side of the shirt. 
4. Official Agency Patch - will be displayed on both shoulders of all uniform shirts and 
jackets and centered one inch below the shoulder seam. 
5. Sergeant and Corporal Chevrons - Will be displayed on both shoulders of the 
appropriate ranking officers. On short sleeved shirts, the bottom points of the chevron 
will be one-eighth of an inch above the seam stitching on the arm, the top point will be 
centered below the City patch. 
Uniform Trousers 
Uniform trousers will be Tactical Trousers in LAPD Blue. (3 issued) 
Uniform Belt 

The under belt worn with these trousers will be a Black leather/Velcro type (Black patent leather for 
dress), one and one-half inches wide, with the appropriate finish buckle. 
Uniform Headgear 
Agency issued ball caps may be worn during inclement weather and designated 
functions, upon the authorization of the Chief of Police. (1 issued) 
The uniform hat brim is not to be altered. 
Uniform Footwear 
Boots will be plain toe, leather and Black in color. 
Boots shall be clean and highly polished and will be kept in good repair. 
Black socks will be worn. If white socks must be worn for medical reasons, they will 
be worn under the black socks. 
All sworn officers are authorized a $100.00 boot allowance per year. Officers are to 
purchase boots and can request reimbursement up to $100.00 after completing the 
necessary reimbursement form. 
Uniform Leather Gear 
All uniform personnel will wear a two-inch width black gun belt with appropriate snap 
closure (1 issued). The gun belt will have upon it the following items: 
Standard issue is black "basket weave” or “patent” type leather. 
Security style holster - One holster is to be worn on the right or left trouser 
seam. The butt of the firearm will be to the rear. (1 issued) 
Ammunition and case - To be worn on the forward portion of the belt, between 
the holster and the snap closure. Each officer will carry a minimum of fifteen 
rounds or one magazine of ammunition in the case. No more than two 
ammunition cases will be worn. (3 magazines and 1 case issued). A triammunition 
case may be worn if approved by the Chief of Police. 
Handcuff case with handcuffs inserted properly for immediate use. (1 issued) 
From two to six black keeper straps may be used to attach the belt to the 
garrison belt. 
Walkie-talkie holders must be fastened to the gun belt (1 issued). Holders for 
batons may be fastened to the gun belt (1 issued). 
Keys and key holder, when worn, will be worn so the keys may be tucked into 
the back pocket. 
TASER will be worn in the approved holster and attached to the belt. (1 issued) 
Other accessories will be permitted on the gun belt, with the approval of the Chief of 
Police or his designee. 
Uniform Inclement Weather Gear - Optional according to weather conditions. 
Rain gear consists of any issued equipment by the command staff. 
The winter jacket, (1 issued), will be blue, black, or yellow with the following worn 
appropriate to rank: 
Gold or silver buttons; 
Sergeant and corporal chevrons to be worn on both right/left sleeves one half 
inch below/above the Agency emblems; 
The winter jacket will not be worn with summer uniform. 
Gloves, if worn, must be black leather or black fabric; when working traffic, gloves 
will be orange, white, or yellow. 
Special Uniforms - Uniform specifications for special ceremonies and tactical sections 
will be announced by special order. 
Excluded Items - The following items are excluded from use by agency personnel: 
No dangling earrings or any type of ornament will be affixed to the ear, while in 
uniform. Females with pierced ears may wear small post earrings. 
The use or the possession of any unauthorized hard metal flashlight is prohibited. 
Personal ornaments or excessive jewelry shall not be worn while in uniform nor shall 
they be affixed to any part of the uniform, unless authorized by the Chief of Police. 
Wedding rings may be worn. 


Any emblem or patch denoting a special squad to be worn on the uniform must receive 
prior approval from the Chief of Police. No officer shall wear any type emblem upon 
his/her uniform denoting membership in a specialized or particular squad of the 
agency unless currently assigned to the squad. 
No political material or any type of flag other than designated in section C-10 may be 
worn on the uniform. 
Firearms 
Uniform Officers 
A Glock 22 (.40 caliber) pistol, is agency issue for the Patrol Division. When 
not in use, it is to be snapped in the holster. 
The agency issued/approved firearm and ammunition shall be carried by all 
sworn personnel. 
Permission to carry a personal handgun must be authorized by the Chief of 
Police. Use of a personal handgun will require recording the serial number, 
make and model in the personnel file of the individual officer. The officer is 
also required to qualify on the firing range with his/her personal handgun or 
long gun. When the officer makes a written request to carry a personal 
handgun, the officer must specify where the handgun will be worn. 
Non-Uniform Officer 
A Glock 23 (.40 caliber) pistol, is agency issue for the Criminal Investigation 
Division and plain clothes personnel. 
Permission to carry a personal handgun or long gun must be authorized by the 
Chief of Police. Use of a personal handgun or long gun will require recording 
the serial number, make and model in the personnel file of the individual 
officer. The officer is also required to qualify on the firing range with his/her 
personal handgun and or long gun. When the officer makes a written request 
to carry a personal handgun, the officer must specify where the handgun will 
be worn. 
Other Equipment 
Handcuffs with one key are required. 

2. Body Armor (1 issued) -Soft body armor will be made available to all sworn personnel and 
may be either (1) issued from inventory or (2) purchased from vendors who meet current 
minimum protective standards prescribed by the National Institute of Justice. All personnel 
assigned to patrol-line operations are required to wear body armor during their normal tour 
of duty in either an inner or outer carrier approved by the department. All sworn officers will 
wear body armor whenever engaged in high-risk situations. Body armor will typically have 
a span of 5 years of service. Any exception for wearing body armor will need to be by 
written approval of the chief of police. 
Criminal Investigation Division (CID) Dress Code 
An investigator shall dress in civilian clothes and shall keep him/herself neat and 
clean. The general appearance shall be businesslike and always presentable when in 
public. Whenever investigators are in the public view or appear before any official 
body or court, they shall dress in a professional manner. 
NOTE: If the weapon is exposed, the officer's badge must also be exposed / visible. 
Ties will be worn when applicable or at the direction of the Chief of Police. 
No blue jeans or jogging suits will be worn on duty, unless approved by the Chief of 
Police. 
The Corporal Drug Investigator will be allowed to dress appropriate to his current 
assignment. 
All CID members shall keep their hair cut in a conservative manner. Male 
investigators may wear a trimmed mustache and or trimmed goatee. (All facial hair 
will be well groomed at all times). No handle bar type mustache will be allowed. 
NOTE: Upon approval of the Chief of Police, officers assigned to special details may be exempted from 
the Agency's grooming policy. 

CID personnel will be required to carry their firearms and handcuffs whenever on duty 
unless prior approval is given. Whenever CID personnel are in contact with the 
public, he/she should not carry his/her firearms in an open exposed manner without 
prior approval. 
Investigators must carry hand held radios when away from the office or an agency 
vehicle unless the nature of the investigation prohibits it. 
Court Dress - The following attire will be appropriate in court: 
Uniform or shirt and tie with dress slacks for males, and appropriate business-like 
dress for females. 
Inside Dress - While assigned to office duty, sworn officers may be exempt from wearing 
those articles which are not necessary for that duty, upon approval of the Chief of Police. 
Civilian Personnel - Office personnel assigned to the agency should dress in a businesslike 
manner. There shall be no blue jeans, bare feet, halter tops, shorts, tank tops, or tennis shoes worn 
while on duty. 
Turning in Equipment upon Termination or Resignation - When any employee 
resigns or is terminated, all City issued property will be turned into the Chief of Police or his designee. 
This must be done before the issuance of a final pay check. 
Hair – For the safety and security of officers, the Hair regulations for the Agency are as 
follows: 
The hair will be neatly groomed and worn in such a manner as to not hang over the 
forehead under the regulation head gear. Hair will always be neatly groomed. 
The hair at the back of the head may be worn in a full style. No hair will be allowed to 
extend over the collar. 
The hair on the top of the head may be worn in a full style provided the regulation 
head gear is not hindered by the hair from sitting squarely on the head. The head gear 
cannot be supported solely by the hair. 
Sideburns are permitted, provided they do not extend below the middle of the ear. 
Sideburns cannot be worn in a flared style. The base will have a precise, horizontal 
line. 
The hair should not cover or touch the ears or extend below the normal hairline. 
"Corn-rowing" of the hair is not permitted while in uniform. 
A mustache is permitted provided it does not extend below the corners of the upper 
lip. It cannot turn upward or be worn in a twisted manner. It cannot be of a "handle 
bar” style and cannot be waxed on the ends. The upper lip must be exposed. The 
mustache cannot be worn so thick that it extends over one-fourth inch outward. 
Wigs or hair pieces may be worn only to cover natural baldness or to cover physical 
disfiguration. When worn, wigs will conform to hair regulations. 
Female uniform officers are required to wear their hair to comply with the standards of 
the agency. Female officers are permitted to wear their hair pinned up during duty 
hours. 
All sworn male employees may wear a goatee or beard that are maintained at a length, 
so it meets with the appearance policy. Facial hair shall be neatly trimmed so as not to 
exceed the height of the cheek bone, and beards/goatees shall not be permitted below 
the jaw line. Beards and goatees must be worn with a mustache. The overall length 
will not exceed ½ inch. Employees wishing to grow a beard/goatee must make this 
request through their chain of command, and the employee must be able to properly 
grow their facial hair within a four-week period. Employees will only be allowed to 
attempt to grow out facial hair two times a year. Should it not fill in and cover the 
face completely (below the cheekbone and above the jaw line), the beard will not be 
permitted. There shall be no “patching” present on the face. Patching being defined as 
breaks within the beard/goatee where no facial hair is present. Beard and Goatee color 
must be consistent with the employees’ current, natural hair color. 
Members of the Investigative Division are required to comply with all rules regarding 
hair styles. 


Exemptions from the above rules require prior written authorization from the Chief of 
Police. 

Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 02-3 Contractual Services 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 02-3 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/19/2019 
Subject: Contractual Services 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to provide for formalization of police services that are provided by outside 
agencies. For the purpose of this section, police services will refer to traditional public safety activities 
such as patrol, investigations, jailing, and maintenance of law enforcement files, property management, 
automated or manual fingerprint identification, and communications. 
II. Rules and Regulations 
A. Written Contract 
The Auburn Police Department shall have a written contract with all agencies, both public and private, 
that provide law enforcement services. This written contract will govern the following at a minimum: 
1. The specific services to be provided 
2. The financial agreement between the police department and the contracting party 
3. What specific records must be maintained concerning the performance of services by 
the provider agency 
4. Specifically, how the contract may be terminated or modified 
5. The length of time the contract is valid 
6. Specific legal contingencies 
7. A stipulation that the provider agency maintain control over its personnel 
8. Specific arrangements for the use of equipment and facilities 
9. A procedure for review and revision of the agreement 
B. Assignment of City Employees to Contracting Agencies 
Any City of Auburn employee that is temporarily or permanently assigned to a contracting agency will 
maintain all employment rights that he had prior to being transferred. This includes promotional and 
training opportunities, fringe benefits, and other employment rights. 
III. Release of Information 
Any arrest report, incident report, investigative report, or other material or documents prepared, filed by, 
or with the Auburn Police Department which may relate, directly or indirectly, to the contracting agency, 
shall be available to the appropriate officers or agents of the contracting agency, the same as such 
documents are now available, with the exception of any such documents covered by confidentiality 
laws, or for which the disclosure is otherwise prohibited by law. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 03 Organization and Direction 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 03 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/19/2018 
Subject: Organization and Direction 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this section is to describe the organizational structure of the Auburn Police Department 
and the application of basic organizational principles. One goal of effective administration is ensuring all 
employees are familiar with the organizational structure of the department, to include the organizational 
functions of each division and section within the agency, and its purpose within the overall 
organizational structure. In addition, each member should be able to recognize the Chain of Command, 
beginning with his unit, through the ranks, to the Chief of Police. Additionally, this chapter gives 
guidance for the development and distribution of written directives, the administrative reporting system 
and form development and usage. 
II. Rules and Regulations 
A. Need for Organizational Structure 
No organization, including a police department, can function without an organizational structure that 
assigns responsibilities or functions to specific individuals, or groups of individuals. Throughout the 
organization, there must be clearly defined and distinct lines of authority, so that responsibility and 
accountability can be assessed. Each person employed by the department is responsible for certain 
functions and tasks. Additionally, each member is held accountable for the use of delegated authority. 
One function of an employee holding supervisory responsibilities is to ensure that subordinates are 
performing the tasks assigned to them, so that the objectives and goal of his command, as they relate 
to the organization, are met. The ability of the department to make organizational adjustments to meet 
changing needs, is essential to obtain the maximum benefit from the expenditure of assigned 
resources. However, to ensure stability, the basic departmental structure should not be changed in the 
absence of a demonstrated need, or to satisfy temporary requirements. 
1. The organizational chart of the Auburn Police Department shall be recognized by all members and 
will be updated when any reorganization occurs. 
2. It will be the responsibility of the Office of the Chief of Police to update the organizational chart, which 
will be posted in conspicuous areas of the Police Department to be accessible to all employees. 
B. Organizational Structure 
The Auburn Police Department shall be comprised of: 
1. The Office of the Chief of Police 
The Chief’s Office creates and monitors long range plans that determine how resources will be applied 
to achieve the mission of the Auburn Police Department. The Chief’s Office is responsible to assign an 
officer or officers for the purpose of Professional Standard needs as they occur; these duties may be 
split between division commanders and/or additional ranking officers as the Chief of Police deems 
necessary. The professional standards officer/s investigates all complaints against Police Department 
personnel, may assist in conducting background investigations for employment, conducts internal 
audits of divisions, sections, and units of the Police Department to ensure compliance with applicable 
law and policy as directed by the Chief of Police. 
A. Accreditation and State Certification - The Certification/Accreditation 
Manager is responsible for monitoring the policies of the Police Department, to ensure that they are in 
compliance with state laws, CALEA Accreditation and State Certification Standards. The manager is 
also responsible for collecting the documentation and maintaining the files that are required to prove 
compliance with the standards. The Certification/Accreditation Manager answers directly to the Chief of 
Police. 

2. Administrative Services Division is comprised of: 
A. The Criminal Investigations Division (CID), which conducts follow-up 
investigations on both felony and misdemeanor crimes. CID Investigators are responsible for 
investigations into child abuse complaints and acts of family violence investigations, respectively. CID 
also will assist in conducting various classes and presentations within the community, with the purpose 
of educating different facets of the community and heightening their awareness to prevent victimization 
of certain crimes. 
1. Property and Evidence Unit maintains the department’s evidence room. The Evidence Custodian 
conducts weekly (or as needed) transfers of evidence to the state crime laboratory for analysis. 
Additionally, this position works to cycle out materials previously submitted, but are of no further 
evidentiary value and no longer required by law to be retained. As a part of the process, the Custodian 
routinely communicates with court representatives and police officers, to evaluate the continued 
necessity of maintaining collected evidence. 
2. The Records Section, which houses the terminals containing criminal history record information, is 
responsible for establishing guidelines for the preparation, retention, dissemination, accountability, 
auditing, and processing of official forms, reports, and documents initiated and maintained by the 
Auburn Police Department. This includes issuance of official documents such as citation books. The 
Records Section also responds to requests under the Georgia Open Records Act and/or re-directs 
inquiries and complaints from the general public and all outside agencies. 
3. The Training Unit is responsible for conducting the overall training for the 
Police Department. 
4. The Code Enforcement Unit, which is responsible for identifying, 
investigating, and notifying citizens when they are in violation of a City Ordinance relating to 
environmental issues and general health standards. This unit falls under the direction of the CID 
Commander. 
5. Court Clerk. The Court Clerk handles all aspects of City Court. They are responsible for the issuance 
of ticket books to the officers and accountability for all tickets. They run the City Court ensuring that all 
the orders of the court are followed and coordinate with Department of Motor Vehicles and Probation. 
3. The Patrol Division is comprised of: 
Uniform Patrol Operations, which encompasses the uniform patrol officers and supervisors. The Patrol 
Division is responsible for the enforcement of criminal and traffic laws and local ordinances by 
responding to calls for service, and by engaging in proactive problem-solving activities designed to 
improve the quality of community life. The Patrol Division also will assist in conducting various classes 
and presentations within the community with the purpose of educating different facets of the community 
and heightening their awareness to prevent victimization of certain crimes. 
Support Services is responsible for the day to day operation of the office. They handle all incoming calls 
to the Police Department and are GCIC certified. They handle background checks and enter and 
remove warrants from the GCIC/NCIC computer system. 
4. Each employee will be accountable to only one immediate supervisor. Additionally, each Division, 
Unit, or Section will be under the direct command of only one supervisor. This organization’s 
composition is readily available to all personnel, via posted organizational charts within the department, 
and this policy. 
5. To achieve effective direction, coordination and control, the number of employees under the 
immediate control of a supervisor should be no more than 8-12 subordinates. However, there may be 
situations that warrant a larger span of control. Factors to be considered in making this decision may 
include: ability of the supervisor and/or subordinate; complexity of the task to be performed by 
subordinates, and separation by time and place of the supervisor and the subordinates. 
C. Command Staff 
The Command Staff of the Chief of Police shall be: 
1. The Commander over the Patrol Division. 
2. The Commander over the Administrative Services Division. 
3. The Public Information Officer (PIO) 
D. Job Description 

Job descriptions of each rank within the Department, to include civilian employees, are maintained in 
the Human Resources Department, and are accessible to all employees upon request. In addition, 
each Division will maintain job descriptions of personnel assigned to Units within that Division. 

E. Office of the Chief of Police 
The Office of the Chief of Police shall be the Executive Office of the Department. The Chief of Police 
shall be the Executive Officer of the Department and shall be accountable to the Mayor and City 
Council for departmental affairs. The Chief of Police has the authority to issue, modify, and approve 
agency written directives, and see that the rules, regulations, and all general and special orders are 
enforced. 
1. The Department operates under the direct supervision of the Chief of Police. The Office of the Chief 
of Police shall be so regulated that the command protocol, in the absence of the Chief Executive 
Officer, will be under the command of a designated supervisor, with the rank of lieutenant or above, in 
most instances of his absence, the Chief of Police will assign shared command to both division 
commanders until his return. The designated supervisor/s shall be regarded as the representative of 
the Chief of Police and his commands obeyed. Officers representing the Chief of Police in his absence 
will be designated by written memo issued by the Chief of Police. 
2. In the event of the absence of the Chief of Police and any other staff commander, due to being 
incapacitated or otherwise unable to act, the Mayor and City Council will designate a member to 
assume the authority vested in the Chief of Police, until such time as the Chief of Police returns to duty. 
F. Administration 
1. Ranking members are those personnel having authority to administer and supervise the work of 
various Divisions, Sections, Units, and members of the Department. 
2. In descending order, the commissioned ranks of the Department are: 
Chief of Police 
Lieutenant 
Sergeant (to include the PIO) 
Corporal/Detective Corporal 
Patrol Officer 
3. Ranking members of the Department shall exercise the authority of the position under all conditions, 
which require that the use of such authority is in the best interest of the Department. A ranking officer 
shall not unnecessarily countermand any order issued by officers below his rank, or needlessly 
interfere with the specific duties of members of a lesser rank. Ranking members of the Department are 
officers that hold the rank of Corporal or above. 
4. Orders that deviate from existing written orders may be issued by a ranking member in an 
emergency and remain in effect only during the emergency. 
G. Department Command 
Section 1.12 of the Charter of the City of Auburn creates the City of Auburn Police Department 
mandating a minimum police force of two sworn officers providing protection 24/7. Under Section 1.12, 
the Chief of Police is responsible for the administration, coordination, and control, of all police activities. 
H. Command Responsibility 
A commanding officer has responsibility for every aspect of his command. Commensurately, within 
policy guidelines and legal constraints, he has the authority to coordinate and direct assigned 
personnel and other allocated resources to achieve his organizational objectives. In so doing, he must 
perform the full range of administrative functions, relying upon policy, direction, training, and personnel 
initiative. Each employee that is vested with the authority to perform their duties is accountable to their 
supervisor for their actions or failure to act. 
1. Upon a change of command, the Commanding Officer being replaced has a duty and obligation to 
lend his full assistance to make the command transition as smoothly and orderly as possible. 
2. Orientation for the new Commanding Officer should include exchanging information concerning 
unique problems for the command and assisting with community and professional contacts relating to 
the command. 
I. Chain of Command 
The Chain of Command, descending from the Chief of Police, and ascending from the lowest rank, 
shall be preserved to maintain the principles of good administration. Employees shall not bypass their 

supervisors, except as provided for in these rules and regulations. Employees shall not take a matter 
directly to the Chief of Police, which should ordinarily be taken up with their immediate supervisor. If an 
employee believes that an unfair decision has been made by an immediate supervisor, that employee 
may request that the matter be reviewed by the next higher supervisor in the Chain of Command. The 
Chief of Police does have an “open door” policy, which allows employees to speak with the Chief of 
Police on any matter. However, employees are encouraged to inform their direct supervisor of this 
intent. 

1. Each employee must be aware of his relative position within the organization, to whom he is 
immediately responsible, and those who are accountable to him. 
2. All employees shall, at every level of rank, keep their superior officers informed, verbally or in writing, 
of all matters concerning personnel, performance, conduct, unusual activity, situations, or any other 
actions concerning the overall mission of the department or in which the department has a logical 
business interest. 
J. Command Protocol 
The command protocol, in normal day-to-day agency operations, shall be that each officer is 
responsible to his immediate assigned supervisor for guidance and direction. At the scene of any crime, 
accident, or other incident, the senior or ranking officer present shall assume the command and 
direction of police personnel to ensure the orderly and efficient accomplishment of the police task. 
The command protocol in exceptional situations, (i.e. emergency or critical incidents), is also designed 
to ensure the orderly and efficient accomplishment of the police task through transition into the Incident 
Command System (ICS), whereby the on-duty patrol supervisor assumes the incident command 
position. This responsibility will remain with the initial Incident Commander, until proper relief and 
acknowledgement by both ranking officers. 
The command protocol in situations involving personnel of different functions engaged in a single 
operation will replicate that articulated above when those situations are unpredicted and 
non-scheduled. For those situations involving pre-planned operations, the command protocol will be 
established as a part of the pre-planning component. 
When a supervisor is directly involved in any incident in which Departmental or individual officer liability 
is likely to attach, or where the Chief of Police will likely initiate a directed investigation by the Office of 
Professional Standards, the involved supervisor shall immediately relinquish all supervisory authority of 
the scene once another supervisor (irrelevant of rank) arrives on scene. In concert with this transfer of 
authority and control, the involved supervisor shall not approve any officer report generated in 
conjunction with the incident in question or under review. This does include all official law enforcement 
reports and internal review reports (i.e. Response to Aggression and Vehicle Pursuit Reports.) 
K. Authority and Responsibility of Supervisors 
Supervisors shall constantly direct their efforts toward the intelligent and efficient performance of the 
mission of the Department, with an emphasis on customer service. They shall require their 
subordinates to do the same. 
1. Supervisors are accountable for their own conduct, their performance of police duties, and for the 
activities of their subordinates. 
2. Supervisors shall ensure that an investigation is conducted, upon any misconduct or 
non-performance of duty complaint that comes to their attention. Supervisors shall, at all times, be an 
example of intelligence, efficiency, promptness, accuracy, trustworthiness, and courtesy. 
3. Supervisors shall promptly obey all orders from their superior officers, and they shall issue orders or 
instructions, when necessary, for the efficient operation of their command, when not in conflict with 
orders or instructions issued by a higher authority. 
4. Supervisors shall investigate any delinquent or unethical conduct, or laxity in the performance of 
duty, or in the observance of Departmental rules on the part of their subordinates. 
5. Supervisors shall take corrective action, to include remedial training concerning policy or policies 
violated by the subordinate. A supervisor who observes or becomes informed of willful neglect or 
misconduct by an employee not assigned to his unit, shall immediately bring it to the attention of the 
employee’s supervisor, as well as his own superior officer. 
6. Supervisors shall ensure that subordinates complete all required reports promptly and accurately, 
subject to inspection and approval. 

7. Supervisors shall be responsible for the care and maintenance of all Departmental property and work 
areas assigned to their unit. They shall conduct regular inspections of all property and personnel under 
their supervision and control. 
8. Supervisors shall submit a detailed written report when a subordinate, under circumstances requiring 
an exceptionally high degree of courage, risks his life in the prevention of a crime, the apprehension of 
a criminal, in saving or attempting to save the life of another, or performs a difficult and important police 
service requiring the highest degree of tact, diligence, initiative and/or ability. 
L. Staff Meetings 
Staff Meetings will be held on a bi-weekly basis, and all officers with the rank of Sergeant or above, 
must attend, unless excused, prior to the meeting, by a commanding officer. The purpose of the staff 
meeting is to evaluate each Division’s effectiveness in providing services, and to devise plans and 
assign responsibility to solve problems and reduce crime. Staff meetings will also provide a forum to 
discuss and propose solutions to internal deficiencies, and to exchange information between divisions. 
Information discussed at staff meetings will be passed on to line personnel in a timely manner. 
Information that requires more timely dissemination may be passed to Units, Sections, and Divisions by 
any employee. The staff minutes carry the weight and force of policy. The Policy and Procedure Manual 
will be updated as soon as practical, to reflect the staff minutes, if applicable. 
M. Obedience to Lawful Orders 
Any officer or civilian employee receiving a lawful order from a superior officer must obey that order. 
Officers must also obey orders from a superior by an employee of the same or lesser rank. 
1. No employee is required to obey an unlawful order. Unlawful orders should be reported to a superior 
officer immediately. 
2. Employees that receive conflicting orders shall inform the superior giving the order that it conflicts 
with existing orders and request clarification. 
N. Written Orders 
Written orders may be created or changed as needed to fit the needs of the Department, as long as 
these directives comply with law and City policy. There are four types of written orders: 
1. General orders are concerned with policy and procedures and affect more than one organizational 
component. General orders may only be issued by the Chief of Police. Any Auburn Police Department 
employee may recommend a change, or inclusion of a new General Order into the Auburn Police 
Department Operations Manual. Changes to existing policy or new policy must be presented, in writing, 
by the employee making the recommendation to his immediate supervisor. The following events will 
then occur: 
a. The supervisor will either present the proposed change or new policy at a weekly staff meeting for 
review or distribution to the staff via email; 
b. If the proposal merits further consideration, it will be assigned by the Chief of Police for research and 
development; and 
c. The employee assigned to develop the policy or make a change, will disseminate draft copies of the 
policy via email to all Division Commanders and affected personnel for input. 
NOTE: Minor policy changes or new policy, which do not significantly impact operations, or merely 
incorporate existing customs, are not required to be disseminated for review by all personnel. 
d. Approved changes or additions/deletions to the manual will be presented to the designated policy 
operations manual administrator for inclusion into the Auburn Police Department Operations Manual. 
All new written orders and modifications will be distributed to affected personnel via email by the Chief 
of Police and an email receipt will be documented via electronic signature. The electronic copy of the 
old order will be archived digitally by the operations manual administrator. The original signed hard 
copies of the new and old orders will be maintained in the master hard-copy policy manuals which will 
be located in the following locations: (1) in the certification/Accreditation Manager’s office. (2) in the 
patrol room. (3) in the office of Chief of Police. 
Note: Additionally, the City Attorney’s office and the City’s Mayor shall be provided a copy of all current 
Auburn Police Department policies on flash drive. 
2. The General Order format will include a broad statement explaining the intended purpose of the 
policy. It will also include procedures to carry out the written directive and the effective date. 

3. Special orders affect only a specific segment of the organization, or may be a statement of policy or 
procedure, regarding a specific circumstance or event that is of a temporary nature. Ranking officers 
may only issue special orders to units under their command. Written orders must include the date, time, 
person or group(s) affected, the time period the order is in effect, and the name of the person issuing 
the order. 
4. Personnel orders announce the change in the status of personnel, such as a transfer or a promotion. 
All personnel Orders must pass through the Office of the Chief of Police. 
O. Distribution and Access of Auburn Police Department Policies and Procedures 
The operations manual administrator shall maintain a master digital copy of the Auburn Police 
Department Operations Manual and all written orders; these orders will be placed in the Auburn Police 
Department Operations Manual folder “written orders” when issued and will be stored on the city shared 
drive. A master back-up copy of the manual and all written orders will also be maintained on a 
stand-alone external hard drive. 
Each employee of the Auburn Police Department shall receive a digital copy of the Auburn Police 
Department Operations Manual in the form of a USB flash drive. Additionally, all general orders, 
directives, selected memorandums, training documentation, and examinations will be emailed to each 
employee in order to allow employees to place the memorandum containing written directives in the 
folder marked “written directives” on the USB flash drive. The operations manual administrator shall 
provide the appropriate documentation needed to show receipt of the information by employees in the 
form of email receipt logs, signature logs for updates and issuance of any and all Auburn Police 
Department Operations Manuals. 
P. Staff Inspections 
Staff inspections will be utilized to ensure policy and procedure compliance. This will be accomplished 
through an objective review of all Divisions’ administrative and operational activities. 
1. The Chief of Police will identify, in writing, a ranking officer to conduct an inspection of a Division, 
Section, or Unit. The officer conducting the inspection will not be attached to the Division, Unit, or 
Section he is assigned to inspect. 
2. The ranking officer conducting the inspection will use the Staff Inspection Sheet provided by the 
Certification/Accreditation Manager for guidance. The inspection sheet will be used to document 
deficiencies and recommend corrective action, as well as highlight positive areas of the Divisions, 
Sections, or Units inspected. The ranking officer conducting the inspection will submit a report to the 
Chief Police. 
3. The ranking officer in charge of the inspected area or his designee will conduct a follow-up inspection 
and a written report to ensure that deficiencies not corrected at the time of the inspection are corrected 
at a later date. 
4. Staff inspections will be conducted within all organizational components at least once every three 
years. Completed staff inspections will be retained in the Office of Professional Standards. 
Q. Line Inspections 
Line inspections ensure that employees are acting in concert with agency requirements in such areas 
as personal appearance, use and maintenance of equipment, and adherence to agency orders. Line 
inspections are also concerned with the status and conditions of physical facilities within a given 
organizational function. 
1. Patrol supervisors will inspect subordinates daily, to ensure that they comply with basic appearance 
and dress standards. Inspections will be held prior to assignment and the results will be documented on 
the pass down duty roster. The supervisor will take corrective action with individual officers in a private 
setting. All other first line supervisors conduct their inspections by observing assigned personnel during 
the supervisor’s scheduled work period to ensure that agency uniform, civilian attire, and appearance 
standards are maintained. The supervisor will take corrective actions with individual officers in a private 
setting. Deficiencies will be documented in the supervisor’s notebook. 
2. Supervisors will periodically walk through assigned facilities and office areas to ensure overall 
cleanliness, order, and the presence of necessary equipment and supplies. All property belonging to 
the Auburn Police Department will be subject to search or inspection at any time and without notice. 
3. Patrol and CID Supervisors will inspect equipment issued to individual officers on a quarterly basis, 
unless otherwise needed. Issued equipment includes handguns, handcuffs, batons, soft body armor, 

and OC. All equipment will be inspected to ensure that it is well maintained, functional, and properly 
issued. Results of the inspection will be documented on the pass-down duty roster for patrol 
supervisors. CID supervisors will note the inspections and document any deficiencies in their notebook. 
Supervisors should use good judgment in taking corrective action. Subordinates should be notified of 
any shortcomings privately and should not be allowed to perform street duty if the inspection reveals 
deficiencies of a nature that might increase the liability of the Department, or the safety to the officer. 

4. Any inspection that reveals department-issued equipment is lost, stolen, or intentionally abused, will 
require an incident report. An internal investigation and/or criminal investigation may also be conducted 
at the discretion of the Commanding Officer. 
5. The supervisor discovering a deficiency will follow-up to ensure that corrective action is taken within 
a reasonable length of time. All deficiencies will be documented either on the pass-down duty roster, in 
a memorandum or in email form. Any deficiency, which cannot be corrected immediately, will also be 
documented on the employee’s counseling form, along with documented recommended corrective 
actions, and a follow-up date. 
6. The Chief of Police will conduct an inspection of the Auburn Police Department and all grounds at 
least yearly. The inspection will be announced at least one month prior to the inspection occurring. The 
purpose of the inspection is to ensure that all Departmental property is in good condition, clean and free 
from hazards. The Chief may also make a cursory check to ensure compliance to policy. 
7. Unannounced inspections may be conducted at any time by any supervisor that is responsible for the 
property he is inspecting. Inspections may be conducted on permanently or temporarily issued 
equipment. Supervisors will document all surprise inspections on the pass-down duty roster. 
Deficiencies will be addressed as outlined above. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 03-2 Goals and Objectives 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 03-2 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/19/2018 
Subject: Goals and Objectives 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this chapter is to establish guidelines for the development and review of departmental 
goals, objectives, and work plans. In order for the Auburn Police Department or any police agency to 
effectively meet the needs of the citizens, it must establish short, medium, and long-term goals to give 
guidance and direction to agency personnel. 
II. Definitions 
A. Goals – a relatively broad statement of the end or result that one intends ultimately to achieve. A 
goal usually requires a relatively long-time span to achieve and, whenever possible, should be stated in 
a way that permits measurement of its achievement. Goals provide the foundation for objectives. 
B. Objectives – an end or result that one intends to attain in order to achieve partial fulfillment of a goal. 
An objective is a sub-goal, or an element of a goal; therefore, it requires a shorter time to accomplish 
than a goal. 
C. Work Plans - precise activities that contribute to accomplishing objectives. 
III. Rules and Regulations 
A. Formulation and Distribution of Written Goals and Objectives 
Each year the Chief of Police shall order a review of organizational goals and objectives. This review 
involves all short, medium, and long-range goals and objectives. This order will cause the following 
events to occur: 
1. Division Commanders will meet with subordinates to receive input for changes and/or additions to 
existing goals and objectives. Personnel will use all available data for review of goals and objectives. 
This will include citizen input from citizen complaints, citizen surveys, radio and TV call-ins, and 
Neighborhood Watch. Internal sources might include crime analysis, shift reports, activity logs, previous 
budgets and annual reports. 
2. Goals are presented to the Chief of Police. Yearly budget request will be submitted reflecting 
updated goals and objectives. 
3. Goals and Objectives are presented at a weekly staff meeting for dissemination to those employees 
that are affected. A copy of the goals and objectives will be placed on the police department in-house 
computer system which can be accessed by agency personnel. Goals and objectives are reviewed 
quarterly at the bi-weekly staff meeting unless otherwise directed or scheduled by the chief of police. 
B. Work Plans 
Patrol and Investigation Division Lieutenants conduct a weekly, if not daily review of crime analysis to 
identify crime trends. In response, the two division Lieutenants will develop work plans or strategies to 
address these crime trends. These work plans or strategies are carried out by the patrol officers and 
sergeants. These work plans are reviewed at bi-weekly staff meetings and changed as needed by the 
two division Lieutenants. 
C. Medium and Long-Range Goals 
The Chief of Police along with staff personnel will develop multi-year plans that include the following: 
1. Medium and long-term goals and objectives as are determined using the procedures described in 3-2 
III (A). 
2. Anticipated workloads, population trends, and personnel needs. 
3. Anticipated capital improvements and equipment needs. 
4. The multi-year plan will be reviewed at least annually. 

Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 03-4 Hiring Standards 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 03-4 
Effective Date: March 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/19/2018 
Subject: Hiring Standards 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this chapter is to establish fair and impartial standards for the effective recruitment and 
selection processes for sworn personnel. This will aid the Auburn Police Department in identifying and 
employing the best available candidates. The Auburn Police Department is committed to the 
establishment of proactive equal opportunities for all persons within the available workforce, in 
accordance with applicable law. 
II. Rules and Regulations 
A. Recruitment Accountability 
1. Recruitment assistance will be sought through cooperative agreements where referrals and advice 
will be requested from other law enforcement agencies, personnel departments, community leaders, 
community organizations, schools and colleges, the City of Auburn, and the State of Georgia. 
2. All employees of this Department are encouraged to be aware of Departmental personnel needs and 
actively encourage qualified citizens to apply. 
B. Recruitment Process 
The Auburn Police Department will strive to identify and recruit the best candidates available for actual 
and forecasted vacancies. Recruitment shall be done in a manner that employs standards of equal 
opportunities for all potential applicants. 
1. The Auburn Police Department will generally hire on an as-needed basis. The recruiting campaign 
should be continuous to ensure qualified applicants are available to fill vacancies. 
2. The Criminal Investigations Division (CID) / Office of Professional Standards (OPS) will be 
responsible for maintaining contact with applicants from the initial application to final employment 
and/or exclusion from the selection process. The department will provide updates on application status, 
testing times, or pertinent information concerning the hiring/selection process. 
3. All personnel assigned to assist in the recruitment process will be knowledgeable in the following 
areas: 
a. recruiting needs; 
b. career opportunities, salaries, benefits, and training requirements; 
c. federal and state compliance guidelines; 
d. demographics, community organizations, educational institutions, and other pertinent information 
about the community; 
e. understanding of the different ethnic groups and cultures; 
f. an ability to maintain records to track candidates; 
g. and the ability to recognize factors that disqualify candidates. 
4. Whenever possible, all personnel in the Department should be involved in the recruitment process. 
This will be accomplished by placing memorandums in readings, roll call training or personnel briefings 
by the Chief of Police or his designee. 
5. The Recruiting Team, whenever possible, will include minority members fluent in the community’s 
languages, and be aware of the changes in the demographical environment. 
6. The Chief of Police will ensure that announcements for sworn positions are sent to applicable 
community service organizations for posting and dissemination. 
a. Job announcements will describe duties, responsibilities, skills needed, educational level, and 
physical requirements. 

b. Job announcements will be distributed as the necessity to recruit arises and may include advertising 
in newspapers and law enforcement magazines. 
c. Job announcements will indicate that Auburn is an equal opportunity employer. 
d. Applications for employment must be received within seven days of advertised job openings by the 
City of Auburn Police Department and forwarded to the OPS. If the job posting remains open due to 
current staffing levels, no time limits will be set. 
e. A letter of acknowledgment will be sent via mail to anyone submitting an application for a sworn 
position by the police department. 
C. Police Applicant Minimum Qualifications 
The following is a list of minimum qualifications for employment as a peace officer with the Auburn 
Police Department: 
1. The applicant must have a high school diploma or its equivalent, as recognized by the Georgia 
Department of Education. Desired: Minimum two years college or POST certified. 
2. The applicant must be a citizen, a repatriated or naturalized citizen of the United States. 
3. The applicant must undergo a background investigation. 
4. The applicant must be at least eighteen (18) years of age. 
5. The applicant must have a valid driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle. 
D. Selection Process 
1. The Hiring Board Coordinator shall be designated by the Chief of Police as a ranking officer of 
Lieutenant or above. This person will be selected by the Chief of Police and will have the responsibility 
of administering the selection process. The Hiring Board Coordinator will ensure that hiring board 
members are available for scheduled assessments. All elements of the selection process shall be 
administered, scored, evaluated, and interpreted uniformly. The Hiring Board Coordinator will ensure 
that selection materials and confidential materials associated with the selection process are stored in a 
locked filing cabinet or secure hard drive. All materials discarded from the hiring process will be 
shredded prior to disposal. Material will be maintained for two years after it is no longer in use. All 
records of candidates not appointed will be maintained in a secure file within the OPS/CID Unit for three 
years. 
a. Whenever possible, the agency’s sworn work force will be representative of the available workforce 
in the City of Auburn, relative to its ethnic and gender composition. The recruitment plan will include 
proactive steps to target any group that is identified as underrepresented in the agency’s service 
community. Final authority to hire rests with the Chief of Police. 
2. The following criteria will be used in selecting all persons that apply for a sworn position: 
a. Criminal History/ Driver History Check- the first step in the selection process is to identify those 
persons that meet the basic requirements for the position. (The applicant will supply a certified copy of 
their driver history). OPS, at their discretion, may disqualify some applicants at this stage, based on the 
results of the criminal history record information. 
b. The testing process will include: 
Background Investigation Required: 
A background investigation of each candidate for employment will be conducted by an officer trained in 
collecting required information prior to appointment to probationary status. The background 
investigation, though costly and time consuming, is the most useful and relevant component of the 
selection process. 
Psychological Examinations 
A psychological examination designed to assess the emotional stability and psychological fitness of 
each candidate will be conducted prior to appointment to probationary status, using valid, useful and 
nondiscriminatory procedures. Psychological assessments are needed to eliminate candidates who 
may not be able to carry out their responsibilities or endure the stress of the working conditions. Each 
candidate's test is conducted and personally reviewed by a qualified professional, such as, a 
psychologist or psychiatrist to ensure proper interpretation and legal defense of the selection process. 
Each test has been validated by public safety agencies using and nondiscriminatory procedures. 
The tests results are indicative of intelligence, personality, any emotional illness, any highly exploitive, 
destructive, or manipulative personality traits or any self-destructive tendencies. 

Results of the emotional stability and psychological fitness examinations are maintained in the 
candidate's file to ensure proper procedures are followed and to provide data for continuing research 
and legal defense, if needed. 
Drug Screen 
All candidates for positions with the City of Auburn are given a drug screen test prior to employment. 
Specimens are obtained after proper consent/waiver forms are signed by the candidate and witnessed. 
All procedures are administered under the supervision of qualified medical personnel. All candidates 
are given the opportunity to indicate any medications they are taking on the consent form. Traces of 
any illegal drugs will result in an automatic disqualification for employment with the Police Department. 
All consent; waivers and test results are placed in the background investigation folder of each 
candidate. 
Medical Examination 
A medical examination of each candidate will be conducted after the employer has made a conditional 
job offer and prior to appointment to probationary status. All medical examinations will use valid, useful 
and nondiscriminatory procedures. The purpose of the examination is to reveal any medical problems, 
which may affect work performance or contribute to work related disabilities. Only licensed physicians 
will be used to certify the general health of candidates. The comprehensive medical examination given 
to candidates recommended for hiring will include a statement from the physician(s) interpreting the 
results. 
Oral Interviews 
The department maintains the primary responsibility for developing and administering oral interviews. 
This process will be coordinated and/or administered by the Chief of Police or his/her designee, who 
may select a recruitment officer or appoint a committee of department personnel to assist. The Chief of 
Police will conduct the final oral interview of all prospective employees. 
Polygraph Examination 
In completing the background investigation of police officer candidates, a polygraph examination will be 
administered. A copy of all relevant questions to be utilized in the polygraph examination will be 
furnished to the candidates and will not include disability-related inquires. Only Polygraph Operators 
that are qualified to conduct examinations by virtue of their training will be used to administer polygraph 
examinations. The acceptance or denial of employment shall in no way be based solely upon the 
results of a polygraph examination instrument. The totality of the circumstances, which include both the 
pre-test interviews, however, may be utilized in making and supporting the employment decisions. 

P.O.S.T. and Entry Examinations for Non-Certified Peace Officer Candidates 
Written examinations of all peace officer candidates will be conducted (at the local colleges) prior to an 
acceptance for peace officer training. These examinations may be provided after a conditional offer of 
employment is made. 
f. All new sworn employees will be on probationary status for six months, initiating upon completion of 
the FTO program. At the conclusion of the probationary period, the employee must be rated satisfactory 
on the performance evaluation. An unsatisfactory rating may constitute grounds for dismissal, or an 
extension of probationary status. The work performance of probationary employees will be evaluated 
using valid, useful, and nondiscriminatory procedures, through performance evaluations. 
g. Applicants that are determined to be ineligible based on the results of any phase of the testing 
process will be informed in writing within 30 days by the Hiring Board Coordinator. 
h. Applicants who do not make an acceptable score on all phases of testing and evaluations may 
reapply after 90 days to participate in the application process again. If the applicant still does not 
successfully pass all phases of the testing process after the 90 days, he/she is not eligible to reapply 
until 12 months after their last assessment. 
E. Background Investigation 
1. In an effort to maintain an equitable standard for hiring applicants, the following minimum guidelines 
have been established. These guidelines are not allinclusive but are among the principal factors to be 
considered by the hiring authority of the Auburn Police Department in evaluating an applicant's 
candidacy. Candidates may be considered for disqualification for conduct, which is not specifically 
outlined in these guidelines. Circumstances surrounding certain events within an applicant's 
background, which may be considered disputable, will be subject to examination by the hiring authority. 

The OPS assigned Lieutenant, who is trained in collecting required information, will conduct a 
background investigation of each candidate prior to appointment to probationary status, and include as 
a minimum: 

a. Verification of qualifying credentials. 
b. A review of any criminal/drivers record; and 
c. Verification of at least three personal references. 
2. It is more reliable to conduct the inquiry in person; however, telephone and mail inquiries can be 
made in lieu of personal contact interviews. The investigation should routinely involve an interview with 
candidate's family and with neighbors. A record of each candidate's background investigation will be 
maintained on file for at least five years if not employed. If the person is chosen for a position at the 
police department the background will be retained for the duration of the person’s employment. 
3. During the background investigation, the candidate must either comply with, or not be deficient in any 
of the following areas: 
a. Criminal History/Activity 
b. Felony convictions - All applicants shall be subject to a check of their criminal history as recorded by 
Federal, State, County, City, Foreign, or other government bodies. No applicant shall have been 
convicted for a criminal offense classified as a felony, within his lifetime. Pleas of Nolo Contendere are 
considered a conviction. 
c. Misdemeanor Convictions - Applicants who have been convicted of a misdemeanor offense within 
their lifetime may be deemed unacceptable. The nature of the offense(s) committed must have been 
associated with crimes denoting moral turpitude or disrespect for law enforcement authorities, or crimes 
against public order and safety, public morals and standards, sexual offenses, domestic violence, 
crimes against children, etc. 
For the purpose of this section, violations of traffic laws are not included. Pleas of Nolo Contendere are 
considered a conviction. 
4. Undetected Crimes - Applicants who have by self-admission, committed crimes against the State, or 
any other governing body which were never detected, shall be presumed to have committed the crime 
or act. The class or seriousness of the violation will be determined by the applicable Criminal Code of 
Georgia, which was in effect at the time of the commission of the act/crime, regardless of where the act 
was physically committed. This section will also apply if the crime was detected, but the applicant was 
never suspected, or probable cause did not exist for arrest. 
5. Driver’s License 
a. Driver's License - Applicants shall have a valid driver's license issued by an acceptable governing 
authority. The license should have never been suspended or revoked for reasons other than 
cancellations for nonpayment of insurance premiums within the past 4 (four) years. Any driver’s license 
suspension for moving violations or administrative reasons will be reviewed on case by case basis. 
b. Driver's License Restrictions – An applicant’s driver's license shall not contain restrictions which 
would hinder or restrict their ability to operate emergency vehicles in accordance with the policies of 
this Department and the laws of this State. Any restriction will be determined by a medical evaluation 
after the candidate is offered employment. 
c. Assessed Points - The driver's license of applicants shall not have been assessed more than six (6) 
points within twentyfour (24) months preceding the date of the initiation of the applicants hiring process. 
In addition, the license shall not have been assessed more than ten (10) points within forty-eight (48) 
months preceding the date of the initiation of the applicants hiring process. For the purpose of this 
section, the points shall be computed by standards set forth by Georgia Code. 
d. Driving Under the Influence - No applicant will be considered for employment if they have been 
convicted for the offense of Driving Under the Influence more than one time within his driving history. 
That conviction cannot have occurred within the five (5) year period prior to the initiation of the hiring 
process. For the purpose of this section, a plea of Nolo Contendere is considered a conviction. 
e. Prohibited Traffic Convictions - Applicants who have had within their driving history, convictions, or 
pleas of Nolo Contendere for the offenses of Hit and Run (or similar statute), Homicide by Vehicle, 
Fleeing/Attempting to Elude, or Habitual Violator will generally be excluded from employment. 
However, each offense will be reviewed on an individual basis, and an applicant still may be eligible for 
employment depending on the particular circumstances of the offense. In addition, police officer 

applicants must not have had a conviction of Reckless Driving or Racing within the four (4) year period 
preceding the date of the initiation of the applicant's hiring process. No applicant may have a driving 
history which reflects a recurring pattern of traffic violations, which may represent a perpetual 
disrespect for traffic laws. 

6. ART-E1, D160, and D180 – each candidate will be required to complete psychological testing 
utilizing materials as mentioned below. This testing shall be administered by the OPS hiring coordinator 
and will consist of three psychological tests, which have been validated in public safety agencies. They 
are: 
ART-E1 – This test measures intelligence, particularly non-verbal reasoning and common sense. The 
ART-E1 is less influenced by education and cultural background than are verbal IQ tests. 
D160 & D80 – These tests measure personality and its malfunctioning. The D-160 considers 
personality factors much like the Sixteen Personality Factor (16PF) Questionnaire, a test which 
measures normal personality characteristics such as introversion, shyness, emotionality, behavioral 
control, etc. The D-80 considers emotional problems and disturbances. It yields scores on dimensions 
which relate to severe behavioral interference with public safety job performance, among others. The 
research literature regarding these instruments is quite extensive. 
All categories of concern and any follow up questions relating to any of the categories will be noted on 
the background investigation final report. 
7. Employment History 
a. Termination - Applicants may not have been terminated for cause from any place of employment 
more than one time within the five-year period preceding the date of application for employment. Any 
applicant having a single termination for cause will not normally be considered for employment. 
However, the facts surrounding the termination will determine applicant's eligibility for employment, and 
the applicant's eligibility will not be based solely on a single termination for cause. 
b. Stable Employment - Applicants should have a stable employment history. Past work performance 
should reflect the individual is, at least, an average employee, with no history of excessive tardiness or 
unexcused absences from work. 
8. Financial Standing 
a. The applicant must not have a pending garnishment or judgment which may cause undue hardship 
while employed with this agency. The Chief of Police may consider the applicant's overall credit history 
when considering eligibility for employment. 
If employment is denied solely on the credit history report, the applicant will first be afforded the 
opportunity to explain any adverse credit history. 
b. Lawsuits - Applicants who are the defendant in any pending lawsuit involving liability or damages will 
have their situation evaluated independently by the hiring authority. Divorces are not included in this 
section. However, garnishment of pay and failure to pay court-ordered child support, will be considered 
by the Chief of Police, and may result in that applicant not being eligible for employment. 
9. Thefts 
a. Felony Thefts - No applicant shall have ever been involved in a theft of a felonious nature. The 
standard for determining the class of the theft shall be the official code of Georgia Annotated, which 
was in effect at the time of the theft. This applies to both detected and undetected thefts. 
b. Misdemeanor Thefts - No applicant shall have been convicted in more than one theft of a 
misdemeanor nature within his lifetime. No applicant can have committed a theft of any type within the 
preceding five (5) years of the initiation of the applicant's hiring process. The applicable official code of 
Georgia Annotated in effect at the time of the commission of the theft will be the determining factor of 
whether or not the theft was of a felony or misdemeanor nature. 
10. Military History 
a. Character of Discharge - Applicants who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States or of 
foreign governments, will not normally be considered with a discharge less than Honorable. However, 
the facts surrounding the discharge are to determine applicant's eligibility for employment, not the 
discharge status itself. Discharges upgraded to Honorable from another status are acceptable. 
b. Disciplinary Actions while in the Military - The military records of applicants must not show a pattern 
of violations under the Uniform Code of Military Justice including punitive judgments or punishments, 
i.e. Article 15, Summary Court Martial, etc. Applicants must have never been convicted by a General or 

Special Court martial. 

11. Gambling Habits 
a. Commercial Gambling - Applicants must not have a history of involvement in commercial gambling, 
bookmaking, loan sharking, or related activities. 
b. Gambling Debts - Applicants must not have current gambling debts owed to any agency, firm, 
organization, or person. 
12. Drug Usage, Possession, or Distribution 
a. Convictions for Drug Related Violations - No applicant may have, in his lifetime, any convictions for 
any type of drug use, possession, sale or involvement. A plea of Nolo Contendere will be considered a 
conviction. A conviction under the First Offender Act will not be a sole reason to deny employment. 
However, any information derived as to the causation, seriousness, or length of time since the 
conviction of the offense will be considered. 
b. Illegal Drug Activity - No applicant may have ever been charged with felony possession of a 
controlled substance deemed illegal at the time of possession, regardless of the intent of disposition of 
the substance. For the purpose of this section, felony possession will be defined by the official code of 
Georgia Annotated in effect at the time of the possession, regardless of where the offense was 
committed. 
c. Use of Marijuana - No applicant shall have used marijuana within a (5) year period immediately prior 
to the date of application. Although experimental usage of marijuana, prior to the age of twenty-one 
(21), will not be the sole reason for disqualifying a candidate, surrounding circumstances, along with 
other facts gathered by the investigator, will be considered to determine eligibility for employment. In 
addition, the applicant's history of use of marijuana shall not display a pattern of abuse as determined 
by the hiring authority. For the purpose of this section, the date of application shall mean the actual 
date the applicant originally applied for employment with the Auburn Police Department. 
d. Other Drug Use - Applicants may not have a history of use, (defined as induction by any means into 
the body), of any substance defined as illegal by the official code of Georgia Annotated at the time of 
use. This is regardless of whether the user (applicant) induced the drug for the purpose of 
experimentation, "getting high", relieving pain, easing anxiety or depression, inducing sleep, increasing 
body mass or strength, or for any other reason, unless the drug was prescribed by a physician and 
intended for medicinal purposes. 
e. Illegal Drug Sales and Distribution - Applicants who have a history of involvement in the selling, 
trading, distributing, growing, transporting, storing, manufacturing, preparing, or possession of any 
substance or drug considered as controlled or illegal in accordance with the official code of Georgia 
Annotated, (which was in effect at the time of the act), are unacceptable. 
13. Upon completion of the background investigation, the Office of Professional Standards’ Investigator 
shall make a determination if the candidate is qualified or unqualified and refer the applicant’s file to the 
Chief of Police. 
14. All applicants for non-sworn positions will complete the same hiring process with the exception of 
the Polygraph and Psychological Evaluation. 
15. Review of Background Investigation by the Chief of Police 
a. The Chief of Police will review the application and background investigation to determine if any 
disqualifying facts or traits have been revealed. 
b. The qualified applicant shall be scheduled for an interview with the Chief of Police. After this 
interview, providing the applicant is not denied employment, he will be approved for further process. 
The OPS will then schedule a psychological examination and drug screen prior to appointment to 
probationary status or conditional offer. Results of these examinations and screenings are retained by 
OPS/CID consistent with the applicable Records Retention Schedule for local governments. 
c. Background Investigations shall be maintained on file for a minimum of five (5) years if not employed. 
If the person is chosen for a position at the police department the background will be retained for the 
duration of the person’s employment. The investigations will be filed in a secure location within the 
Office of Professional Standards. For those applicants selected for employment, the background 
investigation shall remain on file for the entire period of employment. The guidelines set forth as Hiring 
Standards by this agency are not to be considered conclusive. Each applicant’s history/ circumstances 
will be considered after complete review of all information revealed during the background 

investigation. The Chief of Police has discretion to remove any candidate from the assessment/hiring 
process at any phase of consideration. 

16. The Field Training Program is a continuation of the selection process. Based on the employees’ 
prior training, and the needs and resources of the Department, the employee will be assigned to a Field 
Training Officer as soon as possible. 
17. All sworn employees will be on probationary status for six months, initiating upon completion of the 
FTO program. At the conclusion of the probationary period, the officer must be rated satisfactory on the 
performance evaluation. An unsatisfactory rating may constitute grounds for dismissal, or an extension 
of probationary status. The work performance of probationary employees will be evaluated using valid, 
useful, and nondiscriminatory procedures, through quarterly performance evaluations. Performance 
reports contested by a probationary employee will be reviewed by their immediate supervisor. Results 
of the interview will be furnished to the Chief of Police. 
F. Reapplication/Selection of Former Officers 
Applicants who do not make a passing score on all phases of testing/evaluation may re-apply after 90 
days to participate in the application process. An applicant may participate in the reapplication process 
two consecutive times. If the applicant still does not successfully pass all phases of the testing process 
after the 180 days, he is not eligible to reapply until 12 months after their last assessment. 
Any former Auburn Police Department officer, who resigned the department in good standing, may 
reapply for employment. Unless waived by the Chief of Police, the former officer must participate in all 
phases of the hiring process and background investigation. 
A modified background investigation is required for former officers wishing to return within the one-year 
period. The background investigation will include the following steps that are described above: 
1. Verification of qualifying credentials 
2. A review of their criminal history and driver’s history 
3. Verification of at least three personal references 
4. Employment history (since leaving the department) 
5. POST history check 
6. Review of personnel file 
G. Selection Process for Current Civilian Employees 
Any current Auburn Police Department employee, who applies for a sworn position must participate in 
the entire selection process. 
A modified background investigation is required for the civilian employee prior to appointment to a 
sworn position. The background investigation will include the following steps that are described above: 
1. Verification of qualifying credentials 
2. A review of their criminal history and driver’s history 
3. Verification of at least three personal references 
4. POST history check 
5. Review of personnel file 
H. Notification of Ineligibility 
Applicants that are not approved for further consideration in the selection process will be notified in 
writing, either by a representative of the Chief of Police, or by Human Resources. 
I. Position Control 
In accordance with personnel guidelines, no position in the Auburn Police Department can be 
permanently filled unless there is a vacancy in that particular job classification. Permanent positions 
authorized in the current year’s budget cannot be exceeded. Temporary positions may be created on 
an as needed basis, with the approval of the Chief of Police and the City Administrator. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 03-5 Promotions and Appointment Procedures 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 03-5 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/24/2018 
Subject: Promotion/Appointment Procedures 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to establish a valid process identifying eligible candidates and procedures 
for the promotion/appointment process. The Promotional Procedures for the Auburn Police Department 
shall be applicable to all members of the Auburn Police Department. 
II. Policy 
It shall be the policy of the Auburn Police Department to promote all members according to the criteria, 
eligibility, and procedures, directed by the Chief of Police. It is the policy of the Auburn Police 
Department not to deny promotion on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, 
ancestry/ethnicity, handicap, medical condition, pregnancy, disability, marital status, age, sexual 
orientation, or gender. 
III. Administrative Responsibility 
The Chief of Police shall have administrative responsibility for all matters relating to promotional 
procedures of the Police Department with the following exception: 
A designated Lieutenant from the department shall administer all testing, and shall assist, at the 
direction of the Chief of Police, in developing criteria for promotion. The Chief of Police will make the 
final decision in all promotions based on the information compiled or; 
A qualified outside promotional review source or other professional law enforcement agency may 
administer all testing and may assist, at the direction of the Chief of Police, in developing criteria for 
promotion. The Chief of Police will make the final decision in all promotions based on the information 
compiled. 
IV. Definitions 
A. Applicant Employees who assert that they are eligible for promotion or appointment to the rank of 
Police Corporal, Police Sergeant or Police Lieutenant. 
B. Eligible Any applicant certified in writing by the Chief of Police to participate in the applicable 
promotional procedure. 
C. Participant Any employee or non-employee who, upon being certified as eligible by the Chief of 
Police, and engages in any or all of the applicant procedures for the rank for which he has been 
certified as eligible. 
D. Candidate Any participant whose name appears on the promotional list for the rank for which he is 
competing. 
V. General Provisions 
A. It shall be the policy of the Police Department to select only from among the best-qualified 
employees for promotion to positions of greater responsibility. Concurrently, it shall be the policy of the 
Auburn Police Department to administer promotional procedures, based on job related and 
nondiscriminatory criteria, which yield valid and reliable information on which to base promotional 
decisions, and to ensure rigorous and fair competition among all employees eligible for promotion. 
B. Separate eligibility requirements, promotional procedures, promotional rosters, and other provisions 
relating to the ranks of Police Detective, Police Corporal, Police Sergeant or Police Lieutenant are 
specified herein. 
C. In the event of a vacancy, each promotional rank shall have a separate promotional list, which shall 
have a duration or life of the lesser of twelve (12) months or the filling of the vacancy. 
D. The Chief of Police shall fill each promotional vacancy within from a valid promotional list. Provided, 
however, that if a vacancy occurs within the life of a promotional roster, such vacancy or vacancies 

must be filled before the promotional list can lapse. If a vacancy occurs after the expiration of a roster 
and before the establishment of a new list, that vacancy must be filled within (15) fifteen working days 
after the new roster is established. 

E. With respect to the promotional assessment results, candidates who personally participated may 
review their own scores and any summaries upon direct request to the Chief of Police or his designee. 
All promotions shall be probationary, and no officer shall be permanently appointed to a rank until a 
six-month probation period is satisfactorily completed. During the probationary period, the Chief of 
Police may return a candidate to his previous rank without cause. The Chief of Police will conduct an 
oral interview with all candidates prior to placement onto probationary status. 
The purpose of this interview should be to determine if the person being promoted or appointed has a 
true understanding of his new role. 
G. Any candidate who declines a promotion for cause shall do so in writing to the Chief of Police, and 
may be considered at a future time 
H. No promotion shall be made under this promotional procedure when a vacancy occurs in a 
non-budgeted position, except where the candidate for such position is occupying a police assignment 
level equal to or greater in salary than the permanent rank position that is vacant. 
I. Other appeals The right of an employee to challenge any aspect of the administration of the 
promotional procedure which has a direct impact upon his promotional eligibility, is fundamental to any 
equitable system. 
J. Availability of source material No announcement of the beginning of a Police Sergeant's or Police 
Lieutenant's promotional procedure can be made until sufficient reference is made to the source 
material from which written examination questions are to be drawn. It is the candidate’s responsibility to 
secure the material. 
K. The Lieutenant(s) assigned to oversee the promotional process, in consultation with the Chief of 
Police, will assign the predetermined numerical weight to the various phases of the promotional 
process and rank the candidates by numerical order. The Chief of Police shall promote/appoint from the 
top five in the band. When one candidate from the band is promoted, the next eligible candidate in 
order will be placed into the band and so on. 
L. All phases in the promotional/appointment process will be documented and maintained by the 
promotional contest/s administrating lieutenant/s. 
M. All promotion materials will be secured in a locked file cabinet under the control of the Chief of Police 
or his designee. 
VI. Rules and Regulations 
A. Promotional Announcements 
The Chief of Police shall cause a written announcement of all promotional and appointment 
proceedings to be posted on the bulletin board of the Police Department. This announcement will 
include the following information: 
1. A concise description of the vacancy; 
2. The salary range and responsibilities of that position; 
3. The necessary skills, knowledge and abilities; 
4. The basic eligibility requirements for the position; 
5. The cut-off date for declaring candidacy, and to whom and how candidacy should be declared; and 
Each eligible candidate will be provided in writing a detailed description of the promotional process to 
include: 
1. The expected duration of the entire process; 
2. Format, length, and duration of any written examinations; 
3. A summary of the purpose of the oral interview; 
4. Cutoff scores on any written and/or oral examinations; 
5. A description of the assessment process; and 
6. The numerical weight assigned to each element of the process. 
B. Promotional Potential 
When evaluating a candidate for promotional potential, the following elements may be considered: 
1. Past ability to supervise others, and/or informal leadership capabilities; 
2. College degree, or a commitment to ongoing education; 

3. Training level of the applicant; 
4. Practical police experience in police skills needed to supervise subordinates; 
5. A review of past disciplinary, performance evaluations, letters of recommendation, surveys, contact 
forms, etc. 
C. Eligibility for Promotion/Appointment 
1. Police Corporal Appointment - To be eligible for the position of Police Corporal, the applicant must 
have two years police experience with at least one of those years at Auburn Police Department. The 
applicant must also be able to successfully complete a Field Training Officer certification class. 
2. Police Sergeant Promotion To be eligible to participate in the promotional procedure for Police 
Sergeant, the applicant must have two years of college, or show a commitment to higher education by 
the time the appointment is made and have a minimum of three years continuous service in law 
enforcement. The officer may not be on probationary status. 
For purposes of computation of service, all applicants who will have completed the third year of such 
service on the date on which the written phase of the Sergeant's promotional procedure is given, shall 
be deemed to have met the length of service requirement. 
3. Police Lieutenant Promotion To be eligible to participate in the promotional procedure for Police 
Lieutenant, the applicant must have a two-year degree, or show a commitment to higher education and 
have a minimum of 12 months service as a Police Sergeant, or in a greater rank. For purposes of 
computation of service, eligible candidates who will have completed the 12th month of such service on 
the date on which the written phase of the Lieutenant's promotional procedure is given shall be deemed 
to have met the length of service. 
D. Appointment Procedures 
The following are components of the Promotional process: 
Written Examination 
Multiple choice written examinations shall be administered consisting of 50 to 100 questions taken from 
the Georgia Criminal Code, Auburn Police Department Policy and Procedures Manual, the Code 
Enforcement Manual, and the city Policy Manual. Written examination scores will not be released to 
participants until the test has been analyzed and any appropriate adjustments by the CID Lieutenant. 
All adjustments arising out of the analysis of the examination shall be specified in a written report and 
shall be made available for review by participants. 
Assessment Lab 
The assessment process may include, but not limited to elements such as oral interviews, in-basket 
exercises, role playing, leaderless group exercises, presentations, etc. 
Additionally, exercises to evaluate independent tasks that determine proficiency in areas such as 
delegation of duties, planning, coordinating, and exercising independent judgment may be 
administered. 
Assessors will not be current or former employees of the Auburn Police Department. 
Essay (at the discretion of the Chief of Police) 
The topic of the essay will be why the candidate feels he/she is qualified for the position and how the 
department will benefit from their leadership skills and abilities. The essay will be 3-5 typed pages, 
Times New Roman, 12-point font, double spaced. Failure to follow these instructions will cause the 
essay to not be counted. Candidates will do their own work and certify they alone are responsible for 
the contents of the essay (excluding documented research material). Writing style may be compared to 
other written exercises. 
The Chief of Police will evaluate the letter of intent, resume’ and essay of each candidate for content, 
writing style, spelling, punctuation, etc., and may award up to twenty (20) points. Variations of the essay 
may become part of any promotional essay at the discretion of the Chief of Police which may include 
reduced essay requirements. 
4. Promotional Review 
A review of position specific documentation will be conducted of the applicant’s work. This review will 
include but is not limited to the following: 
a. Previous annual evaluations 
b. Personnel file information 
c. Training history information 

d. Office of Professional Standards file information 
e. Supervisor journal/documentation 
f. Sick time usage 
g. Disciplinary record if any 
Education, Training, and Experience 
Education 
Some College (at least 45 qtr. hrs.) 5 Points 
Associate Degree 10 Points 
Bachelor’s Degree 20 Points 
Master’s Degree 25 Points 
Training 
Intermediate Certificate 5 Points 
Advanced Certificate 10 Points 
Supervisor Certificate 10 Points 
Management Certificate 10 Points 
Carl Vinson Management Course’s 10 Points 
Command College 10 Points 
FBI National Academy 10 Points 
Law Enforcement Experience 
2-3 Years 6 Points 
4-5 Years 7 Points 
6-7 Years 8 Points 
8-9 Years 10 Points 
10+ Years 13 Points 
Military Experience 10 Points 
E. Lateral Transfers 
Lateral transfers are not considered promotions but do provide employees with opportunities to move 
into specialized positions or to shifts or divisions that may be more desired. Lateral transfers may be 
permitted provided that candidates are eligible for transfer and positions are available. Lateral transfers 
may be utilized for sworn and non- sworn positions at the specialist, managerial, administrative, and 
chief executive levels. When qualified personnel are available both within and outside the agency, the 
selection decision should favor agency employees. 
Patrol Division Transfers 
Candidates are eligible for lateral transfers in the Patrol Division among shifts if they are in 
non-probationary status and provided that they are currently in the same job class and a position is 
vacant. 
All transfer requests will be reviewed in light of the department’s need for equal distribution of 
experience on shifts. All requests for Patrol Division transfers should be made in writing to the Division 
Commander with copies to the effected Patrol Supervisors. The Patrol Supervisors affected by the 
request shall meet and make a recommendation regarding approval or denial of the request to the 
Division Commander. 
Investigative, and Support Services Division Transfers. 
Candidates are eligible for transfer into the Investigative Division and Support Services Division if they 
are in a non-probationary status and have two years of work experience as a sworn officer and are in 
the same job class or position that is vacant. Probationary status may be waived if the number of 
suitable candidates is not found. 
E. Effects of Disciplinary Action 
The Chief of Police shall review each candidate on a case-by-case basis and state his findings in 
writing in the event of removing a candidate from the process because of previous disciplinary action. 
F. Retention Requirements 
All documentation from the oral portion of the examinations will be maintained by the Chief of Police or 
designee. The documentation will be maintained in a secure location at the discretion of the Chief of 
Police. Testing instruments, questionnaires, and other promotional materials will be securely 
maintained collaboratively by the Chief of Police, and/or designated department members. Security of 

this material will be maintained within secured physical storage areas or within adequately password 
protected computer files. 

G. Reapplication for Promotion 
Any person that meets the criteria for promotion to the position he is seeking, may reapply and be 
reevaluated upon the next posting of an announcement for the position. This applies even if the 
candidate did not achieve the cut-off score. 
H. Annual Review 
The Chief of Police, or his designee, and Director of Human Resources shall annually review, evaluate, 
and recommend such changes as may be needed considering the totality of circumstances. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 03-9 Planning and Research 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 03-9 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/24/2018 
Subject: Planning and Research 

I. Purpose 
Planning and Research is a function of the Chief of Police and shall provide the Auburn Police 
Department with guidance and direction for existing and future operations within the Auburn Police 
Department. Employees assigned planning and research functions will accomplish these functions on a 
part time basis and have ready access to the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police shall ensure that 
assigned employees have access to resources (information, personnel, and material) needed to 
complete the assignment. 
II. Policy and Procedure 
Planning and research is important for developing, updating, and analyzing the future strategies in law 
enforcement for the police department. Planning and research shall be the source of information and 
the focal point for budget developments, forms control, strategic operational planning, and information 
management. Planning proposals shall emanate from the individual officers and/or from units within the 
Auburn Police Department. 
A. Areas of Responsibility 
Many areas of responsibility for the Planning and Research function to consider are: 
1. Analysis, identification, and recommendation for new or replacement equipment and supplies; 
2. Maintenance and distribution analysis and records for all office supplies, uniform items, and 
equipment; 
3. Quality control and economic analysis for all major equipment (vehicles, lights, radios, desks, 
buildings, etc.); 
4. Data compilation for special projects as directed by the Chief of Police; 
5. Conduct studies and apply for grant monies available to law enforcement agencies; 
6. Assist with grant management at the division level; 
7. Monitor progress of Department goals and objectives; 
8. Document maintenance and revisions; 
9. Analysis and recommendations of efficiency and effectiveness of personnel with regard to integrity, 
training, morale, supervision, allocations; and 
10. Liaison between Auburn Police Department and outside agencies to obtain data regarding 
procedural and equipment effectiveness for recommendation to the Chief of Police; 
13. Research and conduct studies for implementation of new police technology and products; 
14. Make recommendations for long term goals relating to service and departmental needs. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 03-10 Employee Evaluations 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operation Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 3-10 
Effective Date: March 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/27/2018 
Subject: Employee Performance Evaluation 
Purpose: To establish criteria and procedures for the in-house performance evaluation of police 
department personnel; to inform employees how well they are performing their work; and how they can 
improve their work performance in adition to identifying areas of improvment. 
Policy: It shall be the policy of the Auburn Police Department to improve individual performance by 
identifying and measuring strong and weak points of employees, recording evaluations in objective 
terms, encouraging officers in their work, and giving constructive counsel to them concerning their 
shortcomings. 
Employee Performance Evaluation 
On original appointment to the position of police officer, the field-training officer shall evaluate 
probationary personnel weekly for up to twelve weeks. The field training officer should point out 
strengths and weaknesses to the employee and direct him toward improvement. After twelve weeks, 
probationary personnel will be evaluated quarterly by their supervisor until the probation period is 
completed. Civilian personnel will be evaluated quarterly by their immediate supervisor. The supervisor 
shall complete an evaluation form at the end of the probation period. All monthly evaluations will be the 
responsibility of the Uniform Patrol Division Commander to whom the probationary employee is 
assigned. The evaluations will be forwarded to the Department Training Officer for filing in the 
employees training files. 

1. Performance Evaluation Objectives 
1.1. To allow for fair and impartial personnel decisions. 
1.2. To maintain and improve performance. 
1.3. To provide a medium for personnel counseling. 
1.4. To facilitate proper decisions regarding probationary employees. 
1.5. To identify training needs. 
1.6. To provide a fair and objective means for recognition and measurement of individual performance 
in accordance with prescribed guidelines. 
2. Procedures 
2.1. A performance evaluation shall be completed annually on each regular employee by the 
employee’s immediate supervisor and on approved evaluation form. It is the policy of this department to 
provide training to all supervisors concerning the evaluation of employees. The evaluation shall be 
based only on performance during the specific period listed on the evaluation form and for the specific 
assignment of the employee during the rating period. 
2.2. New employees will be evaluated on at least a quarterly basis while on probationary status. 
2.3. Performance evaluation reports shall be maintained in the personnel file of the employee. A copy 
of the evaluation will be given to the employee. 
2.4. The Chief of Police, or his designee, shall make an annual review of the performance appraisal 
system to determine how well the system functions. 
3. The Evaluation Process 
3.1. It shall be the responsibility of each rating supervisor or field training officer to counsel each 
employee upon appointment of the following: 
3.1.1. The result of the evaluation just completed 
3.1.2. The level of performance expected. 
3.1.3. Career counseling relative to such topics as advancement, specialization, or training appropriate 
for the employee’s position. 
3.1.4. Reinforcement of departmental values. 

3.2. If, during the rating period for non-probationary personnel, the rating supervisor determines that an 
employee’s performance is unsatisfactory, he shall submit a written notice to the employee. The notice 
shall contain the specific areas to be corrected and shall be given at least 90 days prior to the end of 
the rating period. 
3.3. Field training officers shall refer to the Field Training Officer’s Program Outline and Instruction 
Booklet for evaluation criteria, instructions for use of forms and other useful information. 
3.4. Whenever a rating supervisor gives an employee an outstanding (5) or an unsatisfactory rating 
(below 3), he shall make a narrative comment on the evaluation form giving the specific reason(s) for 
the rating. 
3.5. When the evaluation form is completed, the rater’s supervisor shall review and sign the report. Any 
disagreement shall be resolved before the interview with the employee. 
3.6. All supervisors that are raters shall be evaluated by the division commander regarding their ability 
to do proper performance evaluations. Factors included are: 
• The fairness and impartiality of rating given to subordinates, 
• Their participation in counseling and guidance for rated employees, 
• The rater's ability to carry out their role in the performance evaluation process. 
4. Police Evaluation Form 
4.1. The Auburn Police Employee Performance Evaluation Form shall be used for all police department 
personnel. Performance measurement and rating definitions are included on this form and will be 
reviewed by all raters prior to use. 
4.2. The rater shall complete the form in its entirety by placing a check mark by the box that most 
accurately corresponds with the level of performance related to the following topics: 
4.2.1. Police Officer / Civilian Employee: Job Knowledge, Quality of Work, Quantity of Work, Reliability, 
Initiative and Creativity, Judgement, Cooperation, and Attendance. 
4.2.2. Supervisor: Job Knowledge, Quality of Work, Quantity of Work, Reliability, Initiative and 
Creativity, Judgement, Cooperation, Attendance, Planning and Organization, Directing and Controlling, 
and Decision Making, 
Each check box denotes a numerical score ranging from 1 through 5 and corresponds directly with a 
content description of the numbers value. Once a numerical value is assigned to each rating topic, an 
overall score is achieved by dividing the total numerical score by the number of rated topics (see 4.2.1 
and 4.2.2). 
4.3 As previously mentioned, whenever a rating supervisor / Field Training Officer gives an employee 
an outstanding (5) or an unsatisfactory rating (below 3), he shall make a narrative comment on the 
evaluation form giving the specific reason(s) for the rating. These comments are to be placed in the 
section marked, “Managerial comments” in the following manner: 
4.3.1. For comments that convey superior performance (5), place this narrative in the section marked, 
“Noteworthy strong areas of present performance.” 
4.3.2. For comments that describe areas that need to be improved (below 3), place this narrative in the 
section marked, “Areas requiring improvement in job performance.” 
4.4. After the form has been completed, the rater will schedule a time where they can review the 
evaluation with the affected employee. A secure and quiet environment, free from distraction will be 
chosen for the review. Upon completion of the review, the rater will provide the employee a chance to 
provide verbal or written input on their evaluation in the space marked, “Employee comments.” 
4.5. If during the evaluation of an employee a developmental plan is formulated, this plan will be written 
under the appropriate comments section (“Developmental plan”). If no previous plan was implemented 
during the preceding evaluation, this section can be labeled with “N/A.” A developmental plan is created 
for an employee who receives an unsatisfactory rating explaining what steps the employee must take to 
remedy the deficiency prior to the next evaluation period. 
4.6. Once the evaluation is completed, both the author of the evaluation and employee will sign and 
date the form. A copy will be provided to the employee and the original placed in the employee’s 
personnel file. All employee evaluations will be reviewed by the Chief of Police before a final copy is 
placed in the employee’s file. 
Appendix A (Officers and Civilians) 
Job Knowledge: 

Distinguished ( 5 ) - expert in job, has thorough grasp of all phases of job 
Commendable ( 4 ) - Very well informed, seldom requires assistance and instruction 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) - satisfactory job knowledge, understands and performs most phases of job well, 
occasionally requires assistance or instruction 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) - limited knowledge of job, further training required frequently requires 
assistance or instruction 
Marginal ( 1 ) - lacks knowledge to perform job properly 
Quality of work: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) - highest quality possible, final job virtually perfect 
Commendable ( 4 ) - quality above average with few errors and mistakes 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) - quality very satisfactory, usually produces error free work 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) - room for improvement, frequent errors, work requires checking 
Marginal ( 1 ) - excessive errors and mistakes, very poor quality 
Quantity of work: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) - high volume producer, always does more than is expected or required 
Commendable ( 4 ) - produces more than most, above average 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) - handles a satisfactory volume of work, occasionally does mare than is required 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) - barely acceptable, low output, below average 
Marginal ( 1 ) - extremely low output, not acceptable 
Reliability: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) - highly persistent, always gets the job done on time 
Commendable ( 4 ) - very reliable, above average, usually persists despite difficulties 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) - usually gets the job done on time, works well under pressure 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) - sometimes unreliable, will avoid responsibility, satisfied to do the bare 
minimum 
Marginal ( 1 ) - usually unreliable, does not accept responsibility, gives up easily. 
Initiative and creativity: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) - displays unusual drive and perseverance, anticipates needed actions, frequently 
suggests better ways of doing things 
Commendable ( 4 ) - self-starter, proceeds on own with little or no direction, progressive, makes some 
suggestions for improvement 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) - very good performance, shows initiative in completing task 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) - does not proceed on own, waits for direction, routine worker 
Marginal ( 1 ) - lacks initiative, less than satisfactory performance 
Judgement: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) – uses exceptionally good judgement when analyzing facts and solving problems 
Commendable ( 4 ) – above average judgement, thinking is very mature and sound 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) – handles most situations very well and makes sound decisions under normal 
circumstances 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) – uses questionable judgement at times, room for improvement 
Marginal ( 1 ) - uses poor judgement when dealing with people and situations 
Cooperation: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) – extremely cooperative, stimulates teamwork and good attitude with others 
Commendable ( 4 ) – goes out of the way to cooperate and get along 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) – cooperative, gets along well with others 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) – indifferent, makes little effort to cooperate or is disruptive to the overall 
group or department 
Marginal ( 1 ) - negative and difficult to get along with 
Attendance: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) – always regular and prompt, perfect attendance, absent only in rare emergencies 
Commendable ( 4 ) – very prompt and regular in attendance, above average, pre-planned absences 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) – usually present and on time, normally pre-planned absences 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) – lax in attendance and/or reporting on time, improvement needed to meet 
required standards 


Marginal ( 1 ) - often absent without sufficient reason and/or frequently reports to work late or leaves 
early 
Appendix B (Supervisors) 
Job Knowledge: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) - expert in job, has thorough grasp of all phases of job 
Commendable ( 4 ) - Very well informed, seldom requires assistance and instruction 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) - satisfactory job knowledge, understands and performs most phases of job well, 
occasionally requires assistance or instruction 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) - limited knowledge of job, further training required frequently requires 
assistance or instruction 
Marginal ( 1 ) - lacks knowledge to perform job properly 
Quality of work: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) - highest quality possible, final job virtually perfect 
Commendable ( 4 ) - quality above average with few errors and mistakes 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) - quality very satisfactory, usually produces error free work 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) - room for improvement, frequent errors, work requires checking 
Marginal ( 1 ) - excessive errors and mistakes, very poor quality 
Quantity of work: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) - high volume producer, always does more than is expected or required 
Commendable ( 4 ) - produces more than most, above average 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) - handles a satisfactory volume of work, occasionally does mare than is required 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) - barely acceptable, low output, below average 
Marginal ( 1 ) - extremely low output, not acceptable 
Reliability: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) - highly persistent, always gets the job done on time 
Commendable ( 4 ) - very reliable, above average, usually persists despite difficulties 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) - usually gets the job done on time, works well under pressure 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) - sometimes unreliable, will avoid responsibility, satisfied to do the bare 
minimum 
Marginal ( 1 ) - usually unreliable, does not accept responsibility, gives up easily. 
Initiative and creativity: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) - displays unusual drive and perseverance, anticipates needed actions, frequently 
suggests better ways of doing things 
Commendable ( 4 ) - self-starter, proceeds on own with little or no direction, progressive, makes some 
suggestions for improvement 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) - very good performance, shows initiative in completing task 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) - does not proceed on own, waits for direction, routine worker 
Marginal ( 1 ) - lacks initiative, less than satisfactory performance 
Judgement: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) – uses exceptionally good judgement when analyzing facts and solving problems 
Commendable ( 4 ) – above average judgement, thinking is very mature and sound 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) – handles most situations very well and makes sound decisions under normal 
circumstances 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) – uses questionable judgement at times, room for improvement 
Marginal ( 1 ) - uses poor judgement when dealing with people and situations 
Cooperation: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) – extremely cooperative, stimulates teamwork and good attitude with others 
Commendable ( 4 ) – goes out of the way to cooperate and get along 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) – cooperative, gets along well with others 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) – indifferent, makes little effort to cooperate or is disruptive to the overall 
group or department 
Marginal ( 1 ) - negative and difficult to get along with 
Attendance: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) – always regular and prompt, perfect attendance, absent only in rare emergencies 


Commendable ( 4 ) – very prompt and regular in attendance, above average, pre-planned absences 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) – usually present and on time, normally pre-planned absences 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) – lax in attendance and/or reporting on time, improvement needed to meet 
required standards 
Marginal ( 1 ) - often absent without sufficient reason and/or frequently reports to work late or leaves 
early 
Planning and organizing: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) – exceptionally good planning and organizing skills, conscientious 
Commendable ( 4 ) – above average planning and organizing. Usually carries out assignments 
conscientiously 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) – average planning and organizing. Occasionally requires assistance 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) – room for improvement, frequently requires assistance 
Marginal ( 1 ) - unacceptable planning and organizing skills 
Directing and controlling: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) – exceptional leader, others look up to this employee 
Commendable ( 4 ) – above average, usually, but not always motivational 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) – average, sometimes needs to be reminded of leadership role 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) – needs to improve motivational and teamwork skills 
Marginal ( 1 ) - unacceptable directing and controlling skills 
Decision making: 
Distinguished ( 5 ) – exceptional decision-making abilities. Decisions are made in a timely manner 
Commendable ( 4 ) – above average decision-making abilities, usually makes sound and timely 
decisions 
Fully satisfactory ( 3 ) – average, sometimes requires assistance in making decision 
Needs improvement ( 2 ) – needs to improve decision making and/or timeliness of decision 
Marginal ( 1 ) - unacceptable decisions and/or timeliness 


Chapter 04 Training 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 04 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/24/2018 
Subject: Training 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that state and departmental training requirements are met, and 
to efficiently and effectively accomplish departmental tasks through better trained, more professional 
personnel. 
II. Administration of the Training Program 
A. Training Support 
Support shall be made available to implement the training program. At a minimum this support shall 
include: 
1. Training aids and resource materials. 
2. Approved training related expenses. 
3. Adequate manpower to allow scheduling of training. 
B. Training Supervisor 
The training function of the Department shall be coordinated through the Training Supervisor. The 
Training Supervisor shall have the responsibility and authority to carry out approved training functions. 
The Training Supervisor will ensure that all full-time instructors have attained instructor certification 
prior to taking on responsibilities as an instructor. He/she will ensure that the instructor training is 
constantly updated and meets the specific needs of the Department. All full-time instructors will be 
P.O.S.T certified. The Training Supervisor will make recommendations to the Chief of Police, via the 
Chain of Command, relating to the numbers of full-time and part-time instructors, and the types of 
instructor certifications needed to meet the goals of the Auburn Police Department. Activities assigned 
to this position also include: 
1. Assessing training needs. 
2. Implementing/coordinating training programs. 
3. Developing and testing new training formats. 
4. Scheduling training and notifying staff. 
5. Conducting program evaluation/validation. 
6. Maintaining training records. 
7. Keeping apprised of, and scheduling training within the requirements for law enforcement personnel 
as set forth by Georgia Public Safety Training Center (G.P.S.T.C), applicable law, and departmental 
policy. 
8. Using National, State, and Local resources in developing and providing staff training. 
9. Developing and maintaining an in-service, in-house training program to address specific needs of the 
agency, and to ensure those skills requiring qualification and re-qualification are kept current. 
10. Ensuring that training records remain current, complete, and accurate. 
11. Providing a general orientation to new sworn personnel prior to duty assignment. 
12. Providing a general orientation to new civilian personnel within the specified time noted herein. 
13. Selecting appropriate personnel for instructor certification training. 
14. The Training Supervisor shall place documentation of training successfully completed in each 
employee's file and update the computer database to reflect the training. 
15. Maintain records of each in-service class instructed, to include: 
a. Course content (lesson plans) 
b. Name of agency attendees 
c. Performance of individual attendees as measured by tests, if administered 

C. Trainer Responsibilities 
In addition to attending and successfully completing the Instructor Training Course at GPSTC, or an 
equivalent course at a location approved by the Training Supervisor, trainers shall be responsible for 
the following: 
1. Researching and developing lesson plans to meet the training curriculum as assigned by the 
Training Supervisor. A lesson plan will be required for all training courses conducted by the agency, to 
include: 
a. A statement of performance and job-related objectives. 
b. The content of the training and specification of the appropriate instructional techniques. 
c. Approval of all lesson plans by the Training Supervisor, prior to being used. 
d. Identification of any tests and evaluation techniques used in the training process. 
2. Ensure compliance with all GPSTC regulations and approved training, to include: 
a. Attendance 
b. Lesson plan format as taught and approved at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center. 
c. Testing and/or a practical exercise for classes of a high liability nature, and/or to enhance the 
learning process as determined by the Training Supervisor. 
d. Trainers will submit all new or revised lesson plans to the Training Supervisor for approval. 
e. Giving requirements for all classes at the beginning of the class (i.e. testing requirement). 
f. Attending various schools to maintain a high standard, and to keep abreast of changes in law, 
criminal procedures, etc. 
This agency recognizes the sizeable investment made with sending officers to Instructor Training 
School and Specialized Training events. These events are designed to allow local instructors the 
opportunity to bring new teaching resources to this agency. Officers who are in an approved instructor 
status will be provided time necessary to draft lesson plans to be later utilized by the Auburn Police 
Department. Training literature developed by Department instructors, will constitute proprietary 
resources to this agency, and will be available as a training resource for future needs. 
D. Trainee Responsibilities 
Trainees shall be responsible for the following: 
1. Reporting to training on the proper date and time assigned by the Training Supervisor or the trainee’s 
supervisor. 
2. Bringing all necessary equipment required in good operating condition for the class. 
3. Remaining attentive in class and maintaining notes. 
4. Meeting the required standard on all training courses or repeat the class and test at the direction of 
the Training Officer. 
5. Complying with other GPSTC requirements pertaining to signing of rosters, C-12's, testing, etc. 
6. Officers should forward a copy of their proof of successful course completion to the Department 
Training Officer so that his training record can be updated. 
E. Validation of Training 
Validation of departmental training programs shall be completed prior to allowing or mandating 
attendance of employees. Validity is typically established by meeting the following criteria: 
1. The training programs shall be based on job related topics as deemed relevant by the Training 
Supervisor, in consult with the Chief of Police and other department members. 
2. The content of training programs shall be clearly stated in written lesson plan format. 
3. The student's ability to comprehend and learn shall be established through testing, which relies on 
the measurement of quantifiable performance objectives. 
4. The instructor shall be qualified in terms of detailed subject knowledge and experience, as well as 
the ability to effectively deliver information. 
F. Professional Development 
Professional development is encouraged at all levels of the organization. Administrators, Managers, 
and Supervisors shall attend professional meetings, seminars and similar work-related activities. This 
will enable them to stay abreast of current management techniques, trends and litigation, which impact 
Department operations. 
III. Employee Training 
A. Basic Mandate Training 

Georgia law (OCGA Sec. 35-8-9) mandates that before any person may act in the capacity of a police 
officer, he must first attend a state-operated, or other approved facility, and successfully complete the 
Basic Training course. The Auburn Police Department does not operate a police academy but may use 
any of the Georgia Public Safety Training Center’s (G.P.S.T.C) Regional Police Academies at no cost 
to this agency. The GPSTC Regional Police Academy (Athens) should be used if circumstances permit. 

1. The Chief of Police may authorize any instructor-certified Auburn Police officer to instruct at the 
Regional Police Academy as the need arises. The Auburn Police Department or officer assigned to 
instruct, will receive no compensation for instructing. The Auburn Police Department recognizes that 
the Police Academy operates under the direction and is under the control of state government agencies 
and allows officers to instruct using the methods and subject matter at the discretion and direction of 
the Police Academy Director. Liability for negligence on the part of any officer from the Auburn Police 
Department is assumed by the Police Academy. 
B. Orientation Training 
Orientation training shall provide new employees knowledge and understanding of the following: 
l. Their job description. 
2. Organizational structure and chain of command. 
3. The agency’s role, purpose, goals, policies and procedures, and rules and regulations. 
4. Layout and organization of their jurisdictional area. 
5. Legal basis and scope of authority. 
6. Certification with department-issued weapons (sworn only). 
Any pertinent information needed to perform job tasks. 
8. Responsibilities and rights of employees. 
9. Working conditions, rules and regulations. 
10. Complaint procedures. 
11. The Certification/Accreditation Process. 
12. Interaction with persons suspected of suffering from mental illness. 
All new full and part-time personnel will participate in a general orientation to familiarize them with the 
Department. Newly hired P.O.S.T certified or non-sworn personnel, will receive this Basic Orientation 
prior to, or within 30 days of employment. New employees attending the Academy will receive this 
training no later than 30 days following graduation from the Basic Academy. During orientation, each 
employee will become knowledgeable with the departmental policy and procedure manual. 
C. Field Training Program (Patrol Officer) 
The Department shall maintain a Field Training Program. The program shall include a formal selection 
and training process for Field Training Officers (FTO). Officers may be selected as an FTO, but will not 
be allowed to train recruit officers until the successful completion of a Field Training Course approved 
by the Training Officer and certified by P.O.S.T. In the even a certified FTO is not available to train, the 
Uniform Division Commander will appoint a Supervisor for this task until a certified FTO can be 
assigned: 
1. The Field Training Program shall come under review of the Patrol Commander to ensure consistency 
and quality. 
2. The designated FTO Coordinator, shall be responsible for the administration of the program and will 
make recommendations regarding training, forms, retention/termination, etc. to the Chief of Police. 
3. The Field Training Program will be governed in accordance with the Field Training Manual, and any 
field training material approved by the Chief of Police, or his designee. The curriculum shall be based 
on tasks of the most frequent assignment associated duties of officers assigned to the patrol function. 
Evaluation techniques shall be utilized that measure competency in the required knowledge, skills, and 
abilities. 
D. Training Program for Other Assignments 
On the job training shall also be required for the following positions: 
1. Lieutenants 
2. Sergeants 
3. Detectives 
4. Support Clerks 
5. Administrative Assistants/Secretaries 

6. Code Enforcement personnel 
Trainers should be selected that possess a good attitude toward their job and the Police Department, 
extensive experience in the tasks they are assigned, and an employee that is good with interacting with 
people. The trainer shall update the Patrol Commander concerning the progress of the trainee and 
inform the Patrol Commander immediately if a problem arises. The Patrol Commander shall make a 
recommendation to the Chief of Police, to terminate or continue the training for new employees; or 
extend the training, or transfer existing employees, based on the employee’s response to training. 
E. In-Service Training 
In-service training shall provide employees with continuous and ongoing instruction designed to 
enhance, refresh, and update job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities. Any sworn officer not 
receiving the minimum twenty (20) hours of training as required by OCGA 35-8-21 during any calendar 
year will be terminated, unless a waiver is submitted to and approved by P.O.S.T. It is the responsibility 
of the officer to review their training record to ensure that the required number of annual training hours 
is obtained. The Training Unit Supervisor will review the records at the end of each calendar year and 
report any officers who fail to obtain the minimum required training. Failure to achieve the minimum 
requirements will result in the officer being removed from enforcement duties per P.O.S.T 
requirements. The Training Supervisor shall ensure that in-service training is scheduled for non-sworn 
employees. The non-sworn employee positions requiring in-service training are Support clerks, 
secretaries. 
F. Roll-Call Training 
The Patrol Commander and Training Supervisor shall establish and develop a roll call training program 
for the Department. The goal of this training is to keep officers apprised of changes in the law, policy, 
procedure, and other Departmental matters. 
G. Advanced/Specialized Training 
All employees at all levels of the organization may apply for advanced/specialized training using the 
Departmental Training Request Form. Requests shall be submitted through the Chain of Command for 
approval. If a request is denied, an explanation shall be provided to the requesting officer. 
As employees are promoted, or transferred to other units within the Department, the employee shall 
receive training that is necessary for the position. The following training will be provided to Police 
Department personnel: 
1. Development and/or enhancement of the skills, knowledge and abilities particular to the 
specialization. 
2. Management, administration, supervision, personnel policies, and support services of the function or 
component. 
3. Supervised on-the-job training. 
Personnel completing advanced/specialized training may be reassigned to meet Departmental needs 
as specified by the Chief of Police. Application of, and participation in, advanced/specialized training is 
voluntary; however, certain specialized assignments require specialized training for the performance of 
assigned duties. Personnel unwilling to attend such training shall be denied reassignment. The 
following positions and functions require the described specialized training: 
1. Crime Scene Technician – Patrol officers and detectives assigned to this position (serving in this 
capacity) will receive training in the processing of crime scenes for latent prints and DNA evidence and 
training in photography. 
2. Child Abuse Investigator – training that addresses interviewing and report writing techniques, dealing 
with child victims of child abuse, dealing with child victims of physical neglect and abuse, familiarity with 
the use of anatomical correct dolls/drawings, and the use of taping and recording devices. 
3. D.A.R.E. – Officers assigned to this position must complete the initial D.A.R.E. certification training 
course (80 hours) as authorized by D.A.R.E. America. D.A.R.E. officers will receive on-going training as 
deemed necessary by the D.A.R.E./SRO Unit Coordinator on topics relating to their specialized 
assignment. 
4. SRO – Officers assigned to this position must complete the Basic School Resource Officer 
Certification Course as offered through G.P.S.T.C and recognized by P.O.S.T. within twelve months of 
appointment. SRO officers will receive on-going training as deemed necessary by the D.A.R.E./SRO 
Unit Coordinator on topics relating to their specialized assignment. 

5. Field training Officer – Assigned Field Training Officers will complete a Field Training Course 
approved by the Training Supervisor and certified by P.O.S.T. 
6. Bike Patrol Officer - Officers will be required to meet standards and training set forth by GPSTC 
bicycle officer course and successfully pass said course. 
7. General Instructor – P.O.S.T certified instructor course. 
Internal Investigator – Training in conducting internal investigations and background investigations for 
applicants. 
Accreditation/Certification Manager - shall receive specialized Accreditation and Certification Manager 
training within one year of being appointed to the position. 
10. Traffic Officer – Must successfully complete training in Advanced Traffic Laws, Radar certification, 
Intoxilyzer operation, and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing. 
All advanced/specialized training will be assigned and/or approved based on the following criteria, in 
order: 
1. Needs of Department - Will the training help the Department meet its goals? 
2. Request of officers. 
Auburn Police Management personnel reserve the right to assign or re-assign officers to attend training 
as deemed necessary. Advanced/specialized training will not be in lieu of in-service training. 
H. Remedial Training 
Remedial training is intended to correct a specific deficiency, which is usually identified either by 
testing, routine observation of work product, during training, by a supervisor evaluating an employee 
during routine job performance, or other evaluation methods. 
Agency management and supervisors who recognize that a particular employee needs remedial 
training should arrange to schedule training for the employee as soon as possible. 
Remedial training for firearms qualification is specified later in this policy. 
The time table under which remedial training will be provided will be determined based on the type of 
deficiency and any recommendations made by supervisory personnel. 
Students will be advised of the consequences of their failure to participate in remedial training or their 
failure to meet the minimum requirements of testing for the course. 
All supervisory personnel should recognize and utilize the effectiveness of Remedial Training in the 
disciplinary process. The need for Remedial Training is best reflected in the performance evaluation 
system. All Remedial Training should be completed within the twelve (12) month period of performance 
evaluation. The criteria which should be utilized to determine the need for Remedial Training should be 
as follows: 
The officer displays a lack of knowledge in a specific area of required police activity. 
The officer displays a lack of skill in a specific area of required police activity. 
The officer displays a lack of ability in a specific area of required police activity. 
The officer displays a high level of interest in a particular area of required police activity; but lacks the 
basic knowledge necessary for improvements in that area. 
Each and every sworn and certified officer of the Auburn Police Department is required to qualify in 
certain critical skills, such as the proper use of their service pistol and the safe operation of their 
emergency vehicle. Other frequently utilized skills are report writing, interpersonal communication, 
resolving of conflicts, new statutory law and legal updates and decision making. Whenever the officer 
displays that he is lacking any of the above skills then it is imperative that corrective action be taken. 
Such corrective action should involve remedial training. 
IV. Training Attendance and Documentation 
Frequently changing laws and community profiles create a need for constant updating. Recent court 
action has served to emphasize this and reinforce the need for training of law enforcement personnel. 
When the failure to train reflects a "deliberate" or "conscious" choice by the law enforcement agency or 
the local government, the basic requirement for liability under Title 42 Section 1983 may be 
established. 
For reference see City of Canton, Ohio v. Harris 57 U.S.L.W. 4270. (February 28, 1989). 
Mere access to training alone is insufficient; training must be utilized. No training program can be 
successful without the support of the department and the participation of its employees. In order to 
ensure the participation of Departmental employees, the following procedures shall be followed. 

A. Scheduling of In-Service Training 
Scheduling and notification of training shall be completed on a regular and predictable basis, which 
allows instructors and students to plan and prepare properly. Notification of classes shall be in writing 
and shall be forwarded in the following manner: 
1. All notifications shall originate from the Training Supervisor. Any employee conducting training must 
schedule the training through the Training Supervisor. Documentation of training conducted by any 
employee shall be forwarded to the Training Supervisor to ensure proper processing. Training notices 
will be disseminated to all supervisory personnel and placed on a designated “training” bulletin board 
within the Police Department. 
2. All personnel will be notified on proper dress for in-service training. 
The Training Supervisor will submit a four-month in-service training plan in January, May, and 
September of each year. The Training Supervisor will ensure that policy and statutory mandated 
training, as well as those topics needed based on the job task analysis, are included in the training 
plan. 
B. Failure to Attend Training 
In the event an employee, through their own actions, cannot attend a training class, either in-house or 
out of house, the following procedure shall be followed: 
1. The employee shall submit written communication through the chain of command to the Chief of 
Police, advising the reasons for his absence prior to the requested date of absence. 
2. The Training Supervisor shall compile a list of those employees who have failed to attend training, 
and forward this list to the Chief of Police, Section Commanders, and supervisory personnel within 
seven days of the last makeup date if one is scheduled. 
3. Employees failing to attend training or failing to attend training on their assigned training date without 
good cause, shall be subject to disciplinary action. 
C. High Liability Training 
To ensure that certain topics of a high liability nature and/or topics necessary to the effective operation 
of the Auburn Police Department are addressed through training, certain topics will be mandatory for all 
sworn officers. Those topics will include the following: 
1. Policies on the use of force 
2. Legal updates 
3. Firearms 
4. All agency issued or approved lethal weapons 
5. Sexual Harassment 
6. Victim/Witness rights and responsibilities 
7. Vehicle Pursuits 
8. Juvenile procedures and processing 
9. Ethics 
10. All Hazard Plan 
11. Special Operations/SWAT 
12. Bias Based Profiling 
13. Search and seizure 
14. Transportation and temporary detention of prisoners 
15. Domestic violence/employee 
16. Constitutional and Legal limitations on the Use of Deadly Force 
17. Off Duty Conduct 
18. Property/evidence 
19. Selection and hiring 
20. Citizens complaints/OPS 
21. Dealing with the mentally ill or persons with diminished capacity 
All the above topics must be addressed through in-service training or roll-call training at least once per 
year. Other topics of this nature may be later identified through a job task analysis survey. 
To ensure civilian and part-time employees receive the appropriate pre-service and in-service training 
regarding Departmental procedures, and other areas that would likely impact the employee’s 
assignment, certain topics are mandatory annually for civilian employees. These topics include: 

1. Sexual Harassment 
2. Ethics 
3. Victim/Witness responsibilities 
4. Domestic violence/employee 
5. Off duty conduct 
6. Citizen complaints/OPS 
7. Educational and Promotional Opportunities 
8. Dealing with the mentally ill or persons with diminished capacity 
D. Student Reimbursement 
Students attending training programs in or outside the agency's service area will be reimbursed for 
approved out-of-pocket expenses associated with training and travel in accordance with the city's 
policy. 
E. In-Service Training Records 
Comprehensive training records shall be maintained which document: 
1. Class Roster 
2. Course content and performance objectives (lesson plans) 
3. Testing and/or practical exercise instrument (include copy of test instrument) 
The Training Supervisor shall maintain these records for all Department initiated classes. The Training 
Supervisor shall also verify that the same information is maintained by all training institutions 
employees attend. In the event this information is not maintained, the Training Supervisor shall initiate 
necessary steps to obtain it. 
Training records shall be released only to Departmental personnel with a legitimate need to know, the 
Georgia Peace Officers' Training Council, the employee, and law enforcement agencies conducting 
pre-employment investigations may view or receive copies of records. 
Any other release shall be with subpoena, signed release form, or upon order of the Chief of Police. 
Upon release to anyone outside the agency, a memo shall be sent the employee notifying him of this 
action. 
V. Weapons Training 
Auburn Police Department personnel will not be assigned to positions requiring the carrying of a 
weapon, enforcing the law, or making arrests until the successful completion of P.O.S.T Basic Mandate 
training. In addition to the certification, annually all employees who carry less lethal or lethal weapons 
will receive in-service training on the agency’s use of force policies. 
The issuance and instruction on these policies will be documented by the Training Officer. Only officers 
that demonstrate their proficiency in the use of agency issued weapons will be allowed to carry these 
weapons on or off duty or while working off duty. 
For the purposes of this chapter, weapons will include handguns, long guns, chemical sprays, chemical 
munitions, impact weapons, and other weapons that are authorized for use by sworn officers. 
A. Responsibilities of the Training Supervisor 
The Training Supervisor shall be responsible for implementing firearms qualification programs, 
classroom instruction and remedial training for department personnel. The Training Supervisor shall 
ensure that all weapons proficiency training is conducted by a certified weapons instructor. The 
Training Supervisor will also insure that all weapons proficiency training is documented. 
B. Failure to Qualify with Agency Weapons 
1. Weapons training shall consist of both classroom and practical exercises as determined by the 
Training Supervisor. The Training Supervisor will determine minimum qualifying criteria and develop 
cognitive and/or physical skills testing. 
2. Any Officer that fails to meet the minimum qualifying criteria with an issued weapon, other than a 
Department issued handgun, shall have that weapon taken from him by his immediate supervisor, upon 
written recommendation from the Training Supervisor. 
a. Officers may be relieved from enforcement duties until which time remedial training can be obtained 
from the Auburn Police Department Training Division, or from some other source with the approval of 
the Training Supervisor. 
b. If an officer fails to demonstrate proficiency with an agency issued weapon, other than a Department 
issued handgun, the weapon will not be returned, and the officer is subject to disciplinary action. 

3. Any officer off probationary status that fails to meet minimum qualifying criteria with any Department 
issued handgun, shall be placed in remedial training. 
For remedial training he shall be given opportunities to practice at an approved Firearms Training 
Facility, or department firing range and must meet the minimum qualifying standard within 14 days at 
the direction of a P.O.S.T certified Firearms Instructor assigned by the Training Officer. 
4. Failure to qualify at the end of the 14-day period can result in the officer being terminated at the 
discretion of the Chief of Police. 
5. Officers failing to qualify with the shotgun shall not be issued a shotgun and may face disciplinary 
action. Any officer failing to qualify with a secondary weapon will not be authorized to carry that 
weapon. 
6. Primary Weapon - qualification with the primary weapon will be conducted upon issuance, and then 
annually using any currently accepted P.O.S.T qualification course and target. 
The primary weapon is the weapon issued by the Department and intended for primary use by the 
officer. The primary weapon will be carried when on duty. 
7. Secondary Weapons - qualification with secondary weapons will be conducted before authorization 
to carry and annually afterwards. The ‘Request to Carry a Firearm Not Issued’ form will be completed 
upon qualification, with range officer signing and putting a pass/fail score on the form. The form will 
then be forwarded to the Chief of Police for final approval. 
a. The secondary weapon is a weapon approved for use while on duty as a back-up, or while working in 
an extra duty capacity. When working in uniform, officers must carry the primary weapon. For types and 
specifications of firearms approved for carry see Chapter 10 III (K) Secondary Firearms. 
Any weapon that is carried as the primary weapon, at any time, must be used by the officer for all the 
above training. All firearms training will be documented in accordance with P.O.S.T Standards. The 
Department reserves the right to exceed minimum standards set by P.O.S.T. All officers will be held to 
the higher standard. (Reference: Canton v. Harris and PoPow v. Margate) 
C. Firearms Training 
Firearms training and qualification shall consist of the following: 
1. Classroom instruction in firearms safety and preventive maintenance 
2. Classroom instruction in the legal aspects of firearms use and deadly force 
3. Approved range practice and qualification with the issued/authorized weapon(s) 
4. Approved range practice and qualification with shotgun (if applicable) 
Supplemental classroom instruction or practical exercises will be conducted throughout the calendar 
year to include: 
1. Shooting in limited light conditions 
2. Judgmental shooting 
3. Tactical exercises 
D. Other Weapon Training 
The Training Supervisor shall ensure that all agency personnel authorized to carry weapons are 
required to receive annual in-service training on the agency’s Response to Aggression/Resistance 
policies and demonstrate proficiency with all approved lethal weapons and electronic control weapons 
that the employee is authorized to use. In-service training for other less lethal weapons and 
weaponless control techniques should occur at least biennially. All proficiency training must be 
monitored by a certified Weapons, Tactics, or Taser Instructor. The training and proficiency must be 
documented. Any officers who are unable to qualify with an authorized weapon will receive remedial 
training, in which they must demonstrate proficiency. If the officer is involved in an administrative 
position they may continue their normal duties but will not be allowed to carry their departmental issued 
weapon until they demonstrate proficiency. If, after remedial training, the employee still fails to qualify 
with any weapon other than a departmental issued firearm (such as TASER, baton, pepper spray, etc.) 
the said weapon will be taken from the employee until they are able to demonstrate proficiency. 
The Training Supervisor shall also ensure that a lesson plan is written and updated which contains, at a 
minimum, the following information: 
1. A minimum passing score, or other successfully completed criteria as established by the training 
officer. 
2. Statutory and case law concerning the use of each weapon 

3. Departmental policy concerning the use, care, and carrying of the weapon 
4. Departmental policy on the Response to Aggression/Resistance 
5. Recognized safe handling practices for the weapon 
E. Firing Range Use and Rules 
1. Officers reporting to the range will be directed to unload and reload weapons under the direction of a 
Range Officer. Under no circumstances should anyone attempt to load or unload any weapon in the 
parking lot or in any vehicle. 
2. Range Officers may inspect any weapon for safety, cleanliness, and proper operation, before 
allowing the weapon on the firing line. 
3. Ear and eye protection must be worn at all times while on the firing line. 
4. Only shooters and instructors are allowed on the firing line. 
5. All ammunition and weapons must be approved by the Range Officer. 
6. Shoulder and cross-draw holsters are prohibited. 
7. Metal reactive targets are not to be shot any closer than 10 yards with handguns, 15 yards with 
shotguns. 
8. Shotgun slugs and metal piercing ammunition are prohibited when using metal targets. 
9. All courses and methods of fire must be approved by the Training Supervisor. 
10. Each shooter is responsible for clean-up of his firing position, surrounding area, and returning all 
range equipment to its proper storage area. 
11. Dry firing will be allowed only at the direction of a Range Officer. 
12. Commands coming from the range control area will be followed. 
13. Loaded weapons will not be left unattended on the firing line. 
14. Weapons will be kept in the holster at all times unless otherwise directed by the Range Officer. 
15. Fingers will be kept out of the trigger guard of all weapons until the weapon is on target and the 
shooter is ready to fire. 
16. No one will be allowed forward of the firing line or allowed to pick up items near the firing line until 
the line is declared safe by the Range Officer. 
17. Firing at objects that are not designated as targets is prohibited. 
18. Range Officers will check and clear all weapons before shooters move from the firing line. 
19. Drug and alcohol use is prohibited while on the range and any time prior to reporting to the range if 
the use might cause impairment. 
20. No talking is allowed on the firing line except when conversing with a Range Officer. 
21. Any questions regarding range safety, operation of equipment, and general procedures should be 
directed toward the Range Officer. 
22. All decisions and or orders given by the Range Officer, while on the range, are final. 
23. Any violation of these rules by any Auburn Police Department (APD) employee will result in 
disciplinary action. A violation by any non APD employees may result in removal of the offender from 
the range. 
24. The Training Supervisor may allow other agencies to use the firearms facility. Before approval is 
granted, the Training Supervisor will ensure the requesting agency signs a memorandum of 
understanding that: 
a. The agency will follow the range guidelines 
b. That a certified firearms instructor will be present while the agency is conducting firearms training 
c. The requesting agency is responsible for cleaning up and securing the firearms facility when training 
is completed 
d. The agency is responsible for any damage done to the facility or any equipment within the facility, 
other than what might be done in the regular course of firearms training. The agreement, once signed 
by the agency representative, the Training Supervisor, and the Chief of Police, will remain in effect as 
long as the signing individual is employed at the requesting agency. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 04-01 Field Training Program 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operation Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 04-01 
Effective Date: May 25, 2018 Revised: 05/25/2018 
Review: 09/27/2018 
Subject: Field Training Program 
Purpose: To establish a program for the training and evaluation of newly sworn personnel after the 
completion of the basic peace officer training required by the State of Georgia. 
Policy: It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to hire and train the best-qualified candidates, 
and to use a fair and impartial system for the evaluation of the candidates. 

1. General 
1.1. All entrylevel police officers will, upon completion of the Basic Mandate Program provided by 
P.O.S.T, participate in the Field Training Program that is provided by the department. Officers will not 
be allowed to carry a weapon or be placed in a position where they are likely to be required to make an 
arrest until the completion of the P.O.S.T. Mandate program and they take the Department’s Official 
Oath of Office. 
1.2. New personnel will be issued copies of the City of Auburn’s Personnel Manual and the Auburn 
Police Department’s Administrative and Operations Manuals, and receive training on them, prior to field 
training. 
2. Selection of Field Training Officers 
2.1. Officers with a minimum of three (3) years’ service as a certified law enforcement officer and two 
(2) years continuous service with the Auburn Police Department, after the conclusion of their 
probationary period, will be eligible for consideration as Field Training Officer candidates. The Division 
Commanders will review all eligible officers and submit their recommendations to the Chief of Police, 
based upon a review of the officer's personnel record and past work performance. The Chief of Police 
will select the new F.T.O. after consultation with the Division Commanders. 
2.2. The F.T.O. will receive and successfully complete F.T.O. training and regular inservice training as 
required by P.O.S.T. as offered by the training academy. 
Field Training Program 
3. Field Training Program 
3.1. The Field Training Program includes a curriculum that is based on the most frequent tasks 
performed by police officers, and on the study of general law applicable to the officer. The program 
uses evaluation techniques designed to measure the recruit's competency in required skills, 
knowledge, and abilities. 
3.2. All entry-level police officers shall receive orientation regarding the agency’s role, purpose, goals 
and objectives, policies and procedures. The officer must successfully complete the Georgia POST 
Council Basic Mandate Training Program prior to any routine assignment as a police officer, prior to 
carrying a firearm, prior to wearing a uniform and prior to participating in the Field Training Program. 
3.3. The F.T.O. will evaluate the officer each day and forward copies of the evaluation to the Division 
Commander and Department’s Training Officer. The Department’s Training Officer will maintain a copy 
in the employee’s training records 
3.4. The Auburn Police Department normally uses a twelve (12) week Field Training program, broken 
down as follows: 
3.4.1 Classroom activities, learning policies and procedures under the supervision 
Of the Department Training Officer 
3.4.2 Ontheroad training with an F.T.O. assigned by the Patrol Division Commander. 
3.5. Officers who are hired by the Auburn Police Department must complete this training prior to being 
released on their own as a regular Patrol Officer. Officers hired with prior Police experience, may, 
based on the recommendation of the Department Training Officer, Field Training Officer and Division 
(Patrol) Commander be released earlier from the Field Training Program than the required twelve 

weeks but must complete a minimum of four weeks of the Field Training Program. 

3.6. The shift supervisor for each week will also turn in an evaluation to the Division Commander and 
Training Officer at the end of each week, reflective of the recruit's performance. 
Field Training Program 
The evaluation form is reflective of the duties an officer is required to perform on a routine basis. The 
F.T.O. will rate the recruit on his performance of these activities, with an evaluation of 1 (poor) to 5 
(excellent). 
3.7. Though the Field Training Program is a twelve-week program, the Field Training Officer may make 
a request to the Department’s Training Officer to have an officer’s fields training extended for a period 
of up to four weeks for any reason(s). If, after that extension, the recruit officer still needs more time on 
Field Training, the Department Training Officer may under the direction of the Division Commander 
make any of the following decisions: 
3.7.1. Extend the Field Training for two more weeks; 
3.7.2. Assign a new Field Training Officer to the recruit; 
3.7.3. Terminate Field Training; 
3.7.4. As directed by the Chief of Police. 
3.8. A recruit is on a six-month probationary (probationary period begins the date the employee is 
sworn in) status and may be terminated at any point during the six (6) month probationary period. The 
Chief of Police, with consideration of the F.T.O. reports and the Division Commander 
recommendations, will decide whether the recruit has passed or failed the Field Training Program. 
3.9. Field Training Officers are under direct supervision of the onduty Watch Commander/Shift 
Supervisor for regular patrol assignments and the Department’s Training Officer for training issues. The 
Division Commander is responsible for the direction of the F.T.O. program, and the F.T.O.’s related 
duties and activities. 
3.10. Our F.T.O. program is run in-house and does not involve the Academy. The Academy staff is 
available to answer questions from Field Training Officers as necessary. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 05 Conduct 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 05 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/27/2018 
Subject: Conduct 

I. Purpose 
To define acceptable and unacceptable standards of conduct for employees of the Auburn Police 
Department, to include Internet-based restrictions, to discourage the type of behavior that would have 
the potential to have a negative impact on the public trust of Departmental employees or compromise 
the integrity of the Auburn Police Department. There has been no attempt to describe behavior that is 
all-inclusive, but rather to set guidelines for employees to exercise appropriate discretion governing 
both on and off-duty conduct. 
II. Definition 
Lawful Order - Any order of an employee requiring the performance of certain duties provided it is not 
prescribed by law, departmental rules, and regulations. 
Internet-based – Any computer programs that have originated from an Internet provider. 
III. Rules and Regulations 
A. General 
1. Oath of Honor - Honor, Integrity, and Respect is never betrayed. I will always hold myself and others 
accountable for having the courage to do the right thing. 
2. Commendations - The Department expects a very high level of professional conduct from all 
employees; however, members of the Department frequently perform their duties in a manner 
exceeding the highest standards of the Department. When this occurs, a letter to the Chief of Police 
should be submitted, and the appropriate recognition should follow. 
B. Standards of Conduct 
1. Violation of Law - The violation or attempted violation by an employee of any Federal, State, County, 
or Municipal Law is prohibited. 
2. Insubordination - The failure or refusal, by an officer or other employee, to obey a lawful order 
directed by a superior officer. This will include orders relayed from a superior officer by an officer of the 
same or lesser rank. Insubordination also includes criticism of superior officers and Department 
operations, when such criticism serves to impair the operation of the Department; disrupts harmony 
among co-workers and/or maintenance of discipline by supervisors; and produces inefficiency, 
dissension and/or chaos. In those instances when an employee receives a conflicting order from his 
superior, the responsibility for the order shall lie with the superior officer. Employees who are given an 
otherwise proper order, which is in conflict with a previous order, regulation, directive, or manual, shall 
respectively inform the superior officer issuing the order of the conflict. 
If the superior officer issuing the order does not alter or retract the conflicting order, the order shall 
stand. Under these circumstances, the responsibility shall be on the superior officer. Employees shall 
obey the conflicting order and shall not be held responsible for disobedience of the order previously 
issued. Employees shall not obey any order which they reasonably believe would require them to 
commit any illegal act. If in doubt as to the legality of the order, employees shall request the issuing 
officer to clarify the order or confer with the highest authority. 
3. Possession or Use of Alcohol - Employees shall not purchase, possess, use, or be under the 
influence of, or have the odor on their person, of an alcoholic beverage while in uniform, on duty, or in a 
city owned vehicle, except as required in the line of his official duties. 
4. Employees shall abide by the provision of City of Auburn Personnel Policy Manual, Section 1.11 and 
the City’s Drug Free Workplace Policy outlined in Section 9 of the Personnel Manual. 

5. Payment of Debts - Employees are expected to meet their civil monetary liabilities. In addition, 
employees are not to establish any financial relationships that present a conflict of interest or 
compromises the image of the Department. 
6. Prohibited Association, Frequenting - Except as required for performance of their duties, employees 
of the Department are prohibited from frequenting places that may compromise the officer’s ability to 
perform his or her duties or the Department's image. In addition, except for members of the officer’s 
immediate family (parents, spouse and children), employees shall not associate with persons or 
organizations which would be detrimental to the performance of the officer’s duties or to the image of 
the Department. This includes persons who are known to have been convicted of a felony within the 
last five (5) years or who are under criminal investigation or indictment, or who have an open and 
notorious reputation in the community for felonious activity, drug use, prostitution or gang activity. 
a. Subversive Organizations - No officer or employee shall knowingly become a member of, or be 
connected to, any subversive organization, as defined by the U.S. Department of Justice, except when 
necessary in the performance of duty, and then only under the direction of the Chief of Police. 
b. Allegiance to Organizations – Members of the Department shall refrain from joining or affiliating with 
any organization, association, or group, whose constitution or bylaws in any matter exacts allegiance 
which would prevent a full performance of duty. 
7. Public Criticism - Complaints regarding Departmental operations should be resolved through internal 
grievance procedures. Under no circumstances shall an employee of the Department publicly criticize 
the Department's policies, operations, or staff in a defamatory, obscene, unlawful, or untruthful manner. 
Criticism that tends to impair the operation of the Department by reducing organizational efficiency and 
discipline is also prohibited. 
8. Political Activity – Officers shall be permitted to; (1) register and vote in any election; (2) express 
opinions as individuals privately and publicly on political issues and candidates; (3) attend political 
conventions, rallies, fundraising functions and similar political gatherings; (4) actively engage in any 
nonpartisan political functions; (5) sign political petitions as individuals; (6) make financial contributions 
to political organizations; (7) serve as election judges or clerks or in a similar position to perform 
nonpartisan duties as prescribed by the state or local laws; (8) hold membership in a political party and 
participate in its function to the extent consistent with the law and consistent with this section; (9) 
otherwise participate fully in public affairs, except as provided by law, to the extent that such endeavors 
do not impair the neutral and efficient performance of official duties or create real or apparent conflicts 
of interest. 
Officers, while engaged in the duties of their office, are prohibited from; (1) using their official capacity 
to influence, interfere with or affect the results of an election; (2) assuming active roles in the 
management, organization, or financial activities of partisan political clubs, campaigns, or parties; (3) 
serving as officers of partisan political parties or clubs; (4) soliciting votes in support of, or in opposition 
to, any partisan candidates; (5) serving as delegates to a political party convention; (6) endorsing or 
opposing a partisan candidate for public office in a political advertisement, broadcast, or campaign 
literature; (7) initiating or circulating a partisan nominating petition; (8) organizing, selling tickets to, or 
actively participating in a fund-raising function for a partisan political party or candidate; 
9. Professional Image - Employees of the Department are to work diligently to maintain a professional 
image. Any behavior that would reflect negatively on the Department, or would violate the public trust, 
is prohibited. 
a. Use of cellular phones- Employees shall abide by the provisions of Chapter 19 of this Policy. 
10. Unauthorized Persons in Vehicles - Persons who are not government personnel, prisoners, or on 
official (authorized) business, (with the exception of the provisions outlined in Chapter 12-2 & 16-10), 
are not permitted to ride in Department vehicles, unless the proper "Ride Along" forms have been 
submitted and approved by the Chief of Police. 
11. Altering Records - Stealing, altering, forging or tampering with any police record, report, or citation 
is prohibited. The removal of any record, card, report, letter, document, or other official file from the 
Department, except by process of law, or as directed by the Chief of Police, or a superior, is prohibited. 
Additionally, the obtaining or duplicating, or attempted obtaining, or duplication, of any information from 
Departmental files, sources, or reports, other than that which one is properly entitled in accordance with 
one's duties or assignments, is prohibited. 

12. Absences from Work - Employees shall abide by the provisions of City of Auburn Personnel Policy 
Manual Section 6 regarding attendance, absences and leave. 
13. Residence Telephone and Address - The Department is to maintain a listing of each employee's 
address and telephone number. It is the responsibility of each employee to maintain a home or cellular 
telephone, and to notify the Division Commander, who in turn, will notify the Office of the Chief, of any 
changes in address or telephone number. 
14. Accepting Gifts - Any business establishment that offers discounts for Police Department 
employees, the officer/employee must always offer to pay full price for the item(s) received. If the 
establishment insists upon providing discounts as a business policy, the officer/employee must leave 
the equivalent of half the amount of the full price of the consumable item(s) as a gratuity or charitable 
contribution. 
15. On and Off Duty Conduct - Engaging in conduct on or offduty which adversely affects the morale or 
efficiency of the Department or has a tendency to destroy the confidence and respect of the public for 
the Department is prohibited. 
16. Job Related Gains - Buying, receiving, or selling anything of value from, or to any complainant, 
suspect, witness, defendant, prisoner, or other person involved in any case, is prohibited, except as 
may be specifically authorized by the Chief of Police. 
17. Solicitation of Assistance - Employees are not to solicit anyone to intercede with City/County or 
Department officials regarding Department promotions, assignments, or disciplinary proceedings. 
18. Abandonment of Duty Assignment - Employees are not to leave their duty assignment, unless 
properly relieved or dismissed by a superior officer. 
19. Internal Investigations - Employees are to cooperate with all internal investigations, by answering 
questions truthfully and accurately, responding to lawful orders, presenting materials, and making 
statements. 
20. Participation in Civil Matters - Employees are not to give any deposition, affidavit, or appear as a 
witness in a civil matter stemming from their official duties, without a proper judicial summons, and 
notice to the Chief of Police. 
21. Leaving Municipal Limits - Employees are not to go beyond the city limits while on duty, unless in 
the performance of their duties, or upon the direct order or permission of a superior. 
22. Use of Private Vehicles - Employees are not to use private vehicles or equipment for official 
purposes, unless directed and authorized to do so by a superior officer. 
23. Conformance to Law - Employees shall obey all laws of the United States, and of any state and 
local jurisdiction in which the employees are present. An arrest for the violation of any law shall be 
prima facie evidence of a violation of this section. Findings and disciplinary action by the Department 
under charges for violation of this section shall be independent of any proceedings under criminal law. 
24. Violation of Rules - Employees shall not commit any other acts, or omit any other acts, which 
constitute a violation of any of the rules, regulations, directives, orders, or policies of the Department, 
whether stated in this Operations Manual or elsewhere. Ignorance of the rules, regulations, directives, 
orders, or policies shall not be considered as a justification for any such violations. Employees shall be 
responsible for their own acts, and they shall not shift to others the burden of responsibility for 
executing, or failing to execute, a lawful order or police duty. 
25. Reporting Violation of Laws, Ordinances, Rules or Orders - Officers and employees, knowing that 
they, or other employees, are in violation of laws, ordinances, rules, or orders of the Department, shall 
report same in writing to the Chief of Police through official channels. If the officer or employee believes 
the information is of such gravity that it must be brought to the immediate attention of the Chief of 
Police, the official channels may be bypassed. 
26. Visiting Prohibited Establishments - Employees shall not knowingly visit, enter, or frequent a house 
of prostitution, gambling house, or establishment, wherein the laws of the United States, the State, or 
local jurisdiction are regularly violated, except in the performance of duty, or while acting under proper 
and specific orders from a superior officer. 
27. Abuse of Position - Officers are prohibited from using their official position, official identification 
cards or badges; (a) for personal or financial gain, (b) for obtaining privileges not otherwise available to 
them, except in the performance of duty, or for avoiding consequences of illegal acts. Officers may not 
lend their identification cards or badges to another person or permit them to be photographed or 

reproduced without approval of the Chief of Police. Officers shall not permit or authorize the use of their 
names, photographs, or official titles, which identify them as officers, in connection with testimonials or 
advertisements of any commodity or commercial enterprise, without the approval of the Chief of Police. 

28. Endorsements and Referrals - Employees shall not recommend or suggest in any manner, except 
in transaction of personal business, the employment or procurement of a product, professional service, 
or commercial service, (such as an attorney, ambulance service, towing service, bondsman, mortician, 
etc.). In the case of ambulance or towing service, when such service is necessary, and the person 
needing the service is unable or unwilling to procure it, or request assistance, employees shall proceed 
in accordance with Departmental procedures regarding the respective services. 
29. Sleeping on Duty - Employees shall remain awake while on duty. If unable to do so, they shall 
report to their superior officers, who shall determine the proper course of action. 
30. Neglect on Duty - Employees shall not read, play games, watch television or movies, or otherwise 
engage in entertainment while on duty, except as may be required in the performance of duty. They 
shall not engage in any activities or personal business, which could cause them to neglect, or be 
inattentive to duty. 
31. Use of Department Telephones - Members of the Department shall refrain from using city 
telephones for long distance calls, unless authorized to do so, and shall minimize calls of a general 
nature. The use of directory assistance (telephone information) is not allowed, unless all other means of 
finding a telephone number is exhausted. The use of directory assistance (telephone information) for 
personal calls is not allowed. 
32. Fictitious Illness or Injury Reports - Employees shall not feign illness or injury, falsely report 
themselves ill or injured, or otherwise deceive, or attempt to deceive, any official of the Department, as 
to the condition of their health. 
33. Incompetence and Unsatisfactory Performance - Employees shall maintain sufficient competency to 
properly perform their duties and assume the responsibilities of their positions. Employees shall 
perform their duties in a manner which will tend to establish and maintain the highest standards of 
efficiency in carrying out the functions and objectives of the Department. Incompetence may be 
demonstrated by a lack of knowledge of the application of laws required to be enforced, or required 
procedures within an employee’s current assignment; an unwillingness or inability to perform assigned 
tasks; the failure to conform to work standards established for the employee’s rank, grade, or position; 
the failure to take appropriate action on the occasion of a crime, disorder, or other conditions deserving 
police attention; absence without leave; or unnecessary absence from the assigned patrol during a tour 
of duty. In addition to other indications of incompetence, or repeated poor evaluations, or a written 
record of repeated infractions of the rules, regulations, manuals, or directives. 
34. Immoral Conduct - Any employee who engages in such activities or methods of conduct as 
described below is guilty of immoral conduct when the conduct clearly creates a negative impact on the 
morale or operations of the department or when that conduct has caused a direct loss of general 
confidence in the department by the public at large. Such violations of rules will be disciplined either 
under Immoral Conduct, Conduct Unbecoming an Officer or under other appropriate specific rule(s) 
applicable. Typical instances of immoral conduct include, but are not limited to: 
a. Committing an indecent act with a minor; 
b. Adultery; 
c. Driving under the Influence; 
d. Fighting; and 
e. Domestic Violence. 
35. Interfering with Radio Communication - An employee will not willfully or intentionally interfere with 
radio communications, except in case of an emergency. 
36. Participating in Demonstrations - No member of the Police Department will participate in any 
demonstration while on duty, or in the uniform of the Auburn Police Department. 
37. Intervention - Employees shall not interfere with cases being handled by other employees of the 
Department, or by any other governmental agency unless: 
a. Ordered to intervene by a superior officer; or, 
b. The intervening officer believes, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a manifest of injustice would result 
from failure to act. 

Employees shall not undertake any investigation or other official action which is not a part of their 
regular duties, without obtaining permission from their superior officer, unless the exigency of the 
situation requires immediate police action. 

38. Labor Activities - Employees may join a union, but nothing shall compel the Department to 
recognize, or to engage in collective bargaining with any such union. Employees shall not engage in 
any strike. A strike action includes the concerted failure to report for duty, willful absence from one's 
position, taking unauthorized holidays, sickness unsubstantiated by a physician's statement, the 
stoppage of work, or the abstinence, in whole or part, from the full faithful and proper performance of 
the duties of employment, for the purpose of inducing, influencing, or coercing a change in conditions, 
compensation, rights, privileges, or obligations of employment. 
39. Mistreatment of Prisoners - An officer who lawfully acts within the scope of his authority does not 
deprive a person of their civil liberties. However, when an officer exceeds his authority by unreasonable 
use of force or negligent conduct which results in injury to an arrestee, he violates the sanctity of the 
law which he is sworn to uphold and is subject to disciplinary action. 
40. Misuse of Firearms - Due to the extreme dangers involved, officers shall not use or handle weapons 
in a careless or imprudent manner. Typical instances of misuse of firearms include but are not limited 
to: 
a. Pointing a weapon at a fellow officer; 
b. Firing plastic ammunition in the station during horseplay; 
c. Negligent shooting of another; or 
d. Drawing a weapon in a public place, except for inspection or official use. 
41. Departmental Reports, Truthfulness - Employees shall submit all necessary reports on time. 
Reports submitted by employees shall be truthful and complete, and no employee shall knowingly 
enter, or cause to be entered, any inaccurate, false, or improper information. 
42. Dissemination of Information - Employees shall treat the official business of the Department as 
confidential. Information regarding official business shall be disseminated only to those for whom it is 
intended. Employees shall not divulge the identity of persons giving confidential information, except as 
authorized by proper authority, in the performance of police duties. Personnel may not give out any 
information on city employees, to include, but not limited to, residence address and telephone numbers, 
without authorization from a superior officer. 
43. Care of Departmental Buildings - Members or employees shall not mar, mark, or deface any 
surface in any Departmental building. No material shall be affixed in any way to any Departmental 
equipment, without specific consent from a Division Commander. 
44. Notices - Members and employees shall not mar, mark, alter, or deface any posted notice of the 
Department. Notices or announcements shall not be posted on bulletin boards without permission of a 
supervisor. Notices or postings of a derogatory nature are strictly prohibited. 
45. Manuals - All members and employees who are issued manuals, are responsible for their 
maintenance, and will make appropriate changes or inserts as required. Employees are also 
responsible for knowing the content of the manual. 
46. Surrender of Departmental Property - Members and employees are required to surrender all 
Departmental property in their possession upon separation from the Department. Failure to return 
non-expendable items may cause the person to reimburse the Department for the fair market value of 
the article(s). 
47. Court Attendance - An officer's attendance in court is mandatory when he has cases scheduled. 
When an officer is not available for court, (vacation, sick, etc.) it is his responsibility to notify the 
appropriate court clerk and have his case continued. Officers under subpoena to appear in more than 
one court, shall notify the appropriate court clerk of the conflict and make prior arrangements. Officers 
that fail to report to any court appearance, after being subpoenaed, or a city docket posted, shall be 
held accountable and face sanctions under the standard operating procedures, and by authority of said 
court. 
48. Conduct Unbecoming an Officer - An officer must, at all times on and off duty, conduct himself in a 
manner which does not bring discredit to himself, the Department, or the City. Conduct unbecoming an 
officer shall include that conduct: 
a. Which adversely affects the morale or efficiency of the Department; or that 

b. which tends to destroy public respect for employees and confidence in the Department. 
To sustain conduct unbecoming an officer, it is not necessary that the alleged conduct be criminal in 
character, nor that it be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. 
Typical examples of conduct unbecoming an officer includes, but are not limited to: 
a. Speeding; 
b. Profane language in public; 
c. Knowing and intentional associating with known felons, drug dealers and gang members (excepting 
only the officer’s immediate family members); 
d. Ticket fixing; 
e. Misappropriation of Departmental property; 
f. Removal of Departmental records without authorization; 
g. Failure to cooperate with an internal investigation; and/or 
h. Unauthorized personal web pages and other Internet-based postings. 
49. Medical or Forensic Examination - Upon order of the Chief of Police, or his designee, employees 
shall submit to any medical, ballistics, chemical, polygraph, or other tests, photographs, or lineups. All 
procedures carried out shall be specifically directed, and narrowly related, to a particular investigation 
being conducted by the Department. 
50. Testimony - Upon the order of the Chief of Police, or his designee, employees shall truthfully 
answer all questions specifically directed, and narrowly related, to the scope of employment and 
operations of the Department, which may be asked of them. 
51. Financial Disclosure - Employees shall submit financial disclosure and responsibility statements in 
a prescribed manner, if required by the Chief of Police or outside investigatory agency in connection 
with a complaint in which this information is material to the investigation. These statements are to be 
maintained by the Chief and shall not be available for public disclosure. 
52. Respect for National Colors/Anthem - An officer, when in uniform, will salute the Colors as they 
pass in parade, ceremonies, or other occasions. The salute will begin when the Colors are at a 
45-degree angle approaching the officer and shall end when the Colors are at a 45-degree angle past 
the officer. An officer will stand at attention when the National Anthem is played and will face the 
direction from which the music is coming, except when the Colors are displayed with the playing of the 
Anthem, at which time, the officer will face the Colors and salute. The only exception will be when an 
officer's duty assignment is of such nature that it requires the officer's full and direct attention. 
53. Issued Department Equipment - Employees assume all responsibility for issued equipment. If 
equipment is stolen, or lost, or damaged while under an employee's control, he will be personally liable 
for its repair or replacement. If equipment is damaged through no fault of the employee in the course of 
duty, the employee will not be liable for its repair or replacement. 
54. Loyalty - An officer must be faithful to his oath of office, the principles of professional police service, 
and the objectives of the Auburn Police Department, in the discharge of his duty. He must not allow 
personal motives to govern his decisions and conduct. 
a. Security of Departmental business- Members and employees shall not reveal police information 
outside the Department, except as may be authorized by Departmental regulations, or as may be 
required by law or competent authority. 
b. Interference with justice- No member or employee of the Department, shall take, or be concerned 
directly or indirectly, in making or negotiating any compromise, or other arrangement, between a 
criminal and the person who has suffered his act. They shall in no way seek to obtain any continuance 
or dismissal of any trial or traffic citation, in court out of friendship for the defendant, and no employee 
shall approach any judge, official board member, or another employee, to obtain clemency for persons 
to be tried by himself, or other employees. They shall not otherwise attempt to interfere with the cause 
of justice. 
c. Compromising criminal cases- Members and employees shall not interfere with the proper 
administration of criminal justice, nor attempt to interrupt legal process, nor participate in, or be 
concerned, with any activity which might interfere with the process of law. 
55. Requests for Assistance - When any person applies for assistance or advice, or makes complaints 
or reports, either by telephone or in person, all pertinent information will be obtained in an official and 
courteous manner and will be properly and judiciously acted upon. 

56. Reporting for Duty - Employees shall report for duty at the time and place required by assignment of 
orders and shall be physically and mentally fit to perform their duties. Officers are subject to call when 
off duty and must respond as directed, by a superior officer, to ensure the continued operation of the 
Police Department. They shall be properly equipped and cognizant of information required for the 
proper performance of duty, so that they may immediately assume their duties. Judicial subpoenas 
shall constitute an order to appear under this section. 
57. Providing Assistance to the Public - Sworn officers and employees of the Department should 
become familiar with the physical layout of their jurisdiction, and be prepared, at all times, to answer 
questions about the location of prominent places. Officers and employees should be able to give 
directions to citizens in a clear, concise, and polite manner. 
58. Respect for Persons - The Department can only provide adequate services when its employees 
cooperate with each other fully, and when citizens have a feeling of respect toward the Department. 
Therefore, all officers and employees shall: 
a. Never speak derogatorily of the race, color, gender, nationality, or religion of any person. 
b. Avoid any political or religious discussions with the public, other employees, or members that are 
likely to arouse strong emotional reactions, or cause dissension. 
c. Officers and employees should be careful that they do not interfere with the activities or business of 
citizens by contacting them anymore than is necessary to perform their duties. 
d. Officers and employees shall completely avoid the use of profane language or menacing gestures 
toward other employees and the public. 
e. Officers and employees should always endeavor to provide citizens with information requested, and 
any refusals must be both necessary and polite, with the reason for refusal if the circumstances or time 
permits. 
f. All officers shall keep in mind that when making an arrest, or issuing a traffic citation, the other 
person's attitude will often depend on the respect and fairness that the officer displays toward the 
citizen. In these critical situations, the officer should not attempt to be humorous. 
g. Officers and employees should strive to create a loyal working attitude. With this purpose in mind, 
employees should avoid statements which could lower morale and diminish public respect. 
59. Identification of Officer - Officers and employees shall provide their name and employee number, in 
a respectful manner, as a means of identifying themselves, when requested by a member of the public. 
Except when impractical or unfeasible, or where the identity is obvious, the assigned officers shall 
identify themselves by displaying badges and identification cards before taking police action. Officers 
shall carry their badges and identification cards on their person at all times, while engaged in law 
enforcement activities, except when impractical or dangerous to their safety, or to an investigation. 
They shall furnish their name and employee number to any person requesting that information, except 
when the withholding of such information is necessary for the performance of police duties, as 
authorized by proper authority. 
60. Employee Fraternization - Based upon considerations of public policy, and the necessity for 
quasi-military-type discipline and respect, it will be misconduct justifying discharge, for employees of 
different ranks to socialize in situations detrimental to the discipline and order of the Department. 
Employees of similar or equal ranks will be subject to misconduct justifying discharge, if their 
relationship tends to impair the employee’s job performance, operation of the Department, or the 
public’s perception of the Police Department. 
61. Discipline - Employees shall abide by the provisions of the City of Auburn Personnel Policy Manual, 
Section 8 and Auburn Police Department Operations Manual Chapter 5-1 regarding discipline. 
62. Appeals/Grievance – The Chief of Police will coordinate and maintain secure records relating to the 
formal grievance process when such grievances are resolved within the Police Department. 
63. An officer will not use his/her authority as a police officer to abuse, oppress, harass, or persecute 
any person(s). 
C. VACATION/SICK TIME REQUIREMENTS 
A. Vacation: 
1. In order to properly manage the workload demands of the department employees are required to 
schedule their vacation time with their supervisors. 

2. All vacation requests must be submitted in writing at least 15 days in advanced and approved by the 
employee’s immediate supervisor. 
3. Officers having the most seniority will have preference over officers with less time with the 
department. 
4. Vacation will not apply to temporary positions. 
5. Annual leave is an earned benefit of employment with the City of Auburn and the department will 
make every effort to accommodate all reasonable requests. However, adjustments in leave dates and, 
occasionally, denial of leave for the period requested may be necessitated by the operational needs of 
the department. 
6. Employees serving a probationary period on an original appointment shall earn and accrue vacation 
as set forth in these policies. Such employees shall not be granted vacation during the probationary 
period. 
B. Sick 
1. New employees may accrue but may not take sick leave until after 6 months of employment. 
2. An employee shall immediately notify his immediate supervisor no later than one hour prior to the 
employee’s scheduled time to report to duty of his/her intention to use sick time. 
3. If an employee’s immediate supervisor cannot be contacted then the employee must notify the next 
higher-level supervisor. 
4. Any employee utilizing sick leave in excess of three consecutive days will be required to submit a 
verification of illness signed by an appropriate medical practitioner. 
5. Any employee of this department who falsely reports an illness or injury or otherwise deceives or 
attempts to deceive any official of this department as to the condition of their health shall be subject to 
disciplinary action. 
IV. Internet Restrictions 
A. General 
The Auburn Police Department recognizes that its employees have the right to create, maintain and 
participate in personal web pages and other Internet-based sites and postings. However, the 
Department also recognizes its obligation in establishing standards of conduct relating to this activity, 
as to ensure no reduction in public confidence and respect for the Department. As such, the 
Department shall impose restrictions and oversight, when direct or indirect reference to the Police 
Department, or its employees, is made within these forums. 
B. Restrictions 
Employees, who have personal web pages or other types of Internet postings which can be accessed 
by the public, must, upon request associated with an investigation, complaint or inquiry, provide the 
Chief of Police or outside investigatory agency with a Web Page Notification Form listing the name of 
the website and provide the Chief of Police or other investigatory agency with the clearance/ability to 
access all portions of the site or sites. Employees shall not identify themselves directly or indirectly as 
an employee of the Auburn Police Department, without prior Departmental approval. While on duty, 
employees will not access any such personal web pages, public chat room forums, or other types of 
Internet postings, unless the access is job-related and pre-approved by the employee’s immediate 
supervisor. This restriction applies to the use of agency, personal, or third-party owned computers. 
Photographs or other depictions of Departmental uniforms, badges, patches, or agency vehicles, shall 
not be used on personal employee Internet postings without prior Departmental approval. 
Employees wishing to use references to, or photographs/depictions noted above, must first receive 
written supervisory approval, which is forwarded through the chain of command for final review and 
authorization by the Chief of Police. 
1. Approval Process 
The employee seeking approval to use references to the Auburn Police Department on their personal 
web pages or sites shall follow the below prescribed approval process: 
a. Describe the proposed reference to the Department and the intended purpose; 
b. Provide a list and graphic of any photographs, artwork, etc. to be used within the web page; 
c. Provide a printed layout of the entire proposed web page, posting or site; 
d. Provide thorough documentation of the proposed posting site location within the Internet (specified 
access route) and any access and/or password requirements for viewing by others; and 

e. In memo form, submit the above detailed information with a request for approval to the Chief of 
Police via the employee’s supervisory chain-of-command. The request, accompanied with a written 
supervisory recommendation for approval, must be submitted to the Chief of Police. 
The employee will receive, in memo form, an approval or denial of the request. 
C. Limitations 
No sexual, nude, violent, racial, ethnically derogatory material, comments, pictures, artwork, video, or 
other reference may be posted along with any agency approved reference. Previously approved web 
pages, sites or postings shall not be modified in any format without a documented review and approval 
as outlined above. 
Employees shall not post any material on the Internet that brings discredit to, or may adversely affect 
the efficiency, professionalism, or integrity of the Department. The above specified procedures, 
approval process and limitations, shall also apply to web pages, other Internet-based sites and 
postings, that are owned and/or managed by third persons, when any Department member encourages 
and/or condones that information and/or images regarding the officer or references to the Police 
Department will be contained within these pages, sites or postings. 
Employees should consider the possible adverse consequences of Internet postings, such as future 
employment, cross-examination in criminal cases, and public, as well as private, embarrassment. 
The Chief of Police may randomly access every approved web page, site, or posting, for affirmation of 
no changes in the postings from the format as previously approved. 
The review of personal websites/pages shall be constrained only to the content which is viewable over 
the web, this includes discussion threads, “wall” postings, information sections, “about me” sections 
and such; there will be no departmental review of “private” material such as email, electronic messages 
or private chat messages which are not viewable on the employee’s home page. 
The process and restrictions described in this policy shall be retroactive for any currently existing sites 
created by any employee or third party. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 
City of Auburn Police Department 
Web Page Notification Form 
I currently have the following internet web page accounts. 

I have read and understand the APD policy that addresses personal web pages. I have listed above all 
my current accounts and I understand that it is my responsibility to inform APD if I join/open any new 
accounts or web pages. I also agree to make myself available to APD, when requested, to log on to any 
of my accounts and allow an APD representative to view any/or all accounts. 
Employee: ___________________________ Date: __________________ 
Witness: ___________________________ Date: __________________ 
Created: 12/21/2012 


Chapter 05-1 Office of Professional Standards 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 05-1 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/28/2018 
Subject: Office of Professional Standards 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines and procedures for the prompt and just investigation 
and disposition of complaints made against Departmental employees. 
II. Policy 
This policy establishes an Office of Professional Standards (OPS) within the Auburn Police 
Department. It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to investigate all credible complaints 
against the Department or its employees, to include anonymous complaints, in a manner that will 
assure the community a prompt corrective action when a police employee conducts themselves 
improperly, while also protecting the Department and its employees from unwarranted criticism 
pursuant to discharge of official duties. 
All employees in the Police Department shall be instructed in and have access to a copy of the OPS 
policy. 
III. Administration 
The OPS Supervisor shall be designated APD lieutenant(s) or other designated individual as appointed 
by the Chief of Police. This person/s shall be responsible and accountable for conducting all internal 
investigations of the Auburn Police Department as directed by the Chief of Police. The OPS Supervisor 
shall report directly to the Chief of Police concerning the progress and findings of such investigations. 
In cases where conflict of interest may be present, the Chief of Police shall appoint an officer or outside 
agency to act as an investigator for any internal investigation. This investigator or agency shall report 
directly to the Chief of Police on a daily basis for supervision and support. 
The functions of the OPS shall be: 
1. Recording, registering, and controlling the investigation of all complaints against the agency or any 
employees; 
2. Supervising and controlling the investigation of alleged misconduct by employees within the agency; 
3. Maintaining the confidentiality of the aforementioned complaint records; 
4. Administrative control and documentation of all procedures; and 
5. Make available to the public, information concerning the procedures for filing a complaint against the 
agency or its employee. 
This is accomplished by placing informational brochures complaint procedures in the front lobby of the 
Police Department, and by passing this information to citizens at neighborhood watch meetings and the 
Citizen’s Police Academy. 
All files, documents, information, and other administrative records accumulated during the course of the 
investigation, shall be stored in locked filing cabinets maintained by the members of OPS. Only the 
Chief of Police or OPS employee shall have unaccompanied access to the files. Such records shall 
remain on file according to the above guidelines for sixty-nine (69) years. 
A. Complaint Processing 
A written record of all complaints against the Auburn Police Department or its employees shall be 
maintained, regardless of the nature or reasonableness of the complaint. The following types of 
incidents shall be referred to OPS for review and screening: 
1. Incidents in which the completion of a Response to Aggression/Resistance report is required; 
2. Vehicle pursuits; and 
3. Incidents involving off-duty misconduct. 

On a monthly basis, the OPS Supervisor will submit a Response to Aggression/Resistance review to 
the Chief of Police, containing all response to aggression/resistance incidents and findings. 
The following type incidents shall be referred to OPS for investigation: 

1. Complaints involving allegations of civil rights violations, or involving allegations that an employee 
has used racial or ethnic epithets; 
2. Incidents involving allegations of criminal or unethical activity; 
3. Incidents involving Police Department command level supervisors; 
4. Allegations of negligence or neglect of duty resulting in bodily injury or death; 
5. Complaints involving allegations of unlawful or improper manipulation of, or tampering with the 
promotional, evaluation, or disciplinary process; 
6. Complaints involving allegations of abusive conduct by a supervisor directed toward a subordinate; 
7. Incidents of officer involved shootings and accidental discharges; 
8. Other incidents as directed by the Chief of Police and; 
9. Workplace harassment complaints. 
Note: Where appropriate, and with the approval of the Chief of Police, the OPS supervisor may refer 
certain matters back to the appropriate division supervisor for investigation and disposition. 
When a complaint is made, the Chief of Police must be notified by OPS. This information may be 
passed either verbally or in writing. All complaints listed above that require investigation, must be 
brought to the attention of the Chief of Police immediately. Other complaints may be brought to the 
attention of the Chief of Police at a later time. 
B. Complaint Investigation 
Any Police Department employee contacted by a citizen wanting to make a complaint against a police 
department employee shall immediately provide the citizen with a complaint form and complaint 
brochure. The employee should offer to contact a supervisor to facilitate taking the complaint if the 
citizen is agreeable to that process. If a supervisor responds, it shall be the responsibility of the 
supervisor taking the complaint to ensure that a copy of the Citizen's Complaint Form is provided to the 
complainant. This procedure does not apply to anonymous complaints. Complaints made over the 
telephone shall be accepted by any employee. In the event that the employee cannot immediately 
locate a supervisor or if the complainant indicates that they will not wait for a supervisor to be 
contacted, then the employee shall make a written record of the complaint, to include anonymous 
complaints, and forward it to OPS, and the supervisor on duty. The employee should attempt to obtain 
as much information as possible from the complainant, in order for a follow-up investigation to be 
completed. Employees receiving telephone complaints should offer to mail or fax a complaint form to 
the complainant; however, if the complainant refuses the offer, or to complete a complaint form, the 
employee shall detail the nature of the complaint on the standard complaint form and forward it to the 
OPS and shift supervisor. At no time should any complaint be refused to be accepted by any employee. 
Any supervisor taking a complaint from a citizen will sign the Citizen Complaint Form and give the 
complainant a copy as a receipt that the complaint was received. 
1. The complainant shall receive periodic follow-up contacts by the person responsible for the 
investigation. The complainant shall be informed of Departmental procedures that are to be followed 
during the course of the investigation. 
2. The Chief of Police shall receive from OPS, a status report during the course of the investigation, 
every seven (7) calendar days. Unless the nature of the case dictates otherwise, every attempt will be 
made to complete any internal investigation within thirty (30) days. This thirty (30) day limit shall be 
considered a goal, as the integrity and conduct of the entire Department is involved. An extension(s) 
may be granted by the Chief of Police concerning those cases where extenuating circumstances exist. 
3. Whenever an officer or employee becomes the subject of an OPS investigation, prior to being 
interviewed, OPS shall provide the employee with notice of the allegation(s) and of the employee's 
rights and responsibilities relative to the investigation. 
4. Upon receipt of the formal investigation report in its final form, the Chief of Police shall, within fifteen 
(15) days, review and provide written notification to the employee in question of the outcome and/or 
result of the investigation, and any action that will follow, unless extraordinary circumstances dictate 
otherwise. 

5. Upon receipt of the formal investigative report in its final form, the Chief of Police shall within fifteen 
(15) days, review and provide notification to the complainant that said complaint has been reviewed, 
and that appropriate action has been taken, unless extraordinary circumstances dictate otherwise. 
6. The Chief of Police may, at any time, request an outside agency, (such as the Georgia Bureau of 
Investigations, etc.), to conduct an investigation on a complaint regarding police misconduct. 
C. Supervisor’s Responsibilities 
Complaints involving minor traffic violations, minor violations of Departmental rules and regulations, 
discourtesy to the public, etc., shall be handled by the employee's own supervisor, without referring the 
matter for internal investigation unless there is a need for more information to be gathered by an 
investigative employee. 
1. All complaints will be documented on a Citizen's Complaint Form or in a memorandum by the 
supervisor receiving the complaint. The original copy will be forwarded immediately to OPS and a copy 
retained by the supervisor. Once the supervisor has completed his investigation, all statements and 
supporting documents will be forwarded to the appropriate lieutenant or division commander for review. 
The supervisor reviewing the findings will approve by signing and dating the document or reassigning 
for follow up investigation. Upon final review within the appropriate division the complaint will be 
forwarded to OPS for review and record retention. The OPS supervisor will forward a copy of the 
complaint and the findings to the Chief of Police. The supervisor’s investigation will be completed within 
five (5) working days. All investigations completed by a supervisory employee will be maintained in a 
secure file by OPS in the same manner as those investigation conducted by OPS. 
2. In the event a supervisor feels the complaint should be forwarded to OPS for further investigation, he 
will document the justification for such an investigation in a memorandum to the Chief of Police. 
D. Operational Procedures 
Upon a reasonable cause standard, and with the express authorization of the Chief of Police, at the 
agency’s expense, an internal, non-criminal investigation may entail the following procedures, of which 
an officer or employee may be required to submit: 
1. Any medical or laboratory examinations at the expense of the Department; 
2. Participate in a line-up; 
3. Produce financial disclosure statements; 
4. Be photographed; and 
5. A polygraph examination. 
6. The above actions will only be taken when necessary, and when they are material to a particular 
OPS investigation conducted by this Department. An employee will not be allowed legal representation 
during an internal investigation. 
E. Conclusion of Fact 
All investigations shall have a finding of fact at the conclusion. The findings of fact shall include one of 
the following: 
1. Unfounded: The evidence tends to disprove the allegation of misconduct. 
2. Not Sustained/Insufficient Evidence: There is insufficient evidence, either to prove or disprove the 
allegation of misconduct. 
3. Sustained/Improper Conduct: The evidence supports the allegation of misconduct. 
4. Exonerated/Proper Conduct: The evidence tends to support factual occurrence, but conduct does 
not appear improper. 
5. Misconduct: Not alleged in the complaint but disclosed by investigation. 
6. Conduct may be improper; however, there is no violation of law or policy as it exists at the time of the 
incident. The incident may be reviewed for possible implementation of policy to govern future incidents 
of a similar nature. 
F. Employee Suspension Pending Investigation 
Whenever an internal investigation is conducted upon an employee of the Auburn Police Department, 
the Chief of Police may at his discretion, place said employee, on administrative leave pending the final 
outcome of the internal investigation. 
1. It is the policy of this Department that the said administrative leave will be with full pay and benefits, 
until such time as a "findings of fact" can be made in reference to the internal investigation. 

2. After the completion of the internal investigation in which a finding of fact has been concluded to 
substantiate that the employee in question acted within the legal scope of his authority, and violated no 
Departmental policy or criminal law, then said employee shall be immediately re-instated into his 
previous position, with no adverse action applying. 
3. No employee will be suspended without pay unless such suspension is accompanied with a formal 
letter of disciplinary notice, notification of the employee's due process rights, and the method of appeal 
as outlined in the City of Auburn personnel manual, section 8. 
IV. Disciplinary Process 
All members of the Auburn Police Department are members of a team working together with a primary 
objective of serving the community. Employees who fail to follow the necessary rules and regulations, 
do a disservice to all members of the Department. It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to 
administer discipline in fairness to the employee and the Department, and in accordance with the City 
of Auburn Employee Policy. 
A. Responsibility of the Management in the Disciplinary Process 
Supervisors at all levels of the Auburn Police Department are responsible for the administration of 
discipline. Generally speaking, the first line supervisor has the greatest opportunity to identify 
disciplinary needs and to take corrective action. 
This Department recognizes three broad categories of discipline; positive, corrective, and punitive 
discipline. All supervisors and commanding officers may utilize all categories to the extent the policy 
allows. Limitations on the various levels of management are specifically withheld by policy. 
B. Positive Discipline 
Positive discipline is designed to stimulate the morale of the employee. Rewards, such as, time off with 
pay, awards, and letters of commendation are positive forms of discipline. The supervisor wishing to 
recognize an employee may complete a favorable contact form describing the action of the employee 
and forward the favorable contact to the Chief of Police via the Chain of Command. 
1. Letter of Commendation: May be presented to employees for their performance in any of the 
following instances: 
a. Employee's action results in the arrest of persons for major felonies. 
b. Employee's action results in the rescue of citizen(s) from personal injury/ death. 
c. Employee's action results in the rescue of another officer from personal injury/death. 
d. Employee has demonstrated personal involvement in police/community programs. 
The employee's supervisor shall submit a written request for a Commendation to be issued. Requests 
will be made to the Chief of Police describing the incident, the employee's performance, and reasons 
why a Commendation is recommended. 
2. Time Off with Pay: The Chief may authorize time off with pay to an employee who has devoted extra 
time for special or exemplary projects. 
C. Corrective Discipline 
Corrective discipline is progressive and includes training and counseling. This discipline is appropriate 
in those cases involving minor duty infractions that can be corrected through proper counseling or 
training. 
1. Counseling: A supervisor should use counseling as a function of discipline in cases involving 
infractions. Criteria used to determine the necessity of counseling, as opposed to other discipline may 
include: 
a. Employee's past work record (including disciplinary record, attendance, job performance, 
evaluations, etc.). 
b. Employee's attitude (toward work place, supervisors and other employees). 
c. The severity of the offense in relation to Department guidelines governing offenses. 
Supervisors who utilize counseling as a form of discipline, shall document the conditions that prompted 
the counseling session and the corrective action expected. Results should be forwarded to the Watch 
Commander or next level of supervision for review. 
2. Training: A supervisor should use training as a function of discipline in those areas involving minor 
infractions, usually of a procedural nature in Departmental policy. Examples of areas that training may 
be used as a function of discipline include, radio procedures, firearms qualifications, and report writing, 
etc. Criteria used to determine necessity of training, as opposed to other forms discipline include: 

a. The effectiveness of training in a particular area to improve productivity; 
b. The ability of the employee to respond to re-training in specific areas; and 
c. The employee's work performance record, to include, attendance, disciplinary records, etc. 
Supervisors who utilize training as a form of discipline, should document the employee's shortcomings, 
deficiencies, or lack of expertise, and either take immediate steps to retrain in deficient areas, or 
schedule that employee for training. 
Documentation shall be forwarded to the Watch Commander or next level of supervision for review. 
D. Punitive Discipline 
1. Verbal Reprimand: A verbal warning or indication of disapproval concerning a specific act, infraction, 
or violation of a policy or procedure, that is usually given by the immediate supervisor, and is noted for 
the record but does not become part of an employee's Employee file. 
2. Written Reprimand: A written statement concerning a specific act, infraction of a policy or procedure 
that is made part of the employee's Employee file. 
3. Suspension: The placing of an employee on leave without pay status for a specified time, not to 
exceed 30 days, for a specific infraction, act or violation of a policy or procedure, with the approval of 
the Chief of Police. 
4. Administrative Leave Status: Investigation of Charges or Trial: The placing of an employee on 
administrative leave with pay pending investigation of charges and/or trial for job-related offenses. 
5. Demotion: The movement of an employee from one position or class to another, with a lower grade 
level assignment. 
6. Dismissal: The removal of an employee from City service for cause. 
7. An immediate or higher-level supervisor is delegated the authority to immediately relieve an 
employee from duty, if the retention of such employee will cause or continue a disruption of the work 
force, and, within one work day, shall submit a recommendation for appropriate disciplinary action to 
the Chief of Police. 
8. Any supervisor may immediately suspend any employee for the balance of the work day under any 
of the following conditions: 
a. Employee is intoxicated; 
b. Gross insubordination or misconduct; 
c. Any violation of criminal law; 
d. Gross negligence involving potential loss of life; 
e. Any violation of Departmental rules and regulations that would submit the violating employee to 
immediate dismissal. 
9. Any supervisor may recommend termination, under conditions that warrant termination, although the 
Chief of Police is the only authority within the Auburn Police Department authorized to terminate 
employees. 
10. In all cases of dismissal, the following information will be provided the affected employee: 
a. a statement citing the reason for termination; 
b. the effective date of the termination; 
c. a statement as to the status of fringe, and retirement benefits (supplied by Human Resources); and 
d. a statement as to the content of the employee’s employment record relating to dismissal. 
E. Initiation of the Disciplinary Process 
Corrective and punitive disciplinary action against an employee shall be initiated promptly, when it is 
evident that such action is necessary to maintain an orderly and productive work environment. Except 
in cases of theft or serious violation of policy, code of conduct, oath of office, honesty or procedure that 
creates a health or safety risk, disciplinary actions may be progressive in severity. The severity of the 
action shall be determined after consideration of the nature and gravity of the offense, its relationship to 
the employee's assigned duties and responsibilities, the employee's work record and other relevant 
factors. Supervisors who suspend an employee under any of the conditions listed above must notify 
their supervisor immediately, who in turn must advise the Chief of Police. 
F. Disciplinary Records 
Official disciplinary records are those documents involving any and all actions taken against an 
employee that involve any property interest loss subsequent to the disciplinary action. These 
disciplinary records are maintained in the Human Resources Department and retained securely therein 

consistent with the Georgia Records Retention Schedule. These records are also duplicated in internal 
management personnel files securely maintained within the Office of the Chief of Police. These files are 
maintained as a managerial reference for the Chief of Police and will be maintained therein for a 
minimum period of three years, unless otherwise specifically authorized by the Chief of Police. After 
such time the employee may submit a written request to the Chief of Police for consideration of removal 
of disciplinary actions from the file regarding written reprimands, suspensions, and chargeable 
accidents. If the request is approved, the disciplinary record shall be removed from the employee's file 
and destroyed by shredding or burning. All reports pertaining to OPS investigations shall be maintained 
permanently in a separate file. 

Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 
AUBURN POLICE DEPARTMENT CITIZENS COMPLAINT FORM 
COMPLAINANTS NAME: ________________________________________________ 
ADDRESS: __________________________________________________________ 
HOME PHONE: ____________________ WORK PHONE: _______________________ 
DOB: _______________ SEX: _______ 
INCIDENT LOCATION: ________________________________________________ 
INCIDENT DATE & TIME: _____________________________________________ 
NAME(S) OF OFFICER(S) INVOLVED: ___________________________________ 
Please write a narrative of your complaint below: 

(continue narrative on next page) 
WITNESS: List Name, Address and Phone Number 

I swear or affirm the facts outlined in this complaint are true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. 
PLEASE NOTE: ANY PERSON WHO KNOWINGLY AND WILLINGLY MAKES A COMPLAINT OF A 
FICTITIOUS NATURE IS SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL PROSECUTION. 

Signature of Complainant Date/Time of Complaint 

Signature of Agency Representative 
SUPERVISOR DOCUMENTING COMPLAINT MUST FORWARD ORIGINAL COPY TO OFFICE OF 
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND ALSO PROVIDE A COPY TO THE COMPLAINANT 
(Page 1 of 2) 
Case No: ______________________________ Date: ____________________ Time:_________ 
(Leave blank) 
Statement of: ________________________________________________________________ 


Under penalty of law the above statement is true to the best of my belief and knowledge. 
Signature: ____________________________ Officer Witness: ____________________________ 
Revised: 06/17/2013 (Page 2 of 2) 


Chapter 05-2 Outside Employment 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 05-2 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 09/28/2018 
Subject: Out Side Employment 

I. Purpose 
The nature of law enforcement requires Departmental employees to have the ability to work irregular 
duty schedules, which are subject to change in meeting manpower needs. Additionally, it is necessary 
that an employee have adequate rest to be alert during his tour of duty. For these reasons, and 
because certain occupations inherently conflict with an employee’s primary responsibility to the 
Department, the Department may impose conditions on outside employment, or may prohibit it 
altogether. Determination of the degree of limitation will be based upon the interest of the Department 
in furthering professionalism, protecting the reputation of the employee and the Department, and 
ensuring that the Department receives full and faithful service in return for employment. 
II. Definitions 
Off-Duty Employment – secondary or outside employment wherein the use of law enforcement powers 
is not anticipated. Off-duty employment requirement applies to sworn and civilian employees. 
Extra-Duty Employment – secondary or outside employment wherein the actual or potential use of law 
enforcement powers is anticipated. Extra-duty employment requirement applies to only sworn 
employees. 
Outside Employment – when the term outside employment is used in this policy, it is referring to both 
off-duty and extra-duty employment. 
III. Policy 
The Department allows employees to engage in outside employment, if such outside employment does 
not interfere in any way with the performance of their duties and responsibilities as employees of the 
Auburn Police Department. In addition, the outside employment shall not involve employees in any 
conflict of interest between this Department and the outside employment. The employee will not 
engage in any outside employment which may raise the question of honesty, respect, integrity or loyalty 
to the department or to the laws which they are sworn to uphold. It is the purpose of this procedure to 
set forth guidelines, conditions and restrictions relating to outside employment. 
IV. Rules and Regulations 
A. Applications for Off-Duty Employment 
All employees wishing to be considered for off-duty employment must complete the outside 
employment applications. The Outside Employment Application must first be approved by the 
employee’s immediate supervisor. Off-duty jobs are monitored by the approving Division Commander 
or his designee to ensure that none conflicts with the guidelines of this policy or any current city 
ordinances and to ensure that the job opportunities are evenly distributed. No employee will be allowed 
to work a new off-duty job until the Division commander has verified that the job is not in conflict with 
the guidelines of this policy or any current city ordinances and has signed the Outside Employment 
Application Form verifying that this verification has been completed. All requests for off-duty 
employment must be approved by the Chief of Police. Civilian employees requesting consideration for 
outside employment are not authorized to use city issued equipment under any circumstances. An 
outside employment application form will be submitted for all outside employment, along with a signed 
workman’s compensation waiver, agreeing to hold the City of Auburn harmless for any injury or liability 
incurred by any employee working an off-duty job. Non-sworn employees and sworn employees 
working off-duty employment in which Department issued equipment is not used, must also complete 
the application. The Chief of Police retains the authority to approve or to disapprove all applications for 
off-duty employment (O.C.G.A. 16-10-3). The Chief reserves the right to require any employee to 

discontinue any off-duty employment, if the employment constitutes a conflict of interest, or would tend 
to bring discredit to the agency or create a conflict that would impair the Employee’s ability to perform 
his duties. 

B. Applications for Extra-Duty Employment 
Sworn employees who qualify for consideration for extra-duty employment must submit an Outside 
Employment Application. The application must first be approved by the officer’s immediate supervisor. 
No officer will be allowed to work a new extra-duty job until the Division commander has verified that 
the job is not in conflict with the guidelines of this policy or any current city ordinances and signed the 
Outside Employment Application verifying that this check has been completed. The request will then be 
forwarded to the Patrol Commander or his designee for consideration. An outside employment 
application form will be submitted for all extra-duty employment, to include a signed workman’s 
compensation waiver agreeing to hold the City of Auburn harmless for any injury or liability incurred by 
any employee working an extra-duty job. The application shall contain a summary explaining the nature 
of the employment duties. Extra-duty jobs are monitored and assigned by the approving Division 
Commander or his designee. All requests for extra-duty employment must be approved by the Chief of 
Police. The Chief of Police retains the authority to approve or to disapprove all applications for outside 
employment (O.C.G.A. 16-10-3). 
C. Supervision 
The Patrol Commander or his designee, will have responsibility for the coordination of all extra-duty 
employment which utilizes sworn officers and Department issued equipment. All requests for extra-duty 
employment which involves the use of Department-owned property, must be referred to the Patrol 
Commander’s designee, or in his absence, the Patrol Supervisor on duty. 
Any employee engaged in outside employment shall conduct himself in an appropriate manner. Any 
conduct during outside employment which, if occurred during duty status hours would result in 
disciplinary action, could result in termination of the outside employment by the Department. 
D. Accountability 
All outside employment jobs are subject to being investigated. If it is determined that an outside 
employment job at any location is not appropriate, the Chief of Police will be notified. 
E. Records 
1. Officers taking enforcement action, while engaged in extra-duty employment, will contact Barrow (or 
respective county) County 911 by radio or telephone, and request that an on-duty officer meet with 
them. The on-duty officer will complete an incident report, evidence report, (if applicable), and process 
the arrest, (if applicable). The off-duty officer will be provided with the case number for the incident they 
are reporting. The off-duty officer will be required to complete a detailed supplemental report during 
their next assigned work date. If a Response to Resistance/Aggression Report is needed, the on-duty 
officer will complete the incident report, but the off-duty officer will be responsible for completing the 
Response to Resistance/Aggression Report before the end of their current shift. 
2. Any incident wherein the officer is required to utilize his police authority will be reported to the Shift 
Commander in the form of a memo, referencing the applicable case number, and all appropriate reports 
completed. 
3. The office of the Chief of Police will file all outside employment forms in the employee’s personnel 
file. 
F. Department Equipment 
If any employee is engaged in extra-duty employment the entire uniform will be properly worn unless 
alternative attire is approved by the Chief of Police. The portable radio will be carried also. Civilian 
employees shall not wear the Departmental uniform while engaged in off-duty employment. Bike 
uniforms, golf shirts, and T-shirts are not permitted for extra-duty employment. Issued equipment will be 
utilized according to Departmental Policy and Procedures. 
2. Officers may only use Departmental vehicles to travel to and from extra-duty employment and during 
such employment, when such extra-duty employment is a traffic related detail, or one located within the 
city limits of Auburn and is beneficial to the city to have the additional vehicle(s) visible as a deterrent to 
crime. Older (spare) vehicles will be utilized on traffic related details to prevent wear on the newer 
assigned vehicles. Officers will be responsible for replacing fuel utilized during the extra-duty 
employment (full fuel tank at end of detail) at their own expense. The use of a Department vehicle for 

extra-duty employment must be approved in advance by the Chief of Police on the Outside 
Employment application form. 

3. Participation in outside employment does not relieve an employee of the responsibility to respond to 
call back as provided by Departmental emergency mobilization procedures or on-call/command 
responsibilities. 
G. Outside Employment Hours 
1. Employees will not allow outside employment to interfere in any way with their scheduled duties. No 
employee will be allowed to work more than 16 hours per day, including regular shift work, and no more 
than 36 hours in a week on an outside job. 
2. An employee may use compensatory, holiday, or vacation time to exceed the thirty-six-hour per 
week limitation. Outside employment worked on these days will not count toward the thirty-six (36) hour 
per week maximum limitation. 
H. Work Prohibition 
The Auburn Police Department reserves the right to prohibit its employees from engaging in outside 
employment that might bring criticism or embarrassment to the Department. The following list of outside 
employment prohibitions is not intended to be all-inclusive but will serve as a guideline to supervisors 
when approving/disapproving work permits. Employees shall not engage in any employment or 
business involving: 
1. Other Law Enforcement Agencies 
2. Bail bondsmen 
3. Investigative work for insurance agencies 
4. Private guard companies 
5. Collection agencies, collection of delinquent bills or repossession of any property 
6. Attorneys 
7. Testifying as an expert witness in any civil or criminal matter, pending against Auburn Police 
Department 
8. Security at a nude dancing facility 
I. Special Rules for Businesses Selling Alcoholic Beverages 
1. Employment at any bar, lounge, or package store selling alcoholic beverages, either for takeout or on 
premises consumption, will be restricted to policing the parking lots for the purpose of serving as a 
deterrent to thefts, property damage, arguments, fights, open container violations, disorderly conduct, 
or other violations, and providing traffic control. 
2. Employees will not routinely patrol the interior of such establishments or act as a “bouncer” for the 
establishment. Employees will enter the lounge or bar area only to enforce the law or prevent a 
violation thereof. Employees may, however, station themselves at the entry door, lobby, or foyer, etc., 
in order to prevent or control any activities cited in paragraph 1. 
3. Employees will be limited to checking the identification of persons who appear, or are suspected, to 
be under age when they have purchased or are attempting to purchase alcoholic beverages. Any 
checking of identification for entry purposes will be the function of the management. 
4. Under no circumstances will an employee be allowed to loiter in the lounge or bar area of such 
establishments before, during, or after their extra job duties, while in uniform. 
5. All employees should be mindful of the fact that while in public view, in an establishment which 
serves alcoholic beverages, their actions are under close scrutiny by both patrons and employees of 
the establishment. Each employee should insure that not only do their actions conform to the Rules and 
Regulations of the Department, but also that the actions of the establishment’s management, 
employees, and patrons conform to applicable State Law and City Ordinances. 
J. Injuries 
If an officer or other person is injured during any police-related incident during extra-duty employment, 
patrol commander will be summoned to the scene. The on-duty supervisor will ensure that all required 
documentation is completed and determine if the Chief of Police requires notification. 
If an officer is injured while working an extra-duty job the following will be completed: 
1. Incident report titled “Extra-Duty Employment Injury.” 
2. All necessary workman’s compensation forms from extra-duty employer. 

3. When an officer is clearly acting within the scope of a Police Officer, then they are protected by the 
indemnification Policy of the City of Auburn. 
K. Injury Review 
Each incident where an officer is injured while working an extra-duty job will be reviewed on its own 
merit. This review will ascertain if the officer was working in an approved extra-duty capacity and 
actively performing a police function. The Chief of Police will make this review and forward his findings 
to the Human Resources Coordinator for the City of Auburn. 
L. Denial and/or Revocation 
1. Applications for outside employment that do not meet the requirements of these regulations will be 
denied. If an application is denied, or is later revoked, immediate notification of the employee’s 
Division/Unit Commander will occur. 
2. Approval may be denied where it appears the outside employment is, in the opinion of the Chief of 
Police, likely to: 
a. Render the officer(s) unavailable during an emergency 
b. Physically or mentally exhaust the employee to the point that their performance may be affected 
c. Require that any special consideration be given to scheduling of the employee’s regular duty hours, 
which is detrimental to the Department 
d. Bring the Department into disrepute, or impair the operation or efficiency of the Department or 
employee 
e. Involve the use of Department records 
3. Officers will not be authorized to work outside jobs until they have successfully completed their 
F.T.O. program and exit interview with the Chief of Police. Civilian probationary employees must 
complete their probationary period before being considered for outside employment, unless they have a 
specific need, prior to completing this period. If such a situation exists, they must make a written 
request, documenting the need, and submit it to their immediate supervisor, who will then make a 
recommendation to be reviewed by the Chief of Police for approval or denial. 
4. Permission to engage in outside employment shall be suspended whenever the employee: 
a. Is placed on light duty by a physician 
b. Is suspended from duty 
c. Has applied for, or is receiving workman’s compensation benefits 
d. Is on military leave 
e. Is scheduled for official duty such as training, court, or special event 
f. Is out sick. This restriction remains in effect until the employee completes his next scheduled shift 
g. An officer may be denied extra-duty employment if he fails to report to extra-duty as scheduled by a 
supervisor designated by the Patrol Commander designee; is derelict in his duty; or rejects an offer to 
work extra-duty twice in one year. The Patrol Commander designee has wide discretion in deciding if 
the officer’s rejection is for legitimate reasons 
5. Permission to engage in extra-duty employment shall also be suspended when an employee 
receives an annual evaluation, which is below standard or if there is a pattern of sick leave abuse. 
M. Availability of extra-duty employment 
The patrol commander or his designee shall post any requests for off-duty employment as received by 
the agency in the form of a memorandum/sign-up sheet. The availability of any off-duty employment is 
distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 
AUBURN POLICE DEPARTMENT 
OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION FORM 
Date_______________ 
Employee’s Name___________________________I.D.#____________ 
Current Assignment_________________________________________________ 
Name of outside employer___________________________________ 
Address of outside employer________________________________ 


Name of outside Supervisor_________________________________ 
Nature of employment duties________________________________ 

YES NO I anticipate the use of my authority as a Sworn Officer during this outside Employment. 
YES NO I will be using the Auburn Police Department uniform and/or equipment during hours of 
outside employment. 
YES NO I request the use of an Auburn Police Department marked police vehicle during the hours of 
THIS outside employment. 
Estimated number of hours per week_______ I under stand that I may not work more than Thirty-six 

(36) hours of outside employment in a given week or at any time that would conflict with or possibly 
impact my normal duty hours. 
YES NO I will be covered by my Outside Employer’s Worker’s Compensation Insurance during my 
outside employment. (If your answer is “ yes” you must submit with this request a Workman’s 
Compensation Agreement which must be signed and notarized by the Outside Employer.) 
(If your answer above is “no”, you must complete a Waiver of Workman’s Compensation Insurance for 
the City of Auburn which must be signed and witnessed.) 
WAIVER 
I, Officer________________________, will be employed by ________________________________. 
I agree to hold the City of Auburn and its Worker’s Compensation Insurance harmless for any injury or 
liabilities incurred by me by reason of my Off-Duty/Extra-Duty Employment. 
Employee Date Approving Supervisor Date 
I________________________ have verified that the employment opportunity being requested is not in 
violation of Departmental Policy or any current City Ordinances. 

Division commander Date 
Approval/Disapproval 
Unit #________ is authorized for THIS extra-duty employment. 

Division Commander Date Chief of Police Date 
Approval/Disapproval Approval/Disapproval 
AUBURN POLICE DEPARTMENT 
REQUEST FOR APPROVAL FOR OUTSIDE 
EMPLOYMENT 
I, __________________________________, hereby make this request for outside employment by 
filing this request and the attached outside employment form to be submitted for the use of the Auburn 
Police Department. 
This request is made with the express understanding that I have read and will comply with 
requirements of Policy # 5-2, “Outside Employment”. I further understand that I remain responsible for 
compliance with all orders while engaged in outside employment. 
Nothing contained in this request will affect my obligation to the Auburn Police Department to be 
available for emergency service: nor will I accept this employment or any other employment without the 
express written consent of the Chief of Police. 
I certify that my outside employment will not conflict with my oath of office as a peace officer in the 
State of Georgia. 
I understand that O.C.G.A. 16-10-3 requires that, prior to accepting outside employment with a private 
person, firm or corporation, I must secure the written permission of the Chief of Police. 
Nothing in this request for outside employment will be construed to render the City of Auburn liable for 
my conduct while engaged in outside employment. 
Pursuant to Policy #5, Page 5-8, Paragraph 12, this permit is revoked during periods of sick leave use 
until the employee has returned to work and completed a full scheduled day of duty. 
Submitted this________Day of_________ 20___. 

Signature of Employee 


Chapter 05-3 Workplace Harassment 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 05-3 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/01/2018 
Subject: Workplace Harassment 

I. Purpose 
SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ILLEGAL DISCRIMINATION 
Federal Statute Summarized 
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), which prohibits employment discrimination based on 
race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; 
the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA), which protects men and women who perform substantially equal 
work in the same establishment from sex-based wage discrimination; 
the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), which protects individuals who are 40 years 
of age or older; 
Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), which prohibit employment 
discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in the private sector, and in state and local 
governments; 
Sections 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibit discrimination against qualified 
individuals with disabilities who work in the federal government; and 
The Civil Rights Act of 1991, which, among other things, provides monetary damages in cases of 
intentional employment discrimination. 
II. POLICY 
A. It is the Auburn Police Department’s policy to maintain a professional working environment for all 
employees, free of any form of unlawful discrimination or sexual harassment. Harassment or 
discrimination based on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital 
status, sexual orientation, or veteran status is illegal and will not be tolerated. It should be understood 
that a claim of sexual harassment may bypass the normal grievance procedure and that the claim can 
be expressed privately to the appointing authority. 
This policy applies to all employees, vendors, service representatives, and other doing business with 
the Auburn Police Department. 
We are all responsible for maintaining a work environment free of sexual harassment and other forms 
of impermissible discrimination. Your cooperation in preventing this type of conduct is essential. Any 
action which creates an offensive or hostile work environment such as: 
Definitions/ Prohibited Conduct 
No supervisor shall threaten or insinuate, with explicitly or implicitly, that an employee’s employment, 
evaluation, wages, advancement, assigned duties, shifts, or any other condition of employment or 
career development is endangered. 
Verbal abuse and sexual, ethnic or racial slurs will not be tolerated. 
Any verbal, visual or physical conduct that belittles or demeans any individual on the basis of race, 
color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or veteran status is 
unacceptable conduct. 
B. OTHER UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT 
1. Other unacceptable conduct, whether committed by supervisory or non-supervisory personnel, 
includes: 
Unwelcome sexual remarks, advances, and propositions; 
Unwelcome touching or other physical contact; 
Unwelcome or repeated requests for dates or other social engagements; 
Graphic verbal comments about an individual’s body; 

Sexually degrading words used to describe an individual; 
The display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures in the workplace; 
Threatening or profane language towards others; 
Using voice or e-mail or facsimile for the transmission of sexually suggestive, discriminatory or 
otherwise inappropriate material; 
Jokes or pranks or other conduct which are offensive or unprofessional. 
IV Reporting Procedures 

A. REPORTING ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL HARASSEMNT OR OTHER IMPERMISSIBLE 
DISCRIMINATION 
Any employee who believes that the actions or words of a supervisor, manager or fellow employee 
constitute sexual harassment or discrimination must bring the problem to the supervisor’s attention 
immediately. If the supervisor is the subject of the complaint, then the employee must continue to the 
next highest person in the chain of command. 
You should also promptly advise your supervisor if you are ever harassed or discriminated against at 
work by a vendor, service representative or others doing business with the Auburn Police Department, 
so that appropriate action may be taken. 
If you believe you have been sexually harassed or discriminated against, you should immediately report 
such complaints to your immediate supervisor or to the Professional Standards Officer. If the complaint 
involves someone in your direct line of supervision, then you should inform another supervisor or the 
next level supervisor in the chain of command of the complaint. Supervisors receiving complaints of 
sexual harassment or other impermissible discrimination should immediately inform the Chief of Police 
or his designee. 
B. DISPARATE TREATMENT 
Disparate treatment is discrimination in the workplace when a person is treated differently because of a 
protected class, i.e. race, age or sex. Supervisors must avoid this behavior. 
C. REASONABLE ACCOMODATIONS 
Under the ADA section of Title VII, reasonable accommodations are when the employer takes 
measures to ensure that the qualified disabled individual can still be able to perform the job. An 
employee is considered “qualified” when he/she can fulfill the task description for the position he/she 
holds or the position for which he/she applies. 
D. RETALIATION 
No employee who brings a complaint in good faith will suffer an adverse employment action because of 
reporting a claim of alleged sexual harassment or other form of illegal discrimination, even if the 
investigation produces insufficient evidence to support the complaint and even if the charges cannot be 
proven. 
a. There will be no retaliation against any other individual who participates in the 
investigation of a complaint. 
b. Retaliation is a serious violation of this policy and should be reported immediately. If 
you believe you have been retaliated against, report this to the Chief of Police 
immediately. 
c. Any person found to have retaliated against another individual for reporting harassment 
or providing information concerning an act of harassment will be subject to the same 
disciplinary action provided for harassment offenders. 
E. INVESTIGATION 
Each complaint of sexual harassment or illegal discrimination will be investigated promptly, thoroughly, 
impartially, and in the most discreet manner possible. 
Supervisors have a duty to investigate allegations of sexual harassment or other impermissible 
discrimination and to take immediate and appropriate corrective action. If necessary, the supervisor 
may request the Chief of Police initiate an internal investigation 
F. SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES 
Supervisors who allow sexual harassment or unlawful discrimination to continue or fail to take 
appropriate corrective action upon becoming aware, may be considered a party to the offense, even 
though they may not have engaged in such behavior. 

Supervisors who fail to respond appropriately to allegations of sexual harassment or illegal 
discrimination will be subject corrective action and/or disciplinary action, including discharge. 

G. EDUCATION 
The Auburn Police Department shall make affirmative efforts to educate and sensitize its employees 
regarding conduct that constitutes sexual harassment or other impermissible discrimination, and to 
inform them that it is prohibited. 
To that end, the Auburn Police Department shall: 
communicate and distribute this policy to all employees, with the affirmation that it constitutes agency 
policy and 
conduct training and education programs to ensure that supervisors and employees clearly understand 
that sexual harassment or other illegal discrimination in the workplace is illegal and will not be tolerated. 
H. RECOGNIZING POTENTIAL SEXUAL HARASSMENT 
Harassing behavior may include, but is not limited to the following: 
(1). Unwelcome verbal remarks: 
Referring to an adult as “girl”, “hunk”, “doll”, “baby”, or “honey”; 
Whistling at someone, cat calls’ making sexually-based comments about a person’s body; 
Making sexual comments or innuendos’; 
Turning work discussions to sexual topics; 
Telling sexual jokes or stories; 
Asking about sexual fantasies, preferences, or history, personal questions about social or sexual life; 
Making sexually-based comments; 
Repeatedly asking someone out or trying to date a person who is not interested in dating; 
Making kissing sounds, howling, and smacking lips; 
Telling lies or spreading rumors about a person’s personal sex life; 
(2) Unwelcome Non-verbal conduct: 
Looking a person “up and down” in a sexually-suggestive manner; 
Staring at some sexually-suggestive manner; 
Blocking a person’s path so that the person must touch you; 
Following a person 
Giving gifts of a personal or intimate nature; 
Displaying sexually suggestive pictures or drawings; 
Making facial expressions such as winking, throwing kisses, or licking lips; 
Making sexual gestures with hands or through body movements. 
(3) Unwelcome Physical Conduct 
Giving a massage around the neck or shoulder; 
Touching the person’s clothing, hair or body; 
Hanging around a person; 
Hugging, kissing, patting or stroking; 
Touching or rubbing oneself sexually around another person; 
Standing close or brushing up against another person 
I. TO DETERMINE IF YOUR BEHAVIOR IS UNWANTED 
Ask yourself: 
Would I want any of those behaviors to appear on the evening news? 
Is there equal power between me and the person that I’m interacting with? 
Would I behave the same way if the person I’m in a relationship with were standing next to me? 
Would I want someone else to act this way toward a person I’m in a relationship with? 
Is there equal initiation and participation between me and the person I’m interacting with? 
WHY SOME PEOPLE HESITATE TO REPORT 
Sexual harassment and rape have remarkably similar effect upon their victims, particularly in those 
cases where the perpetrator is known to the victim. Thus, like rape, sexual harassment is not overly 
reported; it is more likely under-reported. 
Often recipients of sexual harassment are very embarrassed and don’t want to talk about it with 
anyone. 
They fear that if they talk about it, nothing will be done, or the complaint won’t be taken seriously. 

They fear reprisal from the harasser, especially if that person is their boss or a representative of 
management. 
They may be concerned about being labeled a trouble maker, especially if they are new to the job. 
They are afraid of being told that they “asked for it.” 
They are afraid of being fired, demoted, not promoted, or transferred. 
They blame themselves. 
They are told they “should be flattered”. 
They are afraid of being blamed or laughed at. 
They may fear for their personal safety. 

V. Discipline 
Any employee, supervisor, or manager who engages in conduct which violates the harassment policy 
will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, which may include reassignment, suspension, 
demotion, up to and including termination. 
B. Managers and/or supervisors who allow workplace harassment to continue or fail to take corrective 
action upon becoming aware of the harassment may be considered a party to the offense, and subject 
to the same type of disciplinary actions or one who engaged in the behavior, even though they may not 
have engaged in the behavior. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 05-4 Grievance Process 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 05-4 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 01/05/2018 
Review: 10/01/2018 
Subject: Grievance Process 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of the policy is to ensure a consistent method that employees covered by this policy may 
use to have their problems or complaints considered in a timely fashion, fairly and without fear of 
interference, restraint, coercion, or retaliation. 
The following policy and procedures serve as a tool to assist employees and managers to resolve 
problems within the workplace. The procedure is listed in paragraph E below. 
II. Policy 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to ensure prompt and fair response to employee 
grievances. This is accomplished by creating an orderly procedure that will provide a means of 
communication between supervisors and employees and uniformity in processing a grievance or 
appeal. 
III. Definition 
A grievance is a formal statement of complaint, generally against an authority figure. 
A. What is Grievable? 
The improper application of personnel policies, procedures, rules and regulations, and ordinances and 
statutes. 
Acts of reprisal because of the use of the grievance procedure or of participation in the grievance of 
another employee. 
Complaints of discrimination based on race, color, creed, political affiliation, age, handicap, national 
origin, or sex. Intimidation because of failure to participate in political activities. 
III. Procedure for filing Grievances based on Unlawful Discrimination: 
Any employee who has reason to believe that employment, promotion, training, or transfer was denied 
the employee; or, that demotion, reduction in force or termination of employment was forced upon the 
employee because of age, sex, race, color, national origin, religion, creed, political affiliation or 
handicapping condition (disability), except where specific age or sex requirements constitute a bona 
fide occupational qualification necessary to proper and efficient administration, or where specific 
physical or mental abilities are necessary to perform the essential functions of the job, alleging unlawful 
discrimination, shall have the right to appeal through the departmental grievance procedure within the 
timeframe established or may appeal directly to the State. 
1. Nature of the grievance 
An employee's grievance shall include the following: 
a. Specifically, factually, and clearly detail the allegation and the harm 
done. 
b. State that the harm arose from an act, commission, or omission that 
directly affects the employee's working conditions or employment relationship. 
c. Define a grievable matter that is within departmental control. 
d. State the relief sought that is within the department's power to grant. 
2. First management step 
a. The employee shall identify the grievance orally to the immediate supervisor in an informal meeting 
within 10 calendar days after the event or action which is the basis for the grievance. A grievance 
alleging discrimination or retaliation by the immediate supervisor may be initiated with the next-level 
supervisor. 

b. The supervisor shall give an oral response to the employee within five work days following the 
meeting. 
c. If a resolution is not reached at this point, the employee shall submit a memorandum to the 
supervisor which outlines the information listed under “A” above within five work days after receipt of 
the oral response. 
d. The supervisor, in turn, shall give the employee a written response within five (5) work days of 
receipt of the employee's memorandum. 
3. Second management step 
a. If the employee cannot achieve resolution of the grievance during the first management step, and the 
status of the complaint as grievable has not been decided, then the employee should ask the 
supervisor to present the employee's memorandum to the Chief of Police. The grievance must be 
submitted to the Chief of Police within five work days following receipt of the supervisor's reply. 
b. Upon receipt of the memorandum the Chief of Police shall meet with the employee, the supervisor, 
and appropriate witnesses. 
c. The Chief of Police shall give the employee a second-step response in writing within five work days 
following the date of the meeting. 
d. If the employee desires the presence of legal counsel, the Chief of Police may have legal counsel 
present as well. 
e. The Chief of Police shall decide whether the issue is grievable. 
f. If the issue is not grievable, the employee shall be advised that he or she may file a formal appeal to 
the Judge of the Municipal Court. The Judge’s decision is final. The employee must file an appeal with 
the City Administrator within ten (10) work days of being notified that the grievance is not a valid 
grievance. The Chief of Police shall transmit to the City Administrator a copy of the decision by the 
Chief, concerning the matter. The Judge shall hear the appeal within 30 calendar days of the receipt of 
such records. The Judge’s decision shall be rendered within 30 calendar days of the conclusion of the 
hearing. 
IV. Excluded 
1. Probationary employees. 
a. An employee who has voluntarily resigned may not have access to the grievance procedure after the 
effective date of the resignation. An employee who has been removed shall not have access to the 
grievance procedure but can file an appeal when the dismissal resulted from a formal discipline or 
unsatisfactory job performance. This grievance must be filed within 10 calendar days of the dismissal 
date. Any grievance initiated by a permanent employee before voluntary separation from the 
department may continue to be processed through the grievance procedure. 
V. Grievance Records 
Grievance records will be maintained by the office of the Chief of Police. Only those persons directly 
involved with the grievance or who has a need to know shall be granted access to such records. 
VI. Appeal 
Should the employee disagree with the decision of the Chief of Police, he or she has the right to 
request a review of the matter with the Judge of the Municipal Court, whose decision shall be 
conclusive on all grievance matters. A request for such review must be made in writing, signed by the 
employee, and filed with the City Administrator within ten (10) days of the date the employee receives 
notice of the Chief of Police’s decision on the grievance. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 06 Early Warning System 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operation Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 06 
Effective Date: March 1, 2018 Revised: 03/01/2018 
Review: 10/01/2018 
Subject: Personnel Early Warning System 
Purpose: To offer appropriate intervention strategies to employees identified at-risk through the 
department's Personnel Early Warning System. 
Policy: It shall be the policy of the Auburn Police Department to actively monitor all employees' conduct 
and provide appropriate intervention, as necessary, for the benefit of the employee and the 
Department. Furthermore, it shall be the policy of the Department to assist supervisors in the 
identification of employees with potential performance-related problems. 

1. Discussion 
The Auburn Police Department has a responsibility to its employees and the community to develop and 
demonstrate a positive approach to identifying and assisting any police employee whose performance 
indicates the possibility of job stress or other job-related problems. These symptoms may be exhibited 
by: 
1.1. Field performance by the employee that is likely to indicate a tendency to use unnecessary or 
unreasonable force. 
1.2. Over - aggressiveness that may create risk of unnecessary injuries or equipment abuse. 
1.3. Personal techniques or habits that tend to increase the severity of field contacts or arrest 
situations. 
1.4. Work habits that seriously affect job performance. 
2. Early Identification System 
The department’s Early Identification System (EIS) is designed to help identify at-risk employees at an 
early stage. 
1.1. No system can guarantee it will positively identify all employees who need special assistance. 
There are certain performance indicators that, when used in a systematic way, may alert both 
supervisors and employees to the possibility of a problem. 
Personnel Early Warning System 
Often, time, location and person observing the incident or relative frequency separate the specific 
events. This system is designed to capture critical tasks and incidents over a period of time to highlight 
the performance of certain employees. 
1.2. This system is not intended to produce conclusions regarding any individual employee’s 
performance. It is simply a tool for supervisors and managers to identify employees who need 
assistance, at an early stage, and ensure that reasonable assistance can be provided and tailored to 
the individual employee. 
1.3. This system is designed to capture essential information and identify those employees who must 
then be contacted by their immediate supervisor. It requires the supervisor to counsel with, and if 
warranted, recommend remedial approaches to assist the employee. Some of these remedial 
resources include: 
1.3.1. Additional counseling; 
1.3.2. Supervised observation periods in the field; 
1.3.3. Peer counseling; 
1.3.4. Remedial training; 
1.3.5. Psychological services; 
1.3.6. Substance abuse counseling; and 
1.3.7. Temporary assignment change. 
3. Criteria for Early Warning System 

The criteria used for this system are those events that have the potential to produce negative results, 
erode community confidence, result in injury or death, or generate potential liability. The following 
events will be used as a basis for this system. 

3.1. Complaints alleging misconduct. 
3.2. Use of force reports. 
3.3. Firearms discharge. 
3.4. Vehicular pursuits. 
Personnel Early Warning System 
3.5. Official vehicle traffic accidents. 
3.6. Criminal complaints filed against an agency employee. 
3.7. Civil lawsuit filed against an employee. 
4. Internal Affairs as the Monitoring Agent 
The Criminal Investigations Division Commander will maintain all Personnel Early Warning System files 
to include the original notification, review and supplemental recommendations. These files will be 
maintained separately from the employee's personnel or medical file. The Criminal Investigations 
Division Commander will also be responsible for updating the Chief of Police as needed, and the 
preparation and transmittal of the System's semi-annual reports. 
5. Reporting Formats 
5.1. Reports will be prepared by Internal Affairs indicating individual employees who have accumulated 
the number of incidents outlined below for the applicable period of time. 
5.2. Internal Affairs will monitor the following specified department records and make written notification 
when one or more of the following situations exist. 
5.3. The reports are essential to identify any employee who may warrant attention, but fails to 
accumulate the required number of incidents within the designated period of time, yet accumulates a 
significant number of such incidents over a longer period. 
5.4. The semi-annual report will identify employees who generate the following during a six (6) month 
period: 
5.4.1. Three (3) or more use of force reports; 
5.4.2. Two (2) or more vehicular pursuits; 
5.4.3. One (1) or more firearm discharges; 
5.4.4. Two (2) or more complaints of misconduct; 
5.4.5. One (1) or more civil lawsuits or criminal complaint filings; 
Personnel Early Warning System 
5.4.6. Two (2) or more of any combination of the selected early identification system criteria. 
5.5. An Early Warning System review will be initiated upon written notification by an employee's 
supervisor that any of the following conditions exist: 
5.5.1. Two or more chargeable accidents in city vehicles with a six-month period; 
5.5.2. Any act or threat of violence against another employee(s); 
5.5.3. A discernable pattern of abuse of leave or tardiness; 
5.5.4. More than one unexcused absence within a six-month period; 
5.5.5. Any allegation of domestic violence involving the employee, whether as victim or aggressor; 
5.5.6. Behavior by an employee that is so unusual or inappropriate that it disrupts normal working 
conditions or creates an unsafe work environment; 
5.5.7. Any apparent indication that an employee is being mentally or physically abused (i.e. bruises, 
significant behavioral changes, excessive sleepiness, etc.); or 
5.5.8. An employee's involvement in an emotionally or physically traumatic incident that appears to be 
detrimentally affecting the employee's performance. 
5.6. Any member of an employee's supervisory/management chain-of-command may make the 
notification. The notification will be in writing and addressed to the employee's Division Commander 
with a copy to Internal Affairs and the Chief of Police. 
5.7. Internal Affairs will conduct an annual review of the Personnel Warning System and submit a report 
to the Chief of Police. The report will include an analysis of the reviews conducted that year to 
determine if the system is appropriately identifying individuals in need of intervention. A review of IA's 
conducted that year will be made to determine if there were cases investigated which could or should 

have been prevented by early intervention. 
Personnel Early Warning System 

5.8. Suggested improvements to the Early Warning System will be included in the report based on the 
reviews and analyses and will identify any employee who during the previous twelve (12) months 
generated the following: 
5.8.1. Four (4) or more use of force reports; 
5.8.2. Three (3) or more vehicle pursuits; 
5.8.3. One (1) or more firearm discharges; 
5.8.4. Three (3) or more complaints of misconduct; 
5.8.5. One (1) or more civil lawsuits or criminal complaints filings; or 
5.8.6. Four (4) or more of any combination of the selected early identification criteria. 
5.9. For each employee identified in either the semi-annual or annual report, Internal Affairs will provide 
a report listing the employee’s name, assignment, and a listing of the specific number and type(s) of 
incidents that were used to identify the individual employee. This report will be forwarded to the unit of 
assignment of the identified employee. Internal Affairs will assign a return due date of two (2) calendar 
weeks and ensure that the required response is returned within that period of time or that an approved 
extension request is made and maintained on file. 
6. Responsibility of the Employee’s Unit of Assignment 
6.1. When a division commander receives a report from Internal Affairs on one of his employees, the 
commander will assign the employee’s immediate supervisor to meet with the employee and discuss 
the contents of the report. The supervisor may contact Internal Affairs for a more complete 
understanding of the specific incidents involved. 
6.2. It is extremely important that all persons recognize that this is not meant to be a disciplinary 
process. This is a supervisory notification of a potential personnel performance problem. It is a 
systematic process to alert the division commander and the employee to a condition that necessitates 
concern and attention. The Early Identification System is designed to be a resource to assist 
supervisors in their primary function of personnel development and guidance. 
6.3. The supervisor shall prepare a written report outlining the meeting and any recommended actions. 
Personnel Early Warning System 
The employee will have an opportunity to review the supervisor’s completed report and, if desired, can 
note on the report or prepare a supplemental report expressing his/her agreement or disagreement or 
add personal comments. 
7. Approval of Supervisory Action 
The completed supervisory report and any reports of the employee will be forwarded to Internal Affairs 
through the normal chain of command. Each level within the command chain must indicate agreement 
or disagreement with the recommended action of the immediate supervisor. The Chief of Police will be 
the final authority on the action to be taken. Internal Affairs will be responsible for verifying that the 
recommended action is implemented. Internal Affairs will store these reports in a separate and secure 
file. 
8. Availability and Use of Supervisory Counseling Reports 
The completed supervisory counseling reports or the absence of any such notices should be used by 
supervisors in other personnel decisions such as recommended disciplinary actions, subsequent Early 
Identification System, counseling notices, performance evaluations, and assignment changes. 
9. CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION 
Nothing in this section shall be construed to create any contract of employment; to change the “at will” 
nature of the employment relationship between each officer and the City: or to entitle any person to any 
disciplinary action or progressive action or number of incidents prior to disciplinary action being taken. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 07 Mobile Data Computers 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 07 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/01/2018 
Subject: Mobile Data Computers 

I. Purpose 
In order to ensure proper usage of the Mobile Data Computers being issued to officers, employees, and 
members of the department, this policy will outline the guidelines for proper operation, maintenance 
and punitive concerns with regard to damage and proper use of hardware, software and network 
operations. 
II. Policy: 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department that the use of a departmentally issued Mobile Data 
Computer be used in compliance with all applicable Federal regulations and State of Georgia statutes. 
The mobile data computer is an essential component to the reporting process as it accelerates the 
proficiency, timeliness and accuracy of departmentally generated reports. The Mobile Data System is 
not designed, nor is it intended, to replace voice communications transmissions. 
III. Procedures: 
A. Internet access is restricted to work related purposes only. Any employee abusing internet access by 
accessing inappropriate sites or downloading inappropriate or personal material may be subject to 
disciplinary action and/or loss of internet access. 
B. All communications and information accessible by this device should be considered confidential. 
C. Mobile Data Computers while in the car must be securely mounted/locked in the mounting bracket. 
When outside of the vehicle, they shall be safely secured and maintained at all times. 
D. No software of any kind may be loaded onto the computer without prior approval. 
E. No software may be removed, modified, or copied from the computer. All computers should be 
rebooted and connected to the VPN each workday of the assigned officer. This process is necessary to 
facilitate the wireless installation of system operating programs or updates and the antivirus program as 
managed by the City of Auburn’s IT Department. The current program is designed to detect and 
quarantine any virus or malicious program that may be imported via the use of jump drives, memory 
devices, or other data media that are not issued by the IT Department. 
F. No information will be obtained for the personal gain of the user. Any such attempt shall result in 
disciplinary action and potential criminal prosecution. 
G. All personnel operating a Mobile Data Computer will be issued a password. Personnel are 
responsible for maintaining security of their passwords. Sharing of passwords is prohibited unless 
otherwise approval is granted by the Chief of Police or his designee. 
H. All laptops and accompanying hardware assigned to personnel for mobile purposes are the property 
of the Auburn Police Department. They are intended for official work only. 
I. None of the computer settings can be changed, including passwords. 
J. The phone air cards are only to be used with the assigned laptops, and definitely not for personal 
use. The laptops will be checked periodically for viruses, spy ware, condition, and use history. Anything 
suspicious or mishandling found, will be reported to the Patrol Commander. Disciplinary action may 
result. 
K. Any computer related problems, including loss or theft of equipment, will be reported to the officer’s 
immediate supervisor immediately. Any lost, stolen, or damaged equipment will be documented in an 
incident report. 
L. When the vehicle is in motion, officers shall limit use of the Mobile Data Computer to the following: 
1. Single keystroke operations 
2. Vehicle registration/stolen checks – only when traffic/ weather conditions are favorable. 

M. The user of the Mobile Data Computer can send text messages to a single unit, multiple units and 
system wide. These text messages shall be limited to duty related issues. Under no circumstances 
shall an officer/employee using the Mobile Data Computer broadcast jokes, sexual comments, racial 
comments, provocative or suggestive comments, or any language that creates an intimidating, hostile 
or offensive work environment of any kind. 
N. All messages sent via the Mobile Data Computer are recorded and subject to open records 
discovery. Mobile Data Computer text messages will be reviewed randomly by the system administrator 
to assure proper content. The content of all transmissions over the (MDC) system shall comply with the 
same requirements as with voice radio transmissions. Officers will still notify the 911 Communications 
Center of all traffic stops using voice communications transmission. 
O. All Mobile Data Computers assigned to officers who are GCIC/NCIC certified must be securely 
stored when not in use. If the MDC is mounted in an assigned vehicle the vehicle must remain locked 
when not occupied. If the officer takes the MDT home and removes it from the vehicle, it must be 
securely stored in a manner that would prevent unauthorized persons from access to this terminal. 
Under no circumstances will an officer allow family members or acquaintances access to their MDC. 
The MDC may be used while the officer is working an extra duty job, but only for official law 
enforcement purposes. 
P. All GCIC/NCIC queries that indicate a positive hit, such as wanted person, stolen article, domestic 
violence or missing person, should be confirmed to assure that the proper interpretation of the hit is 
valid and is confirmed through NCIC/GCIC procedures. The officer should not act solely on the 
information obtained through the Mobile Data Computer until it is confirmed by the NCIC/GCIC operator 
on duty. Since the Mobile Data Computers are considered an extension of the main agency terminals in 
the Auburn Police Department, all positive hits obtained from these terminals must be confirmed 
through the main NCIC/GCIC operator on duty, which would be the Support clerk. 
Q. Requests for hit confirmation should occur using voice communications. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 07-1 On Officer Body Camera (rev) 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 07-1 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/02/2018 
Subject: On-Officer Body Camera 

I. PURPOSE 
Police body worn cameras remain an effective tool in recording the day to day activities of all sworn 
employees with the Auburn Police Department. Research shows that police body cameras improve 
police accountability and lower reports of police misconduct. Police body cameras also provide visual 
and audio data that can independently verify events and be used as evidence in civil and criminal 
courts. In addition, body worn cameras also protect police officers against false accusations of 
misconduct and offer transparency and accountability to the public. Lastly, video recorded from police 
body cameras can be used to train new and existing officers on how to perform during difficult 
encounters with the public. This policy will establish operational and submission guidelines for the use 
and care of the department’s “On-Officer” Body Cameras (OBC). 
II. DEFINITIONS 
On-Officer Body Camera 
The only approved on-officer body camera authorized by the Auburn Police Department is the TASER 
AXON Flex and the Sentry 360-BW-GW25. 
The on-officer body camera is an audio/video recording system worn and used by officers to document 
police related incidents. 
Any other video cameras used by officers for law enforcement purposes will: 
Be approved by the Chief of Police or Division Commander. 
Adhere to protocols outlined in Evidentiary Recordings. 
Operation Mode Definitions 
Normal (Buffering) Mode: The on-officer body camera continuously loops video recording for up to 30 
seconds before recording is started by officer. Records video only (no audio) while buffering. 
ETM: Evidence Transfer Manager. Docking station that uploads data and recharges the AXON Flex 
system. 
III. GENERAL GUIDELINES 
Operational Guidelines 
The on-officer body camera and battery pack will be signed out by the officer each day. 
Officers will inspect the on-officer body camera for any physical damage and ensure the device is in 
working order at the beginning of the shift. 
Prior to going into service with an on-officer body camera, officers will ensure they are wearing an 
authorized uniform, clearly identifying them as an Auburn Police Officer, unless otherwise authorized by 
the Chief of Police or Division Commander or his designee. 
Officers will make every effort to place the on-officer body camera in the Record Mode as soon as 
practical during a given situation. 
On-officer body camera recordings will be used for official Department purposes only. 
On-officer body cameras will only be worn in a manner authorized by the Chief of Police. 
Current approved mounts are: 
Oakley Flak Jacket glasses with approved lenses. 
Headband manufactured by TASER. 
Authorized ball cap with proper mount. 
Sentry 360 vest-mounted saddle 
User Guidelines 

Officers will make every effort to activate the on-officer camera to record the following event(s), if 
practical: 
Traffic stops and citizen contacts. 
Impaired driver investigations. 
Vehicle pursuits and failure to yield incidents. 
Accident scenes. 
All calls for service. 
Transportation of any prisoner(s) or citizens for any reason. 
Any time an officer feels it is appropriate to record. 
All searches (Persons, Vehicles, Structures, etc.) 
Statements made by subjects, victims, and witnesses. 
Advising an individual of his/her Miranda rights. 
During interrogations/interviews. 
Other legitimate law enforcement contacts. 
Once on, officers will continue to record until the completion of the event, or they have left the scene, 
except in instances outlined in this order. 
Additional arriving units to a scene assigned an on-officer body camera will begin recording as soon as 
practical and continue to record until the completion of the event, or they have left the scene (this 
includes recording of statements.). 
Officers may use media captured via the on-officer body camera to assist with the investigation and 
completion of reports. 
Officers may use media captured via the on-officer body camera for training purposes, with proper 
authorization from the appropriate division commander or his designee 
Restrictions 
In accordance with Recording Protocols, members shall not make surreptitious recordings of 
conversations with other Department members except: 
When necessary, in a criminal investigation; or 
Unless approved by Chief of Police or his designee 
The on-officer body camera will not be intentionally activated to record conversation(s) of fellow 
employees with or without their knowledge during routine, non-enforcement related activities. 
Members will advise other Department members and/or other criminal justice personnel (prosecutors, 
judges, or other law enforcement personnel) when an on-officer body camera is recording. 
Do not record: 
During employee breaks. 
Report writing. 
Discussing a case with other officers. 
During other administrative functions. 
During general discussions with employees. 
The on-officer body camera will not be activated in places where a reasonable expectation of privacy 
exists, such as dressing rooms or restrooms. 
Members shall not record confidential informants or undercover officers. 
Officers will not allow citizens to review the recordings unless approved by the Patrol Commander. 
Members accessing, copying or releasing of on-officer body camera recordings for other than official 
law enforcement purposes without authorization by the Chief of Police are prohibited and subject to 
disciplinary action. 
Dissemination of information will be: 
For criminal justice purposes only. 
For training purposes only when approved by the Chief of Police or Division Commander. 
Officers shall not make copies of any on-officer body camera recording for their personal use. 

IV. STORAGE, DOCUMENTATION & RETENTION GUIDELINES 
Media Storage/Evidentiary Value 
All on-officer body camera recordings shall be retained and considered as Evidence. 
At the end of the shift, officers shall place the Axon Flex camera and battery pack into the docking 
station called an Evidence Transfer Manager (ETM) to transfer data into . 

Do not remove the camera from docking station (ETM) until data is uploaded and the battery is fully 
charged. 
This clears the camera memory from existing data. 
The uploaded data is considered Evidence. 
Once data is uploaded into in its entirety, officers will tag the segments of evidentiary value and label 
with case number or event number. 
Evidentiary copies of on-officer body camera digital media can be copied at with authorization from the 
Chief of Police. 
Do not erase, alter or tamper with any video or collected data. 
Members requesting a file to be deleted will submit a memo of explanation to their Division 
Commander. 
The affected Division Commander will make a determination and forward the memo to the Chief of 
Police to complete the request through . 
The memos will be retained by the Division Commander and the Chief of Police. 
Evidence transfer procedures for the Sentry 360 body cameras is outlined in General Order #01-2017. 
Documentation & Reporting 
When the on-officer body camera is used in any investigation or during a police contact, this fact will be 
documented on any citation/warning and/or report prepared regarding the contact as required per 
policy. 
When preparing an Incident Report, Supplemental Report, Citation Report, or Field Interview (FI) Card 
in connection with an investigation or police event, the following details of the recording should be 
included in that report/contact card: 
An indication that a recording was made. 
The date and time of the recording. 
The person(s) recorded. 
The reason for the recording (i.e.: traffic stop, criminal investigation, field contact, etc.) 
Video recordings are intended to supplement Departmental reports. Submitted reports are still required 
to comprehensively capture the totality of the event. 
Retention & Public Release 
On-officer body camera recordings captured as part of a Department member’s duties shall be the 
property of the Auburn Police Department and be considered a record of the Auburn Police 
Department. 
The release of information requested through a public records request will be subject to the same 
statutory exemptions from disclosure as any other Department records. 
Prior to releasing any on-officer body camera recordings, Records personnel will ensure proper 
redaction is completed. 
Recordings not attached to a case or investigation will be purged per schedule determined by Georgia 
Retention Laws. 
Care and Equipment 
On-officer body cameras will be signed out at the beginning of shift until such time each officer is issued 
a camera. 
A record of the inventory will be maintained by the Division Commander. 
Only officers who have completed the approved training will be assigned an on-officer body camera. 
Officers are responsible for the proper care of all Department property and/or equipment assigned to 
them as per policy. 
Officers will immediately report any loss of, or damage to, any part of the on-officer body camera 
equipment through the proper chain of command. 
Inspection and Audit 
Supervisors will conduct random reviews of on-officer body camera recordings. 

Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 07-1 On Officer Body Camera 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 07-1 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/02/2018 
Subject: On-Officer Body Camera 

I. PURPOSE 
To establish operational and submission guidelines for the “On-Officer” Body Camera (OBC.) 
II. DEFINITIONS 
On-Officer Body Camera 
The only approved on-officer body camera authorized by the Auburn Police Department is the TASER 
AXON Flex and the Sentry 360-BW-GW25. 
The on-officer body camera is an audio/video recording system worn and used by officers to document 
police related incidents. 
Any other video cameras used by officers for law enforcement purposes will: 
Be approved by the Chief of Police or Division Commander. 
Adhere to protocols outlined in Evidentiary Recordings. 
Operation Mode Definitions 
Normal (Buffering) Mode: The on-officer body camera continuously loops video recording for up to 30 
seconds before recording is started by officer. Records video only (no audio) while buffering. 
ETM: Evidence Transfer Manager. Docking station that uploads data and recharges the AXON Flex 
system. 
III. GENERAL GUIDELINES 
Operational Guidelines 
The on-officer body camera and battery pack will be signed out by the officer each day. 
Officers will inspect the on-officer body camera for any physical damage and ensure the device is in 
working order at the beginning of the shift. 
Prior to going into service with an on-officer body camera, officers will ensure they are wearing an 
authorized uniform, clearly identifying them as an Auburn Police Officer, unless otherwise authorized by 
the Chief of Police or Division Commander or his designee. 
Officers will make every effort to place the on-officer body camera in the Record Mode as soon as 
practical during a given situation. 
On-officer body camera recordings will be used for official Department purposes only. 
On-officer body cameras will only be worn in a manner authorized by the Chief of Police. 
Current approved mounts are: 
Oakley Flak Jacket glasses with approved lenses. 
Headband manufactured by TASER. 
Authorized ball cap with proper mount. 
Sentry 360 vest-mounted saddle 
User Guidelines 
Officers will make every effort to activate the on-officer camera to record the following event(s), if 
practical: 
Traffic stops and citizen contacts. 
Impaired driver investigations. 
Vehicle pursuits and failure to yield incidents. 
Accident scenes. 
All calls for service. 
Transportation of any prisoner(s) or citizens for any reason. 
Any time an officer feels it is appropriate to record. 

All searches (Persons, Vehicles, Structures, etc.) 
Statements made by subjects, victims, and witnesses. 
Advising an individual of his/her Miranda rights. 
During interrogations/interviews. 
Other legitimate law enforcement contacts. 
Once on, officers will continue to record until the completion of the event, or they have left the scene, 
except in instances outlined in this order. 
Additional arriving units to a scene assigned an on-officer body camera will begin recording as soon as 
practical and continue to record until the completion of the event, or they have left the scene (this 
includes recording of statements.). 
Officers may use media captured via the on-officer body camera to assist with the investigation and 
completion of reports. 
Officers may use media captured via the on-officer body camera for training purposes, with proper 
authorization from the appropriate division commander or his designee 
Restrictions 
In accordance with Recording Protocols, members shall not make surreptitious recordings of 
conversations with other Department members except: 
When necessary in a criminal investigation; or 
Unless approved by Chief of Police or his designee 
The on-officer body camera will not be intentionally activated to record conversation(s) of fellow 
employees with or without their knowledge during routine, non-enforcement related activities. 
Members will advise other Department members and/or other criminal justice personnel (prosecutors, 
judges, or other law enforcement personnel) when an on-officer body camera is recording. 
Do not record: 
During employee breaks. 
Report writing. 
Discussing a case with other officers. 
During other administrative functions. 
During general discussions with employees. 
The on-officer body camera will not be activated in places where a reasonable expectation of privacy 
exists, such as dressing rooms or restrooms. 
Members shall not record confidential informants or undercover officers. 
Officers will not allow citizens to review the recordings unless approved by the Patrol Commander. 
Members accessing, copying or releasing of on-officer body camera recordings for other than official 
law enforcement purposes without authorization by the Chief of Police are prohibited and subject to 
disciplinary action. 
Dissemination of information will be: 
For criminal justice purposes only. 
For training purposes only when approved by the Chief of Police or Division Commander. 
Officers shall not make copies of any on-officer body camera recording for their personal use. 

IV. STORAGE, DOCUMENTATION & RETENTION GUIDELINES 
Media Storage/Evidentiary Value 
All on-officer body camera recordings shall be retained and considered as Evidence. 
At the end of the shift, officers shall place the Axon Flex camera and battery pack into the docking 
station called an Evidence Transfer Manager (ETM) to transfer data into . 
Do not remove the camera from docking station (ETM) until data is uploaded and the battery is fully 
charged. 
This clears the camera memory from existing data. 
The uploaded data is considered Evidence. 
Once data is uploaded into in its entirety, officers will tag the segments of evidentiary value and label 
with case number or event number. 
Evidentiary copies of on-officer body camera digital media can be copied at with authorization from the 
Chief of Police. 
Do not erase, alter or tamper with any video or collected data. 

Members requesting a file to be deleted will submit a memo of explanation to their Division 
Commander. 
The affected Division Commander will make a determination and forward the memo to the Chief of 
Police to complete the request through . 
The memos will be retained by the Division Commander and the Chief of Police. 
Evidence transfer procedures for the Sentry 360 body cameras is outlined in General Order #01-2017. 
Documentation & Reporting 
When the on-officer body camera is used in any investigation or during a police contact, this fact will be 
documented on any citation/warning and/or report prepared regarding the contact as required per 
policy. 
When preparing an Incident Report, Supplemental Report, Citation Report, or Field Interview (FI) Card 
in connection with an investigation or police event, the following details of the recording should be 
included in that report/contact card: 
An indication that a recording was made. 
The date and time of the recording. 
The person(s) recorded. 
The reason for the recording (i.e.: traffic stop, criminal investigation, field contact, etc.) 
Video recordings are intended to supplement Departmental reports. Submitted reports are still required 
to comprehensively capture the totality of the event. 
Retention & Public Release 
On-officer body camera recordings captured as part of a Department member’s duties shall be the 
property of the Auburn Police Department and be considered a record of the Auburn Police 
Department. 
The release of information requested through a public records request will be subject to the same 
statutory exemptions from disclosure as any other Department records. 
Prior to releasing any on-officer body camera recordings, Records personnel will ensure proper 
redaction is completed. 
Recordings not attached to a case or investigation will be purged per schedule determined by Georgia 
Retention Laws. 
Care and Equipment 
On-officer body cameras will be signed out at the beginning of shift until such time each officer is issued 
a camera. 
A record of the inventory will be maintained by the Division Commander. 
Only officers who have completed the approved training will be assigned an on-officer body camera. 
Officers are responsible for the proper care of all Department property and/or equipment assigned to 
them as per policy. 
Officers will immediately report any loss of, or damage to, any part of the on-officer body camera 
equipment through the proper chain of command. 
Inspection and Audit 
Supervisors will conduct random reviews of on-officer body camera recordings. 

Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 07-2 GCIC Operational Policy 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 07-2 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/03/2018 
Subject: NCIC/GCIC Operational Policy 

I. Purpose: 
The purpose of this policy is to ensure compliance with all GCIC rules and regulations so that no 
improper usage of this network will occur. This policy mandates strict adherence to all GCIC policies 
and periodic reviews will be completed to ensure ongoing conformance with evolving (GCIC) policy. 
This policy will expound on procedures and guidelines necessary for the uniform operation and access 
of the network and will restrict the use of criminal justice information obtained through the network for 
purposes authorized by law. This policy does not take the place of any established directives listed in 
the GCIC and NCIC Manuals. 
II. Scope: 
The policy applies to agency personnel, contractors, consultants, temporary staff, and other workers at 
the agency, including all personnel affiliated with GCIC and third parties. This policy applies to all 
equipment and software that is owned or leased by the agency. 
III. Acronyms/Definitions: 
NCIC – National Crime Information Center 
GCIC – Georgia Crime Information Center 
CJIS – Criminal Justice Information System 
TAC – Terminal Agency Coordinator 
CJI – Criminal Justice Information 
UCR – Uniform Crime Reporting 
CCH – Computerized Criminal History 
Agency Head – Chief of Police 
VPN – Virtual Private Network 
SSL – Server Socket Layer 
S&I; – Security and Integrity 
CBT - Computer Based Training 
Hit – positive response to an inquiry (confirmation given through a “routine” or “urgent” response) 
Hit Confirmation – Advise the requesting agency the information is accurate, current, and valid 
Denied Hit – the record is no longer valid or does not match the information on file 
Locate Message – Sent by the recovering or apprehending agency after receiving a positive hit 
confirmation 
Detainer – Official notice that an individual is wanted by another agency and should not be released 
without notifying that agency 
Validations – confirming the validity and accuracy of record entry 
GTA – Georgia Technology Authority 
LASO – Local Agency Security Officer 
GBI – Georgia Bureau of Investigation 
Hot Files – Restricted and non-restricted file record entries 
IDPS – Intrusion Detection and Prevention System 
ITSC – Information Technology Subcontractor 
BCEC – Barrow County Emergency Communications 
BCSO – Barrow County Sheriff’s Office 
IV. Rules and Regulations Pertaining to GCIC for: 

Acceptable use/access of GCIC – While the agency’s network administration desires to provide a 
reasonable level of privacy, users should be aware that the data they create on the agency systems 
remains the property of the agency. Because of the need to protect the agency’s network, management 
cannot guarantee the confidentiality of information stored on any network device belonging to the 
agency. 
Employees are responsible for exercising good judgment regarding the reasonableness of personal 
use. Individual departments are responsible for creating guidelines concerning personal use of 
Internet/Intranet systems. In the absence of such policies, employees should consult their supervisor or 
management. 
Any information that a user considers sensitive or vulnerable should be encrypted. For security and 
network maintenance purposes, authorized individuals within the agency may monitor equipment, 
systems and network traffic at any time, per agency policies. The agency reserves the right to audit the 
network and systems on a periodic basis to ensure compliance with this policy. 
Regarding information on the CJIS Network, employees should take all necessary steps to prevent 
unauthorized access to this information. Keep passwords secure and do not share accounts. 
Authorized users are responsible for the security of their passwords and accounts. All personal 
computers, laptops, and workstations should be secured with password protected screen savers with 
an automatic activation feature, set at ten minutes or less, or by logging off (control-alt-delete) when the 
computer is unattended. Because information contained on portable computers is especially 
vulnerable, special care should be exercised. All devices used by employees that are connected to the 
agency Internet/Intranet, whether owned by the employee or the agency, shall be continually executing 
approved virus-scanning software with a current database. Employees must use extreme caution when 
opening e-mail attachments received from unknown senders, which may contain viruses, e-mail 
bombs, or Trojan horse code. 
The following activities are, in general, prohibited. Under no circumstances is an employee of the 
agency authorized to engage in any activity that is illegal under local, state, or federal law utilizing the 
agency owned resources. The list below is by no means exhaustive but attempts to provide a frame 
work for activities which fall into the category of unacceptable use. The following activities are strictly 
prohibited, with no exceptions: 
Unauthorized access, copying, or dissemination of GCIC information 
Installation of any copyrighted software for which the agency or end user does not have an active 
license 
Installation of any software without preapproval and virus scan 
Introduction of malicious programs into the network or server (e.g., viruses, worms, Trojan horses, logic 
bombs, etc.) 
Revealing your account password to others or allowing use of your account by others 
Effecting security breaches or disruptions of network communication. Security breaches include, but 
are not limited to, accessing data of which the employee is not an intended recipient or logging into a 
server that the employee is not expressly authorized to access, unless these duties are within the 
scope of regular duties 
Executing any form of network monitoring which will intercept data not intended for the employee’s 
host, unless this activity is a part of the employee’s normal job/duty 
Circumventing user authentication or security of any host, network, or account 
Interfering with or denying service to any user other than the employee’s host 
Using any program/script/command or sending messages of any kind, with the intent to interfere with or 
disable a user’s terminal session, via any means, locally or via the Internet/Intranet 
Providing information about GCIC to parties outside the agency 
Accessing data to which the individual has no legitimate right to access. 
Enabling unauthorized individuals to access data 
Disclosing data in a way that violates applicable policy, procedures, or relevant regulations or law 
Inappropriately modifying or destroying data 
Inadequately protecting restricted data 
Any violation of this policy may result in network removal, access revocation, corrective or disciplinary 
action, civil or criminal prosecution, and termination of employment. 


Appointment of a Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC) - The Terminal Agency Coordinator, or TAC, is 
appointed by the Agency Head. The TAC is certified within 90 days of appointment via official 
notification to the Director of GCIC. For the purposes of this policy, the TAC will serve as direct liaison 
to the GBI on all things pertaining to GCIC access and operation. The TAC will also serve as the Local 
Agency Security Officer, or LASO, unless other direction is given by the Agency Head. The primary 
duties for the agency TAC are as follows: 
Assist the Agency Head and agency in complying with GCIC and NCIC polices, rules, and regulations. 
Complete TAC Training and refresher course (as set forth in the GCIC Policy Manual). 
Notify GCIC of any changes 
Maintain CJIS Related material 
Administer training programs for CJIS Network Operations 
Retain and securely store all Hot Files 
Ensure all User agreements are obtained and current 
Ensure proper handling of hit confirmations 
Proper placement of detainers 
Ensure timely, accurate and complete validation procedures 
Implementation of CJIS Policy and Procedures 
CJIS Network Audit preparation 
Ensure all GCIC entries are correct 
The TAC will “clear” or “cancel” entries as needed 
The Agency Head can also appoint an assistant Terminal Agency 
Coordinator should he deem the order to be in the best 
interest of the department. The Assistant TAC will obtain 
the same level of training as the primary TAC and will assume 
primary TAC duties in the absence of the primary. 
GCIC Terminal Location – The GCIC access terminal is located in the Support Services Division of the 
department. The Support Services Division is responsible for maintaining security in and around the 
GCIC Terminal. 
In order to access the GCIC terminal, authorized individuals must come through the front door to the 
lobby and show appropriate identification. If the individual is employed by our agency, they are allowed 
through a locked door from the lobby into the interior hallway. This hallway leads to the Support 
Services Division which is secured by a locked door with a sign that specifies “Authorized Personnel 
Only.” This door is closed at all times to limit access to those who have proper permissions. All other 
personnel must be escorted to gain entry to Support Services so that maximum security can be 
maintained. 
The GCIC terminal is located in the southwest corner of the Support Services Office and can only be 
viewed by authorized personnel. 
Network Topology – This department utilizes an Information Technology Subcontractor (ITSC) for all 
web-based services currently in use. As such, the network topology is available in the User Agreement 
that exists between this department and the IT Subcontractor. 
Proper Protection/Disposal of Media - When no longer usable, hard drives, diskettes, tape cartridges, 
CDs, ribbons, hard copies, print-outs, and other similar items used to process, store and/or transmit CJI 
and other sensitive data shall be properly disposed of in accordance with measures established by the 
agency. Physical media (print-outs and other physical media) shall be disposed of by one of the 
following methods: 
Shredding using agency issued shredders 
Placed in locked shredding bins until agency personnel can properly dispose of the media 
Incineration using agency incinerators or witnessed by agency personnel onsite at agency or at 
contractor incineration site, if conducted by non-authorized personnel 
Electronic media (hard-drives, tape cartridge, CDs, printer ribbons, flash drives, printer and copier 
hard-drives, etc.) shall be disposed of by overwriting or other methods approved by the Agency Head to 
adequately sanitize these devices (to also include degaussing and/or destruction of device platters so 
that information cannot be extracted). In the event that existing computer terminals have to be replaced, 
the department will not release any item used to transmit or store GCIC information until the device has 


been properly purged. 
Physical Security and Man Made/Natural Disaster – In the event of a man-made or natural disaster, the 
Agency Head or designee and/or the Local Agency Security Officer (LASO) shall have the 
responsibility of ensuring that GCIC materials and records maintained by the agency are not in danger 
of being damaged or destroyed. In the event that the materials or records are not secure, or have been 
damaged or destroyed, the affected agency personnel shall make immediate notification to the Agency 
Head or designee and/or LASO to inform of the situation. 
If necessary, personnel shall be stationed in the area to secure GCIC materials and records. The 
Agency head, designee and/or LASO shall be responsible for taking necessary steps to ensure that all 
materials and records are secure on-site or that the materials and records are moved to another secure 
location. The J.D. Withers Building has been designated as the secondary location. GCIC operations 
can continue due to the existing user agreement in place with the Barrow County Sheriff’s Department. 
Disciplinary Actions – Agencies are subject to GCIC administrative sanctions for violations of the laws 
governing the operation of the CJIS network, the GCIC Council Rules, GCIC CJIS Security Policy, or 
CJIS network policies published by GCIC. 
Sanctions for CJIS network terminal agencies may include, but are not limited to: 
Purging of Hot Files records entered into GCIC 
Restricting CJIS network access 
Suspension/revocation of the agency’s terminal access to the CJIS network 
Criminal prosecution by the State of Georgia and/or GCIC 
The Department takes infractions of this policy seriously. Any unauthorized access to NCIC/GCIC could 
result in suspension or revocation of network access which would drastically affect law enforcement 
operations. As such, any employee found to be in violation of any of the provisions set forth in this 
policy is subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. Disciplinary actions for violations 
of this policy may include one or more of the following: 
Documented verbal counseling 
Written reprimand 
Additional training 
Loss of position 
Suspension 
Loss of employment 
Punitive actions for the involved employee does not follow the traditional model of progressive 
discipline. Due to the sensitive nature of the information being accessed, serious violations, even if it is 
the employee’s first infraction, could lead to termination. The final disposition of any incident involving 
violations of this policy rests with the Agency Head. 
Security Incident Handling – For the purposes of this policy, a Security Incident shall refer to any event 
that involves the malicious and/or intentional attack/event on any computer system utilized by this 
department. Attacks/events could include but are not limited to: 
An act that results in a system crash 
Any act that results in the loss or theft of data or the inability to secure data access points 
Any action or event that results in department personnel being unable to access web servers or other 
computer-based systems due to the installation of any malware, computerized virus, or other hostile 
software 
Any other attack/event that involves the unauthorized alteration of device configurations without the 
permission of the Agency Head or his/her designee 
Theft of physical IT asset including computers, storage devices, printers, etc. 
Damage to physical IT assets including computers, storage devices, printers, etc. 
Misuse of services, information, or assets 
An attempt at unauthorized access. 
Reports of unusual system behavior or intrusion detection alarms 
This department outsources all information technology (IT) services to a Subcontractor. The current IT 
Subcontractor, CPAK, Inc., ensures via contractual agreement that all systems are equipped with the 
proper Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS), 128-bit encryption on all access features, 
and firewall and anti-virus services. The ITSC is accessible 24/7 and the main technician for the ITSC 


has completed the appropriate GCIC awareness statements. All computer and server equipment is 
provided by the ITSC and will be purged of all sensitive and proprietary information pursuant to this 
policy. 
In the event of a security incident, the Agency Head and agency TAC are notified immediately. The 
ITSC is also notified and begins immediately to address any existing issues. The ITSC, Agency Head, 
and department TAC work collectively to ensure all data and data access points are secure. Should a 
compromise of any kind occur, the ITSC will take the appropriate steps and immediately institute a 
temporary fix to halt the breach. The ITSC will begin collecting forensic data and relay these findings to 
the Agency Head and the department TAC. The ITSC will also implement a permanent fix and 
complete an after-action report for the Agency Head. In any security incident the primary focus, after 
safeguarding employees, is protecting sensitive and proprietary data. The final decision to conduct a 
criminal investigation into a security incident lies with the Agency Head. 
Service Agreements – This department has a network service agreement with the Barrow County 
Emergency Communications center (BCEC). In this agreement BCEC aids this department with 
criminal justice and public safety information processing and communication through record inquiries 
and message transmittals in keeping with GCIC standards. BCEC shall restrict access to criminal 
justice information, including criminal histories, to authorized employees of criminal justice agencies 
that have executed user agreements with GCIC. 
The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) currently provides full GCIC services to this department in 
the event of failure the department terminal. By separate agreement, BCEC provides full GCIC services 
in the event of failure of the BCSO terminal. In the event that the BCSO terminal were to fail at the 
same time as the department terminal, BCEC would provide full GCIC services. All service agreements 
shall be signed and agreed upon by all agencies involved and written documentation will be kept on file. 
User Account Access – Validation and Removal - All accounts shall be reviewed at least annually by 
the terminal agency coordinator (TAC)or designee to ensure that access and account privileges 
commensurate with job functions, need-to-know, and employment status on systems that contain 
Criminal Justice Information. The TAC may also conduct periodic reviews. 
The TAC or designee must disable all new accounts that have not been accessed within 30 days of 
creation. Accounts of individuals on extended leave (more than 30 days) should be disabled. (Note: 
Exceptions can be made in cases where uninterrupted access to IT resources is required. In those 
instances, the individual going on extended leave must have a manager-approved request from the 
designated account administrator or assistant.) The TAC or designee must be notified if a user's 
information system usage or need-to-know changes (i.e., the employee is terminated, transferred, etc.). 
The TAC or designee will remove or disable all access accounts for separated or terminated employees 
immediately following separation from the agency. Primary responsibility for account management 
belongs to the Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC). The TAC or designee shall modify user accounts in 
response to events like name changes, accounting changes, or permission changes. The TAC will also 
periodically review existing accounts for validity, and-Cooperate fully with an audit review. 
Commercial Dissemination - All employees are required to follow the policies, rules and procedures set 
forth by GCIC, NCIC, FBI CJIS Security Policy, and the laws of the State of Georgia. The commercial 
dissemination of GCIC/NCIC non-restricted files, formally known as hot files, is prohibited. 
Retention of Juvenile Record Entries – Retention of Juvenile Records will be in accordance with 
established GCIC policy as put forth in the GCIC Policy Manual. Missing and wanted juveniles are 
converted to a Missing/Wanted Adult record on their 18th birthday unless cleared or canceled prior to 
conversion. Once cleared or canceled, this department will archive these types of records for a 
maximum period of three years (beginning at the year end of the document origin), per department 
record retention policy. All archived documents are secured in a secured department file room. 
Mobile Data Terminals – This department employs mobile data terminals to POST certified Law 
Enforcement Officers who are also GCIC certified. A separate policy has been constructed to address 
this issue and should be referenced for further explanation (Auburn Police Department Policy Manual: 
chapter 7 – “Use of Mobile Data Terminals”). 
Entering Wanted/Stolen information – Upon determination by law enforcement officers/court officials 
that a wanted person should be arrested, that identifiable property is reported as stolen, or an 
adult/juvenile is reported missing by a parent, guardian, or next of kin, a record will be entered into 


GCIC within 12 hours of reporting to officials. If the missing/wanted person is less than 21 years of age, 
the record will be entered within 2 hours after enough information is obtained to complete the entry. 
All information must match the warrant/initial report upon entry. Accuracy and completeness will be 
achieved using the definitions provided in GCIC Policy Manual 2.7.2 and 2.7.3. Additional information 
will be added as it becomes available during investigations and validations. 
Second checks will be conducted on each entry by an additional terminal operator to ensure accuracy 
and completeness. Documents used to enter information, such as original arrest warrants, copies of 
protection orders, initial missing person/stolen article reports, etc. will be retained on site in the 
agency’s case files until record entries are removed from GCIC/NCIC files. All entries will be complete 
and concise. Any errors uncovered through a second check will be documented. Repeated errors may 
result in disciplinary action against personnel assigned to enter pertinent information. 
Hit Process and Detainers - Terminal operators are available 24 hours a day to respond to hit 
confirmations on all records. In the event the terminal will not be manned, the terminal is transferred to 
the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office per written agreement. 
Upon receipt of a hit confirmation request for ORI GA0070200, the terminal operator will check the 
warrant/record to confirm if it is active and valid. In the event of hit confirmation requests on wanted 
persons, the operator will check for pick up limits. Upon confirmation of the validity of the record, the 
terminal operator will furnish a substantive response within the designated time frame. A positive or 
negative confirmation or notice of the specific amount of time necessary to confirm or reject will be 
provided through a hit confirmation response. 
There are two levels of priority: Urgent and Routine. Priority one: Urgent – The response will be 
provided within 10 minutes of receipt of the confirmation request. All fields will be filled in completely 
and correctly. Priority two: Routine – The response will be provided within 1 hour of receipt of the 
confirmation request. All fields will be filled in completely and correctly. If more time is required, a 
“Pending” response will be provided giving the time frame for confirmation. All responses are 
determined by the files on site, in the office of the GCIC terminal. 
A detainer is placed on an individual who is wanted by responding agency and should not be released 
or discharged without notifying that agency. A detainer also permits a wanted person record to remain 
active in NCIC/GCIC while the subject is being held in another jurisdiction. 
Validation Procedures - Validations are conducted monthly by GA0070200 to confirm that all GCIC 
entry records are complete, accurate, and still outstanding or active. Upon receiving online notification 
from GCIC, validations are accomplished by reviewing the entry and current supporting documents. 
The Department TAC notifies and confirms in writing with courts to ensure all warrants are valid and 
active. Investigations is notified in writing to review CID files and document any recent consultation with 
all appropriate complainants, victims, prosecutors, courts, nonterminal agencies, or other appropriate 
sources or individuals. In the event the ORI is unsuccessful in its attempts to contact the victim, 
complainant, etc., the investigations division must make a determination based on the best information 
and knowledge available whether or not to retain the entry in the file. Documentation is returned to the 
TAC confirming the active files or advising of cancellation with given reason. 
TAC will confirm “as is”, “modify”, or “cancel” online in the Validation section of GCIC by the first 
Sunday of the month assigned. TAC will monitor site to ensure all validations are submitted. In the 
event there are pending files that do not transmit, TAC will resubmit the entry, continuing until all entries 
are processed by GCIC. 

V. References: 
This policy does not exclude department employees from being familiar with the below reference 
material which was consulted in constructing this policy: 
GCIC Policy Manual 
NCIC Policy Manual 
Criminal Justice Policy Handbook 
CJIS Compliance Program 
The Auburn Police Department Policy Manual 
GCIC Website: 
GCIC TAC Certification Training Slides 

Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 08 Arrest 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 08 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/02/2018 
Subject: Arrest 

I. Introduction 
The Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution, and corresponding provisions in each state 
constitution, provide citizens with certain fundamental safeguards from intrusive governmental conduct. 
Particularly relevant to situations involving a criminal suspect or defendant are the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, 
and, to a lesser extent, The Fourteenth Amendments. 
The Fourth Amendment guarantees people the right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and 
effects against unreasonable searches and seizures. This amendment also provides that no arrest 
warrants shall be issued, except those based on probable cause and which particularly describe both 
the place to be searched and the person or things to be seized. 
The Fifth Amendment provides (in pertinent part) that no person shall be compelled to be a witness 
against oneself in a criminal case. The Supreme Court has also found that an integral part of an 
accused’s right to be free from compelled incrimination, is a judicially created right to have counsel 
present, and a right to refuse to answer questions during a custodial interrogation, even though the 
Constitution does not specifically provide such a safeguard. 
The Sixth Amendment provides that a defendant in a criminal case, and a suspect in a criminal 
investigation, when the investigation has focused on that particular person, or has reached a critical 
stage, shall enjoy the right to counsel to aid in said person’s defense. 
The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment provide that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property 
without due process of law. In the context of the rights of the accused, or a criminal suspect, this 
provision has been construed as offering protection against certain fundamentally unfair governmental 
conduct, particularly the use of suggestive, prejudicial, or discriminatory identification procedures. 
II. Purpose 
A. To establish Department guidelines for arrest procedures. 
B. To identify those individuals, exempt from normal arrest procedures. 
C. To establish a standard operating procedure for taking a suspect into custody. 
D. To establish a standard operating procedure for processing juvenile offenders. 
E. To establish a standard operating procedure for taking confessions and conducting interrogations. 
III. Definitions 
A. Arrest - The restraint of the liberty of a person to come or go as he pleases, no matter how slight. An 
individual has been arrested when he is not free to go, regardless of whether formal words of arrest are 
used. An arrest must be based on probable cause. 
B. Arrest Warrant - A judicial command, issued upon probable cause, to arrest a particular individual 
and to bring the arrestee promptly before the magistrate issuing the warrant or some other judicial 
officer. An arrest warrant, issued upon probable cause, authorizes a search of the dwelling of the 
suspect for that particular suspect, when the police reasonably believe the suspect to be present within 
the dwelling. 
C. Detention and Arrest – Levels of Citizen Encounters 
1. Consensual encounters – The basic premise underlying a consensual encounter is that it is 
essentially voluntary. Such an encounter is based on consent and can be terminated by either the 
citizen or the officer. 
2. Detentions, Investigative, or ‘Terry’ Stops – this stop is based upon the officer’s reasonable suspicion 
that illegal activity may be underway, and the subject detained is involved in this activity. The officer is 
also entitled to conduct a limited pat-down, or frisk of the outer garments of the person detained, to 

determine whether or not the detainee is armed or in possession of an object that could harm the 
officer. The requisite suspicion must derive from facts and inferences from those facts; not merely an 
officer’s subjective suspicions or ‘hunches’. This higher level of a citizen encounter is not voluntary, and 
can only be terminated by the officer, either by the suspicions being dispelled, or by taking the suspect 
into custody, which constitutes an arrest. 

3. Arrest - The restraint of the liberty of a person to come or go as he pleases, no matter how slight. An 
individual has been arrested when he is not free to go, regardless of whether formal words of arrest are 
used. An arrest must be based on probable cause. 
D. Probable Cause - Those facts and circumstances which would lead a reasonable and prudent 
person to believe that a crime has been committed, or that the suspected person has committed or is 
about to commit an offense. 
E. Within the Officer’s Immediate Knowledge - When, by seeing, hearing, or using any of the other 
senses, the officer has personal knowledge of the commission of a crime. This is equivalent to "in the 
officer's presence". This excludes reporting of a crime by any third party other than another law 
enforcement officer who has direct knowledge. O.C.G.A. Sec. 17-4-20. 
IV. Rules and Regulations 
A. Arrest Without a Warrant 
In the state of Georgia, officers may make an arrest without a warrant in the following instances: 
1. When an offense is committed in the officer's presence; 
2. When an offender is endeavoring to escape; 
3. When an officer has probable cause to believe an act of family violence has been committed. 
O.C.G.A. Sec. 19-13-1; 
4. When for other cause there is likely to be a failure of justice for want of a judicial officer to issue a 
warrant; 
5. To prevent the commission of a felony; (This exception should only be utilized when the criminal act 
is imminent.); 
6. Upon receiving information from a law enforcement officer who observed an offense being 
committed, provided such information would constitute the basis for arrest had it been committed in the 
officer's presence. (The citation issued must list the names of each officer, and both must be present 
when charges against the offender are heard). 
NOTE: All of the above exceptions are based on 
timeliness; if enough time has passed for a warrant to have been obtained, an arrest without a warrant 
will likely not be upheld. 
7. Outside of the time restriction, a seventh exception is noted, that of a fugitive arrest based on belief 
that a warrant exists in the jurisdiction from which the suspect fled. An officer has no official power to 
arrest without a warrant beyond the boundaries of his jurisdiction except for when the officer is in hot 
pursuit that is continuous and uninterrupted (an officer may temporarily lose sight of the suspect). No 
officer shall arrest any person without a warrant when he knows that he is without reasonable cause to 
arrest such person. 
B. Arrest with a Warrant 
1. Jurisdiction - An arrest warrant may be issued in any county in Georgia, even for a crime committed 
in another county. Once issued, a warrant may be carried from one county to another, and it may be 
served in any county of the state regardless of where it was issued. Officers of the Auburn Police 
Department may only serve arrest and search warrants within the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of 
Auburn. Those warrants being served outside the City of Auburn will be served by the agency having 
legal jurisdiction to serve the warrant. Auburn Police Officers may assist Law Enforcement Officers 
serving Criminal Process outside the jurisdictional boundaries of Auburn with the permission of an 
immediate supervisor. 
2. Contents - A valid arrest warrant must contain specific information as required by statute and court 
decisions. Such information includes: 
a. The authority under which the warrant is issued; 
b. Identification of the person who is to execute the warrant, (Generally addressed "To any sheriff, 
deputy sheriff, coroner, constable, Marshall, or police officer"); 
c. Identification of the person to be arrested; 

d. The offense committed; 
e. The time, date, and place of occurrence of the offense, including the county in which it was 
committed; 
f. The victim; 
g. A description of the offense, including all of the elements of the offense. 
In addition, when the offense charged is a theft, the warrant must contain: 
h. A description of the property alleged to have been stolen; 
i. Identification of the owner of the stolen property; 
j. The value of the stolen property; 
k. The person from whose possession it was taken. 
NOTE: Without strict compliance with the above, the warrant will not be valid. 
3. No officer shall arrest any person under color of a warrant unless he reasonably believes a valid 
warrant exists and that the person described in the warrant is before him. Only sworn officers will make 
arrests with a warrant. 
4. Officers will have access to the warrant files 24 hours per day via the administration channel. When 
an officer executes or attempts to execute legal process he must log the following information with the 
Support Services Clerk via the administration channel: 
a. The date and time service was executed or attempted. 
b. The name of officer(s) executing or attempting to execute. 
c. The name of the person on whom the legal process was served or executed. 
d. The method of service or reason for non-service. 
e. The address of the service or attempt. 
5. When criminal process is received it will be given to the Support Services Clerk for entry into the 
computer system. The following information will be entered: 
a. the date and time received; 
b. the nature of the document; 
c. the source of the document; 
d. The name of the plaintiff/complainant or the name of the defendant/respondent; 
e. The officer and date assigned; 
f. and the court docket number; 
g. date process expires 
6. After the warrant has been served the arresting officer shall include in his report the name of the 
defendant and victim. 
7. Auburn Police Officers do not serve civil process. The Sheriff of Barrow County has full responsibility 
for the service of civil process inside the City of Auburn. 
C. Procedure When Making an Arrest 
When a lawful arrest cannot be made except with a warrant, the arresting officer should have the 
warrant in his physical possession at the time of the arrest, or so near at hand that it can be exhibited 
upon demand. Otherwise, the arresting officer has no authority to take the person into custody. 
Note: An officer making a lawful arrest has the right to use whatever force is reasonably necessary to 
accomplish the arrest, but no more than is necessary to take the suspect into custody (see Chapter 11Response 
to Aggression/Resistance). 
D. Alternatives to Physical Arrest 
What is reasonable in terms of appropriate police action or what constitutes probable cause varies with 
each situation, and the particular facts and circumstances may justify either an investigation, a 
detention, a search, an arrest, or no action at all. There may be a report written and an application for a 
complaint made; or in some cases, when the offense is of a minor nature, a verbal warning or other 
action may be taken. The requirement that legal justification be present imposes a limitation on an 
officer's action. In every case, an officer must act reasonably within the limits of his authority as defined 
by statute and judicial interpretation. In any case where an arrest or detention occurs, an incident report 
documenting the event will be completed. Specific alternatives to physical arrest are: 
1. An officer may inform a suspect that a warrant exists for his arrest and give him the opportunity to 
turn himself in. This should only be used in lesser offenses and only when the suspect is not a flight 
risk. 

2. Officers may issue a summons to court in situations that warrant procedures might normally be 
advised, the officer might later take a warrant, or in cases that a warrantless arrest might be made. In 
all of the above situations the officer must still fingerprint the suspect if the offense is a printable 
offense. 
E. Immunity from Arrest 
1. Consular Immunity- By treaty, Consular officers of foreign nations are immune from arrest for 
criminal and traffic offenses, unless an arrest is ordered by a Federal magistrate. Once identified, 
Consular officers will not be unnecessarily detained. Consular immunity does not normally extend to 
members of Consular officers' families or to employees of Consular officers. 
2. Verification of Consular Immunity Status- In any situation in which a law enforcement officer needs to 
establish entitlement to diplomatic immunity and the person asserting it cannot produce an identification 
card issued by the U.S. State Department, the correct status can be obtained through a telephone call. 
a. During regular business hours (8:15-5:00, M-F): The Office of Protocol, U.S. Department of State 
(202) 647-1984. 
b. At other times: Command Center for Diplomatic Security (202) 647-1512. 
Note: Command Center personnel will route inquiries appropriately. 
3. Members of Congress-U.S. Senators and Representatives are free from arrest during their 
attendance at Congress and in going to and from sessions of Congress except for "treason, felony or 
breach of the peace." 
4. Members of the Georgia General Assembly- The members of the Georgia General Assembly are 
free from arrest during their attendance at the General Assembly and in going thereto and therefrom 
except for "treason, felony, larceny, or breach of the peace." 
5. Others Exempt from Arrest 
a. Members of the organized militia or military forces are exempt from arrest in all cases except 
treason, felony, or breach of the peace during their attendance at drills, parades, meetings, 
encampments, and the election of officers and going to, during, and returning from the performance of 
any active duties. The supervisor shall be informed, and he shall contact the commanding officer of the 
service member if the situation dictates. 
b. Poll officers during their attendance at elections, and in going to and returning from same. 
c. Voters while casting their ballots. 
d. Witnesses on their way to and from court while under subpoena. 
Note: An arrest involving any of the above persons shall be made only upon the approval of a 
supervisor. Also refer to Chapter 15-1, Traffic Citations for additional information on Consular 
Immunities and processing of Foreign Nationals for traffic offenses. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 08-1 Taking suspects into custody 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 08-1 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/02/2018 
Subject: Taking Suspects into Custody 

I. Purpose 
It is the duty of each officer to carry out arrests according to established procedures. As law 
enforcement personnel provide detainee transport, they must be prepared to provide the safety and 
security for the detainee, the transporting personnel, and the public. By understanding and performing 
the basic guidelines, officers reduce the potential for injury to the suspect, departmental employees, 
and citizens; minimize the opportunity for an escape; and reduce the possibility that force will be 
needed to control the situation. 
II. Procedure 
A. Rights of Arrested Persons 
A person about to be arrested has the right to know that he is being taken into custody by an officer 
with lawful authority. The suspect may have notice if he: 
1. Actually knows the person making an arrest is an officer; 
2. Sees the officer's uniform or badge; 
3. Is apprehended while committing a crime; 
4. Is pursued from the scene of a crime; and 
5. Is told by the officer of the officer's status and the reasons for an arrest. 
If an officer who is not known to a suspect fails to identify himself or to make his purpose known, the 
suspect has the right to resist what appears to be an unjustified assault. However, once the officer is 
identified, the assumption that the arrest is unlawful is no longer valid. If a person knows or believes the 
arrest is lawful, it is his duty to submit quietly to custody. An officer making a lawful arrest has the right 
to use whatever force is necessary (see Chapter 11 Response to Aggression/Resistance) to 
accomplish the arrest, but no more than is necessary to take the suspect into custody. 
B. Inspection of Vehicle 
1. At the beginning and end of each shift, officers will thoroughly inspect their vehicle, especially the 
back seat where prisoners are always transported, to ensure its safe and efficient operation. Inspect the 
interior for possible contraband or similar items. 
2. Immediately prior to and following the transport of a prisoner, officers will inspect the vehicle to 
ensure that no contraband or similar items have been left in such places as under the seats or on the 
floorboard. The inspections should be made under the assumption that an opportunity has existed for 
the introduction of contraband, weapons or other items. If items are found in the vehicle in a timely 
manner, then these items could be used in the case against the prisoner. 
C. Transporting Prisoners 
1. Before placement into a transport vehicle, all prisoners will be adequately searched. Prisoners will be 
searched each time they come into a transporting officer's custody. 
2. Prisoners will at no time be permitted to sit in the front passenger seat of a transport vehicle. 
Prisoners will be placed in the rear seat behind the safety screen and the back doors will be locked to 
prevent unauthorized persons from opening the doors. If circumstances allow, the prisoner will be 
secured in the rear seat with the restraint device in place. 
3. At no time will a prisoner be out of the view and supervision of the transporting officer. The 
transporting officer is legally responsible for the safety and custody of the detainee being transported. 
At no time will unauthorized persons be allowed to approach a transport vehicle and converse with a 
prisoner unless under the direct supervision of the arresting officer, and only as may be necessary. 

4. The primary duty of the transporting officer is the safe delivery of the prisoner to the required 
destination. Under normal circumstances, while transporting a prisoner, officers will not stop to respond 
to other needs for law enforcement service. Only when the risk to third parties is both clear and grave 
and the risk to the prisoner is minimal, should an officer stop and render assistance. Under such 
circumstances, the officer will immediately request another unit for relief. Should an emergency develop 
within the transport vehicle which will require an interruption in the transport, the officer will immediately 
notify the communications dispatcher of the stop location, nature of the event, and if an assisting unit is 
required. The officer will notify the communications dispatcher when the transport has resumed. 
5. Prisoners, at no time during transport, will be allowed to communicate with an attorney. 
6. Upon arrival at the receiving facility, officers will remove their primary and any secondary firearms 
from their person and secure them in the sally port lockers if provided or in the trunk of the transporting 
vehicle prior to removing the prisoner from the vehicle. If a prisoner is combative, or potentially 
combative, the transporting officer will notify Barrow County Jail personnel through E-911 that 
assistance is needed, and jail personnel will take custody of the suspect in the sally port. 
7. All necessary paperwork for state charges, such as a copy of the warrant(s), a copy of citations 
issued, and arrest booking documentation will be turned over to jail personnel. Officers will obtain a 
signed warrant within twelve (12) hours of the arrest. A copy of the warrant will be submitted with the 
incident report, and the warrant transmittal will be returned to the Support Services Clerk along with the 
original citations if any. When charging a violation of city ordinance, a copy of the citation will be given 
to the jail personnel and the original will be forwarded to the Support Services Clerk at APD. 
8. If a prisoner escapes custody while being transported, officers will immediately notify 911, all 
surrounding units, and the supervisor. The transporting officer will provide a complete description of the 
escapee and other parties involved, the nature of the charges pending against the escapee and the 
direction of flight. If a vehicle is used in the escape, descriptive information is to be provided. If 
apprehension efforts are unsuccessful, warrants will be obtained for the escapee. 
9. If a prisoner escapes outside the jurisdiction of the City of Auburn, the transporting officer will 
immediately notify the Sheriff’s Department in the county of the escape, and/or the nearest peace 
officer. The transporting officer will provide a complete description of the escapee and other parties 
involved, the nature of the charges pending against the escapee and the direction of flight. If a vehicle 
is used in the escape, descriptive information is to be provided. The transporting officer will then notify 
the supervisor on duty at the Auburn Police Department who will notify the Patrol Commander and the 
Chief of Police. The transporting officer shall act at the direction of the leading peace officer of that 
jurisdiction of the escape until he is recalled to the City of Auburn. If the escape occurs and the prisoner 
is apprehended, the transporting officer may proceed to the original destination. 
10. Officers of the Auburn Police Department will notify the receiving agency or court personnel of any 
potential medical or security risks that may exist with a prisoner. In the event an escape occurs, the 
transporting officer shall make a detailed report of all events surrounding the incident. 
D. Searching and Handcuffing 
All persons taken into custody shall be searched by the transporting officer prior to transport. This 
search should include a full and careful search of the suspect for weapons, contraband, and evidence 
of the crime for which the arrest is made and should occur after handcuffing. The search should also 
include the area within the suspect's immediate reach at the time of the arrest. 
1. Any person taken into custody for the following offenses or under the following circumstances shall 
be handcuffed with their hands behind their back, before being transported: 
Any felony; 
Belligerent or combative prisoners; 
Prisoners under the influence of drugs or alcohol; 
Verbally abusive prisoners; 
Prisoners arrested for any violent offense; 
Prisoners arrested for VGCSA offenses; and 
Prisoners suffering from mental illness. 
Note: Any exception to the above should be noted in the incident report, i.e., elderly, handicapped 
person, or handcuffing in the front. 

2. Officers arresting, or transporting may exercise that judgment consistent with good police practice to 
handcuff any prisoner they deem necessary to restrain. In any case where a decision is made not to 
handcuff, the officer should note the reason in the incident report, i.e., minor traffic violation, etc. 
3. Method 
a. The hands shall be handcuffed to the rear of the suspect with the palms facing outward. 
b. The handcuffs will be double locked with keyholes facing upward. 
c. Once applied, the handcuffs should be checked for fit by pulling or pushing on the handcuffs' jaw. 
d. The officer should check to ensure that the cuffs are not so tight as to restrict blood circulation or 
damage the suspect’s carpel nerve. 
4. The following restrictions apply. An officer shall not: 
a. handcuff a prisoner to a fixed object (except as allowed by policy) or vehicle; 
b. be handcuffed to the prisoner; 
c. remove handcuffs until the prisoner is safely inside a detention facility or police department. (This 
expectation applies to any and all agency-approved restraint devices being utilized on the prisoner.) 
5. All prisoners will be searched by the arresting officer, or other officer, and will also be searched by 
each officer taking custody of the prisoner during transport and confinement. When searching females 
incident to arrest, officers should exercise sound judgment before searching, i.e. weapons involved, 
evidence of the crime for which the arrest is made. When searching or conducting pat-downs, officers 
will use caution around the private body areas and search with the back of the hand, palms facing out. 
When possible, a female officer should be called to the scene and conduct the search. 
8. The security in transporting of multiple prisoners at one time, or a single flight-risk prisoner, may be 
supplemented through the use of leg irons. Belligerent or combative prisoners may be further 
restrained to prevent kicking through the application of hobbles. If an officer applies hobbles to a 
suspect and no other use of force occurs, the officer will note this fact in the incident report. The officer 
will also complete and submit the front page and narrative portion of the Police Response to 
Aggression/Resistance Report. The supervisor will submit the form and a copy of the associated 
incident report to the Office of Professional Standards. 
E. Extended Transports 
Prisoners requiring several hours of transport (more then 1-hour each way) will be handcuffed to the 
front with the cuffs double-locked. The transport officer may utilize “belly chains”, designed to keep the 
prisoner’s hands near his waist, instead of regular handcuffs during such transports. 
1. Meals will be provided to prisoners who are being transported for a long distance that would require 
more than four hours. 
2. Restaurants will be selected at random by the transporting officer. 
3. Meals will be consistent with policy relating to prisoner care. 
4. Rest stops will be provided to prisoners who are being transported for a long distance that would 
require more than four hours so as to utilize toilet facilities. 
5. Officers will select the rest point at random. 
6. The transporting officer will accompany a prisoner of the same sex to the washroom. 
7. The transporting officer will position himself in a manner to prevent escape for prisoners of the 
opposite sex. 
F. Disabled and Handicapped Prisoners 
1. An occasion may arise when it is necessary to arrest and transport an individual who is physically 
handicapped. If so, care must be taken so as not to aggravate the prisoner's condition. 
In most cases, it should be reasonable to transport a handicapped prisoner in the same manner as 
anyone else. If the handicap is of such nature that transport in the back of a police unit is not 
reasonable, officers may make arrangements through the supervisor to use a van. 
2. Cases requiring the use of a van for transport may include prisoners who are confined to a 
wheelchair. If the use of a van is necessary, one officer will operate the van and another officer will be 
assigned to guard the prisoner. Any prescribed medication will be held by the transport officer until such 
time as it is turned over to jail personnel. 
G. Prisoners Requiring Medical Treatment 
In the event a prisoner has been injured prior to or during arrest or while in police custody, it will be the 
responsibility of the arresting officer to see that any necessary medical treatment is afforded, prior to 

transport to the Barrow or Gwinnett County Jail. The City of Auburn is only responsible for the medical 
bills of those injured during and or after the arrest. If a prisoner was injured prior to arrest, the City will 
not be responsible. The injuries will be noted in the officer’s incident report. 

1. Every officer should make certain that the hospital staff is informed as to whether the Department is 
responsible or not. It is essential that officers provide this information. Of greater importance is the 
officer making certain that the hospital staff understands if the City of Auburn is responsible or not. All 
investigating officers shall sign the Emergency Room Admission sheet in the space provided. This will 
be beneficial to the Department, hospitals, and the courts. 
2. Prisoners receiving medical attention will be under police guard at all times. View of the prisoner will 
be obstructed only under the circumstances that medical practice prohibits an officer's presence, such 
as during surgery. 
3. The only exception is when the violation is very minor, and the prisoner is no danger to hospital staff. 
The hospital will notify police when an individual charged with a violation is ready to be released from 
the hospital and transported to the Barrow or Gwinnett County Jail. 
4. Depending on the nature of the injury, it will be at the discretion of the transporting officer as to 
whether a prisoner will be restrained and by what means. If restraint is necessary, it should be achieved 
in a manner so as not to aggravate an injury. 
5. If an injury is so severe that immediate medical attention is required, officers will request Barrow 
County Fire and EMS to the scene. The shift supervisor will be notified. Prisoners will first be treated by 
Fire and Rescue at the scene of the arrest or at the police department as circumstances arise. 
Paramedics will help make the decision if the prisoner will be transported to a medical facility. Should 
the prisoner be transported to a medical facility, the supervisor will assign an officer to accompany the 
ambulance to the medical facility and retain custody of the prisoner. If at all possible, the arresting 
officer will accompany the prisoner to the medical facility. All information will be documented on the 
incident report whether the prisoner is transported or not. 
6. In the event that a prisoner is in need of medical care while in transport, outside the City of Auburn, 
the following procedures will apply: 
a. Transport the prisoner to the nearest medical facility for treatment and notify the supervisor on duty 
at the Auburn Police Department of the need for treatment. 
b. Notify local authorities of the situation as they may be needed for security reasons. 
c. If the sickness or injury is of a serious nature and a lay-over is anticipated, notify the supervisor. 
H. Admission of Prisoners to the Hospital 
If a prisoner is admitted to the hospital for treatment, 24-hour coverage may be needed. When deciding 
the level of security needed the Patrol Commander will consider: 
1. The type and period of treatment; 
2. The degree and risk including the crime of the prisoner; 
3. If 24-hour coverage is needed; 
4. If restraints are needed; and 
5. And if the hospital has secure facilities to house prisoners. 
Prisoners admitted to the hospital will not be allowed to have visitors without the approval of the Chief 
of Police. Visitors will be searched prior to visitation and will not be allowed to carry in packages. Only 
one visitor will be allowed to visit at a time for a period not to exceed ten minutes, and under the 
supervision of a sworn officer. The prisoner will not be allowed the use of a telephone for incoming or 
outgoing calls. 
Officers will not be allowed to communicate with the prisoner unless the communication is an 
investigative or administrative nature. The Patrol Commander will create a schedule if 24-hour 
coverage is required. Officers will be relieved from hospital guard duty at least every four hours. The 
supervisor on duty will closely monitor the activities of the officers on hospital guard duty to ensure they 
are rotated on schedule and they do not become lax. Any unusual occurrence will be documented and 
reported to the supervisor on duty. 
Upon release of the prisoner from the medical facility, all instructions for future treatment and 
medication shall be obtained from the prisoner’s physician and given to the jailer at the holding facility. 
I. Mentally Ill Prisoners 

Mentally disabled prisoners may pose a significant threat to themselves and/or the transporting officers. 
These practices are suggested upon approaching and taking a mentally ill person into custody: 

1. Gather as much information as possible about the person’s condition; 
2. Communicate with the individual avoiding agitating or threatening comments; always attempt to be 
truthful to establish rapport; 
3. Move slowly; calm the individual by turning off sirens and blue lights, when possible, move crowds; 
take your time; 
4. Wait for back-up before moving in on the individual, usually a minimum of 3 officers; 
5. Officers will handcuff mentally ill prisoners in accordance with the order relating to the use of 
restraining devices. 
6. An Auburn Police Department vehicle will be used whenever possible to transport. 
7. In cases where a Auburn Police Department vehicle cannot be utilized, a mutual aid agency with the 
appropriate equipment will be notified for assistance. 
a. An Auburn Police officer will accompany the mutual aid officer unless otherwise ordered by the 
supervisor. 
b. Restraints will be utilized in conjunction with the order relating to the use of restraining devices. 
NOTE: Officers of the Auburn Police Department will not use the hog-tying method of restraint. 
Practices of this nature may cause "possible asphyxia," death and or serious physical injury when 
handling mentally ill prisoners. 
J. Transporting Persons of the Opposite Sex 
Officers are permitted to transport persons of the opposite sex. When doing so, officers will notify 911 
of the following: 
1. Sex of the person being transported; 
2. Location of pick up; 
3. Starting mileage; 
4. Destination; 
5. Ending Mileage; and 
6. Any other pertinent information. 
K. Transporting Prisoners in Special Situations 
The Auburn Police Department will not transport a prisoner to a funeral, to visit a critically ill person, to 
the reading of a will, etc. The Auburn Police Department contracts with the Gwinnett and Barrow 
County Jails to house prisoners. In most cases, Auburn Police Department handles all Auburn 
Municipal court related prisoner transport and Barrow County Jail Personnel will handle transportation 
of prisoners in some special circumstances. 
L. Transport Equipment 
1. Transporting officers may transport no more than three prisoners in the back seat of any patrol 
vehicle that contains a prisoner shield or cage. Officers should always use a patrol unit with shield or 
cage if possible. If available, the Community Service prisoner transport van may be used to transport 
more than three passengers at one time, if needed. The Community Service van is equipped with a 
barrier and the interior door handles have been disabled. The safety barrier should not be installed as 
to prevent conversation. If a vehicle without a safety barrier is to be used, then two officers will be 
required for the transport and only one prisoner will be transported at the time. The second officer will 
sit behind the officer as he drives. The prisoner will be seated on the rear passenger side and will be 
handcuffed to the rear. 
2. Vehicles primarily used for patrol and transporting prisoners will have the following modifications: 
a. all window cranks in the rear of the vehicle will be removed, or switches disabled. 
b. all door handles in the rear of the vehicle will be removed or disabled. 
c. a safety barrier separating the driver from the prisoner. 
M. Notification, Transfers, Documentation 
Each prisoner being transported by the Auburn Police Department should be positively identified as the 
person who is to be transported. The transporting officer will verify the identification with the booking 
personnel or court personnel to ensure that the prisoner is the proper person to be transported. 
Verification can be made with booking reports and/or court documents. 

1. Any police reports indicating if the prisoner is a security risk, i.e.: escape risk, combative, suicidal, 
etc. will be indicated to the receiving party. 
2. Secure proper documentation which will accompany the prisoner being transported. 
a. Prisoner's name; 
b. Medical records; 
c. Criminal records; 
d. Prisoner's property 
e. Charging documents (warrants) or citations; and 
f. Any police reports indicating if the prisoner is a security risk, i.e.: escape risk, combative, suicidal, 
etc., or possesses any serious or unusual illness. 
3. In the case of interstate transportation, the transporting officer will have a properly executed 
Governor's warrant or properly executed waiver. 
N. A prisoner/arrestee shall not be left unattended, or in control of a non-sworn person for any period of 
time. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 08-2 Processing Juvenile Offenders 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 08-2 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/03/2018 
Subject: Processing Juvenile Offenders 

I. Purpose 
The police are to conduct all phases of an investigation concerning a crime committed by a juvenile, 
including bringing the case to the Juvenile Court for adjudication and disposition. Juvenile Courts of 
Georgia have exclusive original jurisdiction over juvenile matters and shall be the sole court for initiating 
action. 
II. Policy 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department that when officers are confronted with incidents 
involving juvenile offenders, they use the least coercive alternative that is reasonable and consistent 
with preserving public safety and order. These alternatives include: 
1. Outright Release - When dealing with a juvenile, officers will investigate the incident and determine if 
the juvenile can be released outright with no further action taken or released to a parent, guardian or 
other custodian. 
2. Turn juvenile over to parents - Officers may turn juveniles over to parents at the scene or transport 
the juvenile to a parent, guardian, grandparent or adult sibling who is capable of and willing to take 
custody of the child or transport the juvenile to the police department and contact the parent or 
guardian and request they meet at the police department to retrieve the juvenile, unless there is a court 
order prohibiting such. In this case, the juvenile should be placed in protective custody as outlined in 
this policy section IV (F) Protective Custody. If no charges are to be filed, officers shall inform the 
parent or guardian or other above relative of the incident and not take any further action. This action 
may be taken when the offense is not serious, but it is necessary to have someone take charge of the 
juvenile. The reporting officer will complete an incident report documenting the encounter and 
placement of the child. 
3. Citations/Summons - Officers may issue written citations to juveniles under 17 years of age, who 
commit traffic offenses, in lieu of taking them into custody. The written citation will serve as the TBA 
should be entered on the summons as a court date and a copy will be given to the juvenile offender. 
Additionally, a copy of the citation will be forwarded to the Juvenile Court along with a juvenile 
complaint. Juvenile Court will contact the offender in reference to the date of the court appearance. 
4. Referral to Juvenile Court - If the charge is a misdemeanor or status offense, the juvenile may be 
released to a parent, guardian or other custodian. If the charge is a felony, the officer will contact the 
Juvenile Intake Officer, who will decide whether the juvenile will be detained or released. Officers will 
complete an incident report and a Juvenile Complaint form on all delinquent acts. An officer and/or 
Juvenile Intake Officer may make referrals to Juvenile Court for status offenses. 
Note: The procedures for each of these alternatives are further explained throughout this chapter. 
III. Definitions 
A. Child - Any individual who is under the age of 17 years who is alleged to have committed a 
delinquent act; or under the age of 18 years who is alleged to be a deprived child or who is alleged to 
have committed an unruly act. 
B. Delinquent Act - An act designated a crime by the laws of this state, or by the laws of another state if 
the act occurred in that state, under federal laws, or by local ordinance, and the crime is not a juvenile 
traffic offense as defined in O.C.G.A. Sec. 15-11-73. 
C. Unruly Act - An offense that is only applicable to a child: (i.e. truancy; curfew violation; runaway; 
ungovernable; patronization of any bar where alcoholic beverages are sold, or consumption/possession 
of alcohol). 

D. Deprived Child - Means a child (under 18) who is without proper parental care or control, education 
as required by law, or other care or control necessary for his physical, mental, or emotional health or 
morals; has been placed for care or adoption in violation of law; has been abandoned by his parents or 
legal custodian; or is without a parent, guardian, or custodian. 
IV. Procedures 
If a child who is 13 or older is charged with a capital felony, i.e.; charged with murder, voluntary 
manslaughter, rape, aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery, and 
armed robbery with a firearm, the superior court has jurisdiction. The district attorney makes the 
determination whether or not to try the child as an adult. 
If a child is to be tried as an adult the district attorney will seek an indictment. Pending adjudication, a 
juvenile detention facility will be the place of confinement for a child charged with a capital felony. 
A. Copy of Charges/Documentation of Juvenile Offenders 
1. Police officers may issue a copy of charges in lieu of taking the child into custody especially if the 
child has violated a status offense. In most situations involving juveniles when a parent or responsible 
adult is available to take charge of the child, the interest of the juvenile is best served by releasing the 
juvenile to the parent or guardian. Major felonies and situations involving violence will require taking the 
child into custody. In all incidents the officer must complete an incident report, Juvenile Complaint form 
and a witness list to be forwarded to juvenile court. 
2. The defendant's copy of the charges shall be given to the parent or legal guardian. The officer will 
explain in detail the charges involved and advise the child and parent/legal guardian they will be notified 
by juvenile authorities as to the court date or other related actions. Prior to release, the officer should 
first contact the juvenile authorities to ascertain if a pick-up order is outstanding. 
3. When an officer documents a report with a juvenile suspect or charges a juvenile with an offense for 
which charges are brought without taking custody of the juvenile, an incident report must be completed 
documenting the charges in the form of a secured narrative, specifying the offender, and the particular 
offense and to whom the child is released, if applicable. It shall be the arresting officer's responsibility to 
furnish the juvenile authorities (or juvenile officer) with a copy of the incident report and the juvenile 
complaint form, along with the court copy of the citation. 
4. Informal Adjustment – In cases where a juvenile commits a status offense, the officer has the option 
of completing a juvenile complaint form and forwarding it to the Court for evaluation to ascertain if the 
juvenile qualifies for an informal adjustment. If the juvenile does qualify, he/she will be assigned a 
probation officer and referred to some type of diversion program. If the juvenile does not qualify, the 
Juvenile Court will notify the officer, who will report to the Court to sign the juvenile petition, and the 
case will be assigned to the delinquent calendar. A juvenile will not qualify for informal adjustment for 
unruly acts filed by parents (For UCR purposes, the filing of a complaint for an informal adjustment 
constitutes an arrest.) 
B. Juvenile Traffic Procedure - DUI 
1. A juvenile who is arrested for DUI, who is sixteen years of age, and possesses a Georgia Driver's 
License, is subject to the Georgia Implied Consent Law, and have the same rights as an adult. 
2. After the test is completed, the arresting officer will follow standard procedures for the processing of 
juveniles. DUI is a delinquent charge. Therefore a juvenile complaint form must be completed along 
with a traffic citation. 
3. A juvenile without a valid driver's license who is arrested for DUI, regardless of age, is not subject to 
the Georgia Implied Consent Law and cannot be given a blood or breath test without obtaining 
permission from the parent(s) or legal guardian. 
NOTE: All sixteen-year-old traffic offenders shall be tried in juvenile court for violations under the 
Uniform Rules of the Road Act, O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-6-1. The sixteen-year-old is issued a Copy of 
Charges (traffic citation) and the original court copies are forwarded on to the Juvenile Court. 
4. Juvenile traffic offenses, O.C.G.A. Sec. 15-11-73; apply to those individuals under the age of 16 and 
the arresting officer will follow standard procedures for the processing of juveniles. 
5. Exceptions: Those violations which include any offense under O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-5-54 or 40-5-70. 
Any offense under these Codes is an act of delinquency. 
C. Physical Detention 

The taking of a child into custody is not an arrest, except for determining its validity under the 
Constitution of this state or of the United States. 

1. A child may be taken into custody: 
a. Pursuant to an order of the court; 
b. Pursuant to the laws of arrest; 
c. By a law enforcement officer or duly authorized officer of the court if there are reasonable grounds to 
believe that child is suffering from illness or injury or is in immediate danger from his surroundings and 
that his or her removal is necessary (a deprived child); 
d. By a law enforcement officer or duly authorized officer of the court if there are reasonable grounds to 
believe that the child has committed a delinquent act or if there are reasonable grounds to believe he or 
she is an unruly child; 
e. By a law enforcement officer or duly authorized officer of the court if there are reasonable grounds to 
believe that the child has run away from his or her parent(s), guardian, or another custodian. 
f. By a law enforcement officer or duly authorized officer of the court if a parent or guardian of a child 
has contacted a law enforcement agency and reported that the child is absent from parental custody 
without consent and a facility created pursuant to O.C.G.A. Sec. 15-11-47 (e)(2) is available. By a law 
enforcement officer or duly authorized officer of the court if a child is violating a curfew and a facility 
created pursuant to O.C.G.A. 15-11-47 (e)(2) is available. 
2. A child taken into custody shall not be detained or placed in shelter care, prior to the hearing unless: 
a. His detention or care is required to protect the person or property of others or the child; 
b. The child may abscond or be removed from the jurisdiction of the court; 
c. He has no parent(s), guardian, or custodian or other person able to provide supervision and care for 
him and return him to court when required; or 
d. An order for his detention or shelter care has been made by the court. 
3. Procedures for Taking A Child into Custody, O.C.G.A. Sec. 15-11-47: An officer taking a child into 
custody, with all reasonable speed and without first taking the child elsewhere, shall: 
Contact the child’s parent, guardian, or other custodian. 
b. Release without bond the child to his parent(s), guardian, or other custodian upon their promise to 
bring the child before the court when required, or inform the parent or guardian that the child is in 
custody; 
c. Deliver the child to a medical facility, if the child is believed to suffer from a serious physical condition 
or illness which requires prompt treatment and, upon delivery, shall promptly contact a juvenile court 
intake officer; 
d. Bring the child immediately before the juvenile court or promptly contact a juvenile court intake officer 
who will determine if the juvenile will be detained or released; 
e. Bring the child who is suspected of committing a delinquent act before the Superior Court of the 
county where the delinquent act occurred, if the act is an act over which the Superior Court has 
jurisdiction; 
f. Bring the child to any suitable place or facility designated or operated by the Court for juvenile 
detention. 
4. When a juvenile is taken into custody, a Juvenile Complaint Form, an incident report and a witness 
list must be completed by the investigating officer. The arresting officer shall be responsible for 
fingerprinting and photographing a juvenile taken into custody for a felony offense. 
5. Incident Reports, Juvenile Complaints with witness lists and Traffic Citations issued to a juvenile 
offender are to be filed in a separate secured area from incident reports involving adult offenders. 
Juvenile records are filed in red folders. 
6. Information regarding the arrest of a juvenile is to be released pursuant to the Georgia Open 
Records Act. 
D. Procedures Involving Capital Felonies 
1. An officer taking into custody a juvenile, thirteen (13) years of age or older who is suspected of a 
capital felony, shall immediately take the child into custody. 
2. The officer will then contact the district attorney. If the district attorney indicates that his office will 
handle prosecution the officer shall complete an arrest warrant and not a juvenile complaint form. 
3. The officer will contact the district attorney for approval of detention on a capital felony. 

4. Questioning the Juvenile Offender - When juveniles are questioned, a parent, guardian, or attorney 
should be present and participating. Both the parent and child should understand and knowingly waive 
the juvenile's Miranda Rights if the juvenile is in custody. 
E. Child Abuse Protocol 
The deprived, abused and neglected child: Each county in the state is mandated to have in place a 
child abuse protocol filed with the Division of Family and Children Services (DHR), a copy of which shall 
be furnished to each agency in the county processing the cases of abused children O.C.G.A. Sec. 
19-15-1 et seq. This protocol should detail the procedures to follow regarding the handling of abused 
and physically neglected children under the age of 18 years. And is made available to all sworn 
personnel. 
F. Protective Custody 
1. To ensure compliance with the guidelines of the Piedmont Judicial Circuit Juvenile Court, the 
following procedures should be followed; 
a. An investigation is conducted to determine if the child has engaged in criminal or non-criminal 
misbehavior (status offense), alleged to have been harmed, or to be in danger of harm. (Child is taken 
into custody). 
b. The child is transported to the Auburn Police Department, unless the child needs medical treatment, 
then the child should be transported for proper medical treatment. 
c. A juvenile complaint and affidavit are completed, and notarized if necessary. 
d. The officer must obtain approval to detain the child from the Barrow County Juvenile Court 
(Piedmont Judicial Circuit). If during business hours contact Department of Juvenile Justice at 
770-868-4011; if after business hours contact the Juvenile Justice Intake Officer on-call through Barrow 
County Central (E-911). 
e. If the Intake Officer gives approval to place the child in protective custody, APD will contact DFACS, 
if they are not already involved in the investigation. The Intake Officer will provide the officer with the 
date and time of the 72-Hour Hearing. The Piedmont Judicial Circuit Juvenile Court will ensure that an 
attorney is appointed to represent the child during the court proceedings. 
f. When the parents are available at the time of intake, or can be reasonably located, the officer is to 
provide the parents with a copy of the verified Complaint (or Affidavit) and provide the date and time of 
the 72 Hour Hearing. 
g. The child is turned over to DFACS. 
2. The original juvenile complaint form, if not retained by the Intake Officer, should be submitted to the 
Records Section, so that it can be picked up by a Juvenile Court Officer the following business day or 
hand delivered to the Juvenile Court by the investigating/detaining officer. 
3. The original Juvenile Complaint form should be placed with the shift paperwork, and the following 
business day, the complaint form will be retrieved by an officer of the Juvenile Court. Once the court 
has received the complaint form, they in return will send a subpoena to the police department for the 
officer filing the complaint. 
4. Officers should expect to appear for the hearing within 48 to 72 hours after the juvenile has been 
placed in the custody of the Court. 
5. On occasion, the Juvenile Court will not be able to give 24-hour notice on subpoenas. One such 
case might occur when a juvenile is taken into custody that day, or shift, and the hearing is scheduled 
for the following day, allowing a disposition to be reached before the weekend. In this case, the court 
would not be able to notify the officer until the next morning prior to the hearing. Officers should expect 
to appear in court the following day under certain circumstances. For 72-hour hearings scheduled after 
normal office hours, the Intake Officer will not serve the officer with a subpoena. The officer will receive 
service verbally. 
G. Detention/Probable Cause Hearings 
1. Unruly Juveniles may be held for 24 hours. The judge can place an unruly juvenile in detention for 48 
hours and a delinquent child for 72 hours. 
2. Probable Cause Hearing 
a. Two (2) witness are allowed at the hearing. 
b. Hearsay evidence is admissible. 
c. Double hearsay is not admissible. 

d. The officer does not have to have the crime lab report at this hearing. 
e. Juveniles can admit at the detention hearing and waive the full hearing. 
3. If the youth is detained at the detention hearing, a full hearing has to be held within 10 days. 
4. If the youth is not detained at the detention hearing, the hearing will be scheduled for the following 
month. 
5. If a youth is detained for delinquent charges and the detention hearing is not scheduled within 48 
hours, the Intake Officer must call the Judge and read the complaint to the Judge to establish probable 
cause. The complaint must give enough information to establish probable cause, and the law 
enforcement officer must be sworn by the Intake Officer and the complaint must be signed by a notary. 
All the Intake Officers for Juvenile Court are notaries. 
H. Full Hearing 
1. The officer must prove the alleged crime beyond a reasonable doubt. 
2. Witnesses must be subpoenaed for court. The prosecuting officer must provide Juvenile Court with a 
witness list that contains all available contact information including current address and telephone 
numbers. 
3. The officer must have the crime lab report or Crime lab technician. Be sure the crime lab reports are 
marked "JUVENILE". 
4. If subpoenaed witnesses do not show, the officer can ask for a continuance. 
5. An officer may amend the petition or may ask for an amendment. 
6. If the officer is unavailable for the scheduled court appearance he must notify his immediate 
supervisor and contact the solicitor for the Piedmont Judicial Juvenile Court to request a continuance. 
I. Fingerprinting and Photographs 
1. When juveniles are taken into custody for any act which would be a felony if committed by an adult, 
O.C.G.A. Sec. 15-11-83, mandates the submission of juvenile fingerprints to GCIC. The juveniles must 
be printed by the computerized AFIS system at the Barrow County Jail. The arresting officer shall notify 
the Barrow County jail prior to their transport, to allow for the clearance of the booking area of adult 
offenders, and then transport the juvenile to the jail for fingerprinting and photographing. Additionally, 
the arresting officer shall request a copy of the juvenile fingerprints to be forwarded to the Criminal 
Investigations Division, where the copies are stored in a locked file cabinet in a secure location within 
CID until these prints can be stored in the original case file. 
2. Upon application of the child photographs of juveniles shall be destroyed if a juvenile petition is not 
filed or is dismissed. 
3. All juvenile records, including photographs (if hard copies are developed) and other forms of 
identification, will be filed in red folders in locked filing cabinet within the Records Section, separate 
from adult files. 
4. Juvenile photographs and bio data will be identified separately from adult photographs and bio data 
in the computer system, by the juvenile’s biographical information being highlighted in red. 
5. Juvenile records may be disseminated to officers within the Auburn Police Department for official 
investigations only. Others requesting juvenile records may receive them in compliance with the 
Georgia Open Records Act. All requests for juvenile records will be made through and distributed by 
the Records Section. Any juvenile records which have been ordered to be sealed by Juvenile or 
Superior Court shall not be subject to disclosure. 
6. The Records Section shall store hard copy juvenile records files for the current year and the previous 
year and maintain compliance with the Georgia Records Retention Schedule for Local Governments. 
Juvenile records designated for Court order expungement shall be received and destroyed entirely from 
both electronic and hard copy files by the Records Supervisor. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 08-4 Family Violence 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 08-4 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/04/2018 
Subject: Family Violence 

I. Purpose 
To establish guidelines for the City of Auburn Police Department in managing Domestic Violence and 
Family Violence in Accordance with O.C.G.A. Sec. 19-13-1 Family Violence and O.C.G.A. Sec. 
17-4-20.1 Investigation of Family Violence. A clear and consistent message is sent to the abuser that 
domestic violence will not be tolerated, thus reducing repeat offenses. 
II. Definition 
Family Violence: Section 19-13-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated states that the term "family 
violence" refers to the occurrence of one or more of the following acts between past or present 
spouses, persons who are parents of the same child, parents and children, stepparents and 
stepchildren, foster parents and foster children, or other persons living or formerly living in the same 
household: 
1. Any felony; or 
2. Commission of offenses of battery, simple battery, simple assault, assault, stalking, criminal damage 
to property, unlawful restraint, or criminal trespass. 
The term "family violence shall not be deemed to include reasonable discipline administered by a 
parent to a child in the form of corporal punishment, restraint, or detention. 
The term family violence shall not be deemed to include acts committed by present roommates if an 
intimate relationship does not exist. 
III. Policy and Procedure 
A. Victim Safety 
The victim is informed about the Auburn Police Department's response to Domestic Violence, regarding 
options that aid the victim in preventing further abuse situations. The suspect is subject to arrest 
whenever allowed by law, granting the victim the best protection possible for their immediate physical 
safety. 
B. Officer Safety 
The suspect and victim are immediately separated. Arguments are not given an opportunity to escalate. 
Arrest is made as mandated by policy and law; police officers are to maintain control of the situation. 
C. Warrantless Arrest 
When responding to calls for service involving family or domestic violence, officers of this department 
will abide by O.C.G.A. Sec. 19-13-1, Family Violence. Pursuant to this act, an officer can make a 
warrantless arrest for a misdemeanor not committed in his immediate presence. The officer will use the 
"reasonable person presumption" in the same respect as he would for the making of a felony arrest 
based on probable cause. If an arrest is made pursuant to O.C.G.A. Sec. 19-13-1, the victim shall be 
instructed that they will have to appear before a magistrate at a hearing scheduled by the magistrate. 
D. Protecting Victims 
Officers must protect the victim from further abuse. Separate the victim from the assailant, administer 
first aid, and arrange for medical attention if the victim is injured. If the victim appears injured and 
refuses medical assistance, document the observed injuries in writing and via photographs, as well as 
the refusal of medical assistance. 
E. Police Actions 
In accordance with O.C.G.A. Sec. 17-4-20.1 "No officer investigating an incident of family violence shall 
threaten, suggest, or otherwise indicate the arrest of all parties for the purpose of discouraging requests 
for law enforcement intervention.” Officers shall advise victims/witnesses of their rights concerning 

Temporary Protective Orders and rights as spelled out under Georgia law and procedures outlined in 
Chapter 16-14 of the Auburn Police Department’s Operations Manual. 

F. Evidence 
The following evidence will be gathered in all Domestic Violence cases when available: 
1. The investigating officer will ensure that photographs are taken of all visible injuries on the victim. 
2. Evidentiary articles that substantiate the attack. 
3. Any evidence from the crime scene. 
4. The victim’s and other witness’s statements. 
5. All articles of evidence should be collected and processed pursuant to policy. 
6. Spontaneous statements made by the suspect. 
7. Video recorded and/or audio recorded statements will be made of all victims and witnesses 
statements if possible. 
8. 911 recording of the complaint and/or victim’s request for service. 
G. Warrants 
The investigating officer will obtain the arrest warrants when there is a decision to arrest based on the 
elements of family violence. In family violence situations the complaining victim will not be instructed to 
obtain the warrants. This reduces the element of intimidation by the abuser to pressure the victim into 
withdrawing the warrants. 
H. Reporting 
The responding officer will prepare an incident report on all domestic calls whether or not an arrest is 
made. Upon investigating a battery complaint, officers will attempt to locate any child (under the age of 
16) in the household that may have witnessed the incident. If a child witness was present during the 
incident, include their name, DOB, telephone number, and school name in the report, along with their 
statement in a secured supplemental. The suspect will then be charged with the offense and Cruelty to 
A Child 3rd Degree, O.C.G.A. Sec. 16-5-70, in addition to the other charges. (The offense of battery, 
not simple battery, must be present in order to file cruelty charges.) Furthermore, any person 
committing any forcible felony in the presence of a child, will be charged with Cruelty to A Child 3rd 
Degree, O.C.G.A. Sec. 16-5-70. If an arrest is not made the officer will fully document the reasons for 
this decision in the narrative portion of the incident report. 
I. Follow-Up Contact 
The C.I.D. Commander will designate a person to contact the victim of assaults for follow-up. The 
contacts will be made within seven days following the incident. The purpose of the follow-up is to 
document any further evidence of the initial complaint and/or to determine if subsequent violence has 
occurred. If other acts of violence have occurred, the designee shall gather all available investigative 
information and pursue criminal charges if probable cause exists. If an arrest is not made the designee 
shall fully document the reasons for this decision in a supplemental report. The designee shall also 
explain to the victim - and provide assistance if needed - for other avenues of Domestic Violence relief 
through the Barrow or Gwinnet County District Attorney’s Office and local domestic violence shelters. 
All Family Violence related incident reports with a child listed on said report will be faxed to the Barrow 
or Gwinnett Department of Family and Children’s Services. The information sharing is intended to 
assist employees of that agency in addressing police identified family issues of their current client base. 
J. Processing Temporary Protective Orders (TPO) 
1. TPO’s will be received through the support services division and forwarded to CID and Patrol 
Division. 
2. The CID Commander will make a follow-up contact with the victim, or if no case has been initiated he 
will initiate a case. 
4. The support services division will maintain all TPO’s within Records division. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 09 Search and Seizure 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 09 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/04/2018 
Subject: Search and Seizure 

I. Policy 
It shall be the policy of the Auburn Police Department to conduct searches of persons, places and 
things pursuant to established State and Federal laws governing search warrants and/or warrantless 
searches. Auburn Police Officers shall have due regard for the protections guaranteed under the 
provisions of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The following procedures shall address 
search and seizure policy and shall cite major case law and/or state statutes where applicable. 
Definitions 
Fourth Amendment: The Constitutional Law that provides the right of the people to be secure in their 
persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures. This right shall not 
be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, 
and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. The Fourth 
Amendment protects an individual’s reasonable and legitimate expectations of privacy rather than 
simply places or property rights in an invaded place. 
Expectation of Privacy: The degree to which a person, by their conduct, has exhibited an actual 
expectation of privacy, and whether the individual’s expectation of privacy is one that society is 
prepared to recognize as reasonable. The courts have determined that a person has a high expectation 
of privacy in their residence. The Fourth Amendment has drawn a firm line at the entrance to a person’s 
home. Absent exigent circumstances, that threshold may not reasonably be crossed without a warrant. 
An automobile affords a lesser expectation of privacy than a house for Fourth Amendment purposes. 
Probable Cause: The facts and circumstances within an officer’s knowledge that would lead a 
reasonable person to believe that a crime has been committed or is being committed and/or that a 
particular individual has committed or is committing the offense. 
Hot Pursuit: An exigent circumstance, created by the continuous pursuit of an offender from a crime 
that may justify a warrantless entry into a home in order to protect the officer or the public and/or to 
prevent the destruction of evidence. 
Seizures: The seizure of an individual occurs when by means of physical force or show of authority, 
their freedom of movement is restrained. The Supreme Court has clarified that seizures can be of 
different intensities, for example, an arrest, which results in detention, versus an investigative detention. 
The seizure of property occurs when there is some meaningful interference with an individual’s 
possessory interests in that property. 
III. Rules and Regulations 
A. Search with a Warrant 
The following is required of all search warrants and search warrant affidavits: 
1. Issuance: The warrant must be issued by a judicial officer authorized to hold a court of inquiry 
(O.C.G.A. Sec. 17521 or 21.1). For search warrants within Auburn, officers shall use the Magistrate 
court, or when necessary, the Superior Court. For areas outside Auburn, officers shall use the 
appropriate judicial officer from that jurisdiction. 
2. Probable Cause: The magistrate must find probable cause that the place to be searched contains 
items connected with criminal activity (Berger v. New York, 388 U.S. 41). The officer must swear or 
affirm under oath the facts presented for establishing probable cause are true. 
3. Description: The warrant must describe with sufficient particularity the person or the place to be 
searched and the items to be seized (O.C.G.A. Sec. 17523). In executing a warrant, officers may not 
exceed its scope. A lawful search extends to all areas and containers in which the object of the search 

may be concealed. 
If a place can be easily identified by a street number or address, then no further information shall be 
necessary, however, an officer or investigative component may elect to further describe the place to be 
searched. 
NOTE: A warrant may be issued based on an affidavit containing only hearsay where the reliability of 
the informant is established, and the underlying factual circumstances are described. 

B. Search Incident to Lawful Arrest 
1. Scope: A search incident to a lawful arrest must be limited in scope to the arrestee’s person and the 
area within his immediate control. 
2. Authorization: A search incident to an arrest shall be authorized for the following reasons: 
a. For the safety of the officer. 
b. To secure items that might aid in an arrestee’s escape. 
c. To prevent the destruction of instruments or fruits of a crime. 
3. Nature: A search incident to a lawful arrest must be concurrent in time and place with the arrest. 
C. Exigent Circumstances 
1. A warrantless search is permitted when there is both probable cause and exigent circumstances. 
The ultimate test is whether there is such a compelling necessity for immediate action that proceeding 
without a warrant is justified. 
2. Hot pursuit, a fleeing suspect, destruction of evidence, incidents where the public safety is 
endangered, or other situations in which speed is essential to the accomplishment of lawful police 
action are examples of exigent circumstances. 
Note: The government bears the burden of proving exigency. 
D. Stop and Frisk 
1. Grounds for the Stop: To lawfully stop an individual, the law enforcement officer must have a 
reasonable suspicion that the person stopped is involved in criminal activity. 
In appropriate situations, a Field Interview entry should be completed on all such stops of suspicious 
persons and forwarded to the appropriate investigative component. A detailed description of the activity 
and of the person should be included. 
To lawfully frisk an individual, the police officer must have an articulable reasonable suspicion or belief 
that the person stopped is armed and dangerous. 
3. In the case of the protective search for weapons, the officer must be able to point to particular facts, 
from which he reasonably inferred that the individual was armed and dangerous. 
4. The frisk must be limited to that which is necessary for the discovery of weapons, which might be 
used to harm the officer or others nearby (Terry v Ohio, 392 U.S. 1). Officers are reminded that a frisk is 
a limited search of the outer clothing. 
5. Nature of the Frisk: The frisk for weapons must be only a limited intrusion of a person (pat down). 
Pockets cannot be entered during a pat down, unless the officer feels an object which is consistent with 
a weapon in its size, shape, or feel. 
6. Search After the Frisk: Feeling an object which might be a weapon will justify a more extensive 
intrusion to obtain the suspected weapon. An officer may enter pockets to dispel the alarm that a 
weapon is present. 
7. Plain Feel Doctrine: If, during the frisk of a subject, an officer feels something that he knows to be, or 
which is readily apparent as contraband, the officer may seize the item or items and use the evidence 
in court. 
8. In those situations where an officer has completed a stop and frisk as described herein and no arrest 
results from the encounter, the officer will complete a miscellaneous report, documenting the 
justification of the encounter and pat down/search. 
E. Vehicle Stops 
1. Significance of the Stop: A "seizure" occurs whenever a vehicle is stopped, even though the purpose 
is generally limited and the detention quite brief; therefore, the Fourth Amendment applies. 
2. Grounds for the Stop: There must be reasonable suspicion to justify an investigatory stop of an 
individual’s vehicle, i.e., the police either must have reasonable suspicion that the vehicle or its 
occupants are involved in criminal activity or have probable cause to believe that a traffic violation has 
occurred. Police officers do not have an unrestricted right to stop people, either pedestrians or drivers. 

3. Vehicle Roadblocks: Vehicles may be stopped at general roadblocks which serve legitimate law 
enforcement purposes. If the purpose of the road block is legitimate, (e.g., to check driver’s licenses 
and proof of insurance), and vehicles are systematically stopped, and evidence of other crimes is 
observed, the officer has the right to take reasonable investigative steps. Vehicle roadblocks shall be 
prohibited unless approved by a supervisor. 
4. Initial Intrusion: Police officers may take reasonable action to protect themselves after a lawful stop 
of a motor vehicle. An officer may prefer to ask the driver of a vehicle to step out of the vehicle. Police 
officers may consider external factors such as traffic, weather, crowds, etc., prior to asking anyone to 
step out of their vehicle. 
5. Further Intrusion: If the police officer has a reasonable belief that a person stopped is presently 
armed and dangerous, he may conduct a limited protective search of the vehicle and frisk of the 
person. 
6. Vehicle Searches Incident to Arrest: In accordance to Arizona v Gant (04-21-09) A vehicle may be 
searched incident to arrest only if the arrestee is within reaching distance of the passenger 
compartment at the time of the search or it is reasonable to believe that the vehicle contains evidence 
of the offense for which the person was arrested. 
F. Vehicle Searches 
1. Exigent Circumstances: The mobility of motor vehicles often constitutes exigent circumstances 
authorizing a warrantless search. The "automobile exception" to the warrant requirement demonstrates 
a willingness of courts to excuse the absence of a warrant when spontaneous searches are required of 
a vehicle (Condor v. State, 129 Ga. App. 665; 1973). The expectation of privacy with respect to one’s 
motor vehicle is significantly less than that relating to one’s home, office, or one’s luggage. The 
automobile exception is supported from the fact that a car’s occupants and contents travel in plain view, 
and motor vehicles are highly regulated by government. 
2. Standard: To search under exigent circumstances, the police officer must have probable cause to 
believe the vehicle contains evidence of a crime, thus, seizeable items. 
3. Time and Place of Search: If probable cause and exigent circumstances existed originally, the police 
may search the vehicle after towing it to the impound lot without securing a search warrant. When 
probable cause exists without exigent circumstances, a warrant is required (Caito et al, v. State, 130 
Ga. App. 83; 1974). 
4. If a person is arrested after a vehicle stop, the passenger compartment may be searched incident to 
arrest: if the arrestee is not handcuffed and is within “reaching distance” of the passenger compartment 
of the vehicle and a back-up officer is in control of the arrestee or if the arrest is for the type of crime 
that makes it reasonable to believe evidence of the offense may be located in the vehicle (examples: 
DUI, Drug Offenses, Larceny Offenses, and Person on Person Offenses involving a weapon) 
G. Container and Luggage Search 
1. Standard: Containers generally may only be searched pursuant to a warrant, based on probable 
cause. Individuals possess a privacy interest in the contents of their personal luggage that is protected 
under the Fourth Amendment. However, it is generally recognized that the privacy interest of people 
who are in transit (on a bus, train, or airplane), on public thoroughfares is substantially less than those 
attached to a fixed dwelling. Some touching or moving of containers does not necessarily constitute a 
seizure. An officer who moves luggage or a container to facilitate a canine sniff, does not constitute a 
seizure by the officer or a search by the canine. Passengers traveling on common carriers have no 
reasonable expectation of privacy in the exterior of their luggage, or of the airspace surrounding it. 
2. Automobiles: A police officer who has legitimately stopped an automobile, and who has probable 
cause to believe contraband is located somewhere within the car, may conduct a warrantless search of 
the vehicle, including compartments and containers within the vehicle, whose contents are not in plain 
view (U.S. v Ross, 456 U.S. 798, 31 Crl 3051; 1982). 
3. Exceptions: The ‘Search Incident to Arrest’ and ‘Plain View’ doctrines, will generally make 
unnecessary the need to secure a warrant to search containers. When a lawful custodial arrest has 
been made, the officer may examine the contents of any container found within the passenger 
compartment within reach of the arrestee (Area of immediate control). 
4. Inventory of Impounded Vehicle: (See Chapter 13-2) 
H. Plain View Doctrine 

1. Legality: In order for the Plain View Doctrine to apply: 
a. The law enforcement officer must be at a location where he has a legal right to be; 
b. The discovery of seized items need not be inadvertent, as long as the search is confined in an area 
and duration by the terms of a warrant, or a valid exception to the warrant requirement; (United States 
v. Scopo, 19 F.3d 777, 783 (2d Cir. 1994). 
c. The seized items must appear on their face to be incriminating; 
d. The items seized must be plainly visible to the law enforcement officer. 
I. Abandonment 
1. Act: Abandonment is a voluntary relinquishment of control of property, (i.e., disposing of, denying 
ownership.) 
2. Implications: Abandoned property is not protected by the Fourth Amendment. Officers may seize, 
and search abandoned property without probable cause, and without a warrant. Whether or not 
property has been abandoned is a question of intent, which must be shown by clear, unequivocal and 
decisive evidence. 
J. Curtilage Doctrine 
1. Curtilage Doctrine: Curtilage is afforded the same Fourth Amendment protections as is the home. 
Generally speaking, curtilage has been held to include all buildings in close proximity to a dwelling, 
which are continually used for carrying on domestic purposes; or such places as are necessary and 
convenient to a dwelling and are habitually used for family purposes (including a patio). 
2. Open Fields: The Fourth Amendment protections do not extend to the "open fields" surrounding the 
curtilage and the home. 
3. Legitimate Expectation of Privacy: The determination of whether Fourth Amendment protections will 
be extended to items seized from the curtilage or open fields focuses on whether the person 
challenging the search has a legitimate expectation of privacy in the place which was searched. 
K. Consent Searches 
1. Voluntariness: The law enforcement officer obtaining consent has the burden of proving that the 
defendant's consent to a warrantless search was given freely and voluntarily. 
2. Test: The voluntariness of a person's consent is measured by the totality of the circumstances. 
3. Consent After Arrest: If the consenting party is in custody, the voluntariness of the consent is still 
measured by the totality of the circumstances, although courts will analyze the relevant factors more 
critically. 
4. Third Party Consent: Consent for a warrantless search may be given by a third party who shares 
control of, (or has common authority over), the premises or items to be searched. Areas belonging 
exclusively to parties not present or not giving consent, shall not be searched. Additionally, if more than 
one person with equal access authority is present, and one refuses to provide search consent, the 
search shall not be completed, regardless of search consent by others. 
Note: Police officers will make every reasonable attempt to get a signed Auburn Police Department 
‘Consent to Search’ Form (See form attached at the end of this chapter). Officers are reminded that an 
oral consent will be subject to the same scrutiny as a written consent. 
5. Knock and Talk: Officers may approach a residence for which they have a mere suspicion might 
contain drugs, other contraband, fruits of a crime, or a wanted suspect, and request permission from 
the lawful occupant to search. Failure to get permission from the lawful occupant will not create cause 
for the officer to take other action. For the purpose of this section, ‘suspicion’ is not intended to have 
same meaning as ‘reasonable suspicion’ or probable cause. 
L. Body Surface Inspection 
Body Surface Inspection: Any search of an individual requiring the removal or rearrangement of 
clothing to permit the visual inspection of the genital area, buttocks, anus, or female breasts. 
1. Individuals arrested or detained should not be subject to a Body Surface Inspection unless the 
arresting/detaining officer has reasonable suspicion to believe that the individual is concealing 
contraband or weapons. Reasonable suspicion may be based upon, but is not limited to the following: 
a. The nature of the offense charged. 
b. The arrestee's appearance and demeanor. 
c. The circumstances surrounding the arrest/ detention. 
d. The arrestee's criminal record, particularly past crimes of violence and narcotics offenses. 

e. The discovery of evidence of a major offense in plain view or in the course of a search incident to the 
arrest. 
f. Detection of suspicious objects beneath the suspect's clothing during a field search incident to arrest. 
2. If Body Surface Inspections should be conducted the following conditions will exist: 
a. Under conditions that provide privacy from all but those authorized to conduct the inspection. 
b. If the circumstances permit, by an officer of the same sex. 
c. There will be at least one witness of the same sex in the room during the search. 
d. A superior officer with a minimum rank of sergeant will supervise the circumstances of the search; 
however, that superior officer need not be in the room at the time of the search. If for any reason a 
supervisor is present during the search, the supervisor will be of the same sex. 
e. Officers will not touch the person being strip searched unless contraband is located. 
f. Only qualified (RN or MD) medical personnel will perform a digital search or probe search. 
g. Juveniles will not be subject to strip searches without prior approval of the juvenile court or its 
officers. 
3. Following a Body Surface Inspection, the officer performing the inspection will document, in writing, 
the following: 
a. Date and place of the inspection. 
b. Identity of the officer conducting the inspection. 
c. Identity of the individual inspected. 
d. Those present during the inspection. 
e A description of the nature and extent of the inspection. 
f. The basis of reasonable suspicion to conduct the inspection. 
g Any weapons, evidence or contraband found during the inspection. 
Body Surface Inspections that require the removal of all clothing shall be conducted only in the rarest of 
circumstances and with the explicit approval of a supervisor. 
M. Body Cavity Inspections 
Body Cavity Inspection: Any search involving not only visual inspection of skin surfaces but the internal 
physical examination of body cavities and, in some instances, organs such as the stomach cavity. 
Should visual examination of a suspect during a Body Surface Inspection and/or other information lead 
an officer to believe that the suspect is concealing a weapon, evidence or contraband within a body 
cavity, the following procedures shall be followed: 
1. The suspect shall be kept under constant visual surveillance until a Body Cavity Inspection is 
conducted or an alternative course of action taken. 
2 The officer shall consult with his immediate supervisor to determine whether probable cause exists to 
seek a search warrant for a Body Cavity Inspection. The decision to seek a search warrant shall 
recognize that a Body Cavity Inspection is highly invasive of personal privacy and is reasonable only 
where the suspected offense is of a serious nature and/or poses a threat to the safety of officers, the 
suspect, or others. 
Certain intrusions into the body (e.g. stomach pumping, surgery) have been held to be in violation of 
the Fourth Amendment (Rochon v. California 342 U.S. 165, Winston v. Lee, 470 U.S. 753). Hence, only 
under the most exigent circumstances and only pursuant to a search warrant, will such a procedure be 
allowed. 
3. If probable cause exists for a Body Cavity Inspection, an affidavit for a search warrant shall be 
prepared that clearly defines the nature of the alleged offense and the basis for the officer's probable 
cause. 
4. On the basis of a search warrant, a Body Cavity Inspection shall be performed only by an authorized 
physician or by other medically trained personnel at the physician's direction. 
5. For safety and security reasons, the inspection shall be conducted at the jail or other authorized 
medical facility and in a room designated for this purpose. 
6. Body Cavity Inspections shall be performed with due recognition of privacy and by medically trained 
personnel as previously addressed in this policy. 
7. A supplemental report will be completed by the requesting officer stating the reason for the Body 
Cavity Inspection. A copy of the search warrant and the medical report shall be submitted with the 
original incident report. 

N. Other Intrusive Searches 
Intrusions on the body's surface (swabbing, hair samples, retrieval of evidence from the mouth, etc.) 
are governed by the Fourth Amendment. Such searches are permissible as long as they are conducted 
in a reasonable manner and are justified under the circumstances (e.g. probable cause to search). 
However, other more common intrusions, such as blood tests, may be conducted without a warrant if 
the setting and procedures are reasonable, as when blood is drawn by a doctor in a hospital 
(Schmerber v. California 384, U.S. 757). 
O. Search Warrant Executions in Third Party Premises 
Absent exigent circumstances, or consent by an owner or legal occupant, an arrest warrant issued for 
the arrest of an individual, does not justify the entry into, or search of, a residence or premise of a third 
party without first obtaining a search warrant (Steaglad v. U.S., 101 St. Ct. 1642; 1981). 
P. Execution of Search Warrants 
1. Supervisory Personnel: Prior to the execution of a search warrant, an officer of supervisory rank 
should have reviewed, initialed in the bottom right corner, and dated the affidavit and warrant. He 
should also have discussed the circumstances of its issuance to ensure that requirements of law are 
being met, and that all the necessary elements are present, even though the warrant may have already 
been signed by the appropriate authority. All search warrants and affidavits should be reviewed by a 
supervisor prior to review and approval by a magistrate. 
2. When appropriate, the District Attorney's Office will be consulted prior to, during, and after serving 
search warrants, for their advice, recommendations, or for whatever other purpose the officer deems 
appropriate (e.g., preparation for prosecution). 
NOTE: All requests for wiretap warrants must be approved in advance by the Chief of Police, and the 
District Attorney's Office. (The actual written application for interception of wire or oral transmissions by 
law enforcement officers, must be executed by the District Attorney of the circuit wherein a device is to 
be physically placed, or by the Attorney General O.C.G.A. Sec. 161164) 
3. An officer of supervisory rank shall be present at the execution of any search warrant along with 
other personnel as needed. If possible, the supervisor is to be from the Unit concerned; if unavailable, a 
sergeant or higher-ranking officer from another unit shall assist. 
4. Following the execution of the warrant, the designated supervisor shall ensure that the appropriate 
followup steps are handled expeditiously (i.e., return, inventory, arrest warrant). 
5. Officers Involved in Executing Search Warrants: All involved personnel shall conduct themselves in a 
professional manner by: 
a. Restricting their actions in such a manner as is consistent with the scope of the warrant; 
b. Whenever possible, leaving property not seized in an orderly fashion, (or as found), and ensuring 
that it is not left in an unreasonable state of disorder, or destroyed. 
c. Ensuring all evidence seized is documented on the inventory and forwarded to the Property and 
Evidence Section and/or Crime Lab. 
NOTE: Items considered to be illegal and/or contraband, are not to be destroyed without either the 
appropriate order of the court, or, in cases where prosecution is not to follow, by proper documentation. 
Q. Force to be Used in Execution of a Search Warrant 
1. An officer has the right under a lawful search warrant to use all necessary and reasonable force to 
get into any building, dwelling, or other area described in a search warrant (O.C.G.A. Sec. 17527). 
2. Unless the search warrant contains a noknock provision, an officer is required to give oral notice to 
the person or persons inside, if any, of the identity of the officer, and of the fact that the officer has a 
search warrant to search the premises (O.C.G.A. Sec. 17527). 
3. If the person or persons inside refuse to acknowledge an officer's notice, or if an officer cannot 
determine if anyone is present inside, or if it is unoccupied, an officer can then use reasonable force to 
gain entrance (O.C.G.A. Sec. 175-27). 
4. Any action taken by the officer should be recorded prior to making a forced entry, such as "knocked 
on door, identified myself by position and advised I held a search warrant for the premises, and no one 
responded to my call”. The purpose of the record is that the officer will have to testify in court 
concerning the reason for his actions (Jackson v. State, 129 Ga. App,901; 1973). 
5. Whenever force is used in order to enter a premise or place, and any amount of damage occurs, the 
superior officer in charge of the search shall ensure that all damage is documented and photographed. 

6. The appropriate amount of time that the officer should allow will depend on the conditions of each 
search. 
R. How to Obtain a No-Knock Search Warrant 
1. To gain entrance to any building or dwelling without giving notice, a search warrant must contain a 
noknock provision. This provision should be in the body of the affidavit. 
2. A noknock provision cannot be based upon a mere suspicion, but rather must be predicated upon 
probable cause from an investigation and/or informant. The following would be examples of probable 
cause for a noknock provision: 
a. A reliable informer or other source provided information concerning a suspect who kept evidence in a 
bathroom, such as drugs, and would destroy the evidence when the officer knocked on the door (Scull 
v. State, 122 Ga. App. 696); 
b. A reliable informer or other source provided information concerning a suspect who kept firearms next 
to a door, and when an officer knocked on a door, the suspect would shoot through a door in an attempt 
to kill or harm the officer (Jones v. State, 127 Ga. App. 137); or 
3. Since an officer has a right to use necessary and reasonable force, it is also a responsibility of an 
officer to obtain the correct address and location of property or premises to be searched. Searching the 
wrong person or premises could lead to prosecution and/or civil liability of an officer. 
S. When a Search Warrant Can be Executed 
1. The search warrant may be executed at any reasonable time, day or night; a reasonable time 
depends on the facts in each individual case (O.C.G.A. Sec. 17526). 
2. A search warrant must be served within ten days from the date of issuance. If the warrant is served, 
a "duplicate copy shall be left with any person from whom any instruments, articles, or things are 
seized; or, if no person is available, the copy shall be left in a conspicuous place on the premises from 
which the instruments, articles, or things were seized". Any search warrant not served within ten days 
from the date of issuance, shall be void and will be returned to the court of the judicial officer who 
issued the warrant (Ga. O.C.G.A. Sec. 17525). 
3. "A written return of all instruments, articles, or things seized shall be made without unnecessary 
delay before the judicial officer named in the warrant or before any court of competent jurisdiction. An 
inventory of any instruments, articles, or things seized, shall be filed with the return and signed under 
oath by the officer executing the warrant" (O.C.G.A. Sec. 17529). 
4. Upon application of the search warrant, the officer shall obtain four copies. The first copy shall be left 
with the magistrate after the warrant is issued. The second copy shall be left pursuant to paragraph 2, 
mentioned above, the third copy shall be returned to the Magistrate Court, and the final copy shall be 
placed in the case file, upon completion of the search. 
T. Locations/Persons to be Searched Pursuant to a Search Warrant 
1. Officers shall be limited to search in areas particularly described by the search warrant; “Scope of 
Search” 
2. Officers shall also be limited to searching only for those items particularly described in the search 
warrant. 
3. Officers shall be limited to searching individuals named or described in the search warrant. Officers 
should have more descriptive information than "a male", "a white female", etc., if the officer is to list an 
individual on the warrant to be searched. 
4. In the execution of the search warrant, the officer executing the same may reasonably detain and/or 
search any person in the place at the time: 
a. To protect himself from attack; or 
b. To prevent the disposal or concealment of any instruments, articles, or things particularly described 
in the search warrant (O.C.G.A. Sec. 17528). 
U. Search of Crime Scenes 
Officers may search the scene of a crime with a search warrant, or without a warrant, with proper 
consent of the person responsible for the property. Officers are encouraged to document this consent 
via a written ‘Consent to Search’ form. Consent will be obtained from the victim, or in cases where the 
victim is deceased or unconscious, a person with lawful control of the property may give written 
consent. Prior to getting consent, officers may make a protective sweep and secure the crime scene. 

NOTE: All court cases cited in this section were valid at the time of publication. However, subsequent 
case law can alter many of the circumstances. It is incumbent upon all officers obtaining search 
warrants to assure that the warrants comply with the prevailing standards according to the latest State 
and Federal Court decisions. 

V. Canine Searches 
Private Property: Private property located in public and semipublic places is subject to sniffing by a dog. 
Such an act is not a search. The important factor in applying ‘place’ is not whether a sniff occurs in a 
public place, but whether – as in an officer’s plain view observation of contraband – the observing 
person, or the sniffing canine, are legally present at their vantage when their respective senses are 
aroused by obviously incriminating evidence. Circuit courts have concluded that a dog sniff of a car 
waiting at a valid roadblock is not a Fourth Amendment search. 
Persons: The sniffing of persons by dogs may constitute a search protected by the Fourth Amendment. 
The Fourth Amendment applies with its fullest vigor against any intrusion on the human body. 
Canine Reactions as Probable Cause: In order for a dog’s reaction to a person or container to provide 
probable cause to search or arrest, the reliability of the dog must be established. The reliability should 
come from the fact that the dog is trained and annually certified to perform a physical skill. 
W. Institutional Searches 
Schools: Although the Fourth Amendment applies to searches conducted by school personnel, 
students have limited Fourth Amendment protection. School officials act as representatives of the 
State, not merely as surrogates for the parents. Therefore, they cannot claim the parents’ immunity 
from the restrictions of the Fourth Amendment. Under ordinary circumstances, a search of a student by 
a school official or teacher will be justified at its inception, when there are reasonable grounds for 
suspecting that the search will produce evidence that the student has violated, or is violating, either the 
law or the rules of the school. (New Jersey v. T.L.O., 469 U.S. 325, 337-39, 341 (1985). 
Parolees and Probationers: Parolees and probationers have only limited Fourth Amendment protection. 
Their expectation of privacy is significantly limited by the supervisory relationship and restrictions 
imposed on the individual by the State. The search of a parolee or probationer’s home without a 
warrant and with less than probable cause, does not violate the Fourth Amendment if the search is 
conducted by probation and parole agents under state probation regulations, and pursuant to State 
Law, that satisfy the Fourth Amendment’s reasonableness standard. Police officers and probation 
officers can work together and share information to achieve their objectives. However, it is 
impermissible for a probation search to serve as a subterfuge for a criminal investigation. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 
Auburn Police Department 
Consent to Search 
I, ___________________________, hereby authorize __________________________, a member of 
the Auburn Police Department and other officers as designated by him to search the items and/or 
locations as described. Those items and/or locations include: 

_________________________________________________________________. 
(NOTE — the items / locations to be searched should be specifically described above.) 
I further authorize the above member of the Auburn Police Department to remove any letters, 
documents, papers, materials, or other property which is considered pertinent to the investigation of 
__________________________ (list the specific crime under investigation), provided that I am 
subsequently provided with a complete list or copy for anything which is removed. 
I have knowingly and voluntarily given my consent to search without fear, threat, or promise (expressed 
or implied). 
Signed: ____________________ Witness: ________________________ 

(Print Name) (Print Name) 


Date: _____________________________ 
Time: ____________ _. m. 


Chapter 10 Firearms 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 10 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/09/2018 
Subject: Firearms 

I. Introduction 
Items of weaponry and personal protective equipment fall into the general classification of armament. 
The Auburn Police Department must pay specific attention to the requirements of their individual 
community in determining the type of armament best suited for their operation. The equipment needed 
to make up the basic armament requirements of a law enforcement agency can be divided into two 
distinct areas: individual armament and agency armament. This S.O.P. addresses both. 
II. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines and rules for the proper use, care and display of 
firearms, to establish a standard operating procedure for assignment of agency firearms and approval 
process for secondary firearms. 
III. Rules and Regulations 
A. General 
Officers, while on duty, will carry only the agency authorized firearm(s) or approved secondary 
firearm(s). 
B. Firearms Safety 
1. It is imperative that each individual exercise extreme care in the handling of all firearms, always 
emphasizing safety, whether on or off duty. 
2. Holsters shall not be unsnapped, or sidearms removed from holsters unnecessarily. 
3. Loaded shoulder weapons, (e.g., shotguns, rifles, gas guns, etc.), shall not be brought inside the 
Police Department unless a deadly force emergency is in progress. 
4. Shoulder weapons shall be carried perpendicular (muzzle up) to the floor by the grip (no fingers 
within the trigger guard). They will be carried with the slide back, action open, safety on, and the 
chamber empty. 
5. Confiscated and found firearms shall not be placed into evidence loaded. 
6. Attention should be given to the removal and replacement of the handgun to its holster. 
C. Care of Firearms 
Prior to the issuance of any agency-owned firearm from the Departmental armory to an officer, a 
qualified Armorer shall review and inspect the firearm to affirm that it is operationally functional for the 
intended use. Such inspected firearms that are available for assignment shall be maintained in a 
designated area within the armory to clearly separate them from other firearms which may need repair 
or inspection. Once assigned, all officers shall keep their firearms clean and in good operating 
condition. Officers’ firearms are subject to inspection by a superior officer at any time. Supervisors will 
conduct a cleanliness inspection of all departmentally issued and/or authorized primary firearms on a 
quarterly basis. A cleanliness inspection involves a field strip, to ensure the firearm’s components are 
free of debris and powder residue. 
The Armorers’ inspection of all departmentally issued firearms will be completed annually. An Armorer 
inspection involves a more extensive breakdown of the firearms and a systematic check to ensure all 
firearm components are in proper working order. Any officer who carries a non-departmental firearm, 
whether primary or secondary, will be responsible for ensuring the weapon is in safe working order. 
All supervisory firearm inspections will be noted on the duty roster. Any firearm that is not safe for street 
duty will be made safe or replaced, before the officer is assigned to street duty. No alterations, including 
changing of grips, shall be made to the Department issued firearm, except by an Armorer. Officers are 
not authorized to make inscriptions on any part of the Departmental firearm. 

D. Ammunition 
The types and specifications of ammunition approved for use on duty and with secondary firearms will 
be selected by the Chief of Police. Both on duty and for extra duty employment, sworn officers are 
authorized to carry only the ammunition as authorized by this policy. The specified ammunition shall be 
carried within the authorized weapons, whether the officer is on or off duty. 
(See Appendix B for list of approved ammunition) 
E. Firearms Authorized on Duty 
Members are authorized to carry, while on duty, Glock 40 Cal. Firearm, Model 22 for Patrol and Model 
23 for CID and Admin, issued by the department. (see Appendix “A”) 
Shotguns/Rifles issued or authorized by the department are to be carried at all times in the patrol unit, 
following department procedures. 
F. Firearms Display 
1. Law enforcement officers should avoid the unnecessary display of firearms and not remove the 
weapon from the holster except when there is justification for its use to accomplish a proper police 
purpose. In responding to any potentially dangerous situations, such as a robbery or burglary in 
progress, an officer may draw and carry his firearms in a position for speedy and effective use, if 
necessary. 
a. Officers may carry their Department issued firearm while off duty, if the weapon is concealed, and 
the officer has proper police identification on his person. 
b. Officers may carry non-issued firearms while off duty if it is carried in compliance with the law. 
2. Under Georgia law, a law enforcement officer is authorized to carry an issued or authorized firearm 
while on duty and off duty. However, the decision to carry a personal firearm and ammunition off duty is 
an individual decision, not an agency requirement. 
3. Issued firearms, carried off duty, will be carried in the issued holsters or in a holster approved by the 
Chief of Police. These holsters will properly retain and secure the weapon being carried. 
4. Officers are prohibited from carrying firearms while consuming alcohol or while still under its 
influence, whether on or off duty, unless on an authorized special assignment. 
5. Detectives, and other plain clothes personnel, shall carry their firearms in a non-conspicuous manner 
in public, unless otherwise warranted. 
G. Discharging Firearms 
1. Whenever any member on duty or off duty, of the Auburn Police Department discharges a firearm for 
any purpose other than one which is sporting in nature, (e.g., hunting) or for target practice, he shall 
submit an incident report and a Response To Aggression/Resistance Report to the Chief of Police via 
the Chain of Command, within 24 hours, or arrange for such a report to be made. The report shall 
include: 
a. The officer’s duty status, and the reason and circumstances that required the use of a firearm. 
b. The names and addresses of any injured persons and witnesses. 
c. The name of the agency conducting the investigation. 
Additionally, an Auburn Police Department Response to Aggression/Resistance Report will be filed to 
include: 
d. The officer’s evaluation of the situation at the time of the incident. 
e. The number of rounds fired. 
f. The events that led to the shooting. 
g. The make, model, and serial number of the weapon discharged. 
h. The complete circumstances surrounding the deadly force. 
i. The shooting of incapacitated animals as described in Section H below, when conducted in a manner 
consistent with those guidelines, shall require the completion of only the associated miscellaneous 
report. 
2. The discharging of firearms is prohibited in the following circumstances: 
a. To affect the arrest of a person who has committed a crime less than a forcible felony. 
b. Spontaneously into, or near a crowd or bystander. 
c. At, or from a moving vehicle, unless, the suspect occupying the vehicle represents a clear and direct 
threat to the life and/or safety of the officer or other innocent persons, and then only as a last resort. 
d. Warning shots are prohibited under any circumstances. 

3. Considerations Prior to Shooting - the discharge of a firearm is an irreversible action, and if possible, 
prior to firing, an officer should evaluate the following: 
a. Other means of affecting the arrest 
b. Age of suspect and offense committed 
c. Direction in which the firearm is to be discharged 
d. Time of day 
e. The danger of firing while running or jumping 
f. The presence and location of other people 
H. Guidelines for Shooting Incapacitated Animals 
An animal may be destroyed, only after reasonable attempts to notify an agency capable of disposing 
of the animal is unsuccessful. If time permits, officers shall adhere to the following: 
1. Effect steps to ensure the safety of all persons, property, or other animals, by moving the animal that 
is to be destroyed to an area of safety, and out of public view. The animal should be placed on soft 
ground (in lieu of pavement) to decrease the possibility of ricochet. 
2. Shoot the animal at close range. 
3. Shoot down into the animal so that if the projectile exits the body, it will enter the ground. 
4. Shoot the animal in the head to minimize suffering. If there is a possibility of rabies, or the animal has 
bitten someone, the animal should not be shot in the head. In these cases, the animal should be shot in 
the chest cavity. 
5. Upon destroying the animal, the proper agency shall be notified, without delay, for removal of the 
body. If the possibility of rabies exists, or if the animal has bitten someone, the animal’s body will be 
removed to the proper location. 
6. File a miscellaneous incident report. 
I. Guidelines for Shooting Dangerous Animals 
A dangerous animal is any animal that is acting in a violent manner or has demonstrated that it might 
cause bodily harm to an officer or a third person. Dangerous animals may be shot only as a last resort 
to prevent bodily harm to the officer or a third person. When it is necessary to discharge a firearm at a 
dangerous animal, whether the animal is struck, the following procedures shall apply: 
1. The officer discharging the firearm shall inform the Shift Supervisor, file an incident report, and 
Response to Aggression/Resistance Report as described in chapter 10, section f, paragraph 1. 
2. The Shift Supervisor shall conduct an investigation by completing the following: 
a. Canvass the area. 
b. Attempt to locate and collect the rounds. 
c. Obtain statements from witnesses. 
The above procedure is necessary to protect the agency against later claims of damage and/or injury, 
as a result of the weapons discharge. 
J. Surrendering Weapons 
No officer shall ever give up any of his weapons. Surrender of a weapon rarely de-escalates a serious 
situation and can put an officer and innocent persons in jeopardy. 
K. Secondary Firearms 
The secondary firearm is a firearm approved for use while on duty as a back-up or while off duty when 
working in an enforcement function out of uniform. (Refer to Chapter 5.2 involving Outside Employment 
for required attire while working off duty) 
Secondary firearms(s) must meet types and specifications outlined below and must be inspected by an 
armorer and deemed safe and in good working order before being approved for use. The requesting 
officer will present the armorer with a “Request to Carry a Firearm Not Issued” form which will be 
completed upon the armorer’s inspection of the firearm and the applicant successfully qualifying with 
that firearm. The form will then be submitted to the Chief of Police for approval, if the request to carry is 
approved, a copy of the completed form will be forwarded to the Training Officer, so that a record of 
each approved weapon can be maintained. 
Secondary firearms must be carried in an approved holster. The secondary firearm is carried in a less 
prominent fashion and would be used if the primary firearm was lost, taken, or malfunctions. 
1. Approved Secondary Firearm types: 
a. Handgun: revolver (double action only) and pistol 

b. Shotgun: pump action and semi auto 
c. Rifle: bolt action and semi auto 
2. Approved Firearm Specifications 
a. Handgun make (brand): Glock, Smith & Wesson, Berretta, Sig Arms, Colt, Kel-Tech, Karr, Hecklor & 
Koch, Ruger, or other quality handgun approved by the Chief of Police. 
1. Handgun trigger pull must be a standard pull from the factory (not altered). 
2. Handgun barrel length must be a minimum of 2” 
3. Approved calibers; 380, 9mm, 38, 357, 40, and 45 
b. Shotgun make (brand) Remington, Mossberg, Benelli, Winchester, or other quality brand. 
1. Shotgun trigger pull must be a standard pull from the factory (not altered). 
2. Only 12 gauge shot guns will be approved 
c. Rifle make (brand) Remington, Bushmaster, Colt, Rock Rivers, or other quality brand. 
1. Rifle trigger pull must be a standard pull from the factor (not altered) 
2. Rifle barrel must be a minimum of 16” 
3. Approved calibers; .223, 5.56 
3. Any firearm that is carried as the primary weapon, at any time, must be used by the officer for all the 
above training. All firearms training will be documented in accordance with P.O.S.T Standards. The 
Department reserves the right to exceed minimum standards set by P.O.S.T. All officers will be held to 
the higher standard. (Reference: Canton v. Harris and PoPow v. Margate) 
L. Off Duty Firearms 
1. When off duty, an officer may carry a personal weapon of his choosing in a non-conspicuous 
manner. 
2. When officers have agency permission to work an extra-duty job in uniform, issued firearms and 
leather shall be worn. 
3. If an officer has the Chief of Police’s approval to work an extra - duty job, out of uniform, he must 
have the Chief’s approval to carry a firearm. The officer must complete the “Request to Carry a Firearm 
Not Issued” form if the firearm is not issued by the Department. 
IV. Agency Armament Assignment Procedures 
A. Issuance of Armament 
1. The primary storage facility for all agency owned firearms is the approved safes, with regulated 
access by only those authorized personnel. All firearms and equipment check-out/check-in, will be 
handled by either the Patrol Commander or his designee with the officer as follows: 
a. Check-Out: The firearms type, caliber and serial number will be noted on the inventory. No firearms 
will be removed from the vault, for any reason, without first being inspected by the Armorer and then 
signed out. Non-serialized equipment will be noted by type. 
b. The involved supervisor and officer will sign the inventory, noting the date the firearms or equipment 
was removed. An inventory will be maintained for all permanently issued firearms and for all other 
weapons approved by the agency for official use. 
c. Issued equipment and firearms will be returned in the same condition as issued. It will be cleaned, 
wiped free of dirt, moisture, and harmful residue, before being replaced in the vault. The bore will be 
cleaned if the firearms has been fired, fouled, or exposed to the elements. Employees do not have the 
authority to make changes to Departmental firearms, including changing grips, handles, triggers, 
making marks on the weapon, or any other alteration. Only a person approved by The Chief of Police 
may make changes to Departmental firearms. 
d. Any equipment or firearm that is damaged will be reported to the Patrol Commander, and his 
assessment of the damage will be reported to the Chief of Police. 
e. The Armorer or Chief of Police’s designee receiving equipment or firearms shall inspect them for 
cleanliness and proper functioning before storing. Problems with any equipment or firearms not passing 
inspection will be corrected by the officer, if possible, and re-inspected by the involved Armorer or Chief 
of Police’s designee. 
f. Any firearm that is not operational and cannot be immediately repaired by the Armorer will be tagged 
“out of service”. The tag will give the date tagged and action needed to render it serviceable. This 
information will be transferred to the applicable inventory for permanency of the record. 

g. The Patrol Commander or Chief of Police will make quarterly inspections of the arms vault and its 
contents, to ensure that all procedures are being followed. 
h. The Armorer(s) or Chief of Police’s designee shall inspect all firearms not issued on a regular basis. 
The Armorer or Chief of Police’s designee will clean and/or make repairs as needed. All action(s) taken 
will be noted in the inventory. 
2. The permanently issued firearms will be returned to the Armorer(s) or Chief of Police’s designee in 
the same manner as above, with return printed in the inventory. Weapons will be returned at 
separation, for disciplinary actions, as prescribed by the Chief of Police, or for extensive repairs, 
extensive cleaning, etc. 
3. The inventory will serve as a chronological history of all Department firearms, and as an inventory 
tool. This inventory will be kept by the Armorer(s)or the Chief of Police’s designee subject to inspection 
at any time by his superior. Any major changes to any firearms will be noted in the inventory. 
B. Responsibilities of the Departmental Armorer 
The Armorer(s) or the Chief of Police’s designee shall be responsible for ensuring all agency issued 
firearms are maintained in good working order. Upon notification from any officer that a weapon is 
malfunctioning, the Armorer(s) or the Chief of Police’s designee shall repair the weapon, or issue 
another. 
V. Physical Security of Weapons 
A. Storage Facilities 
1. No storage facility will be left unsecured, that contain firearms or ammunition. At no time will inmates 
or trustees assigned to the agency for routine labor, have access to weapon storage facilities for any 
reason, unless all weapons and ammunition have been removed, or they are under direct and 
continuous supervision of an agency member with authorized access to the storage facility. Except in 
rare cases, storage facilities should be treated as secure areas with restricted access to all non-sworn 
personnel. This also applies to routine facilities maintenance. 
2. Storage of firearms in vehicles: No firearms will be left unattended in any vehicle that is delivered to 
any facility for maintenance. No vehicles that contain weapons will be left unlocked. 
3. Take Home Vehicles: No Vehicles that contain firearms will be left unlocked. Weapons that are 
stored in take-home vehicles will not be stored in any manner that allows them to be visible from the 
exterior of the vehicle. 
4. Personnel who will have take-home vehicles located away from the workplace for extended periods 
of time, (more than fourteen continual calendar days), will relinquish special weapons to the Patrol 
Commander for safe storage prior to that leave. (For the purposes of this policy, “special weapons” are 
all agency-issued firearms beyond handguns.) These circumstances include vacation, schools, 
convalescence, or other absences. 
5. Personnel who will have take-home vehicles located away from the workplace for extended periods 
of time, (for more than fourteen continual calendar days), will leave no firearm within the passenger 
compartment of the vehicle. Weapons will be either removed from the vehicle or secured within the 
trunk storage area with a redundant security system if such system has been provided by the 
Department. Approved physical security measures include internal factory key-lock systems that 
prevent trunk access even with forcible entry into the passenger compartment. Cable or chain systems 
which employ padlocks are also authorized. 
6. The agency recognizes that officers may leave firearms or ammunition secured in their workplace for 
various personal exigencies. In such cases, offices and other storage facilities will be locked at any time 
the officer is away from his work area. Officers will not leave duty gear visible in work areas, latrines, or 
break areas. 
7. Service Pistol: The duty firearm will be secured at personal residences in a manner that renders 
them inaccessible for use, to anyone other than the officer to whom it has been issued. This will be 
accomplished using a locking device, either internal or external, to the weapon that will be provided by 
the Department, or by physically storing the weapon in a take-home vehicle. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 
Appendix A 


Listed below is a list of authorized weapons that can be carried on duty or while on extra duty while 
employed at the Auburn Police Department. 
Handguns: Glock Model 22 or Model 23 .40 Caliber 
Shotguns: Remington, Mossberg, or other quality brand name as approved. 12 Ga. 
Patrol Rifle: Bushmaster or other brand name AR style platform as approved. 
.223 or 5.56 caliber 
Appendix B 
Listed below is a list of the duty ammunition that is to be carried in a departmental duty weapon while 
employed at the Auburn Police Department. 
Handgun: Speer Gold Dot GDHP .40 Cal 155 or 180 grain 
Winchester Ranger T-series .40 Cal. 165 or 180 grain 
Shotgun: Federal Tactical 12 x 2 ¾ in 00 Buck 
Federal Slugs 12 x 2 ¾ in 
Patrol Rifle: Federal American Eagle .223 63 gr. Soft Point 
Less Lethal: Federal SSS 12 Ga. 2 ¾ in Premium Less Lethal 


Chapter 11 Police Response to Aggression Resistance 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 11 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/15/2018 
Subject: Police Response to Aggression/Resistance 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to establish and prescribe guidelines for the lawful use of force and to 
establish standard operating procedures for regulation and review of police response to 
aggression/resistance incidents. This policy also establishes standard operating procedures for 
investigating use of force incidents. 
II. Definitions 
Authorized Weapon: A weapon with which the officer has received agency training and has qualified 
through a proficiency examination on proper and safe usage. In addition, the weapon must be 
registered with the department, and comply with agency specifications. 
Physical Force: The unwanted touching directed toward another. This may involve the direct laying on 
of hands or the putting of an object into motion that touches the individual. Police response to 
aggression/resistance is not necessarily wrong, and under certain conditions personnel have the duty 
and obligation to use it. Force may be of a deadly or less than lethal nature. 
Less than Lethal Force: A quantity of force which is neither likely nor intended to cause great bodily 
harm. 
Deadly Force: That degree of force that is likely to cause death or great bodily injury. 
Forcible Felony: Any felony which involves the use or threat of physical force or violence against any 
person. 
Serious Physical Injury: A bodily injury which is likely to cause death, causes serious, permanent 
disfigurement; or results in long term loss or impairment of the functioning of any bodily member or 
organ. 
Reasonable Belief: The facts or circumstances the officer knows, or should know, are such as to cause 
an ordinary and prudent person to act or think in a similar way under similar circumstances. 
Objective Reasonableness: The standard as set forth by Graham v Connor (109 S.Ct. 1872) wherein 
the test for reasonableness when using force against an individual is based on the evaluation of what 
an objectively reasonable officer might have done in the same circumstances considering the facts 
confronting the officer at the time of the incident. 
Objectively Reasonable Force: The nature and degree of force utilized by an officer given the totality of 
the facts and circumstances known at the time, to gain control of a subject once the officer has 
evaluated 1) the severity of the crime, 2) the immediate threat the suspect poses to the officer and/or to 
the public and 3) whether the suspect is actively resisting arrest or attempting to evade arrest. 
III. Rules and regulations 
A. General 
This agency recognizes and respects the value and integrity of each human life. Investing law 
enforcement officers with lawful authority to use force to protect the public welfare requires a careful 
balancing of interests. Officers shall only use the amount of force reasonable to overcome resistance 
while conducting their authorized legal duties. Many decisions and actions of law enforcement officers 
have serious consequences, but none are so irrevocable as the decision to use force, particularly 
deadly force. Law enforcement officers are armed and trained to achieve control of various situations. 
Other means of force should be exhausted or deemed impractical before resorting to the use of deadly 
force. (See O.C.G.A. Sec. 17-4-20(b) Use of Deadly Force.) Control is achieved through the officer’s 
presence, verbal commands, control and restraint, use of temporary incapacitation, or in situations 
where any person’s life is endangered, by the use or threat of deadly force. 

Officers shall respond with reasonable force. All actions by the officer are governed by the situation. An 
officer is supported by the agency in drawing his firearm pursuant to official duties when circumstances 
dictate. Nonetheless, these guidelines are intended for internal use only, and any violation of these 
rules shall result in administrative and/or disciplinary action. They are not intended to create a higher 
standard of safety or care with respect to third party claims. A violation of the law shall be the basis for 
civil or criminal penalties. 

B. Justification for the use of Less than Lethal Force 
Less than lethal force can be used by an officer in the performance of his duties: 
1. When necessary to preserve the peace, prevent the commission of offenses, or prevent suicide or 
self-inflicting injury 
2. When preventing or interrupting a crime or attempted crime against property 
3. When making lawful arrests and searches, overcoming resistance to such arrests and searches, and 
preventing escapes from custody 
4. When in self-defense, or defense of another against unlawful violence to his person 
5. And to accomplish lawful objectives 
C. Justification for the Use of Deadly Force 
Deadly force may be used only when an officer reasonably believes that a suspect possesses a deadly 
weapon or an object, device, or instrument which, when used offensively against a person is likely to or 
actually does result in serious physical injury; when the officer reasonably believes that the suspect 
poses an immediate threat of physical violence to the officer or others; or when there is probable cause 
to believe the suspect has committed a crime involving the infliction or threatened infliction of serious 
physical injury. 
The use of deadly force against a “fleeing felon” is not justified unless it is in the defense of human life 
as described above. 
To defend any other person from imminent threat of death or serious injury when other less drastic 
means are not available or would not be effective to eliminate the threat. 
D. Shoot to Stop the Commission of a Forcible Felony 
1. Before using a firearm, officers shall identify themselves and state their intent to shoot, when 
feasible. 
2. Officers shall fire their weapon to stop an assailant from completing a potentially deadly act as 
described in section IIIC above. Officers should shoot at the largest available mass provided by the 
assailant as a target area for the officer, to stop the threat and to minimize danger to innocent 
bystanders. 
3. Warning shots are prohibited under any circumstances 
4. Officers shall not fire their weapons from a moving vehicle solely to disable moving vehicles. 
Weapons may be fired at the driver or occupant of a moving motor vehicle only when the officers have 
probable cause to believe that the subject poses an imminent danger of death or serious, physical 
injury to the officers or others, and the use of deadly force does not create a danger to the public that 
outweighs the likely benefits of its use. 
5. Facts unknown to an officer, no matter how compelling, cannot be considered in later determining 
whether the use of lawful force, particularly that of deadly force, was justified. 
E. Authorized Weapons 
An officer is not permitted to use a less than lethal force or deadly force weapon unless qualified in its 
proficient use as determined by training procedures. Both on duty and for extra duty employment, 
sworn officers are authorized to carry only departmental issued weapons as authorized by this policy. 
(Back-up and secondary personal owned weapons are covered in Chapter 10-Firearms) 
1. The following less than lethal weapons and munitions are authorized: 
a. ASP baton expandable batons 16-31 inches 
b. Sabre Red OC Spray 
c. X-26 Taser 
2. The following lethal weapons are authorized for use by sworn officers that are certified through 
training: 
a. Glock model 22 and 23 
b. 12 ga. Shotgun 

c. AR Platform Rifle 
(See chpt.10 Appendix A) 
IV. Use of Less Than Lethal Force (Internal Procedures) 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to report all incidents of less than lethal force using the 
guidelines set forth in this policy. The following reporting procedures apply to all incidents in which any 
force; either with natural weapons such as hands or feet, agency issued weapons, or any other device 
that is used as an offensive or defensive weapon; other than handcuffing and searching. For example, 
an officer making an arrest that requires the application of an arm bar would need to follow these 
reporting procedures. An officer involved in an incident involving the use of deadly force, with a weapon 
or without a weapon, shall follow the guidelines set forth in Chapter 11 V. 
Note: The Auburn Police Department does not teach or authorize the use of neck restraints or other 
similar weaponless control techniques. 
Note: This agency will respect the rights of the federal government to conduct an independent 
investigation to identify any civil rights violations that may have occurred. The agency will not order or 
request any of its members who may be suspected in such violations to confer with federal 
investigators without the advice of counsel. 
Note: Use of less than lethal force in which no injury occurs, and/or no property damage occurs will still 
be investigated as outlined in this section. 
Note: It is understood that the officer may use weapons not intended by the manufacturer as a weapon 
in response to a sudden attack to defend himself or a third person (Example: Flashlights or radios). 
A. Responsibility of the Officer(s) Involved 
The shift supervisor, or available supervisor in his absence, shall be immediately informed of each 
incident involving police response to aggression/resistance by officers of the agency. The primary 
arresting officer shall immediately render first aid if necessary and seek medical attention if necessary. 
The supervisor will be advised when medical attention is required for an arrestee. 
1. As soon as possible, but always before the end of the officer’s tour of duty, the primary officer shall 
submit a detailed Police Response to Aggression/Resistance Report to the shift supervisor outlining 
specifically the events leading to the use of force, the force used, and actions taken after force was 
used. If the primary officer is unable to complete the required documentation the shift supervisor will 
either assign an assisting officer to submit the required documentation or document the reason no 
report can be submitted at this time and forward either via memorandum or email to the applicable 
Division Commander, Chief of Police and OPS. 
2. All other officers involved or witnessing the incidents shall submit a “Supplemental Police Response 
to Aggression/Resistance Report” to the shift supervisor prior to the end of their tour of duty. 
3. Any officer that is injured during a response to aggression/resistance incident shall inform his 
supervisor immediately and assist the supervisor in completing the necessary workman compensation 
forms. 
B. Responsibilities of the Shift Supervisor 
Upon notification of the use of less than lethal force by subordinate personnel, a supervisor shall 
investigate the incident and indicate on the Supervisors Police Response to Aggression/Resistance 
Supplement if the officer(s) actions were proper and if not initiate the appropriate action. When 
reviewing the Response to Aggression/Resistance Report, the reviewing supervisor will assess the 
level of force applied based on three factors 1) the need for the application of force 2) the relationship 
between the need for and the amount of force used and 3) the extent of injury resulting from the applied 
force. In addition, the supervisor will assess the use of force utilizing the Objective Reasonableness 
Standard and other factors surrounding the incident. 
1. The Police Response to Aggression/Resistance Report, the incident report, and other documents 
shall be forwarded to the Patrol Commander, who will forward all documents to OPS for review, and a 
copy of the use of force report to the Chief of Police. 
2. The supervisor shall ensure that photographs are taken of any injury sustained by anyone involved in 
a police response to aggression/resistance incident. 
Note: Photographs documenting no injury may also be very important. 
3. The responding supervisor shall conduct a recorded interview of the suspect, at the scene, in order 
to get a verbal record of the suspect’s account of the incident as quickly after the incident as possible. If 

the supervisor feels it is not prudent to interview the suspect at that time, due to a hostile environment, 
the supervisor may move to another location for the interview. The supervisor may place the suspect in 
front of the camera if he deems this action as necessary for the investigation. 

4. The responding supervisor will also interview all known witnesses to get their account of the incident 
as quickly after the event as possible. 
5. The responding supervisor will interview the officer(s) involved in the incident, at the scene, and 
record the interview audibly, preferably on a body worn camera. The supervisor may choose to 
interview the officer(s) at a later time due to the officer’s emotional state, the propensity for additional 
violence at the scene, or for other reasons as articulated by the responding supervisor. 
6. The responding supervisor shall ensure audio/video tapes are entered into evidence as soon as 
possible. 
C. Property Damage 
Upon notification of property damage resulting from a police response to aggression/resistance 
incident, a supervisor shall investigate the incident fully. A detailed accounting to include the property 
owner and the extent of damage will be prepared and processed as indicated in section IV B of this 
policy. Photographs of the damaged property shall be taken as directed by the supervisor. 
D. Responsibilities of the Office of Professional Standards 
Office of Professional Standards Personnel shall review all incidents of police response to aggression 
or resistance. A memorandum will be completed by OPS with a synopsis of the facts and determination 
as to if the response does or does not comply with departmental policy. The memorandum will be 
attached to the original Response to Aggression/Resistance Report and forwarded to the Chief of 
Police for his review. 
If the OPS determines there is reason to believe that the force used was inappropriate the Chief of 
Police may order an investigation into the incident. 
E. Purpose of the Follow-up Investigation 
All incidents involving police response to aggression/resistance shall be reviewed by the appropriate 
authority to determine: 
1. If action was within the agency rules, policies and procedures. 
2. If relevant policy was understandable and effective to cover the situation. 
3. If training was adequate. 
4. All findings of policy violations or training inadequacies shall be reported in order for appropriate 
action to be taken. 
V. Use of Deadly Force (Internal Procedures) 
This procedure establishes responsibilities and duties concerning the investigation into the use of 
deadly force incidents, in which injury occurs. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of firearms. 
The investigative procedures used, coupled with the subsequent adjudication process, are the most 
important elements in maintaining the confidence of the public and employees if the actions of an 
officer are in question. 
A. Responsibilities of Officer(s) Involved 
1. When an officer responds to aggression/ resistance, that results or is alleged to have resulted in 
injury or death, he shall do the following as soon as possible: 
a. When a firearm is involved, holster the weapon, without unloading, or reloading it. 
b. Determine the physical condition of any injured person and render first aid. 
c. Request emergency medical aid if needed. 
d. Notify the Communications Center of the incident and location. 
e. Detain all witnesses and secure the crime scene. 
2. Unless injured, the officer will remain at the scene until the arrival of the appropriate investigators. 
However, if the circumstances are such that the continued presence of the officer at the scene might 
cause a more hazardous situation to develop (i.e., violent crowd), the ranking commanding officer at 
the scene shall have the authority to instruct the officer to be taken to another, more appropriate 
location. 
3. The officer shall protect his weapon for examination and submit it to the appropriate investigator only. 
4. The officer shall prepare a detailed report of the incident. 
5. The officer shall not discuss the case with anyone except: 

a. Supervisory and assigned investigative personnel 
b. The assigned District Attorney 
c. His attorney 
d. And/or mental health professional 
B. Responsibilities of the Shift Supervisor 
The Shift supervisor shall: 
1. Proceed immediately to the scene 
2. Secure the scene and notify the Patrol Commander, the Chief of Police, and the designated 
investigative unit 
3. Conduct a preliminary field investigation 
4. Render command assistance to the assigned investigator(s) 
5. Assist the involved officer(s) 
6. Submit a detailed incident report of the results of the investigation to OPS, and a copy to Patrol 
Commander and the Chief of Police 
C. Investigative Responsibility 
1. Investigations of deadly force incidents in which injury or death occur will be conducted in a 
bifurcated fashion, with the Criminal Investigation Division, and OPS making the administrative inquiry, 
and the GBI conducting any appropriate criminal investigation or review. 
2. All required written reports will be submitted without delay to OPS in original form, and a copy to the 
Chief of Police. 
3. The Chief of Police is responsible for notifying the governing authority of the incident, or his 
designee. 
4. Upon approval of the Chief of Police, any comments given the news media will be limited to the basic 
facts of the incident without speculation or expression of opinion. 
VI. OPS Review of Police Response to Aggression/Resistance 
Each month OPS shall conduct an analysis of all police response to aggression/resistance incidents to 
determine if trends exist that would indicate specific officers use force too frequently, that the 
department as a whole uses force too frequently, additional training is needed, policy needs 
modification and/or if equipment changes are needed. OPS will submit findings monthly at a weekly 
staff meeting and allow input from staff personnel. OPS will submit the results of the analysis on a 
monthly basis along with specific recommendation (if any) to the Chief of Police. 
OPS will also conduct a documented annual analysis of all response to aggression/resistance incidents 
which will be included as part of the OPS Annual Report. This analysis will also be used to reveal if any 
patterns or trends exist that indicate training needs, equipment upgrades, and/or policy modifications 
are needed. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 11-1 Employee involved Critical Incidents 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 11-1 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/16/2018 
Subject: Employee Involved Critical Incidents 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to provide administrators, supervisors, and employees with methods to 
facilitate understanding and recognition of the psychological dynamics of officer/employee-involved 
critical incident and trauma. The goal of this policy is to establish guidelines that have been field tested 
and found to address both the personal and emotional needs of the employee and to assure the 
community all the facts surrounding the incident are being fully explored and verified. 
II. Procedures 
If not injured, the employee will complete all the necessary procedures to safeguard evidence at the 
scene, and complete proper reports required to document the facts of the incident. The designated 
OPS or Criminal Investigation Officer shall investigate all incidents in which an employee’s actions 
precipitated the incident resulting in critical injury or death. 
A. Treatment of the Employee 
The employee involved shall be placed on either mandatory administrative leave with pay, or in-house 
administrative duty, by the Chief of Police immediately following the incident. 
In every instance in which an employee’s actions, or response to aggression/resistance in an official 
capacity, results in death or serious physical injury of another person, the employee will be removed 
from line-duty assignment, pending an administrative review. 
The Chief of Police will determine the appropriateness and the duration of extended mandatory 
administrative leave based upon the findings of the preliminary criminal investigation, and the 
recommendation of the mental health professional regarding the employee’s readiness for field 
assignment. 
The employee shall be available at all times for official interviews and statements regarding the case 
and shall be subject to recall to normal duty at any time after the preliminary investigation. 
Assignment to a “relieved of normal duty” status shall be non-disciplinary, with no loss of pay or 
benefits. Civilian employees may be allowed to remain at their current job function if approved by the 
Chief of Police. 
Relief from normal duty, (the officer may be assigned administrative duties), serves two purposes: 
. 
a. To address the personal and emotional needs of an officer involved in the use of deadly force, in 
which serious injury or death occurs; and 
b. To assure the community that all the facts surrounding such incidents are fully and professionally 
explored and verified. 
6. If the preliminary investigation discloses a question about the employee’s actions in the incident, then 
the appropriate guidelines regarding the rights of the accused will be followed. 
B. Effects of Officer Involvement in Critical Incidents 
When faced with a catastrophic life event or major change, an officer may experience great difficulty in 
appropriately dealing with his feelings and emotions. Some of the signs of an officer’s inability to deal 
appropriately with a traumatic incident are: 
1. Continuation and intensification of post-incident symptoms including, but not limited to: 
Heightened sense of danger/vulnerability; 
Fear and anxiety about future encounters; 
Anger/rage; 
Nightmares; 

Flashbacks/intrusive thoughts of the incident; 
Sleep difficulties; 
Depression; 
Guilt; 
Emotional numbing; 
Isolation and emotional withdrawal; 
Sexual difficulties; 
Stress reactions (e.g., headaches, indigestion, muscle aches, diarrhea/constipation); 
Anxiety reactions (e.g., difficulty concentrating, excessive worry, irritability, nervousness); and 
Family problems. 

2. Excessive stress and anxiety reactions; 
3. Continual obsession with the incident; 
4. Increased absenteeism, burnout, and/or decrease in productivity; 
5. Increase in anger and irritability; 
6. Under-reaction; 
7. Risk taking; 
8. Increase in family problems; and/or 
9. Alcohol/drug abuse. 
10. When faced with a catastrophic life event or a transition, human beings go through five distinct 
phases in their coping process. These phases are: 
a. denial and isolation; 
b. anger and resentment; 
c. bargaining; 
d. depression; and finally 
e. acceptance. 
C. Relieving Stress Associated with Critical Incidents 
The following guidelines have been found to alleviate much of the stress associated with the aftermath 
of a shooting. To enable the officer to feel supported and to reduce the amount of overall trauma, the 
following guidelines have been set: 
At the scene, show concern and understanding. Give mental and physical first aid. 
Responders should refrain from asking the affected employee any questions about the incident unless 
the question directly relates to the known location, evidence preservation or other vital questions. 
After obtaining necessary on-scene information, provide a psychological break by getting the officer 
some distance from the scene. The officer should be with a supportive friend or supervisor, and the 
Departmental Chaplain will be called to help support the officer. The officer should be returned to the 
scene only if necessary. 
With some officers, it is important to explain what administrative procedures will occur during the next 
few hours and over the following days. This will help the officer realize that the handling of the 
investigation of the incident is standard operating procedure. 
If the incident involves the officer’s service weapon, it is to be protected for examination and submitted 
to the appropriate investigating officer/s, only as evidence, and replaced with another weapon as soon 
as possible, if feasible. 
Before undergoing a detailed interview, the officer should have some recovery time in a secure setting 
where he is insulated from the press and curious employees. 
If the officer is not injured, the officer or a supervisor should contact the officer’s family, (via telephone 
call or personal visit), and brief them on the situation without compromising the investigation, before 
they hear rumors, and receive telephone calls from others. If the officer is injured, a supervisor should 
offer to transport the family to the hospital. 
For the officer(s) who fired a weapon, there should be a mandatory confidential debriefing with a 
knowledgeable Mental Health professional prior to returning to duty. The debriefing should take place 
as soon after the shooting as is practical, ideally within 24 hours, but no later than 48 hours. Fitness to 
return to duty, and/or any need for follow-up sessions, should be determined by the Mental Health 
professional. 

NOTE: To obtain an appointment for counseling or assistance through the Families First Employee 
Assistance Program the officer may call 404-853-2823 or toll-free 800-854-2801. 

9. Everyone at the scene, and the E-911 dispatcher, should have a separate debriefing. During this 
debriefing, it should be noted that anyone at the scene could experience a significant emotional 
reaction and should consult with the Mental Health professional within 48 hours. Follow-up sessions for 
other personnel may also be appropriate. 
10. The opportunity for family counseling (spouses, children, significant others) shall also be made 
available. 
11. A designated supervisor should brief the rest of the agency, or shift, about the incident. This should 
prevent the officer from being inundated with questions, and it should hold rumors in check. Only the 
Chief of Police or his designee will make public statements about incidents while under investigation. 
12. Expedite the completion of Administrative and Criminal Investigations and advise the officer of the 
outcomes. 
13. The officer, upon being placed on administrative leave, will be assigned to the appropriate Division 
for the duration of his administrative leave. While on administration leave, the officer shall maintain 
regular contact with the assigned supervisor. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 11-2 Line of Duty Serious Injury 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 11-2 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 01/01/2018 
Review: 10/16/2018 
Subject: Line of Duty Serious Injury/Death of Employee 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this order is to prepare the Department to respond in the event of an employee’s 
serious injury or death in the line-of-duty. It will direct the Department in providing proper emotional 
care for the injured or deceased employee’s family through contingency plans and procedures. 
II. Definitions 
Line-of-duty" death or serious injury - Any action, felonious or accidental (automobile accidents, injured 
by vehicle during traffic stop, training accidents, etc.), which claims the life of or seriously injures a law 
enforcement officer who was performing police functions either while on or off duty. The Chief of Police 
may put certain parts of this directive into effect in cases of natural death or serious illness of an officer. 
This policy will also apply to any civilian employee that is involved in any action, felonious or accidental 
which claims the life of or seriously injures the employee who was performing their assigned duties, 
thus officer and employee are used interchangeably for the purposes and intent of this policy. 
Survivors- spouse, children, parents, or siblings of the deceased officer. 
This directive is based on recommendations found in the handbook titled "Support Services to 
Surviving Families of Line-of-Duty Death," provided by Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. (C.O.P.S.), 
16921 Croom Road, Brandywine, MD 20613. 
III. Policy 
It shall be policy of the Auburn Police Department to provide liaison assistance to the immediate 
survivors of an officer who dies or is seriously injured in the line-of-duty. This responsibility includes 
providing tangible and intangible emotional support for the surviving family during this traumatic period 
of readjustment. A comprehensive study of survivor’s benefits with clarification should be provided to 
the family. Continued emotional support for the family is essential. 
IV. Procedures 
A. Death Notification 
1. This procedure is followed in cases of critically injured officers with poor prognosis or obvious 
line-of-duty death. 
2. Timeliness takes precedence over protocol in the death notification process. The senior ranking 
officer on the scene is responsible for ensuring that timely notification is made to the surviving family. 
Upon a confirmation of death, a death notification must be made to the immediate survivors shortly 
after or coincidental with normal command notifications. 
The Chief of Police designates a ranking officer as Notification Officer. He may assign at least one 
other officer to personally accompany the notification officer if circumstances permit. 
If the Chief of Police is not immediately available to make this designation, the responsibility for 
designating a Notification Officer remains with the senior ranking officer. 
3. Notification MUST ALWAYS be made in person and never alone. A police chaplain, counselor, and 
Chief of Police (or designee), should accompany the Notification Officer. Keep in mind, however, that if 
these persons are not readily accessible, notification should NOT be held up until they gather. The 
surviving family should hear of the death from a department representative FIRST and not from the 
press or other source. 
4. If the opportunity to get the family to the hospital prior to the death of the officer presents itself, DO 
NOT WAIT for the appropriate delegation to gather. 
5. The Notification Officer should be aware of the following: 

a. As soon as the family observes you, they will know something is wrong. Ask to be admitted to the 
house. You should NEVER make a death notification on the doorstep. Gather everyone in the home 
and ask them to sit down, inform them slowly and clearly of the information you have on the incident, 
making sure you use the officer's name during the notification. 
b. If the officer has been pronounced dead already, relay that information using words like "died" and 
"dead", rather than "gone away" and "passed away". DO NOT spark a false sense of hope. 
c. The Notification Officer will be seriously affected by the death; he should understand that showing 
emotions is perfectly acceptable. 
d. Reactions of the family may include hysteria, anger, fainting, physical violence, shock, etc. 
e. If the family wants to go to the hospital, they should be transported via police vehicle. It is highly 
recommended that the family not drive themselves to the hospital. Should there be serious resistance 
and the family insists on driving, an officer should accompany them in the family car. 
6. Officers and dispatchers should be aware that in the event of an on-duty-death, the external 
monitoring of the police frequency may be extensive, particularly by the news media. Communications 
regarding notifications should be restricted to the telephone wherever possible. The name of the 
deceased officer MUST NEVER be released to the media before immediate survivors living in the 
region are notified. If the media already has the officer's name, they should be requested to withhold 
this information, pending notification of next of kin. 
7. The Notification Officer notifies the senior ranking officer at the hospital that the family is en route (by 
telephone if possible). 
8. Any notification of immediate survivors beyond the Barrow or Gwinnett County area should be made 
through personal death notification by the local law enforcement agency in that area. The Notification 
Officer obtains the names of relatives to contact from the immediate survivors and passes this 
information on to the department administration. The department administration shall send a teletype 
message to the jurisdiction requesting a personal death notification or the Notification Officer will 
contact the jurisdiction personally by telephone. 
9. The Notification Officer will submit a written report of any notifications made through the chain of 
command to the Chief of Police. 
B. Assisting the Family at The Hospital. 
1. The first ranking officer to arrive at the hospital becomes Hospital Liaison. The Hospital Liaison 
Officer is responsible for coordinating the arrival of immediate survivors, police officials, the press, and 
others. These responsibilities include: 
a. Arrangements with hospital personnel for appropriate waiting facilities. There should be segregated 
areas reserved for: 
1. Immediate survivors, the Chief of Police, the Notification Officer, and ONLY others as requested by 
the immediate survivors. 
2. A separate area or room for fellow police officers and friends. 
3. A press staging area. 
b. Ensuring that medical personnel relate pertinent information on the officer's condition to the family 
first. 
c. Notifying the appropriate hospital personnel that all billing for medical services shall be directed to 
the City of Auburn. The family should NOT receive any of these bills at their residence address. This 
may require the Hospital Liaison Officer to contact the hospital later during normal business hours to 
ensure that proper billing takes place. 
d. Arranging transportation for the immediate survivors and others from the hospital back to their 
residence. 
2. If it is possible for the family to visit a critically injured officer prior to death, depending on hospital 
policy, they should be afforded that opportunity without delay. Medical personnel should make the 
family aware of hospital policy about visiting a trauma patient or visitation with the deceased. Medical 
personnel should also explain why an autopsy is required. 
3. Those present at the hospital should be aware of the following when dealing with the immediate 
survivors: 
a. DO NOT BE OVERLY PROTECTIVE OF THE FAMILY. This includes the sharing of specific 
information on how the officer met his death, as well as allowing the family time with the deceased 

officer. 

b. Idle promises should not be made to the family at this time. (i.e. "We'll promote him posthumously." 
"We'll retire his badge.") 
c. DO NOT suggest a survivor be sedated unless medication is requested by that survivor. 
d. The expression of raw emotion by anyone, including officers under these circumstances is perfectly 
understandable. 
4. The Chief of Police or designee should be present the entire time the family is at the hospital to 
arrange whatever assistance the family may need at the time. 
C. Support for the Family during the Wake and Funeral. 
1. Within 24 hours of death, the Chief of Police designates a Funeral Liaison Officer, a Benefits 
Coordinator, a Family Support Advocate, and a Department Liaison. These designations are 
announced to the Department in writing and all referrals are made according to areas of responsibility. 
2. The Chief of Police personally notifies the surviving family of the designated choices. 
3. Within 24 hours, the Chief of Police shall make appropriate referrals for stress debriefing for officers 
close to the incident and referrals for the surviving family if they wish. 
D. Department Liaisons 
1. The Department Liaison works closely with the Funeral Liaison officer to ensure the needs and 
requests of the family are fulfilled regarding funeral arrangements. 
2. The Department Liaison directs the funeral activities of the department and visiting police 
departments, according to the wishes of the family. The Department Liaison is also responsible for: 
a. Oversight of arrangements for travel and lodging for out-of-town family members. 
b. Expedient provisions for all department resources. 
c. A comprehensive survey of alternate churches and reception halls with seating capacities large 
enough to accommodate attendance of a law enforcement funeral. This information is given to the 
family as soon as possible to help them decide a location. The choice remains with the family. 
d. Coordinating all official law enforcement notifications and arrangements for a law enforcement 
funeral, including honor guards, pallbearers, traffic control, and liaison with visiting law enforcement 
agencies. 
e. Liaison with media relations. Media relations shall be handled by the Department so as to not 
jeopardize upcoming legal proceedings. Specific instructions on what information may be released is 
given to the force. 
f. Arranging for routine residence checks of the survivor's home for 6 - 8 weeks following the tragedy. 
This service is necessary since large amounts of money may pass through the residence and the 
survivors may be spending much time away from the home with legal matters. This may require outside 
liaison with other jurisdictions. 
E. Funeral Liaison Officer. 
1. The Funeral Liaison officer works closely with the Department Liaison. 
2. The Funeral Liaison officer need not be a ranking officer, but the assignment is critical. 
3. The Funeral Liaison officer IS NOT a decision-making position. The Funeral Liaison officer acts as 
facilitator between the decedent's family and the Department during the wake and funeral. The position 
requires the officer have a good knowledge of the family relationships, but not be so emotionally 
involved with the loss, that he would become ineffective. The Funeral Liaison officer is responsible for: 
a. Meeting with the family and explaining the responsibilities of a Funeral Liaison Officer. 
b. Being constantly available to the family throughout the wake and funeral. 
c. Ensuring that the NEEDS OF THE FAMILY come before the wishes of the Department. 
d. Meeting with the family and funeral director regarding funeral arrangements. Since most officers 
have not prearranged their wishes for the handling of their own funeral, the family will most likely need 
to decide ALL aspects of the funeral. These decisions should remain with the family. The Funeral 
Liaison officer should only make the family aware of what the department may offer in the way of 
assistance and resources, according to the Department Liaison. 
e. Relaying all available information to the surviving family concerning the circumstances of death and 
any continuing investigation. 
Police departments traditionally "hold their cards closed to their chest" with this type of information, 
particularly in sensitive homicide cases. 

The Funeral Liaison officer should coordinate with investigating officers and prosecutors to ensure that 
the family receives as much information as is possibly allowable during the first few days. Being "kept in 
the dark" is a common complaint of surviving families. 

f. Determining the need for travel arrangements for out-of-town family members or any other special 
needs during the funeral and reporting same to the DEPARTMENT LIAISON. 
g. Reporting to the Department Liaison officer. 
h. Briefing the family on the law enforcement funeral procedures: (i.e. twenty-one-gun salute, 
presentation of flag, playing of taps, and bagpipes etc.), if the family wants a police funeral. 
F. Benefits Coordinator 
1. Normally the Human Resource Director shall be designated to act as Benefits Coordinator. He is 
responsible for: 
a. Filing worker's compensation claims and related paperwork. 
b. Gathering information on all benefit/funeral payments available to the family, including the Public 
Safety Officers' Benefits Act provided by the United States Department of Justice. (Phone 
202-307-0635 for benefits) 
c. Fielding all telephone calls and inquiries regarding the establishment of any special trust funds or 
educational funds. 
d. Making a clear distinction between benefits, (which are financial payments made to the family to 
ensure financial stability following the loss of a loved one) and funeral payments, (which are funds 
specifically earmarked for funeral expenses). 
e. Preparing a printout or other documentation of the benefits/funeral payments due the family, listing 
named beneficiaries, contacts at various benefits offices, and when they can expect to receive the 
benefit. 
f. Filing all benefit related paperwork and following through with the family to ensure that these benefits 
are being received. Private consultants/attorneys should not be used for this purpose if they intend to 
bill the family for services. 
g. Visiting with the surviving family within a few days following the funeral to discuss benefits. The 
prepared printout and other documentation should be made available to the family at that time. 
1. If there are surviving children from a former marriage, the guardian of those children should also 
receive a printout of what benefits the children will be receiving. 
2. Special attention should go to problems with the continuation of health benefits. 
h. Advising the surviving family of the role of police associations and organizations in making their 
attorney/financial counselor available to the surviving family for whatever legal/financial counseling is 
necessary, i.e. establishing trust funds, educational funding, etc. This attorney should NOT be affiliated 
with the City of Auburn Government and should work as an advocate for the family's interest. 
G. Family Support Advocate 
1. The Family Support Advocate shall be designated by the Chief of Police and acts in a long-term 
liaison with the surviving family. The Family Support Advocate should have extensive experience 
dealing with police victims and witnesses. The Notification officer or Funeral Liaison officer may also 
serve as Family Support Advocate. This officer should not be a principle witness in the criminal trial. 
This officer's responsibilities include: 
a. Contact with the surviving family to keep them abreast of criminal proceedings. The family should 
never learn of developments in the case from the press prior to learning them from the department. 
b. Accompany the surviving family to any criminal proceedings. Introducing them to prosecutors and 
answering any questions they may have concerning the criminal trial. 
c. Cooperation with outside peer support groups. 
d. Ensuring that the surviving family does not feel totally isolated by the Department. 
e. Encouraging others to make visits or help with family needs of the surviving family. Care should be 
used that idle promises are not made to the surviving family. 
2. The Family Support Advocate should not set time limitations on when the family should "recover" 
from this traumatic event. The grief process has no timetable. Survivors may experience a complicated 
grief process. 
3. Survivors should continue to feel a part of the "police family" for which the officer gave his life. The 
Family Support Advocate should keep in touch with the family with at least monthly telephone calls 

through the first year, dwindling off as necessary. The needs of the survivors usually dictate the 
frequency of contact. 

4. The Chief of Police, Family Support Advocate, and others ensure that the anniversary date of the 
officer's death is observed with a note to the family and/or flowers sent to the grave, and that adequate 
support is given to the family during holidays, particularly during the first year. 
H. Notification of Other Organizations 
1. Immediately following the death of an officer, The following organizations will be contacted by the 
Department Liaison; 
a. Public Safety Officers Benefits Program, U.S. Department of Justice, 202-307-0635. 
b. FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Unit, U.S. Department of Justice, 202-324-2687. 
c. Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc.(COPS), 314-346-4911. 
d. National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial, 202-737-3400. 
2. If the officer’s death was a suicide, the liaison officer will contact COPS, 314-346-4911. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 11-3 Less than Lethal Weapons_Final 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 11-3 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 01/01/2018 
Review: 10/16/2018 
Subject: Less than Lethal Weapons 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to establish and prescribe guidelines for use and post-incident 
management for the employment of less lethal force measures. This policy also establishes evidence 
collection requirements, officer responsibilities, and supervisor responsibilities following the use of such 
devices. 
II. Policy 
It is the policy of this agency to use only that force that is reasonable to control, or otherwise subdue, 
violent or non-compliant individuals. Pepper spray, Electronic Control Device (ECD), and the 
Expandable Baton, may be used only by authorized and trained personnel, in accordance with this 
policy, federal case law standards and additional guidelines established herein. Prior to the issuance of 
any agency-owned weapon to an employee, a qualified weapons instructor or armorer shall review, 
inspect and approve the weapon to affirm that it is operationally functional for the intended use and 
meets the current specifications outlined in this policy. 
III. Definitions 
Pepper Spray: Sabre Red (Brand) chemical weapon commonly known as pepper spray containing 
Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) derivative. 
Electronic Control Device (ECD): Weapons designated to disrupt a subject’s central nervous system by 
means of deploying battery powered electrical energy, sufficient to cause uncontrolled muscle 
contractions, and override an individual’s voluntary motor responses. Taser brand ECDs’ are the only 
approved ECD for Auburn Police Department. 
AFIDS: Confetti-like pieces of paper that are expelled from the TASER cartridge when fired. Each 
“AFID” contains an alpha-numeric identifier, unique to the specific cartridge used. (AFIDS: Anti-felon 
identification defense system) 
TASER: The Taser International Inc. X-26 device currently in use by the Auburn Police Department. 
This excludes the Tasertron, stun guns, or other electrical control devices or pain compliance weapons 
available commercially. 
EXPANDABE BATON: A collapsible impact weapon commonly referred to as the “ASP” 
OBJECTIVE REASONABLENESS: The standard as set forth by Graham v Connor (109 S. Ct. 1872) 
wherein the test for reasonableness when using force against an individual is based on an evaluation of 
what an objectively reasonable officer might have done in the same circumstances in light of the facts 
confronting the officer at the time of the incident. 
OBJECTIVELY REASONABLE FORCE: The nature and degree of force utilized by an officer given the 
totality of the facts and circumstances known at the time, to gain control of a subject once the officer 
has evaluated: 
The severity of the crime. 
The immediate threat the suspect poses to the officer and/or to the public. 
Whether the suspect is actively resisting arrest or attempting to evade arrest. 
IV. Rules and Regulations 
General 
According to Section III definitions, officers have access to an array of specialty and less- lethal 
devices. The fielding of such devices represents the greatest efforts in terms of preservation of life and 
reduction of bodily injury to citizens. Additionally, the use of such devices provides additional advantage 
to maximize control of potentially dangerous situation and prevent or minimize injury. Any noted force 

options are authorized when applicable for use by a trained police department employee while 
attempting to affect an arrest of a resisting offender or to protect himself or herself, or a third party, from 
harm. None of these options will be used in a punitive or coercive manner. 
Pepper Spray 
Pepper Spray is an approved less-lethal force munitions to be carried by trained Code Enforcement 
Officers and Sworn Police Officers. 
When deciding to use this force option, the employee will follow these guidelines: 
The distance to the target under most circumstances should be three (3) to ten (10) feet. 
A verbal warning will be issued to all persons and other offices present before the discharge unless the 
warning would provide a tactical advantage to the person being taken into custody, or because of the 
subject’s sudden attack against an officer. 
Officers will aim for the subject’s face and eyes, using bursts of one to two seconds. Officers will use 
the fewest number of burst necessary to effect temporary immobilization of the individual. Use of spray 
will be discontinued once compliance is achieved. 
When necessary, on handcuffed prisoner who is allusive, and only after a prior warning. Examples 
include attempts by a prisoner to: 
Attack the officer by spitting, biting, head butting, or kicking. 
Pepper Spray can be discharged into an enclosed area where entry will be gained to remove a mentally 
incapacitated person(s) exhibiting threatening behavior. 
Officers should never apply spray when a person is in control of a motor vehicle unless deadly force is 
authorized. 
Once a person has been exposed to Pepper Spray the officer spraying the subject should: 
Allow time for chemical agent to take effect. 
Verbalize and direct the subject to the ground. 
Control and handcuff the subject, and or 
Request assistance from another officer 
Aftercare: Following the use of Pepper Spray, the following procedures will be followed: 
Officers using the spray should not touch their face or eyes until after proper decontamination has 
occurred. 
Immediately following custodial arrest where such force was necessary, and upon securing the suspect 
in an environment secure to both the officer and the suspect, decontamination will be performed as 
soon as feasible. Clan water fresh air will be the only means by which chemical decontamination will 
occur. 
Note: The suspect will be immediately asked if he/she is wearing contact lenses. 
Following the application of Pepper Spray type chemical weapon, EMS and/or Barrow County Fire 
Department will be called to the scene or to a safe location where medical attention will be provided to 
the suspect. The shift supervisor will also be notified to respond to the scene. 
Officers will offer the suspect the opportunity to have medical personnel remove contact lenses in order 
to prevent eye injury. 
Should allergic or unusual reaction to pepper spray type chemical weapons occur, or should the effects 
not subside within one hour of application (while still in custody of Auburn Police Department); the 
suspect will be transported by EMS to the Barrow Regional Medical Center Emergency Department for 
medical treatment. Examples of indications where qualified medical attention is necessary are: 
Breathing difficulties 
Gagging 
Profuse sweating 
Loss of consciousness 
Supervisor Responsibilities: In addition to the supervisory obligations as outlined in Response to 
Aggression Chapter of this policy manual, the reviewing supervisor will ensure photographs are taken 
of the suspect, ideally prior to transport to the jail facility (refer to Chapter 11, Section IV.B, for 
additional detailed supervisor responsibilities.) 
Refresher training in the proper use of Pepper Spray will occur annually by a certified instructor if 
deemed necessary by the Chief of Police. 
Expandable Baton 


Authorized User: The expandable baton (ASP) will be used only by Sworn Officers who have 
successfully completed a certification course approved by this department. 

1. The use of the devise is with the intent to encourage compliance, overcome resistance, temporarily 
incapacitate, or to prevent serious injury, without a significant likelihood of causing death. 
2. Weapon Readiness: a. The expandable baton will be carried closed on the duty belt in the 
Department issued scabbard. 3. Deployment 
a. When utilizing this force option, the employee will follow these guidelines: 
The use of the expandable baton is prohibited under the following conditions: 
On a handcuffed/secured prisoner, absent overtly assaultive behavior that cannot be reasonably dealt 
with in any other less intrusive fashion 
Making intentional strikes to head, neck, or groin, unless the officer or a third party is in imminent 
danger of receiving serious bodily injury. 
b. The expandable baton is authorized for use in the closed or open mode according to training. 
4. Aftercare: Following the use of the expandable baton, the following procedures will be adhered to: 
a. Photographs of the affected area shall be taken. 
b. Following the application of the expandable baton, EMS and/or Barrow County Fire Department will 
be called to the scene, or to a safe location where medical attention will be provided to the suspect. The 
shift supervisor will also be notified to respond to the scene. 
Reporting: The deploying officer shall notify his/her supervisor as soon as practical after using the 
device and complete the appropriate use of force report. 
Supervisors Responsibilities: In addition to the supervisory obligations as outlined in the Response to 
Aggression Chapter of this policy manual, the reviewing supervisor will ensure photographs are taken 
of the suspect and the baton strike sites on the suspect’s person, as soon as possible following custody 
when safe to do so. 
Refresher training in the proper use of the expandable baton will occur at least annually. 
TASER 
Training and Qualification Procedures 
a. Each officer is required to complete an eight-hour basic certification class for the ECD. Review of this 
policy and the Police Response to Aggression/Resistance are required at the recertification training. 
b. All eligible personnel who successfully complete the department’s authorized training course and 
demonstrate the required proficiency in the use of the ECD, shall be certified to carry the ECD. All 
training and qualification for ECD shall be conducted by a certified instructor. 
c. In order to maintain proficiency in the use of the ECD, all officer certified to carry the weapon shall 
receive mandatory proficiency training at least annually. The training will be documented and 
maintained by the departmental training officer. Any officer who fails to demonstrate proficiency with the 
ECD shall attend, on- duty, a block of remedial instruction by POST certified ECD instructor. After 
remedial training, an officer will be given another opportunity to demonstrate proficiency with a POST 
certified ECD instructor. If the officer is unable to show proficiency the weapon will be removed from the 
officer’s duty gear. The officer will then be required to retake the complete ECD certification class. 
Weapon Readiness 
a. The device will be carried in an approved holster on the support side of the body. 
b. The device shall be carried fully loaded with the safety on in preparation for immediate use when 
authorized 
c. The device will be tested at the beginning of each duty day to ensure the device is operational. 
Officers authorized to use the device shall be issued a minimum of one cartridge that will remain loaded 
into the device. Officers will have the option of being issued a spare cartridge as a backup, in case of 
cartridge failure, the need for redeployment, or in case the first cartridge’s leads break during 
engagement. If a spare cartridge issued, it shall be stored and carried in a manner consistent with 
training. Cartridges will be replaced consistent with the manufacturer’s expiration requirements. 
Only agency and TASER, Inc. approved battery power sources (DPM’s) shall be used in TASER. 
Deployment 
TASER deployment is authorized for the apprehension of felony suspects or Misdemeanor suspects 
who the officer has probable cause to arrest and the circumstances of the situation present a safety 
issue to police personnel and members of the public. 

The following three-part test will require the officer’s attention to the facts and circumstances of each 
particular case. 

a. The severity of the crime at issue. 
b. Whether the suspect poses a threat to safety of officers or others. 
c. Whether the suspect is actively resisting arrest or attempting to evade arrest by flight. 
The deployment of the TASER is not authorized in the following instances unless otherwise noted: 
a. On a handcuffed/secured prisoner, absent overtly assaultive behavior that cannot be dealt with in 
any other less intrusive fashion. 
b. In any environment where an officer knows that a potential flammable, volatile, or explosive material 
is present (including but not limited to OC spray with volatile propellant, gasoline, natural gas, or 
propane). 
c. In any environment where the subject’s fall could reasonably result in death (such as in a swimming 
pool or on an elevated structure). 
d. On children appearing to weigh less than 100 pounds, unless the subject is attacking the officer 
posing injury to the officers or others. 
e. On women known to be pregnant, unless the subject is attacking the officer and injury to the officer 
or others is likely. 
f. In any situation where the subject or their clothing may be contaminated with combustible liquid, gas, 
or highly combustible material. 
g. In drive stun mode for compliance more than objectively reasonable, while attempting to take 
someone into custody; however, the “drive stun” maybe used in a defensive manner more than twice, if 
an officer is being attacked, and the suspect is actively assaulting the officer. 
The use of the TASER should be avoided if possible in the following situations: 
a. Subject in control of a motor vehicle. 
b. Subjects with known heart problems 
c. Subjects with an obvious debilitating illness 
d. The elderly 
f. Subjects with known neuromuscular disorders, such as muscular sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, or 
epilepsy 
In preparation for firing, the TASER shall be aimed at the intended target and taken off of safe. Center 
mass of the subject’s back should be the primary target where possible or lower center mass with the 
top probe in the abdomen area or legs with the bottom probe. 
a. Mechanical sights should be used as a primary aiming device, and the laser dot as the secondary 
aiming devise. 
b. Before being deployed, the word “TASER” should be used by the deploying officer to announce the 
TASER’s impending use unless such warning would give the suspect the tactical advantage. 
c. Upon firing the device, the officer shall expose the subject to the least number of cycles necessary. A 
cycle is defined as a five second exposure. The officer is not to hold the trigger so as to continue the 
cycle beyond the five seconds. The legitimate operational objective is to ensure the subject is secured 
as soon as practical during the TASER cycle to minimize the number of deployment cycles. 
d. The subject should be handcuffed and restrained as soon as the officer deems the situation is safe 
for handcuffing. If another officer is present, the other officer should handcuff the subject while under 
the power of the TASER. If this is impractical or otherwise impossible, then handcuffing should occur 
immediately after the application of the TASER. 
e. The officer should continue talking to the subject and give verbal commands throughout this process. 
As soon as feasible after handcuffing is complete, the subject shall be placed in a sitting or standing 
position. 
f. the subject will be continually monitored by the officer for any signs of medical distress related to the 
use of the TASER and shall not be left alone while in custody of the Auburn Police Department. If 
medical distress is detected, emergency medical services (EMS)shall be called to evaluate the 
suspects vital signs and determine if treatment is necessary. 
g. The device may be used in certain circumstances in a “drive stun”. Its is important to note that when 
the device is used in this manner it is: 

An additional contact point to complete the circuit due to lack of probe spread; or if one probe does not 
connect. 
Minimally effective when compared to conventional cartridge type deployments because it operates as 
a pain compliance tool rather than achieving neuro-muscular incapacitation; and 
More likely to leave marks on the subject’s skin, suspect movement may cause several “signature” 
marks. 

h. When applying the drive stun, contact with the offender should be to the trunk, back, arms, and legs, 
but not the face and head. 
The TASER shall be pointed in a safe direction with the safety on during loading, unloading, spark 
testing, or when handled in other than an operational deployment. 
Aftercare: Following the use of the TASER, the following procedures will be adhered to: 
The TASER probes shall be removed from the subject, after he/she is safely restrained, following the 
procedures outlined in training. The following areas of the body are considered sensitive: the groin, the 
face, the neck, the female breast, or the male nipple. Any probe imbedded in these areas will be 
removed by medical staff. 
Photographs of the affected area shall be taken after the darts are removed. 
Medical evaluations and clearance shall follow the procedures outlined in training. Any suspect, where 
TASER was used will have their vital signs evaluated by EMS and/or Barrow Fire rescue personnel. 
Any suspect that exhibits signs of delirium, or shortness of breath, or other unusual symptoms, will 
require medical screening by qualified medical staff prior to transport to the Barrow or Gwinnett County 
Detention Center. 
9. Evidence Collection: When the device has been used operationally, the officer will collect the 
cartridge, wire leads, and probes as evidence, which will be maintained for a period of time until 
trial/case disposition. 
Reporting: The deploying officer shall notify his/her supervisor as soon as practical after using the 
device and complete the appropriate use of force report. In addition to this requirement, whenever any 
officer points the TASER at a person, but does not deploy it, the involved officer will complete an 
incident report as directed by SOP. 
Supervisors Responsibilities: In addition to the supervisory obligations as outlined in the Response to 
Aggression Chapter of this policy manual, the reviewing supervisor will ensure photographs are taken 
of the suspect, the TASER probe sites on the suspect’s person and as soon as possible following 
custody when safe to do so. 
Data Collection: TASER data downloading will be conducted by the Chief of Police or his immediate 
designee. 
a. Officers are not authorized to attach any data downloading device to TASER equipment. 
b. TASERs requiring maintenance will have firing data downloaded by the chief of police or his 
designee, prior to shipping. This record will be maintained for a period of 2 ½ years by the chief of 
police. 
E. Unsafe Weapons 
Any weapons that is not operational or unsafe and cannot be immediately repaired will be removed 
from service. The weapon will be maintained by the chief of police (or designee) and the weapon will be 
tagged “out of service.” The on-duty supervisor will be notified as soon as possible. The supervisor will 
ensure that appropriate person is notified to either replace or repair the weapon. If the weapon is issued 
to an employee, the weapon will not be fielded. The employee will be responsible for notifying their 
supervisor and the appropriate person to repair or replace the weapon. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 12 Vehicle Operations_Final 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 12 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/19/2018 
Subject: Vehicle Operations Policy 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for responding to routine and emergency calls for 
service in a safe and efficient manner; to establish and describe guidelines and procedures for all City 
owned vehicles operated by members of the Department in the performance of their duties, to include, 
vehicle maintenance, pursuit driving, use of roadblocks, the use of authorized emergency equipment, 
and inter-jurisdictional pursuits. The emergency operation of the police vehicle is one of the most 
dangerous tasks the police officer is asked to perform. Death and/or serious injury to officers and 
citizens can occur if policy is disregarded. 
II. Policy 
It is the policy of The Auburn Police Department that officers consider the external factors, which may 
have a bearing on the operation of the vehicle. These factors include the time of day, road and traffic 
conditions, weather, speeds, nature of the incident, and the officer’s personal ability to control the 
vehicle. During pursuits, excessive speed and carelessness shall not be permitted nor will they warrant 
the risk involved. 
III. Definitions 
Assisting Agency - The law enforcement agency with a vehicle actively involved in another agency's 
pursuit. 
Blocking – Also referred to as boxing in. A technique designed to stop a violator's vehicle by 
surrounding it with law enforcement vehicles and then slowing all vehicles to a stop without making 
actual contact with the violator's vehicle. Boxing in, or blocking, is a forcible stop and is not an approved 
technique. 
Channelization - A technique whereby multiple marked police units are placed strategically in front of a 
pursued vehicle to alter its direction of travel. 
Creating Slow Moving Traffic – The deliberate slowing of the normal flow of traffic. Patrol vehicles not 
involved in the pursuit will enter the roadway ahead of the violator at sufficient distance to safely slow 
the entire flow of traffic. By slowing the flow of normal traffic, the violator and pursuit vehicle are forced 
to reduce their speed. 
Disregard for Police Procedure – Recognizes the vicarious relationship between proximate cause of 
injury and blatant disregard of Departmental policy should the pursuit result in personal injury or death 
and property damage. The basis for strict enforcement of this policy is to ensure legal immunity for 
officers during the performance of their duty in accordance with O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-6-6. 
Due Regard - When a reasonably careful person, performing similar duties under similar 
circumstances, would act in the same manner. 
Emergency - A situation in which there is a high probability of death or serious injury to an individual or 
significant property loss. 
Emergency Law Enforcement Vehicle - A law enforcement vehicle equipped with a siren and one or 
more blue lights which can be operated as an emergency vehicle. 
Forcible Stop - An attempt to prevent the continued movement of a fleeing vehicle using roadblocks, 
ramming, channelization, or creating slow moving traffic. 
Initiating Agency - The law enforcement agency that initiated the original motor vehicle pursuit of an 
actively fleeing vehicle. 
Motor Vehicle Pursuit - An active attempt by an officer in an authorized emergency vehicle to 
apprehend the occupant(s) of a moving vehicle, providing the driver of such vehicle is aware of the 

attempt and increases his speed, takes other evasive actions to avoid apprehension, or refuses to stop 
while maintaining a legal speed. 
Primary Pursuing Vehicle - The law enforcement vehicle that initiates the pursuit or any other vehicle 
that assumes control of the pursuit. 
Ramming - The deliberate act of impacting a violator's vehicle with another vehicle to functionally 
damage or otherwise force the violator's vehicle to stop. Ramming is a forcible stop. 
Roadblock - Any method, restriction, or obstruction utilized or intended to prevent free passage of 
motor vehicles on a roadway in order to apprehend the driver/passenger(s) in a particular motor 
vehicle. 
Secondary Pursuit Vehicle - The police vehicle which trails the primary pursuit vehicle at a safe 
distance, and which is immediately available to assume the primary role or assist when the fleeing 
vehicle stops. 
Serious Felony - A felony that involves an actual or threatened attack, which the officer has reasonable 
cause to believe, could result or has resulted in death or serious bodily injury (e.g., aggravated assault, 
armed robbery, murder, rape). 
Supervisor - The superior officer responsible for the immediate supervision of the patrol vehicles. 
Stinger (“spike strips”) - A device used to stop a fleeing vehicle which will incapacitate the vehicle by 
deflating the tires while it is in motion. 

IV. Emergency and Non-Emergency Vehicle Operation 
Response modes shall allow police vehicles to arrive at the scene of calls for service as quickly and 
safely as possible according to the laws of the State of Georgia governing police emergency vehicle 
operations. 
A. Routine Patrol 
During routine patrol, an officer's responsibility to exercise due care is no different from that of every 
other citizen. Good driving habits and courtesy toward other drivers or pedestrians should always be 
practiced. 
B. Safety Rules 
1. When operating an emergency vehicle, an officer must have the vehicle under control and be 
prepared to yield the right of way. 
2. When an officer receives information indicating that an emergency exists, his primary duty is to arrive 
at the site of the emergency as safely as conditions permit. 
3. Seat belts shall be fastened when operating all City-owned vehicles. 
4. An officer should not drive up immediately behind another vehicle and sound the siren. The motorist 
may suddenly stop. 
5. An officer should not pass to the right of a vehicle in traffic, unless necessary. 
6. An officer may fluctuate the sound of the siren so that the emergency vehicle can be heard. 
7. An officer shall always maintain adequate radio volume and remain aware that the communications 
operator may wish to relay additional information while the vehicle is being operated in an emergency 
status. 
8. When an officer approaches an intersection, extreme caution shall be used: 
a. The vehicle should be slowed to a normal speed when approaching an intersection, and the 
intersection should be crossed with the light indicating the right of way signal. 
b. When it is necessary to enter an intersection against the light, all emergency vehicles should come to 
a complete stop to insure all traffic has seen the emergency vehicle before crossing the intersection. 
c. The above sections, (a) and (b), also apply to stop signs. 
9. Officers driving under emergency conditions will roll windows up, to ensure the radio operator 
understands their transmissions. 
C. Considerations (Emergency Use of Vehicles) 
The driver of any law enforcement vehicle responding to an emergency call shall use the blue lights, 
headlights, and siren. If the siren has the potential of alerting offender(s) of the officer's approach, aid in 
a violator's escape, or endanger the life of other persons, the siren may be disengaged upon 
approaching within audible range. At that time, the officer shall cease emergency vehicle operating 
status by slowing speed to normal and disengaging emergency equipment. 

Before engaging in the emergency use of a vehicle, several factors in addition to vehicle control, due 
regard, and true emergency considerations must be weighed. Typical examples include but are not 
limited to: 

1. The type and condition of the vehicle being operated. 
2. The type and condition of the roadway to be traveled and the officer's familiarity with the roadway. 
3. Obstacles, both present and potential, that must be avoided (e.g. foreign objects on the roadway, 
construction, gravel, standing water, etc.). 
4. Experience and the training of the officer in a high-speed vehicle operation. 
5. The nature of the offense and the circumstances known concerning the manner in which the call was 
relayed to the communications center. 
6. The time of day, amount and type of traffic encountered (the potential danger to the officer and other 
drivers operating at a high speed). 
7. Visibility and illumination available to the officer in the area being traveled. 
8. Existing weather conditions and roadway surfaces. 
D. Emergency Escorts Prohibited 
Members of this Department will not attempt to escort other emergency vehicles or private vehicles on 
an emergency run. Assistance may be given by blocking dangerous intersections to aid in the 
movement of such vehicles. 
E. Supervisors Monthly Review of Code Three Response 
1. Patrol supervisors shall randomly review video recordings to evaluate driving techniques of officers’ 
code three responses. The supervisor will evaluate defensive driving techniques, such as, use of blue 
lights and siren, audio and video usage, and the use of due regard for safety of others. 
2. The monthly report will detail emergency driving conditions, officers involved, and indicate if 
Departmental guidelines and policies were followed. 
At least two such reviews shall be made each month and a report documenting the reviews shall be 
submitted to the Patrol Commander. 
F. Police Vehicle Operation Training 
Training shall cover three areas: 
1. Patrol or Defensive Driving: Ordinary driving for going from one point to another. The emphasis is on 
driving safely to prevent any type of accidents. 
2. Emergency Driving: Driving which requires the use of emergency warning devices (audible and 
visible) in order to be exempted from rules of the road, while exercising due caution and regard for the 
safety of other vehicles. 
3. Pursuit Driving: In contrast to emergency driving, the officer makes independent decisions on speed, 
direction and routes, with little choice except to remain close to the car that is being pursued. 
4. Basic Emergency Vehicle Operations Class: Recruit officers shall attend and successfully pass the 
Basic Emergency Vehicle Operation Class given through the Georgia Public Safety Training Center, 
while in an officially certified police academy, F.T.O. program, or before release from probationary 
status. 
V. Response Modes 
A. Code One (Normal Response) 
Units will respond by observing all applicable traffic regulations and traffic control devices en route to 
the call. 
B. Code Two (Normal Response Expedite) 
1. Units may exceed maximum speed limit if it does not create a danger to property or public. 
2. A unit may proceed past a stop signal, but only after ensuring that all vehicular and pedestrian traffic 
at or near the intersection has stopped and is aware of the emergency vehicle’s intentions. (Blue lights 
and siren will be used at all intersections and elsewhere as needed.) 
3. The following types of calls will be Code Two response calls: 
a. In-progress crimes of property. 
b. Fight and disturbance calls of non-emergency nature. 
c. Any sick or injured person call. 
d. Accidents where injury is probable, but not confirmed. 
e. Any other calls which Supervisor deems appropriate. 

C. Code Two (Silent Response) 
This response will be used for crime in progress calls when officers are in close proximity to the incident 
location and a stealth approach is necessary for possible apprehension of criminals and safety of 
potential victims. The types of calls that will be appropriate for a code two-silent response include: 
1. Robberies in progress 
2. Burglaries in progress 
Note: Officer should use blue lights only, during silent response, and all lights should be terminated 
when within a block of call. 
D. Code Three (Emergency Response) 
When units are responding in this mode, both blue lights and siren will be in continuous operation from 
the time the officer begins responding to the call until the officer arrives on the scene or is advised by 
units on scene to reduce code response. Additionally, the issued body camera will be activated when 
responding Code Three, units may operate as follows: 
1. Proceed past a stop sign, but only after having slowed down or stopped, to ensure that all vehicular 
traffic and pedestrian traffic at or near the intersection has stopped and is aware of the emergency 
vehicle’s intentions. 
2. Will come to a complete stop at all intersections when traveling through a red light, ensuring safe 
passage before entering the intersection. 
Note: Georgia Law exempts emergency vehicles from certain traffic laws. However, the burden of 
safety is on the officer to use “due regard” for public safety when operating emergency vehicles. 
3. Exceed the maximum speed limit as long as lives and/or property are not endangered. 
4. Disregard regulations governing directions, movement, or turning, in specified directions, except that 
no vehicle will be allowed to go Code Three down the wrong lane of a limited access highway, unless 
there is absolutely no other way to get to an emergency scene without undue delay. Even with 
emergency equipment activated, police vehicles will lower their speed and be alert to the possibility of 
high-speed oncoming traffic. 
5. The following types of calls will be Code Three response-type calls: 
a. All in-progress crimes where there is an immediate danger of death or serious bodily injury, i.e., 
shootings, stabbings, rapes, etc. 
All emergency calls where the immediate danger of death or serious bodily injury is present, i.e., 
drownings, motor vehicle accidents with injuries, etc. 
c. ‘Officer Needs Assistance’ and ‘Help’ calls of an emergency nature where there is an indication of 
imminent danger to the officer and/or the 911 dispatcher is unable to ascertain the status of the officer 
at the scene. The nearest units, to include unmarked cars, sergeants, and any other supervisory 
personnel near the call will respond Code Three. 
d. Any call where, in the Supervisor’s opinion, emergency response is required or where such response 
is requested by field units. 
E. Speed Caps 
Public safety and protection of human life are our paramount concerns. The need to apprehend a 
violator and to respond to a location or situation does not normally justify creation of new, or additional 
risks of injury or death to police officers or to others. Occasionally the need to apprehend a serious 
offender or to provide emergency services may justify driving outside normally applicable laws and 
rules of the road. 
Police vehicles shall be operated in a reasonable manner with due regard for the rights and safety of 
others. Irresponsible, careless, and reckless driving are prohibited and will not be tolerated. Police 
vehicle operations shall be, at all times, consistent with the concept of "reasonable safety" and with all 
other requirements of the Department. 
1. Reasonable Safety - circumstances in which the risk created or perpetuated otherwise, considering 
on the following; 
a. The seriousness and or harmfulness of the crime warranting police involvement; 
b. Pedestrian and vehicular traffic patterns and volume; 
c. Time of day; 
d. Road conditions, weather conditions, lighting, and visibility; 
e. Terrain (curves, hills, buildings, etc.); 

f. The type of roadway and posted speeds; 
g. Likely effectiveness or ineffectiveness of audible and visible warning signals; 
h. The capability and limitations of police equipment and vehicle operations; 
i. Involved officer(s) and supervisor(s) familiarity with the area of travel; 
j. The quality of radio communications; 
k. Alternate (safer) methods of problem solving; 
l. Likelihood of apprehending a suspect; and 
m. Any other functions increasing or decreasing risks. 
F. Special Exception for Exceeding Speed Caps 
1. Because it is impractical, if not impossible, to engage in meaningful enforcement of speed limit laws 
without significantly exceeding those same speed limits, a limited exception to the requirements 
concerning non-routine operations is made for the purpose of traffic enforcement. 
2. When responding to a Code Two or Code Three call, officers shall at no time, other than as stated 
below, drive at speeds in excess of 25 miles per hour over the posted speed limit on a non-controlled 
access roadway, or 30 miles per hour over the posted speed limit on controlled access roadways. The 
only roadway to be considered controlled is GA 8 Highway. 
Note: Any other roadway in the city is to be considered a non-controlled access roadway. 
3. The officer may exceed the speed limit cap only after advising the on-duty supervisor and receiving 
approval. 
VI. Vehicle Pursuits 
A. Emergency Operations of Vehicles During Pursuits 
1. Only marked vehicles with roof-mounted emergency light systems should engage in a pursuit. 
2. Police vehicles that are slick top, but are equipped with intersection lights, and have all the police 
markings on the sides and back of the police vehicle are allowed to be involved in pursuits. 
3. Unmarked vehicles will not become involved in any pursuit unless it involves a serious felony. No 
unmarked vehicle, without both blue lights and siren, will become involved in pursuits. 
4. Special vehicles such as paddy wagons, crime scene units, transport vans, etc. will not engage in 
pursuits. 
5. Vehicles that are transporting prisoners, witnesses, suspects, complainants, or passengers other 
than on-duty police officers, will not engage in pursuits. 
6. An officer shall be familiar with his assigned vehicle, its capabilities, limitations, and daily operational 
status. When making the decision to pursue, the officer shall use due regard. 
B. Primary Pursuit Unit 
The initial decision to pursue rests with the individual officer in conjunction with procedures established 
in this policy. Prior to initiating or continuing a pursuit the officer should evaluate the following factors: 
Location (schools, business district, residential area) 
Road and traffic conditions 
Weather conditions and visibility 
Time of day and day of week 
Amount of vehicular and pedestrian traffic 
Population density 
Physical and mental condition of any officer involved 
Severity of the charges 
Any other perceived condition or factors that, in the opinion of the pursuing officer(s), would increase 
the risks of continuing a pursuit. 
Vehicular pursuits are prohibited unless there is probable cause to believe that the person(s) being 
pursued have committed or are committing the following: murder, armed robbery, rape, kidnapping, 
aggravated assault and aggravated battery; or any action that creates an immediate threat of death or 
serious bodily injury to another person or a substantial threat to the safety of another person. 
The initiation and continuation of a vehicular pursuit should be viewed as having the same 
consequence as a potential use of deadly force. At any time that the risk of continuation of a vehicular 
pursuit outweighs the risk to the public from discontinuing the pursuit, the pursuit should be terminated. 
Any vehicular pursuit undertaken must be done with due regard for the safety of all persons. 

It shall be the on-duty supervisor’s responsibility to make a reasonable decision whether or not to 
authorize a pursuit or allow it to continue while weighing several factors to include but not limited to the 
offense that is the basis for the pursuit, weather conditions, time of day, and the amount or likelihood of 
vehicular or pedestrian traffic along potential pursuit routes. 

1. To diminish the likelihood of a pursuit, the initiating officer will be in close proximity of any vehicle 
before attempting a stop, and when possible, in a location that would tend to decrease the opportunity 
for a violator to flee and would insure the safety of the officer and the violator when possible. 
2. Upon making a rational decision to pursue an actual or suspected violator, the officer initiating a 
pursuit should, in all cases, immediately notify E-911 that a pursuit is underway, activate all emergency 
equipment, to include the body worn camera, and provide the following information: 
a. Unit identification; 
b. Location, direction of travel, and speed; 
c. Vehicle description, including license number if known; 
d. Reason vehicle is wanted (type of offense); 
e. Number and description of occupants (sex, race, and age); and 
f. Any information concerning the use of firearms, threat of force, or other usual hazard. 
3. Failure to provide the above information may be cause for the shift supervisor to order termination of 
the pursuit. 
When not transmitting information over the police vehicle’s mobile radio, officers are strongly 
encouraged to continually verbalize the hazards being created by the fleeing driver during vehicle 
pursuits. This information will be documented via the audio/video recorder, which was activated upon 
initiation of the pursuit, and will tend to support officers’ judgments in continuing and/or terminating 
pursuits. 
C. Secondary Pursuit Unit 
It is the responsibility of the second unit to provide immediate and close support to the primary unit. 
1. All units near the pursuit and able to assist will make the dispatcher aware of their availability. 
Assistance will be coordinated through E-911 under the direction of the supervisor. 
2. Any officer assigned to assist in a pursuit situation will: 
a. Respond under emergency conditions; and 
b. Advise the dispatcher and pursuing officer where he intends to intercept the pursuit. 
c. The secondary unit designated by the dispatcher will be the only other police vehicle to pursue, 
unless one of the following conditions exists: 
1. The primary unit requests that additional units join the pursuit because he believes that two units will 
not be sufficient to safely arrest the suspect(s). The use of additional units must be approved by the 
shift supervisor. 
2. The primary unit is unable to continue and has informed the dispatcher, and the secondary unit has 
taken over the primary role. 
3. The shift supervisor or other authority has authorized additional police vehicles to join the pursuit. 
4. The officer in the primary unit will make radio transmissions during the pursuit until the secondary 
unit is close enough to monitor the pursuit and take over the communications task. This will allow the 
primary unit to focus on his driving. 
3. Canine units, when available, and at the discretion of the shift supervisor, may be permitted to take 
the primary pursuit position during any felony pursuit. This is due to the high propensity for violence of 
fleeing felons and the necessity for apprehension. Additionally, this agency recognizes the viability of 
the police canine in clearing high risk vehicles in these situations and strives to minimize the dangerous 
practice of officers rushing upon a suspect vehicle with unknown risks. 
D. Supervisor Responsibilities 
The Shift Supervisor will assume overall command and exercise control over all officers. It is the 
responsibility of the supervisor to monitor radio transmissions and to evaluate the need to continue the 
pursuit. Upon being notified of the pursuit, the field supervisor will: 
1. Ascertain the location and direction of travel; 
2. Ascertain the reason for pursuit; 
3. Monitor the pursuit and proceed in the direction of its progress in a non-emergency mode; 
4. Ensure that only the required or necessary units are involved in the pursuit; 

5. Ensure aerial assistance has been requested (if necessary or available); 
6. Ensure the affected allied agencies are being notified if pursuit appears to be entering another 
jurisdiction; 
7. Ensure the pursuit is terminated if adequate information is not provided by the pursuing units, or the 
risk factor is too great to the officer or the general public to continue the pursuit; 
8. The supervisor will proceed to the termination point and provide guidance and necessary supervision 
to the pursuing officer; 
9. The pursuing units’ supervisor shall go to the scene of a concluded pursuit any time a suspect is 
apprehended, or when injuries, death or property damage has occurred; 
10. Supervisors are not authorized to join in pursuits, unless they are the initiating unit, or close enough 
to become the secondary unit. If the field supervisor engages in the pursuit, he will relinquish field 
command to the Watch Commander, or another supervisor on duty. 
E. E-911 Responsibilities 
The dispatcher will monitor and control all radio transmissions per the Barrow County E-911 policy as 
follows: 
1. Receive and record all incoming information on the pursuit; 
2. Clear the radio channel of any unnecessary traffic; (Announce emergency traffic only) 
3. Immediately notify the commanding officer or the supervisor when a pursuit is initiated; 
4. Coordinate assistance under the direction of the supervisor; 
5. Perform relevant record and motor vehicle checks; 
6. Advise the pursuit vehicle of any known or potential hazards in the path of the pursuit (accidents, 
street closures, repairs, etc.); 
7. Ascertain the reason(s) (probable cause) for which the vehicle is fleeing (e.g., a robbery that may 
have occurred near the initiation point of the chase, etc.); and 
8. Relay pertinent information to and from allied agencies. 
F. Field Units Not in Pursuit 
Other units are to remain alert to the direction and travel of the pursuit and may position themselves at 
strategic sites along the probable pursuit route, or on parallel roadways, for response to any 
emergencies that may develop. These units are not to be operated in an emergency mode and should 
not interfere with priority radio traffic. 
G. Driving Techniques 
All units in pursuit, including the primary unit, will space themselves at a distance that ensures 
adequate reaction and braking time, in the event any leading vehicle stops, slows, or turns. 
H. Termination of Pursuits 
Pursuits will be terminated under the following conditions: 
1. Supervisor orders the pursuit terminated; 
2. When there is a clear and unreasonable danger to the officer, fleeing motorist, or other persons. A 
clear danger exists when speeds dangerously exceed the normal flow of traffic, or when vehicular and 
pedestrian traffic necessitates dangerous maneuvering that exceeds the performance capabilities of 
the vehicle or driver; 
3. The offense is a traffic violation, misdemeanor, or nonviolent felony, and the suspect’s identity has 
been established to the point that later apprehension can be accomplished; 
4. The officer loses visual contact with the suspect for an extended period (approximately 30 seconds 
or more) 
5. When there is an equipment failure involving an emergency signal device, radio, brakes, steering, or 
other essential mechanical equipment; and 
6. The pursuing officer knows, or is reasonably certain, that the fleeing vehicle is operated by a juvenile, 
and the offense constitutes a misdemeanor or a non-serious felony, and the safety factors involved are 
obviously greater than the juvenile driver’s capabilities. 
I. Forcible Stops 
The use of forcible stops is generally prohibited. The only agency-approved forcible stops will consist of 
stationary roadblocks, creating slow moving traffic channelization, and the deployment of Stinger spike 
strips. 
If a stationary roadblock is used, the following will be adhered to: 

1. It will be approved by the shift supervisor; 
2. It will only be used in serious felony offenses; 
3. It will only be used as a last resort; 
4. Only marked patrol vehicles will be used, and officers will not remain inside any vehicle; 
5. When using patrol vehicles, the emergency lights, headlights, and flashers will be operating; 
6. The roadblock must be clearly visible and provide adequate warning to allow vehicles to a safe stop 
(at least 1000 feet visibility in both directions); 
7. The roadway will not be completely blocked unless the use of deadly force would be authorized; 
8. There must be means provided that will allow civilian vehicles to avoid becoming caught by the 
roadblock unexpectedly; and 
9. If weather and road conditions do not allow visibility as prescribed, the roadblock will not be used. 
Once the decision has been made to utilize a roadblock, the communications dispatcher will announce 
on all radio frequencies, the location of the roadblock and the situation requiring its use. The dispatcher 
will also ensure that the pursuit units acknowledge the location of the roadblock. If they do not 
acknowledge the existence of the roadblock, it will be immediately abandoned. 
The following methods will only be used on a violator who is maintaining a legal speed or less but is 
willfully failing to stop. 
creating slow moving traffic 
channelization 
At least two marked police vehicles will be utilized in employing these techniques, with one remaining 
continually toward the rear of the suspect vehicle. 
The Stinger may also be used to stop fleeing vehicles traveling at any speed. The Stinger is not a 
deadly force instrument. Stingers are available in most patrol cars, and officers employing the stinger 
must coordinate with the pursuing patrol officer. The Stinger will not be used on fleeing motorcycles. In 
deploying the Stinger, the deploying officer will select a location and manner of deployment as to 
prevent the inadvertent striking of the device by vehicles other than the fleeing vehicle. 
Only officers who have received relevant agency-approved training are authorized to participate in or 
deploy the above-referenced techniques and/or tools. The shift supervisor is responsible for direct 
oversight and authorization of officers’ actions during the deployment of these techniques and/or tools. 
J. Prohibited Practices 
1. Officers will not pursue violators the wrong way on a freeway. 
2. Officers will not discharge their weapons at a moving vehicle unless the use of deadly force is 
justified. 
3. Units will, at all costs, avoid intersecting the path of an on-coming high-speed vehicle. 
4. Officers will not attempt to force the vehicle from the roadway by driving alongside or in front of the 
fleeing vehicle. 
5. Officers will not bump or ram a fleeing vehicle. 
6. Except for the primary and secondary unit directly involved in the immediate pursuit, there shall be 
no caravanning by other units. 
7. There will be no attempt to pass the primary pursuit unit unless the passing officer receives specific 
permission from the primary pursuing officer or shift supervisor. 
K. Inter-jurisdictional Pursuits 
Before leaving the city limits of Auburn, the pursuing officer(s) will inform the supervisor, who will make 
the decision to continue or terminate the pursuit. Pursuing officer(s) will also inform the supervisor when 
crossing the state line and the supervisor will decide to continue or terminate the pursuit. Before 
entering another jurisdiction, including another state, the communication center (911) will notify the 
other agency with the following information: 
1. Pursuit is about to enter their jurisdiction; 
2. Reason for the pursuit and nature of violation; 
3. Location and direction of pursuit; 
4. Complete description of occupants and vehicle; 
5. Number of units involved in pursuit; 
6. Whether or not assistance is needed; and 

7. When applicable, notify agency when pursuit is leaving their jurisdictional boundaries, or the location 
of termination. 
L. Pursuits Entering Auburn from Other Jurisdictions 
1. The initiating agency will remain in control of any pursuit that crosses into this jurisdiction and will 
remain responsible for the pursuit. 
2. When requested to assist another agency entering Auburn, officers will assist in clearing 
intersections and may enter the pursuit if it is known the violator fits the requirements set forth in this 
policy. 
3. Auburn Police Department officers will not continue in pursuits from another agency once the pursuit 
has left the City of Auburn. 
M. Reporting and Review Process 
It will be the responsibility of every officer initiating a pursuit, or the employment of a roadblock or 
forcible stop, to obtain a case number and complete the Auburn Police Department Pursuit Information 
Report. All pursuits will be reported whether or not the suspects are arrested or identified. 
1. The report will be reviewed by the supervisor on duty, who will determine if the pursuit was within 
Departmental guidelines. The supervisor will make specific written comments on the supervisor’s 
review sheet to justify his conclusion. 
2. The officer will upload all video/audio to the appropriate video server; into Departmental property and 
evidence. The supervisor will forward a copy of the incident report if applicable, and the pursuit 
information report to the Patrol Commander. A copy of the pursuit report will be forwarded to the Chief 
of Police. 
3. The Patrol Commander will review the pursuit to determine if it was within Departmental policy and 
make a written report to the Chief of Police specifically supporting the conclusion. 
4. The purpose of the review is to determine if: 
a. The pursuit was necessary, and within Departmental procedures; 
b. There are training needs to be considered; and 
c. Any procedure changes requiring consideration. 
5. The Patrol Commander will conduct an annual documented analysis of all pursuit reports which will 
be presented to the Chief of Police. Statistical data regarding vehicle pursuits shall also be submitted to 
the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. 
6. After the completion of every pursuit, the Shift Supervisor will complete the Georgia Association of 
Chiefs of Police (GACP) Pursuit Data Collection Form. All data from the completed forms will be 
submitted to the GACP Director, GLECP by March 1st for the preceding calendar year. 
Christopher J. Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 
AUBURN POLICE DEPARTMENT 
Vehicle Pursuit Report 
This report will be completed by the primary operator of any Auburn Police vehicle becoming engaged 
in any pursuit. Secondary officers will attach a supplemental to the report. After approval by a 
supervisor, the report will be forwarded immediately to the Office of Professional Standards. 
Case #: _____________________________Officer I.D. # __________________ 
Probable Cause & Original Charge: 

Primary Reporting Officer: ___________ Unit # ________ 
Age of Officer: Years’ Experience: __ Video Activated Yes__ No__ 
Date: __________ Time Initiated: ____________ Time Terminated: __________ 
Secondary Officer (If Any): ___________Unit # ____Video Activated Yes__ No__ 
Total Number of Police Vehicles Utilized__________ 
List all other Officers names & Unit #____________ Video Activated Yes __No__ 
Unit #____________ Video Activated Yes __No__ 
Supervisor Who Monitored Pursuit: ____________________________________ 
Location of Initial Incident: ______________________Posted Speed Limit: ____ 


Location Where Pursuit Terminated: _______________Posted Speed Limit___ 
Total Distance in Miles of Pursuit: __________Duration in minutes____________ 
Maximum Speed of Suspect’s Vehicle during Pursuit: _____ 
Was a charge of felony fleeing and attempting to elude made as a result of this incident under 40-6-395 
subsection (C) (5) (A)? _____ YES _____ NO 
Pursuit Terminated By: (Check one or more of the following) 
Officer: ___ Supervisor’s Order: ___ Apprehension: ___ Vehicle Accident: ___ 

P.I.T. Utilized: ________ Spike Strips: ______Other____________________ 
Emergency Equipment Used: Siren: ____ Blue Lights: ____ Wig Wags: ____ 
Road Conditions: __________Traffic Conditions: _________Weather: _________ 
Check one of the following: 2 Lane Roadway____4 Lanes or More (no median) ___Interstate with 
Median____ Interstate with Barrier____ Other_______________________ 
Other Agencies Involved: Yes__ No__ Who? _____________________________________________ 
Suspect Information 
Name of Driver: _____________Driver’s License #___________Status______ 
Address: _________________________________________________________ 
Telephone: __________DOB __________Age ____Gender ____Race______ 
Social Security #: ____________Injured: Yes__ No __ 
Vehicle Description: Make: ______________Model ___________Year________ 
Color: ______ License plate #: _________ State_____ 
Passenger Information 
Duplicate this information in narrative below if more than one passenger. 
Name: ___________________________________________________________ 
Address: _________________________________________________________ 
Telephone: ____________________DOB __________ Injured: Yes__ No__ 
Narrative of Events:__________________________________________________________________ 

_ 

Reporting Officer 
PURSUIT SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT 
This Report will be completed by all officers involved in a vehicle pursuit. 
Case #: _____________________Officer & ID# ________________Date: ____________ 
Vehicle #: ____________Audio on: Yes__ No __ Video on: Yes__ No__ 
COMMENTS: 


Secondary Officer Supervisor 
APPREHENSIONS / CHARGES 
Name: ___________________________________________________________ 
Charges:__________________________________________________________________________ 

Passenger(s): _____________________________________________________ 
Charges (If any) ____________________________________________________________________ 

INJURIES RESULTING FROM PURSUIT 
(Specify if injured person is suspect, passenger, third party or officer involved in pursuit) 
Injured Person Type of Injury 
(1)_____________________________ ____________________________ 
(2)_____________________________ ____________________________ 
(3)_____________________________ ____________________________ 
Medical Treatment Received at: _______________________________________ 
Vehicle and/or Property Damage Resulting From Pursuit 

Officer Date 
SUPERVISORY REVIEW 
Case Number: _______________ 
THE REASON FOR THE PURSUIT COMPLIES WITH POLICY: YES_______ 
NO _________. 
Was pursuit monitored by the reviewing supervisor: Yes__ No __ If not, why? 

Was videotape (s) submitted to evidence: Yes: __ No: ___ If not submitted why? 

(Enter all videos under pursuit case #) 
Was all Video Tape Reviewed: Yes: ______ No: ______ If No, why? ______________ 
Were there any vehicle operation policy violations, if so list in comments. 
Were there any radio procedure violations, if so list them in comments. 


If Pursuit did not comply with departmental policy, explain what action was taken to prevent future 
occurrences: 
COMMENTS: 

Supervisor Date 

Div. Commander or Designee Date 
Appendix B 
Pursuit Data Collection Form 
Agency Information (Agency Who Initiated Pursuit) 
(Please fill in your GCIC number and your agency report number) 
Agency ID (GCIC Identifier) GA Report Number 
Officer Information (Officer who initiated the pursuit) 
(Check Only One) 
Gender: Male Female 
Ethnicity: White Black Asian or Pacific Islander American Indian/Alaska Native Unknown 
32+ 
Suspect Driver Information (If suspect is apprehended or identified) 
(Check Only One) 
42-45 46-49 504Gender: 
Male Female 
Ethnicity: White Black Asian or Pacific Islander American Indian/Alaska Native Unknown 
Violation That Initiated Pursuit 
(Check All That Apply) 
Traffic Violation Felony (Property Crime) Felony (Forcible) Stolen Vehicle 
Drug Related Hit and Run 
Length of Pursuit in Minutes (Check Only Onc) 
Less than 1 minute 2-5 minutes 6-8 minutes 9-11 minutes 12-15 minutes 16-19 minutes 20-23 minutes 
24 minutes or greater 
Length of Pursuit in Miles [Total even if in a circle] (Check Only One) 
Less than I mile 2-5 miles 6-9 miles 10-13 miles 14-17 miles 
18-21 miles 22-25 miles 26-29 miles 30 miles or greater 
Type of Vehicle Pursued [Suspect's Vehicle] (Check Only One) 
Passenger Car Van (4 wheel) Pickup Truck Motorcycle 
____S.U.V. Commercial Vehicle (18 Wheeler) ____Off Road Vehicle (4 Wheeler) 
Other (Military tank, farm tractor, hovercraft, etc.,) 
Maximum Speed During Pursuit (Check Only One) 
Posted or less 10-19 MPH over 20-30 MPH over 31-40 MPH over 
41-50 MPH over 51-61 MPH over Greater than 61 MPH over 
Way Pursuit Ended 
(Check Ali That Apply) 
____Pursuit Discontinued Suspect Stopped ____Vehicle Wrecked 


Stop Sticks Deployed PIT Utilized ____Stationary Roadblock 
Rolling Roadblock Suspect Shot by Police 
Number of Police Vehicles Utilized 
(Check All That Apply) 
Only One Agency/One Vehicle ____Only One Agency/Two or More Vehicles 
____Two Agencies/Two or More Vehicles ____Three Agencies/ Two or More Vehicles 
____Four Agencies/Two or More Vehicles ____Five or More Agencies/Multiple Vehicles 
Injuries/Fatalities to Officer(s) (Check All That Apply) 
Officer(s) not injured ____One Officer Injured ____Two or more officers injured 
Officer fatality ____More than one officer fatality 
Injuries/Fatalities to Suspect/Passengers 
(Check All That Apply) 
___Suspect not injured ____One Passenger Injured ____T'MO 01' more passengers injured 
Suspect killed ____One passenger killed ____Two or more passengers killed 
Third Party (Not Police Vehicle) Hit/Injured/Killed 
(Check All That Apply) 
Third party accident/No injuries in third party vehicle 
Third party vehicle hit with injuries in third patty vehicle 
Third party vehicle hit with fatality in third party vehicle 
Third party vehicle hit with more than one fatality in third party vehicle 
Time of Day of Pursuit (Time Initiated) 
(Circle All That Apply) 
Road/Weather Character (When pursuit was initiated) (Check All That Apply) 
___Within city limits ____Outside city limits _____Daylight conditions 
___Night conditions ____Roadway d/w _____Roadway wet ____2 Lane roadway 
Pursuit report filed by officer ____ Pursuit report reviewed by supervisor 
Pursuit report reviewed by command staff _____Pursuit report reviewed by 
Chief/Sheriff/Agency Head 


Chapter 12-2 Department Vehicles 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 12-2 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/26/2018 
Subject: Department Vehicles 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the use of City of Auburn Police Department 
vehicles by employees of the Auburn Police Department. 
II. Scope 
This policy is applicable to all personnel of the Auburn Police Department. 
III. Policy and Procedure 
A. Assigned Vehicles 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department that the following criteria be met before an officer is 
assigned a patrol vehicle. The issuance of a personally assigned vehicle is contingent upon availability 
and Departmental needs, as determined by the Chief of Police. An assigned vehicle is a privilege that 
may be extended to each officer that meets these criteria, it is not a right or entitlement, nor is it a 
subject for grievance. Officers may have a vehicle assigned with approval of the Chief of Police and 
meeting the following criteria: 
1. The officer has successfully completed the Field Training Program of the Auburn Police Department 
and is recommended for issuance of a patrol vehicle by the Patrol Division Commander, (officers 
assigned to specialized positions where unmarked vehicles are utilized will be assigned such unmarked 
vehicles.) 
B. Goals of Assigned Vehicles 
The Auburn Police Department recognizes the following as established program goals: 
1. Promote the security of the citizens of Auburn by greater visibility and presence of police vehicles on 
the streets, roadways, and neighborhoods. 
2. Deter crime by limiting the opportunity of criminals to commit criminal acts by the presence of more 
police vehicles. 
3. Decrease response time to certain calls and therefore, increase the opportunity to apprehend 
criminals. 
4. Reduce the yearly mileage of each vehicle; therefore, increasing life expectancy of each vehicle. 
5. Provide a rapid and direct response of off-duty personnel when called to duty because of an 
emergency. 
6. Provide an additional incentive for officers to maintain employment with the Auburn Police 
Department through the maintenance of this “Take-Home Vehicle Program”. 
7. Increase accountability for vehicle use and maintenance. 
Officers and employees of the Auburn Police Department that are issued a vehicle will be responsible 
for the care and maintenance of that vehicle. Limitations on the geographical locations of officers’ 
personal residences are established by this policy, which determines each officer’s eligibility for the 
issuance of a personally assigned take-home vehicle. If an employee with an assigned vehicle changes 
residence and that move affects the assignment of the Departmental vehicle they shall promptly notify 
their Supervisor and Division Commander. 
8. Officers residing within a 25-mile radius of Auburn (as the crow flies) may receive an assigned 
take-home vehicle. Upon such issuance, the officer may utilize the vehicle to not only travel to and from 
work, but also to facilitate personal errands within this geographical boundary while en-route to and 
from work. The Chief of Police may extend the 25-mile rule in reasonableness and under agreement of 
employee fuel contribution. 

9. Officers assigned to specialized assignments (i.e. Traffic, CID, Canine etc.) may reside outside the 
above designated areas and still be subject to the issuance of a “take home” vehicle so long as they 
reside within Barrow, Banks, Jackson, Gwinnett, Walton, Clarke or Oconee Counties in Georgia. 
C. Special Rules and Regulations for Assigned Vehicles 
1. All rules and regulations pertaining to on-duty officers shall apply to off-duty officers while operating 
an assigned vehicle. 
2. Officers with assigned vehicles are not authorized to transport family members unless it pertains to 
official police department business. 
3. Vehicles assigned to officers may be driven outside these designated areas on official business only. 
4. Vehicles will not be utilized for carrying heavy or excessive loads and will not have objects protruding 
from the trunk or windows, except for evidence and found property as necessary. 
5. There shall be no extra equipment, lights, radios, gadgets, or other unauthorized instruments 
installed or placed on the vehicles except upon written approval of the Chief of Police. There will be no 
unauthorized bumper stickers, devices, decals, special license plates, etc. affixed to the police vehicles 
without the permission of the Chief of Police. 
6. Employees are strictly forbidden from operating a city vehicle while consuming or under the influence 
of alcohol, drugs, or any medication which may impair driving ability. 
7. While off-duty, officers must store their assigned vehicle at the police department, other authorized 
city property, or the officer’s personal residence to include private dwellings and/or multi-apartment 
complexes. 
8. All officers shall have in their possession a valid driver license while operating a police vehicle. 
Off-duty officers shall also have in their possession their badge, department identification, authorized 
firearm and portable radio. 
9. During off-duty use such as traveling to or from training, officers may wear civilian clothes which are 
neat and reflect good taste (cut-off jeans and t-shirts will not be permitted). When responding to an 
emergency, officers will put on their traffic safety vest, which will aid in identifying them as police 
officers. 
10. During the time when the officer is off-duty and in the assigned vehicle, the officer shall advise 
Barrow E-911 Center prior to responding to any emergency call, assisting any motorist or other citizen 
needing assistance, or conducting any traffic stop for enforcement purposes. 
If an off-duty officer comes upon the scene of a traffic accident, a motorist requiring aid, or an incident 
requiring law enforcement action, they will stand by and or provide aid until an on-duty officer is 
dispatched and arrives on scene. Off-duty officers will complete a supplement report if their 
observations are germane to an incident, all initial incident reports and follow-up work will be conducted 
by the on-duty officer responding. 
12. Unattended vehicles of off-duty officers must be locked at all times. 
13. Under no circumstances will any weapons be left in the vehicle when delivered to the City garage or 
other repair facilities for maintenance or service. 
14. When an officer is absent from his regular duty assignment for more than 30 days, and has an 
assigned take-home vehicle, the vehicle shall be delivered to the police department for storage or use 
as required by the Department. 
15. The Auburn Police Department Vehicle Mileage Report will be maintained and submitted to the 
employee’s Division Commander, via the Chain of Command, at the end of each month. 
D. Assignment of Patrol Vehicles (Day to Day) 
The Patrol Supervisor will be responsible for ensuring that patrol vehicles are assigned to patrol officers 
who are not assigned a vehicle, officers whose assigned vehicle is out of service, or employees 
needing a vehicle for Departmental activities. Vehicle assignments will be documented on the duty 
roster. Additional keys to patrol vehicles shall be kept in a designated location within in the Patrol 
Division as defined by the Patrol Commander. The Patrol Commander or his designee will be 
responsible for assigning patrol car keys to those officers needing a vehicle. 
E. Assigned Vehicle Inventory and Maintenance Checks 
To ensure Departmental vehicles are properly maintained and are equipped with the items necessary 
to perform everyday tasks the following will be conducted: 

1. On a monthly basis, all CID and other specialized sworn employees who are assigned a vehicle shall 
conduct an inspection of their vehicles to ensure proper vehicle maintenance and the presence of 
inventoried items in the vehicle. This report will be documented on the Non-Patrol Division Monthly 
Vehicle Maintenance and Inventory Checklist. 
2. On a daily basis, Officers assigned a marked vehicle shall conduct an inspection of their vehicle, to 
include the rear seat for contraband, to ensure proper maintenance and the presence of inventoried 
items in the vehicle. This report shall be documented on the officer’s applicable daily report. Items to be 
inventoried are as follows: 
Latex Gloves 
Fuel Card 
Crime Scene Tape 
Fire Extinguisher 
First Aid Kit 
Evidence Bags 
Spike Strips when issued 
Upon inspection of a vehicle and it is found to be short of the required supplies, the officer conducting 
the inspection should notify his/her supervisor to inform them of the equipment shortage. The 
supervisor will provide the officer with the needed equipment or direct the officer to the appropriate 
source. Most of the required equipment is located within the Patrol closet located on the first floor of the 
department. 
3. Patrol and CID Supervisors will make random unannounced vehicle inspections each month and 
document these inspections on the appropriate division form. The supervisor will take corrective action 
concerning deficiencies and submit documentation of the inspections to the Patrol Commander. 
4. Division Commanders shall designate a line supervisor or Fleet Maintenance Service Officer to 
conduct a monthly review to ensure all vehicles have received proper preventative maintenance. A 
report will be submitted monthly to the Chief of Police via the chain of command detailing that review. 
F. Use of Safety Restraint Devices 
Restraint devices shall be used to minimize the possibility of death or injury because of accidents 
involving drivers and passengers in Departmental vehicles. There is available evidence indicating that 
the use of safety belts has a significant effect in reducing the number of deaths and the severity of 
injuries resulting from traffic crashes and assisting officers in maintaining proper control of their vehicles 
in pursuit and/or emergency high speed operations. 
1. All persons except where specifically exempted, shall use the safety belt restraining system while 
operating or riding as a passenger in a Departmental vehicle while the vehicle is in motion. This policy 
shall not apply to persons occupying a seating position that is not equipped with a safety belt assembly, 
or to any officer possessing a written indication from a physician or the Chief of Police that for medical 
or physical reasons the officer is unable to use the safety belt system. 
2. Unless a replacement vehicle is unavailable, no person shall operate a Departmental vehicle in 
which any belt in the front seat is inoperable. There are circumstances in which use of safety belt 
restraining systems may hamper efficient conduct of police functions. Supervisors may grant exemption 
of this policy for specific situations in which they deem efficiency of operation outweighs the safety 
benefit. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 
Auburn Police Department 
Vehicle Mileage Report 
Month: _______________ Unit #: _______________ 
On Duty Off Duty Daily Totals 
Operator’s Signature: __________________________ Date: _________ 
Next Service Mileage: _________________________ 
Comments: At the beginning of my shift the Video/Audio camera was inspected displaying the proper 
date and time, unit #. No modifications were necessary. 
Keep Checks: None 


Non- Patrol Division 
Mileage and Inventory Report 
Month: ___________ Unit #: _________ Next Service Due: ______________ 
Inventory Checklist 
Motor oil _____Transmission Fluid _____ Brake Fluid ______Antifreeze_______ 
Tire Condition _______Cleanliness _____Siren ______ Emergency Lights_______ 
Comments: ________________________________________________________________________ 

Operator Employee # Inspected by Employee # 

Signature Date Signature Date 


Chapter 13 Property and Evidence 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedure 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
Effective Date: July 1, 2018 
SOP: Chapter 13 
Revised: 07/01/2018 
Subject: Property and Evidence Review: 10/27/2018 

I. Purpose 
The purpose in the development of this policy is to provide direction and guidelines in regard to the 
department-wide responsibilities, staffing, and operation of the Property and Evidence Unit of the 
Auburn Police Department. It is necessary to establish a specific unit within the Department to assume 
responsibility for the securing, maintaining, releasing, and disposing of property seized as evidence, 
and/or found/recovered property which is stored for safekeeping. 
II. Organization and Functions 
The overall responsibility for the administration, operation, and personnel of the Property and Evidence 
Unit will be the CID Commander. The Office of the Chief shall designate an Evidence Custodian for the 
management of all found, abandoned, recovered, and evidentiary property functions. A full inventory of 
Property and Evidence shall be conducted upon any assignment changes of the Evidence Custodian or 
the Chief. The Police Department will maintain a secure Property/Evidence Room and related storage 
facilities, for the purpose of storing all evidence recovered, or any property that is found or held by the 
agency. The Evidence Custodian shall have sole responsibility for the maintenance of evidentiary 
property and evidence records and shall be accountable for the control of all property stored in the 
Property/Evidence storage areas of the Auburn Police Department. 
Access to these designated areas will be restricted to the Evidence Custodian, and the Criminal 
Investigation’s Commander. An official log book will be maintained to document any visitation to the 
Property/Evidence Room by any person, other than the above designated persons. All such visitations 
shall be only in the constant presence of one of the above designated persons and approved by the 
Chief of Police. 
1. Inspection 
1. There will be a semi-annual inspection of the evidence room by the evidence custodian to ensure 
that the proper procedures for the control of the property are being adhered to. There will be a full 
inventory of property and evidence that is maintained by the department when the designated property 
and evidence custodian is transferred from this role or otherwise replaced. The purpose of this 
inventory is to account for all items of property and evidence and to ensure the records are correct and 
properly noted. Documentation of each inspection shall be forwarded to the Chief of Police. Full 
inventories will be jointly conducted by the newly appointed custodian and a designee of the Chief of 
Police. Other occasions when such a full inventory is to be completed will be determined by the Chief of 
Police. There will also be an annual audit of the evidence room conducted by a supervisor who is not 
directly connected with the control of property. The audit will consist of a random sampling of the 
property to ensure that policies and procedures are being followed. 
2. Rules and Regulations 
2.1 General 
1. All property that is seized as evidence or found shall be transferred to the control of the Evidence 
Custodian, prior to the officer ending his tour of duty. If the officer is injured or otherwise unable to place 
the property into evidence, the supervisor on duty shall designate another officer to place the property 
into evidence. 
2. Large items that will not easily fit into the Property/Evidence Room shall be stored in the secured 
area(s) of the Auburn Police Department which are designated as evidence storage. 
3. All seized, relinquished, or found weapons, evidence or non-evidence, shall be transferred to the 
control of the Evidence Custodian, as well as any other items which might be construed as weapons. 

4. Personal Property of arrested persons (e.g. money, wallet and contents, jewelry, etc.) ordinarily shall 
not be taken by the arresting officers to be secured within the Property/Evidence Room, except in 
unusual circumstances. These items will be taken from the arrested person(s) in accordance with 
policies of the Auburn Police Department and/or the Barrow or Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office 
detention centers, which is the agency to which custody of arrested persons are released by the 
arresting officer. On occasions when personal property is removed by the arresting officer for 
evidentiary purposes, or for safekeeping at the Auburn Police Department, the arresting officer will 
ensure proper transfer of such items to the control of the Evidence Custodian and note the transfer in 
the incident report. Such transfers shall occur prior to the end of the tour of duty by the seizing officer. 
5. All property removed from any vehicle shall be transferred to the control of the Evidence Custodian 
with the appropriate Property and Evidence report attached, and so noted in the officer's report. 
2.2 Transferring Evidence to Court 
1. Evidence required in court for prosecution purposes, will be released to the officer presenting the 
evidence, and the chain of custody indicated on the Property/Evidence form. The evidence will be 
returned to the Evidence Custodian immediately after all legal actions have been completed. 
2. When returned, the evidence will be, as when released, in the original packaging. 
3. In the event the evidence, or any part thereof, is retained by the Court, the presenting officer will 
notify the Evidence Custodian, in order that the records may be cleared, and that the evidence report is 
so noted. 
4. The evidence sheet, which also displays the chain of custody, will be signed by the officer when 
accepting control of the evidence and upon its return. 
2.3 Property/Evidence Sheets & RMS Property Records 
The Department's Property/Evidence Sheet is to be completed by the officer taking official custody of 
physical evidence when a receipt on-scene is necessary. The Property/Evidence Sheet must be 
completed, and the evidence secured in Property and Evidence or a temporary evidence locker prior to 
the end of the shift. The seizing officer, or his designee, will place the evidence with the attached 
Property/Evidence Sheet, in a temporary evidence storage locker. When the triplicate copy form is 
used it shall be completed in the officer's legible handwriting or printing. The RMS “Property Control” 
form shall suffice for a property evidence sheet in most cases. In the event a handwritten property 
evidence form is completed, it will become the responsibility of the reporting officer to ensure the 
property/evidence as listed on the handwritten property form is subsequently entered into RMS for the 
respective case number. All evidence and property placed into the property and evidence storage 
lockers and storage areas shall be recorded into RMS. The property entries into RMS and Property 
Control Sheet shall include (at minimal) the following: 
Record number (item number) 
Offender information “offender/victim” tab 
Victim information “Offender/victim” tab 
Property owner name, address and phone number (who item was seized from or recovered from) 
Seizing officer (badge number, name, rank) 
Description of property which matches the description written on the bag/container etc. 
Complete chain of custody (“Action” tab) 
(Including date and time of recovery/seizure) 
UCR category and property type 
Location in which property was seized/recovered 
Transfer status 
Locker location 
Testing needed if any 
Item number on property control form/evidence sheet should ALWAYS coincide with item number on 
bag/container. 
Note: ALL spelling of names, property type, addresses etc. shall be spelled correctly and consistently 
on all documentation. I.e. the first/last name of the suspect/victim should be spelled correctly and 
consistently on all documents, bags, reports, evidence sheets etc. This is in order to match and identify 
with property, name association, and all documentation. 

2. The supporting incident report is to be completed by the officer taking official custody of physical 
evidence, documenting the location where he finds, seizes, receives, or otherwise comes into physical 
possession of the physical evidence. The report will also list the circumstances by which the property 
came into the agency's possession and describe each item of property obtained which will reflect the 
same information/descriptions as listed on any property sheet/RMS control form. 
3. If items were not obtained from any person, but were found, or taken from a crime scene or other 
location where no person was present to claim or exercise custody, the word "none" will be entered in 
the space provided for the ‘Name of Person from Whom Property Was Obtained’. 
4. All items in the same location, at the same time, obtained from the same person, if obtained from a 
single person or location may be documented on one property sheet/RMS property control form. If 
these various articles of physical evidence are not to be bundled, stored, or maintained together from 
collection to trial, photographic copies of the original handwritten Property/Evidence Sheet to include 
the chain of custody) may be made to accompany the differently packaged articles and said property 
control form shall then be scanned and entered into RMS under the appropriate case number by 
support services. 
5. If any seized evidence will be sent to the State Crime Lab for analysis, it should be recorded on a 
separate property sheet titled; “GBI Division of Forensic Sciences Evidence Submission Form” and 
completed by the seizing officer. Both the Auburn Police Department evidence forms/property control 
forms and GBI evidence submission forms shall then be attached together with a paper-clip (NO 
STAPLES) and placed together with the evidence to be tested in an evidence storage/submittal locker. 
Multiple pieces of evidence which will be going to the same location may be recorded on the same 
property report. 
6. Each separate item of evidence listed on a Property/Evidence Sheet or control forms will be 
numbered consecutively (beginning with No. 1) in the space provided. The number of pieces of each 
item obtained will appear in the Quantity column. The Description of Property section will be completed 
in sufficient detail to enable easy and certain identification of the item(s) described. 
7. The officer/employee assuming custody of the physical evidence listed on the RMS property control 
form/evidence sheet will enter his/her signature and badge number in the spaces provided within the 
action tab on RMS and the reason he/she is taking custody of the evidence. 
8. When making returns of search warrants, photographic copies of the RMS Property control form or 
evidence sheets can serve as inventories of seized property. 
9. Maintenance of the Chain of Custody records is initially the responsibility of the officer who signed 
the RMS Property control form/Evidence Sheet. As changes in custody occur, each custodian assumes 
responsibility for the maintenance of the Chain of Custody record when he/she assumes custody of the 
physical evidence listed and described in the Property/Evidence Sheet and ensuring the RMS property 
action notes are updated. 
10. The original Property/Evidence Sheet (white copy) if used, and RMS property control form 
(containing officer signature) shall be submitted to property/evidence lockers for storage along with 
seized/recovered/found property/evidence. The original property sheets and RMS property control 
forms will be maintained by the property/evidence custodian upon said evidence being submitted for 
storage and/or testing. 
11. Supervising officers should review all evidence submission sheets and evidence packaging to 
ensure integrity and compliance before items are placed into evidence. 
2.4 Property/Evidence Packaging and Labeling 
It is the responsibility of the arresting or reporting officer to properly package and label all property 
and/or evidence and submit property along with a Property/Evidence Sheet, RMS property control form. 
It is equally important to ensure a complete chain of custody record in RMS before transferring the 
property to the control of the Evidence Custodian. The arresting or reporting officer will ensure that the 
following steps have been taken prior to releasing the property to the Evidence Custodian. The 
arresting or receiving officer will complete an Incident Report, detailing the circumstances by which the 
property came into the agency's possession. Each item will be described in the narrative of the incident 
report as well as on the Property/Evidence Sheet, RMS property control form and Property/Evidence 
bag. (all entries should accurately match the other) 

1. Evidence and non-evidence property will not be mixed in the same property bags. All property bags 
containing evidence or property shall be submitted to evidence along with a corresponding 
Property/Evidence Sheet for each bag, box, etc. 
2. A property tag must be securely attached to any property/evidence which is too large to be put in a 
property bag, box, etc. 
3. Officers receiving found property will make every attempt to notify the rightful owner that the property 
is being held for safekeeping, and document contacts or attempts in the incident report. Prior to 
securing recovered stolen items of evidentiary value within evidence storage of the Police Department, 
officers should attempt to thoroughly photograph it, and return the property to the rightful owner, with 
the agreement of the appropriate judicial or prosecutorial officials. Under no circumstances should 
property ever be left with a clerk at the front desk or any other employee. If the officer is unable to 
contact the rightful owner, the property shall be stored in property/evidence and submitted with the 
appropriate form as defined above. 
4. Officers submitting currency will document on the Property/Evidence Sheet, RMS property control 
form the quantity of each denomination of currency seized/submitted, (ex. 5-$20 bills, 3-$50 bills), and 
the total amount of the currency submitted. A supervisor will recount the money, check the 
Property/Evidence Sheet for accuracy, and place his/her initials on the property/evidence form once 
printed, adjacent to the total, prior to the submission of the evidence. 
5. The GBI Crime Lab as well as the Auburn Police Department requires that drug evidence be 
packaged in the following manner: 
a. All testable drug evidence will be submitted into property and evidence for testing; these substances 
should be separated from other non-testable items which are commonly seized along with the drugs. 
The testable substances shall be removed from larger personal containers, cases, boxes, etc. and 
weighed on a certified digital scale by the seizing officer; the weight (in grams) shall be documented on 
the incident report narrative and the suspected drugs subsequently secured in two bags before 
submittal into evidence. 
b. The outer bag must (at minimal) have the suspect(s) name clearly printed, with last name first, 
offense, item description, item number, and the Auburn Police Department case number. 
Please note: “testable item” is defined as any item containing drug substance such as small smoking 
devices containing suspected drug residue, such as “bowls”, “roaches” and/or other small items which 
are typically carried on-person AND when the successful prosecution depends on the testing of said 
item/s. In these cases, it is admissible to submit such items into evidence for testing purposes. 
Otherwise, all testable substances will be packaged singularly, and stand-alone as defined earlier in 
this section. 
6. The GBI Lab will not accept suspected drug evidence, unless the evidence has a tamper evident 
seal with initials and the substance double-bagged as defined in section 5, a & b of this chapter. 
7. Paper bags shall be closed, folded over, and taped with Tamper evidence tape. The tape will be 
initialed and dated in a manner that the initials will be on both the tape and the bag. 
Boxes will be sealed by taping the flaps closed with packing or other tape, and placing tamper evidence 
tape along the intersection of the flaps. The tape will then be initialed as described above. 
8. All evidence submitted to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations Crime Laboratory will be packaged 
pursuant to their “Laboratory Services and Requirements for Submitting Evidence Manual”. A copy of 
the manual may be viewed on line at 
2.5 Temporary Storage of Evidence/Property 
1. Once property or evidence is properly bagged with a Property/Evidence Sheet, the officer will secure 
the items in the temporary storage lockers located by the Evidence room. 
2. The Evidence Custodian will routinely transfer property/evidence from all lockers to the evidence 
room on a daily basis as they report to work. 
3. Items too large for storage in the evidence room will be placed and stored within designated areas to 
be determined by the property and evidence custodian or his designee on an as-needed basis. The 
Evidence Custodian shall check any assigned temporary storage area daily and move the items to the 
appropriate location. 
4. Motor vehicles and other extremely large items of evidence that require processing for physical 
evidence, will typically be processed at the scene of seizure/recovery, prior to releasing the vehicle/item 

to the owner, and/or designated tow representative. However, it is recognized that extenuating 
circumstances occasionally dictate that processing be temporarily delayed. Such instances require that 
the vehicle/property also be adequately secured as other evidence. 
Should there be an ignition key to such stored vehicles, the seizing/storing officer shall document the 
vehicle and the key on the agency Property/Evidence Sheet, and place the form, with the 
packaged/bagged key, into the temporary evidence storage locker. If there is no key for the seized 
vehicle/property, a copy of the Departmental Property and Evidence Report shall be left – prominently 
displayed – on the exterior of the vehicle/property. 

5. Perishable items of evidence, such as blood and urine specimen, are typically stored in the 
temporary refrigerator located in the patrol room evidence processing area until removed and 
transported to the crime lab by the evidence custodian. 
2.6 Duties of the Custodian 
The Evidence Custodian will receive, store, submit evidence to the crime laboratory, and release 
evidence and other property in a timely, efficient and accountable manner, avoiding any unnecessary 
delay in receiving and releasing property. 
1. The Evidence Custodian will follow established procedures which minimizes loss, theft, or 
destruction of property, or any other actions which might lead to loss of evidentiary value of the 
property. 
2. All procedures will be followed to maintain a proper chain of evidence and document the transfer of 
property to the point of release from police control. 
3. The Evidence Custodian will attempt to identify and notify the owners of property being held by the 
Department when that person would not already be aware. 
4. Every legal effort to return the property to the rightful owner will be made by the Evidence Custodian 
only after these items have been recorded on the Property Report, and each item listed thereon, has 
been properly bagged or tagged. 
a. Weapons: Weapons will be received as indicated above, however, all firearms will be unloaded with 
the ammunition bagged separately and properly marked. 
b. Drugs: Drugs will be transferred to the control of the Evidence Custodian along with a properly 
completed RMS Property/Evidence Sheet. 
c. The Evidence Custodian will ensure that firearms, knives, currency, and other sensitive or valuable 
items, are additionally secured within the Departmental evidence room. 
2.7 Recording and Storing 
The Evidence Custodian shall on a daily basis, secure all evidence and other property from the 
temporary evidence storage lockers. The materials will be logged into the Department evidence room 
as follows: 
1. Upon receipt of evidence and/or property, the Evidence Custodian will date and sign the 
Property/Evidence Sheet. 
2. The Evidence Custodian will log each item of evidence on the computer files, indicating its location 
within the Evidence Room. The proper location shall also be noted on the actual Property/Evidence 
Sheet. Each item of evidence and property will then be placed into the evidence room. 
3. The Evidence Custodian will ensure that firearms, knives, currency, drugs, and other exceptional or 
valuable items will be separately secured within the Department evidence room. 
2.8 State Crime Lab and Testable Material 
The Auburn Police Department recognizes that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab will 
document results of all laboratory analysis of submitted evidence via official written crime lab reports. 
These reports are generated and provided, and/or made assessable to the Police Department via 
Internet, for each article of evidence which may be submitted for such analysis. 
1. The Evidence Custodian shall be responsible for submitting evidence to the Crime Laboratory. If the 
Evidence Custodian is unavailable or in emergency situations, or another specific designee may deliver 
the items to the crime lab. Any item of evidence/property taken by the Evidence Custodian, other 
members of the police, will be accompanied by the Property/Evidence Sheet, which also contains the 
Department Chain-of-Custody, copy of the incident report, and a Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime 
Lab Submission Form. 

2. All evidence submitted to the State Crime Lab, will be packaged and submitted in an orderly fashion, 
consistent with the requirements of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab procedures and 
policies. A copy of the GBI “Laboratory Services and Requirements for Submitting Evidence Manual” 
can be viewed on line at http://www.state.ga.us/gbi/labmanual.html 
3. The evidence, submission form and incident report (if required for submission) will be secured in the 
lock boxes provided in the lobby of the GBI Crime Lab. The Chain-of-Custody Report will be stamped 
with the time and date that the evidence is relinquished. The Property/Evidence Sheet will be returned 
to the Auburn Police Department, so that the appropriate information can be added to the property and 
evidence database to indicate the status and current location of the evidence. 
4. Narcotics and dangerous drug evidence (capsules, pill, etc.) shall be counted as well as weighed. 
The Evidence Custodian will note the "gross weight when received" on the property sheet, which will 
include the primary packaging of the narcotics. 
Additionally, all containers of narcotics and dangerous drugs shall be inspected for evidence of 
tampering. 
5. Narcotics and dangerous drug evidence will be secured in sealed containers and stored within 
designated areas within the evidence room. 
6. Perishable items will be stored in the refrigerator located in the evidence room. 
2.9 Disposition of Property and Evidence 
Final disposition of found, recovered, and evidentiary property will be accomplished within six months 
after legal requirements have been met. Property and evidence items will be disposed of in accordance 
with O.C.G.A. Sec. 17-5-50 through 17-5-56 by one of the following manners: 
1. Property that is no longer of evidentiary value will be returned to its owner or disposed of in 
accordance with provisions of O.C.G.A. Sec. 17-5-50 through 17-5-54. 
2. In accordance with O.C.G.A Sec. 17-5-56 any physical evidence which contains biological material 
(stains, bodily fluids, or hair samples) collected during a criminal investigation of Murder, Felony 
Murder, Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Rape, Aggravated Child Molestation, Aggravated Sodomy, or 
Aggravated Sexual Battery must be maintained by the agency for not less than ten years after the 
sentence has been imposed. In cases where the death penalty has been imposed the 
above-mentioned evidence must be maintained until the sentence is carried out. 
3. Contraband and other evidence/property will be disposed of according to State Law. In those 
instances, not covered by State Law, contraband and evidence/property will be disposed of pursuant to 
court order. This agency will retain no explosive materials obtained through the evidence process for 
investigative or training purposes. Weapons may be retained by the agency, consistent with the 
associated court order. If such weapons are to be maintained for investigative purposes, such weapons 
will remain under control of the Departmental Evidence Custodian, and the use of these weapons will 
be documented consistent with applicable sections of this policy. Depending on condition, firearms may 
be retained and utilized by the agency for training purposes, consistent with the associated court order. 
Under such events, these designated firearms will be transferred into the Departmental armory. (Refer 
to APD Policy Chapter 10 IV for security and accountability procedures for such dedicated firearms.) All 
items of property/evidence that are destroyed will be in the presence of a witness. A memo will be 
generated from the Custodian to the CID Commander, stating what evidence was destroyed, when it 
was destroyed, and who witnessed the destruction. 
4. The Evidence Custodian will maintain a computer record of all evidence and/or other property that is 
removed from the Department property control process. This record will reveal the final disposition of 
each article of property. Additionally, the Chain-of-Custody report shall also be noted with the final 
disposition of the property. This report will be forwarded to the Records Section of the agency, upon 
final disposal of the property. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 13-2 Vehicle Inventory and Impound 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 13-2 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/27/2018 
Subject: Vehicle Inventory/Impound 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the removal or towing of vehicles that are 
illegally stopped, standing, or parked; stolen or abandoned; and/or in the agency’s custody. 
II. Policy 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to tow, impound, and release vehicles that have been 
impounded in accordance with Georgia State Law. 
III. Rules and Regulations 
A. When a Vehicle May be Towed 
According to State law, police officers may impound a motor vehicle under the following circumstances: 
1. An officer may immediately impound and remove a vehicle from a state highway system, when the 
motor vehicle poses a threat to the public health or safety, or to mitigate congestion (O.C.G.A. Sec. 
40-11-3(b)). 
2. An officer may impound a motor vehicle that has been left unattended on a public street, road or 
highway, or other public property, other than the state highway system, for a period of at least 5 days, if 
it appears to the officer that the individual who left the vehicle unattended does not intend to return and 
remove the motor vehicle; (O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-11-3(a)) Any peace officer or the law enforcement agency 
which causes a motor vehicle to be removed to a garage or other place of safety, or which is notified of 
the removal of a motor vehicle from private property, shall within 72 hours from the time of removal or 
notice, and if the owner is unknown, attempt to determine vehicle ownership through official inquiries to 
the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety vehicle registration and vehicle title files. The peace officer or 
agency responsible for initiating the removal of the vehicle shall furnish such ownership information to 
the person removing the vehicle within three (3) calendar days of removal. These inquiries shall be 
made from authorized criminal justice information system network terminals. (O.C.G.A. 40-11-3(d)(1)). 
3. All motor vehicles required to be registered in Georgia, must display a current license plate and 
revalidation sticker. The offense of Expired Tag shall not necessitate the towing of a vehicle provided 
that no other bondable offenses are included. Should a subsequent charge of Expired Tag be made 
against the same driver or vehicle then the vehicle may be impounded and stored at the owner’s 
expense. 
4. If the driver of a motor vehicle has been arrested, the vehicle may be impounded when: 
a. There is no one present who is authorized and capable of removing the vehicle; 
b. The driver has made no specific request about the disposition of the vehicle; 
c. The driver has made no request to use a specific towing service; 
d. The driver of a vehicle has made a specific request for the disposition of the vehicle or has requested 
a specific towing service, and the police officer has made a reasonable, but unsuccessful effort to 
comply with this request; and 
e. The driver of a vehicle has been removed from the scene and is either physically or mentally unable 
to make a request for the disposition of his vehicle. 
An officer may impound a vehicle for the protection of the vehicle and its contents under the provisions 
above. 
5. Officers may impound and remove any vehicle that may be stopped, parked, or left standing, 
whether attended or unattended, upon the roadway when it is practical to stop, park, or so leave such 
vehicle off the roadway, other than outside a business or residential district. But in every event, an 
unobstructed width of the highway opposite a standing vehicle, shall be left for free passage of other 

vehicles, and must have a clear view of the stopped vehicle from 200 feet in each direction upon the 
street or highway (O.C.G.A. 40-6-202). 

6. Officer may impound and remove any vehicle when: 
a. If a vehicle is left unattended upon any bridge, causeway, or in any tunnel. 
b. If a report has been made that such vehicle has been stolen or taken without the consent of its 
owner. 
7. If the driver of a vehicle is arrested on private property, and the driver either owns, has control of, or 
permission from the owner of the property, the vehicle should not be impounded, except upon the 
request of the driver. 
B. Legal Considerations of the Inventory 
When inventorying a vehicle before impoundment, the officer and Department are protecting three 
distinct interests. They include: 
1. Protection of the owner's property while it remains in police custody; 
2. The protection of the police from potential danger; 
3. The protection of the police against false claims of stolen or lost property. 
4. If the officer is questioned concerning his reasons for inventorying a vehicle which is being lawfully 
impounded, the officer should state that the vehicle is being inventoried for the above three reasons. 
The justification for an inventory of an impounded vehicle is based on the validity of the impoundment, 
not the arrest of the driver. If the impoundment was improper, any items seized during an inventory may 
not be admissible as evidence in court. 
5. An officer may look into any part of a vehicle where valuables may be stored. This includes the glove 
compartment and trunk. The inventory must be of a non-criminal nature and not an inventory search for 
evidence of a criminal nature. Locked containers (glove compartments) for which there is no key 
available shall not be forced open. 
C. Inventory Procedures 
Any time a vehicle is removed, stored, or towed at the direction of an officer, an Auburn Police 
Department Automobile Inventory Report must be completed. On the report, the officer shall list all 
personal property and vehicle accessories such as radios, CD players, and any other valuable 
equipment and shall describe the vehicle's condition. Upon completion, the Auburn Police Department 
Automobile Inventory Report will be signed by both the wrecker driver and the impounding officer. 
1. The original copy of the Auburn Police Department Vehicle Impound/Inventory Report will be 
submitted to the Shift Supervisor, who will then forward it to the Records Section for storage. The pink 
copy will be given to the wrecker driver. The yellow copy will be given the vehicle owner or operator. 
2. In all cases where an impound is made, there will be an incident report completed, except when a 
traffic accident report is made. 
3. When necessary to place a hold on an impounded vehicle, the officer must notify the wrecker service 
at the time of the pick-up, and sign (check) in the appropriate place on the automobile inventory report. 
Officers must have the approval of a supervisor before placing a hold order on a vehicle. The 
supervisor must indicate this approval by initialing off on the Vehicle Impound report form in the area 
where the officer has requested the hold. 
4. If the vehicle needs to be processed for evidence, it should be noted on the Automobile Inventory 
Report that the vehicle is stored at the Auburn Police Department, or wrecker yard. This should be at 
the investigating officer’s discretion. The vehicle must be stored in a secured location. All vehicles and 
other large items (i.e., four wheelers, trailers, go-carts, etc.), secured within the Auburn Police 
Department vehicle impound yard, shall be documented on a Departmental Property and Evidence 
report form. The completion of this form shall ensure the uniformity in the Department’s evidence 
control system and generate the necessary written chain of custody for these items. Should there be an 
ignition key to such stored vehicles, the seizing/storing officer shall document the vehicle and the key 
on the agency property form, and place the form, with the packaged key, into the temporary evidence 
storage, located on the first floor of the Department. If there is no key for the seized vehicle/property, 
the yellow copy of the Departmental Property and Evidence Report shall be left – prominently displayed 
– on the exterior of the vehicle/property. 
D. Release of Vehicle 

Once a vehicle is impounded, it will be necessary for the owner or authorized operator to produce the 
yellow copy of the automobile inventory report. If this report becomes lost or destroyed, the owner, or 
authorized operator, may receive a duplicate from police Records clerk on duty. 
NOTE: Vehicles which have a hold on them may be released by the officer which placed the order, or 
by any supervisor, if the hold does not have an approving supervisor’s initials. 

E. Vehicles Held Pending Condemnation 
All vehicles held by the Police Department awaiting condemnation orders, will be towed to, and held at 
the Auburn Police Department impound yard or designated area). An Auburn Police Department 
Automobile Inventory Report will be completed and included with the condemnation request. Any items 
that may be evidence will be listed, as well, and logged and secured in Property and Evidence Room at 
the Auburn Police Department. If condemnation paperwork is not completed within twenty days of 
seizure, the vehicle must be released to the owner by the seizing officer. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 13-3 Blood and Urine Test Kits 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 13-3 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/27/2018 
Subject: Blood and Urine Test Kits 

I. Policy 
In order to streamline and simplify the procedures for collecting blood and/or urine whenever driving 
under the influence is suspected, the Auburn Police Department will, when necessary, provide for blood 
and/or urine to be transported to the GBI Crime Lab. 
II. Rules and Regulations 
This Department will utilize blood and urine test kits approved by the GBI crime lab. The kit will be 
pre-labeled, and the appropriate postage applied. The kits will be available to sworn personnel and will 
be stored in the appropriate cabinet. With the supervisor’s approval, the kits will be supplied to the 
patrol officers on an as needed basis. The following procedures will be followed when an officer 
requests a test kit. 
A. Procurement of the Blood/Urine Kit 
1. The officer will notify the shift supervisor that a kit is needed. The authorizing supervisor will ensure 
that a blood and urine kit is issued to the officer. 
2. The officer will take the suspect to the Barrow or Gwinnett Medical Center Emergency Room 
proceeding directly to admissions and have the suspect sign a Consent to Blood Test form provided by 
the hospital. The officer shall receive a copy of the consent for blood test form and write the case 
number in the upper right corner of the form. The copy of the form will be returned to records for filing. 
3. When a suspect requests an additional blood test, the officer will take the suspect to the Out-Patient 
Desk and allow the Hospital to complete the required paperwork. The suspect will then be taken directly 
to the laboratory where a technician will provide containers, etc. The hospital will charge the patient for 
this service. 
B. Collection, Handling, and Submission of Samples 
The following steps shall be completed when preparing samples for proper evaluation at the crime lab. 
The directions included with the kit will be used to ensure proper submission. 
1. All tubes and/or containers shall be clearly labeled with the name of the subject. 
2. Whenever any alcohol and/or drug screen analysis is requested, or whenever Deoxyribonucleic Acid 
(DNA) analysis is requested, the appropriate color-coded sterile stoppered vacationers (vials) which 
contain the proper preservatives and anti-coagulants must be used. The officer should make certain to 
gently invert the tube immediately following collection to ensure that the blood and additive are 
thoroughly mixed. 
3. Proper forms must be submitted with each case and reflect at a minimum the subjects name, county 
of incident, officer's name and title, agency handling the case, type of case and whether the subject is 
dead or alive. This information is essential for the crime lab to process the case and should be 
LEGIBLY written or printed. It is also important to document the date and time of sample collection, and 
the name of the individual that collected the sample. If prescription drugs are suspected, the drug 
name(s) must be listed on the submission form. 
4. When requesting a drug screen, both blood and urine samples are necessary for a complete drug 
screen. A minimum of two (2) tubes of blood (or at least 10 ml) and as much urine as available (at a 
minimum of 30 ml) should be submitted. 
5. Two vials of blood are necessary when submitting samples to test for blood alcohol content. 
C. Guidelines for Submission 
The test kits include all items required and should be used in the following order: 

1. Complete the top portion of the "blood Alcohol Toxicology Evidence Request Form" (inside 
envelope). 
2. Complete "Name Labels". (Name, Date, and Initials) 
3. Have the lab technician draw blood while the arresting officer observes. 
4. Complete "Integrity Seal" labels. 
5. Attach “name labels and blood tube security seals” to blood tubes after blood is drawn. 
6. Have the lab technician dispose of the needle used. 
7. Obtain urine sample (if required). The taking of this sample must be witnessed by the lab technician 
or by the officer. 
Note: If the suspect is of the opposite sex or the officer is unable to view the sample being collected, the 
officer should take reasonable steps to ensure the sample is not contaminated during collection. Those 
steps and the reason the officer could not witness the collection are to be detailed in the incident report. 
Note: Urine samples are not to be collected to ascertain the level of alcohol intoxication. 
8. Attach "Name label" to the urine bottle and place one (1) urine security label on the urine bottle cap 
on the top of the bottle. 
9. Place both Blood and Urine tubes into the Styrofoam holder and secure lid. Attach two (2) blue 
sealed evidence - Do Not Tamper Strips to opposite ends of the Styrofoam holder which have been 
initialed by the person sealing the Styrofoam holder. 
10. Place the Styrofoam holder inside the plastic bag and close tightly, seal with one (1) red evidence 
strip. Place the submission card in the exterior pouch of the zip lock bag. Place the bag inside the 
cardboard box. 
11. The cardboard box should be closed and sealed with (2) red security labels. Also, the orange 
Biohazard label shall be affixed at the designated location on the outside of the cardboard box. 
12. Place completed and sealed kit into the blood/urine refrigerator in patrol room and record 
chain-of-custody appropriately. 
Note: The evidence custodian will ensure that an adequate supply of kits is available at all times. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 14 Records Department 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 14 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/27/2018 
Subject: Records Division 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the preparation, dissemination, retention, 
accountability of, and processing of official forms and reports, produced by the Auburn Police 
Department, and to establish procedures for the activities of the Central Records Section. 
II. Policy 
Accurate and complete reports, submitted in a timely manner, are fundamental to this agency’s efficient 
and effective operation. Therefore, agency personnel will make every effort to legibly complete all forms 
and submit them through proper channels as quickly as possible, normally just after the end of the 
patrol shift. All agency records, with noted exemptions, will be maintained in the Central Records 
Division 
Prior to using any computer programs owned and operated by the City of Auburn, all personnel and 
interns are required to read and sign disclosure/awareness statements regarding the proper usage of 
the computer system and dissemination of privileged criminal justice information. Agency personnel are 
prohibited from installing any hardware or software, or from altering the original configuration of the 
system owned by the City of Auburn. Agency personnel are also restricted from interfacing any 
information/disks from a personal computer with the host or laptop computers. Laptops that are 
assigned to agency personnel do not become personal computers. 
III. Administration 
A. Central Records 
1. Designated hard copy agency records will be maintained in Central Records with continual direct 
accessibility for operations personnel. Electronic agency records are accessible to agency personnel at 
all times, via the host server MDS, with security access and limitations inherent within each log-in and 
password of all personnel and other persons authorized access. Only departmental supervisors have 
the ability and authorization rights to approve and/or change reports submitted by line personnel. Key 
holders and password access into the secured Records Section are designated by the Chief of Police 
and the Criminal Investigations Division Commander. Physical access to Central Records is limited to 
those employees and contractors with a legitimate need for access and is maintained by the records 
manager. 
2. Those officers and citizens requesting information and/or records shall make request by telephone, 
mail, electronic mail, or in person at the Support Services window, located inside the front lobby of the 
Auburn Police Department. Citizens will be charged a small fee to receive copies of initial incident and 
accident reports. This fee will be set by the Chief of Police and posted in the lobby of the Police 
Department. Fees for the copying of reports requested under the Georgia Open Records Act shall be 
assessed according to said law and determined by the records manager on each case requested. 
3. Records will be released per current Georgia Law. If a question arises concerning the release of 
records, the Chief of Police or the Support Division Commander will make the determination as to the 
release. (Refer to Chapter 14-1) 
4. Only those forms authorized by the Chief of Police or required by Georgia Law shall be utilized by 
agency personnel. 
5. Reports, forms, and logs maintained in Records shall be originals, or the best copy available, with 
exemptions allowed in this policy. 
B. Central Records Exemptions 

Some records, because of their confidential nature, or the manner in which they are used, are 
exempted from storage in the Central Records Section. 

1. Training Records will be stored in the training office and will be the responsibility of the Training 
Officer. 
2. Employee files will be stored in the Office of the Chief of Police and maintained by the chief of police 
or his designee. Any Employee files initiated by the employee’s immediate supervisor, shall be stored 
by that supervisor within the Division that the employee is currently assigned. 
3. Criminal Investigations records and Intelligence Files will be stored in CID and maintained by CID 
personnel. 
4. Internal Investigation Records will be stored in the Office of the Chief of Police and maintained by the 
Chief of Police. 
C. Types of Records 
1. Hard Copy/Paper Files 
a. Case Files-contents may include, but are not limited to, incident reports, detective reports, 
supplemental reports, photographs, digital recordings of statements, transcriptions of statements, 
copies of juvenile complaint forms, juvenile arrest/booking reports, affidavits, case file transmittal 
sheets, criminal histories, and copies of documents of evidentiary value pertaining to the type of case. 
b. Active Warrants - a distinction is made between those that are servable (GCIC ENTRY) and those 
that are un-servable. (Housed in support services) 
c. Accident Reports (serious injury or fatality only case files) 
d. Automobile Inventory Sheets 
e. Warrant Transmittal Sheets 
f. Juvenile Citation/Complaint Logs 
g. Criminal Trespass Warnings 
h. Vehicle Repossessions 
i. Department’s Copy of Citations 
j. Municipal Court Logs 
k. Solicitor's Permits 
l. GCIC Information 
m. Employee Time Sheets 
n. Patrol Citation Submissions 
n. Interdepartmental Log Books 
o. Used Citation Books 
p. Accident request forms 
q. Open records request forms and files 
All hard copy files are stored within the Records room within secure filing cabinets. Juvenile offender 
files are filed separately from adult files and maintained in a locked filing cabinet in the Records room. 
The key to the juvenile filing cabinet is kept at the front desk in a locked box and may only be accessed 
by personnel within the Records Section. NOTE: Some hard-copy records may be stored and 
maintained by the department TAC/and or support services division. 
D. Retention Schedules 
Paper files are retained within the Records Section for a maximum of three years, unless otherwise 
noted in this policy. Files are then sent to the archives room and then destroyed in accordance with the 
Retention Schedule for Municipal Governments. 
Electronic files are backed up daily and archived weekly. 
IV. Reporting 
A. General Guidelines 
Any of the following occurring within the City of Auburn will be investigated and recorded by an Auburn 
Police Officer and assigned a unique case number via the CAD system operated by Barrow County 
E-911: 
1. Citizen reports of crimes 
2. Citizen Complaints 
3. Incidents resulting in an employee being dispatched or assigned 
4. Criminal and non-criminal cases initiated by law enforcement employees 

5. Incidents involving arrests, citations, summonses, or officer-initiated contacts with citizens that 
involve any level of enforcement actions 
6. Calls for service involving the activation of burglar alarms; whether false, residential or commercial in 
nature 
The Shift Supervisor is responsible for the immediate supervision, control and administration of 
personnel on his shift, and of activities or incidents which occur during his shift. Patrol shift supervisors 
are responsible for reviewing and approving all reports generated during each shift, unless otherwise 
specified by the Patrol Commander. The supervisor ensures that each report is clear, accurate, and 
completed according to established procedures and policies. Specifically, the Shift Supervisor accounts 
for each case number issued and ensures reports are generated and approved in RMS. 
The Auburn Police Department will maintain automated files within the computer retrievable by, but not 
limited to, incidents by type and incidents by location. Automated files will also be maintained on all 
types of property such as stolen, found, recovered, safe keeping, evidentiary property, etc. 
B. Arrest/Booking Reports 
1. Arrest/Booking Reports, including fingerprinting and photographing, are to be completed by the 
Barrow County Jail. 
2. Arrest/Booking entries are to be completed by the arresting officer into the RMS incident report form 
and any hard copy forms necessary for booking. If the arrest is the result of warrant service, the arrest 
entry is to be made on the original report, and a supplemental report shall be attached, detailing the 
circumstances of the arrest. All charges that the arrestee is booked on must be entered into the arrest 
field. 
C. Accident/Incident Reports 
1. Accidents are to be completed as described by the Georgia Traffic Accident Procedure Manual and 
submitted to the supervisor for review and approval. Incident reports are to be completed according to 
Auburn Police Department Report Writing Manual. (Refer to Chapter 17 or the Report Writing Manual 
for case status definitions). If an arrest has been made, or if the report has been exceptionally cleared, 
the officer must also complete a clearance in the appropriate data field. 
2. At the end of the month, the Records Section will be responsible for sending a copy of all accident 
reports for that month to the Georgia Department of Transportation-Crash Reporting Unit, 935 East 
Confederate Avenue, Building 24, Atlanta, Georgia 30316. 
3. Support service clerks and/ or the records manager will be responsible for retrieving reports from the 
MDS database for citizens. Citizens may request reports in person, by mail, by fax, and electronically. 
All Departmental personnel receiving any request for any type of report(s) shall refer the citizen to the 
Records Section, to ensure proper lawful disclosure compliance. Prior to releasing the report, clerks are 
required to first read the incident type to ensure that the report may be released under the Open 
Records Act. If the clerk is unsure, then he/she must contact the Records Supervisor. 
Prior to releasing an accident report, the clerk must require anyone who was not a driver in the accident 
to complete the Accident Report Request Form. The clerk must insure that this form is completed in its 
entirety, paying close attention to the reason that a non-driver selects for receiving the report. If a 
citizen making the request has a reason other than what is documented on the form, then the clerk is 
not authorized to release the accident report and shall refer that person to the Records Supervisor. A 
fee of $2.00 will be assessed for incident and accident reports. Clerks will be responsible for generating 
receipts for all payments received. If a citizen makes a request for a considerable number of records, or 
for records kept within another Division of the Department, the clerk must have the citizen to complete 
the Open Records Request form and submit it to the Records Supervisor for retrieval or assignment. 
4. Complete incident report packets (consistent with case file arrangement directives within Chapter 17 
of this policy manual) are delivered to the local district attorney’s office for prosecution purposes by the 
officer assigned as the prosecuting officer. These prosecution packets are completed and delivered 
upon arrest and completion of the respective investigation. Those incidents resulting in prosecution 
within State Court and Municipal Court shall be prepared and delivered via the Support Division. 
5. Internal distribution of reports shall be accomplished via the agency’s networked records system. All 
such records are accessible to provide assigned personnel the information necessary for the 
accomplishment of their respective duties (i.e. crime analysis, investigative follow-up, internal reviews 
and inspections.) 

D. Miscellaneous Reports 
Miscellaneous reports are to be completed by Auburn Police Officers upon certain dispatched calls for 
service that do not merit the generation of an accident or incident report. Names are a required entry for 
miscellaneous reports. The following types of miscellaneous reports are now designated as ‘Stat 3’ 
reports, and can be grouped into the officer’s daily activity report when officers are compelled to 
document an incident based on unique circumstances rather than classifying the report as a suspicious 
persons; school crossings; funeral escorts; disregard call; demented person, (one report per shift upon 
repeated calls); check area; assist Fire Dept.; standby; emergency message; direct traffic; civil matters; 
money transfer; prisoner transport; animal complaints (where no citation is issued); assist motorist; 
illegally parked vehicles; 911 hang-ups; AED response (without contact); clear lot; unwanted persons; 
and welfare checks where police services are not required. The following types of reports are now 
designated as ‘201-D’ reports, and as such no written report is required to be generated by the 
investigating officer: suspicious persons when no violations of law exist; school crossings; funeral 
escorts; disregard call; demented person, (one report per shift upon repeated calls); check area; assist 
Fire Dept.; standby; emergency message; direct traffic; civil matters; money transfer; prisoner transport; 
animal complaints (where no citation is issued); assist motorist; illegally parked vehicles; 911 hang-ups 
when not violations of law exist; AED response (without contact); clear lot; unwanted persons; and 
welfare checks where police services are not required. 
Additionally, officers assigned to the Bike or Canine Units, or contractual obligation zones, are not 
required to do two reports. Their respective reports will contain their daily activity of ‘stat 3’ reports. 
E. RMS Records Management Software Entry 
The current records management software system utilizes Windows features for point and click data 
entry. The main screen is comprised of buttons and tabs. Each button can represent a particular view, 
each view has one or more tabs. All required tabs should be completed before saving information for a 
particular view. 
1. Incident Reporting 
The Main View (the one that appears upon opening the program) is completed first. All applicable tabs 
(located at the top of the Main View screen) should be completed. The following order of data entry is 
required for the tabs on the top portion of the Main View: 
a. Incident 
b. Incident Type 
c. Complainant 
d. Victim 
e. Offender/Suspect 
f. Witness 
g. Property 
h. Vehicle 
I. Narrative 
If all views do not apply, skip to the next button in the order listed above and so forth. 
For UCR reporting purposes, if an officer is documenting a crime in which multiple offenses have 
occurred, the most Part I crimes are entered as the first incident type. Part I crimes against persons 
take precedent over crimes against property and must be reported first. For example, if a Burglary and 
an Aggravated Assault have occurred, the offense at the top of the Main View would be the Assault 
dropdown; in the incident type at the bottom, the Assault crime would be listed first and the Burglary 
second, regardless of the order in which they occurred. (Example 2: if a Shoplifting and Battery offense 
occur in the same incident, the Shoplifting would be listed first, since Larceny/Theft is a Part I crime; 
Battery is a Part II crime and would be listed second.) 
Consistency in data entry is imperative for the accurate retrieval of statistics. The following 
abbreviations are standard for data entry in the location field: 
Street ST 
Drive DR 
Circle CIR 
Lane LN 
Court CT 

Parkway PKWY 
Avenue AVE 
Boulevard BLVD 
Place PL 
Highway HWY 
Trail TRL 
Alley ALLEY 
Apartment APT 
If an address has any type of distinguishing feature in addition to the number, such as ½, rear, lot 
number, or apt. number, these features are entered after the street name. Street names that are 
preceded by New, North, East, West, etc. are not abbreviated. (Ex. 210 South Page St ½) 
Data entry of officer names should only have the last name, then a space, then the officer’s first initial. 
(Ex. jones J) Each officer will enter his/her name in this format in those data fields requiring the name of 
the officer. 

2. Accident Reporting 
Upon opening the Accident Reporting data field, the following order must be followed: 
a. Master Entry – complete both pages in their entirety. 
b. Names – driver #1’s information must be entered first; then enter all other drivers involved. 
c. Occupant (if applicable) 
d. Witness (if applicable) 
e. Remarks/Narrative 
f. Sketch (Easy Draw) 
3. Warrant Service 
General 
a. Any officer or detective who serves a warrant and receives credit for the arrest, is responsible to 
immediately enter the arrestee’s name in the arrest field, complete the clearance data field, and 
complete a supplemental report to the original incident report. 
V. Traffic/Parking Citations 
The court clerk will issue traffic and parking citation books to officers, upon request. An officer 
requesting a citation book must turn in the used book at the time a new one is issued. The officer will 
only be issued one book at a time, unless approved by the Shift Supervisor, who will notify the clerk via 
telephone, or unless it is a traffic officer obtaining new books. The clerk will log the citation book 
number(s), citation numbers, date, officer’s name and employee number, and the clerk will initial the 
Traffic Citation Book Log. Citation books will be stored in the locked Support area. Officers will return all 
citations, warnings, and voided or dismissed citations to the supervisor on duty at the end of each shift 
or upon request of the supervisor. The supervisor on duty shall return the issuing Department’s copy, 
the court copy, and the Department of Public Safety’s Copy of the traffic citation to the clerk on duty. 
The officer shall retain the “officer copy” of the citation in the citation book and submit the book to their 
immediate supervisor when all citations are used in the book. After the supervisor has checked the 
book to ensure that either all citations were either issued or voided properly, he or she will then submit 
the used citation book to be stored in records. Citation booklets must be held for six months after each 
new calendar year. Prior to submitting warning citations, the supervisor shall ensure that warning 
citations are not issued a court date. (Warning citations can be written utilizing the Auburn Police 
Department courtesy warning form). The white copy of the parking citation will be submitted to the clerk 
on duty. Once a citation is submitted to courts, officers will not be allowed to retrieve the original or any 
of the copies from the Records Section. 
Clerks may give officers a photocopy of a citation upon request. 
1. If a citation or a citation book is lost, the supervisor shall require the officer responsible for the lost 
citation(s) to submit an incident report. A copy of the report shall be forwarded to the Chief of Police and 
the Support Supervisor. The Support Supervisor shall ensure that lost citations are entered into the 
database as lost. 
2. Completed traffic citations shall be entered into the appropriate computer database by the court 
clerk. The clerk shall forward the court and public safety copies to the appropriate court and place the 
Department’s copy in the appropriately marked container, after sorting the citations in numerical order, 

for filing in court records. 

3. Copies of traffic citations issued to juveniles are to be placed in the appropriately marked container 
for the Records Clerk to file with the Juvenile Complaint Forms and shall be entered in the appropriate 
computer database. The original juvenile traffic citation shall be forwarded to Juvenile Court for 
processing. 
VII. UCR And Crime Statistics 
A. Submission of Crime Statistics for Inclusion in the Uniform Crime Report 
1. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. Sec. 35-3-36) requires all law enforcement agencies participate in the 
Uniform Crime Reporting Program. Reports reflecting crime data, which require reporting in accordance 
with the FBI Uniform Crime Report criteria, will be submitted electronically, monthly, to the Georgia 
Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting Unit by the Support Division Commander or her 
designee. 
2. The records division manager shall be responsible for ensuring the accuracy of crime reports as they 
pertain to UCR standards, by creating and/or generating designated internal reports designed to 
determine the errors within the electronically submitted reports in the Records Management System. 
These reports include a Crystal Report designed to identify miscoded UCR reports, a comprehensive 
arrest report, and a comprehensive UCR report of all Part I and Part II crimes documented in a 
particular month. The Support supervisors shall also check the accuracy of documentation of selected 
case clearances to ensure that these comply with criteria set by the FBI UCR standards. Additionally, 
an ‘Edit Error Check’ report, (which may or may not be supplied by the Department’s software 
provider), is run to identify any additional errors that would cause a rejection by the State system. The 
Support Division Commander or her designee shall be responsible for the electronic submission of the 
monthly UCR report to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations. 
VIII. Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) 
A. Dissemination of Criminal History 
Criminal histories will be disseminated in accordance with current GCIC regulations and State Law. 
Criminal histories are generated within the Records Section which is secured as outlined in this chapter 
under Section III (A)(1), which is a controlled access area. It is the responsibility of all GCIC terminal 
operators to ensure that all GCIC dissemination laws are adhered to or the said personnel shall be 
subject to disciplinary action in accordance with Departmental standards. Any questions concerning 
dissemination shall be forwarded to the Support Division Supervisor or Commander, prior to 
dissemination. The following reflects the various situations in which criminal histories may be obtained: 
1. Auburn Police Officers and other local, state, and federal law enforcement may receive criminal 
histories for investigation and court purposes. All requestors must complete the criminal history request 
and provide a case number, if applicable. 
2. Persons may receive a copy of their own criminal history by providing valid identification and signing 
a criminal history consent and release form. A fee will be assessed, and a receipt generated. 
3. GCIC allows persons to receive Georgia only felony criminal histories on other persons, (under 
Purpose Code ‘P’) by providing a signed notarized affidavit and signing a release form; however, this 
Department does not participate in this option. 
4. The Auburn Police Department provides criminal histories to outside departments and agencies for 
the purpose of either employment, licensing, housing, volunteer work, etc., upon those agencies 
providing notarized, signed consent and release forms from the applicants. Additionally, the outside 
agency requesting the criminal history must sign a ‘Criminal History Consent Agreement Form’, stating 
that they must inform all applicants of any adverse decision made as a result of their criminal history, 
pursuant to GCIC Council Rule 140-2-.04. Specifically, the outside agency must inform the applicants 
that a criminal history check was made; the specific contents of the record; and the effect that the 
record had upon the agency’s decision. 
5. Criminal histories are generated for all persons who desire to participate in the police ride-along 
program. The citizen must sign a consent form, which has been incorporated into the ride-along 
application. In lieu of a case number, each person is assigned a chronological number by the clerk 
accepting the form, which is maintained in a log book for GCIC auditing purposes. 
6. Although fees will not apply to government agencies, all other criteria listed above must be complied 
with. All criminal history consent forms are filed within the support services division. 

7. Physical security standards regarding access to the GCIC terminals, to include Mobile Data 
terminals, shall be in compliance with GCIC rule 140-2-.08. The GCIC desktop terminal within the 
Auburn Police Department is located in the support services division. Only those employees that are 
defined as “Terminal Operators” or “Practitioners” under GCIC rule 140-1-.02, shall be allowed to 
operate the terminals. 
B. Monthly Validations 
GCIC entries must be validated within 30 days of received date. Validations consist of verification of 
specific entries on GCIC. The following GCIC records require monthly validations: wanted/missing 
persons, Violent Gang and Terrorist Organization (VGTOF) entries, and stolen property entries. 
Validations will be completed in accordance with the guidelines as set forth in Chapter 2.12 of the GCIC 
Policy Manual. 
C. HIT Confirmations/Arrest Warrant Processing 
1. It will be the responsibility of the Support Services clerk to verify the existence of warrants via the 
internal computer system and GCIC terminal, to requesting officers and other agencies in response to a 
HIT. Upon receiving a HIT from an outside agency, the clerk shall either confirm or deny the HIT, or 
request additional time to respond, in compliance with Part 6 of the GCIC Operations Manual. 
Receiving a second HIT request from an outside agency will constitute a missed HIT, and the clerk will 
receive a call from GCIC. Any clerk receiving such a call shall document the reason that the HIT was 
missed in an electronic format and forward the document to the shift supervisor before ending their shift 
on that date. Failure to comply with this directive shall result in disciplinary action on the offending party 
according to policy. The TAC shall create a file of all missed HITs, which shall be placed in a secure 
location in the support services section. The support services clerk should verify if the officer has the 
person detained at which time, the clerk will obtain the original warrant from the file and advise the 
officer that the warrant is in hand. The following criteria will be used to determine if a warrant is valid: 
a. If the original warrant is located and all bio-data matches the initial entry, the warrant is valid (confirm 
the HIT) 
1. If the original warrant cannot be located the warrant will be presumed invalid. (deny the HIT) 
2. If the bio-data does not accurately match, then the clerk shall inform the Records supervisor or the 
Patrol supervisor on duty for final determination. 
3. The supervisor will determine if the clerk will place a hold on a suspect outside Troup County. If the 
decision is made to have the person held at another agency, the terminal operator shall ask the holding 
agency to send a Locate message, so that a Detainer can be placed on the wanted person. 
4. If in doubt, do not verify. 
2. The Support Clerk must enter warrants on an in-house computer and on the GCIC computer and 
place the entry record in the TAC box to be validated. All valid warrants must be entered into GCIC 
within 12 hours upon receipt of said warrant. If a misdemeanor warrant does not have specific bio-data 
as required by GCIC for entry, the warrant will be entered into the in-house computer with the assigned 
status of ‘unverifiable’. Each unverifiable warrant shall be forwarded to The Criminal Investigations 
Section for further investigation to determine the verifiable status. The unverifiable warrant shall not be 
entered on the GCIC computer until it is determined verifiable through the Criminal Investigations 
Section. These warrants will be filed alphabetically by the last name in Records after a letter is sent to 
the suspect informing him of the warrant. After a period of two years, these unserved warrants may be 
sent to the court of origination for dismissal. 
3. Warrants will be entered on GCIC using the Wanted Persons Worksheet. All information will be filled 
in the blanks on the worksheet and then entered onto the GCIC. Additionally, the information from the 
“DQ” and the “IQ” will be entered on the GCIC. Alias information from the “IQ” will be written in the 
Supplemental Worksheet and then entered on the GCIC from the worksheet. Warrants will be entered 
in compliance with the GCIC Policy/Procedures Manual, and as outlined in the Clerk Training Manual. 
The operator may also run an “FQ” for warrant entry to determine if the wanted person has any caution 
indicators. 
4. Warrants will be cleared from GCIC when wanted persons have been located. Additionally, the clerk 
will immediately clear the warrant in the in-house database. Clear messages remove records from 
GCIC/NCIC files when recoveries or apprehensions occur (O.C.G.A. Sec. 35-3-36(m), GCIC Council 
Rule 140-2-.13). The originating agency can authorize the clearance of a record. 

5. Warrants will be cancelled when a record has been entered incorrectly and cannot be modified, and 
when documentation no longer exists to support the record entry. Additionally, the clerk will 
immediately cancel the warrant in the in-house database. Cancel messages remove records from 
GCIC/NCIC files that are no longer valid, cannot be supported by documentation, or cannot be modified 
to make the record correct (O.C.G.A. Sec. 35-3-36(m), GCIC Council Rule 140-2-.13). Only the 
originating agency can authorize the cancellation of a record. 
6. Copies of warrants/juvenile pickup orders received in Records from outside agencies either via 
facsimile or in person, shall be forwarded to the Patrol Division for service. Upon service of said 
warrant/juvenile pickup order, the officer shall document the arrest as stated in Section IV.B. This 
agency maintains warrant files, and wanted persons, on crimes that were initiated by the Auburn Police 
Department and the City of Auburn Municipal Court. With the exception of those maintained from 
Municipal Court, warrant files are not maintained from any other outside agencies. 
D. Missing Person 
Officers investigating missing persons provide the Support clerk with the appropriate ‘Missing Person’s 
information for entry onto GCIC. The clerk will enter the information from the Missing Persons 
Worksheet prior to giving the SRN. Missing persons will be entered on GCIC per the GCIC 
Policy/Procedures Manual. All juveniles reported missing shall be entered on GCIC immediately, (within 
2 hours of the initial call), upon the officer completing and submitting a ‘Missing Person’s Declaration’ 
form to the on-duty clerk. The on-duty clerk must insure that all forms are completed prior to making the 
entry. The officer requesting the entry, or the removal of the entry, shall document the name of the 
Support clerk making the entry or removal in the narrative portion of his report. The support clerk, upon 
removing the entry, shall put the name of the requestor on the printout, and then date and initial this 
clearance printout. A copy of this printout shall be made for the supervisor of the officer that requested 
the removal and placed in the appropriate box in Support, whether CID, SIU, or Patrol. All missing 
juvenile entries require an update of medical/dental information within 60 days of the initial entry. If this 
information is not made available to the investigator, documentation of the attempt to obtain this 
information is required in the case file. 
E. Stolen Vehicle 
After taking an initial stolen vehicle report, the officer will provide the clerk with the victim’s name, 
address, VIN, tag, make, model, color, and case number. When only the tag has been stolen, the 
officer will advise it is only a tag. At this time the clerk will enter the information on GCIC as specified in 
the GCIC Policy/Procedures Manual and issue the officer an NIC number. This number shall be 
documented in the narrative portion of the original incident report by the reporting officer. The officer will 
submit a supplemental report when the vehicle/tag has been recovered and the clerk will remove the 
information from GCIC. The officer shall include the name of the clerk to whom he or she made the 
request for entry and removal in the supplemental report. The entry of the clerk’s name in the report is a 
GCIC/NCIC requirement. If an officer recovers any property and does not request prompt removal of 
the GCIC entry, then the GCIC Unit of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations requires for auditing 
purposes that the officer submit a supplemental report explaining why the entry was not removed. 
F. Guns 
When investigating a stolen gun incident, the officer will provide the clerk with the victim’s name, 
address, phone number, serial number, make, model, cal., and any additional identifying information 
about the gun. Prior to issuing the NIC number, the clerk will enter the information on GCIC in 
accordance with the GCIC Policy/Procedures Manual. All guns entered on GCIC by this agency shall 
remain on the system and are not subject to validation documentation. Guns shall only be removed at 
the request of the investigating officer and only after said weapon has been recovered. 
G. Articles 
When an officer investigates an incident involving a stolen article, the officer will provide the clerk with 
victim’s name, address, phone number, and any other information that can help identify the item. The 
clerk will enter the information on GCIC in accordance with the GCIC Policy/Procedures Manual and 
issue an NIC. When the article has been recovered, the officer shall contact the clerk to request 
removal of the article from GCIC. The officer shall, in the supplemental report, include the name of the 
clerk to whom the request for the removal is made. The support clerk, upon removing the entry, shall 
put the name of the requestor on the printout, and then date and initial this clearance printout. A copy of 

this printout shall be made for the supervisor of the officer that requested the removal. 

H. Identity Theft 
When an officer investigates a complaint of identity theft, the officer will first ask the victim if they would 
like to be placed into the Identity Theft file. If the victim consents, the officer will ensure that the victim 
completes the Consent Waiver in its entirety, to include a password noted on the Waiver. The officer 
will obtain pertinent information, (i.e., the required fields for entry on the GCIC entry form), from the 
victim to create an accurate profile for the file. The officer must submit this Waiver to the entering clerk 
prior to any entry onto GCIC. The Waiver also acknowledges that the victim may later withdraw 
consent, only upon a written request to the entering agency, at which time, the record will be cancelled. 
In addition to completing the incident report, the reporting officer shall also photograph the victim of the 
identity theft and attach the photo to the report as a supplemental, specifying that said photo is the 
victim. The officer shall include in the narrative portion of the incident report the NIC number, and the 
name of the entering clerk, as with all other reports where GCIC entries are requested. If the victim 
requests to be removed from the File, the officer shall direct the victim to the Support Division, where 
they will be required to complete a form, requesting the cancellation. 
I. Other GCIC Entries 
When a certified terminal operator has any other entries to make on GCIC, he/she shall refer to the 
GCIC Policy/Procedures Manual for instructions on the information needed. The certified terminal 
operator will then follow GCIC procedures required to enter the item, and prior to transmitting the entry, 
the clerk shall print the entry screen, and include this record in the GCIC file. 
J. Clearing and Canceling Records 
Clear messages remove records from GCIC/NCIC files when recoveries or apprehensions occur 
(O.C.G.A. Sec. 35-3-36(m), GCIC Council Rule 140-2-.13). The originating agency can authorize the 
clearance of a record. 
Clear records when: 
1. Wanted persons have been apprehended 
2. Missing persons have been found 
3. Stolen property has been found 
Cancel messages remove records from GCIC/NCIC files that are no longer valid, cannot be supported 
by documentation, or cannot be modified to make the record correct (O.C.G.A. Sec. 35-3-36(m), GCIC 
Council Rule 140-2-.13). Only the originating agency can authorize the cancellation of a record. 
Cancel records when: 
1. A record is entered incorrectly and cannot be modified. The record must be re-entered using the 
correct information. 
2. Documentation (warrants, reports of missing persons, theft reports, etc.) no longer exists to support 
the record. 
3. The victim of an Identity Theft submits written documentation to be removed from the Identity Theft 
files. 
K. Discipline for CJIS Misuse 
Under no circumstances will any employee of this agency access or cause to be accessed or 
disseminate any CJIS information contrary to GCIC Council Rules and network policies, or violate any 
laws governing the operation of the CJIS network, of the GCIC Council Rules, GCIC CJIS Security 
Policy, or of GCIC network policies published by GCIC. Violation of these rules may include but are not 
limited to suspension/ revocation of agency or individual access to the CJIS network or disciplinary 
action in accordance with City and departmental standards, up to and including termination. Individual 
violators are also subject to criminal prosecution when their actions constitute violations of applicable 
state or federal law. 
IX. Telephone Procedures 
A. General Guidelines 
The majority of calls coming in to the Department are initially received within the support services 
division. It is imperative that clerks make every effort to be polite and helpful. Clerks will develop good 
telephone habits with a cheerful voice and a helpful attitude. Clerks are responsible for imparting a 
favorable image of the Auburn Police Department with every phone contact. The following guidelines 
will be followed: 

1. Answer the telephone promptly. Place other customers on hold to answer other lines, and then 
prioritize by order of importance. 
2. Answer the phone by saying “Auburn Police” and give your first name and say, “how may I help you.” 
3. When transferring customers to employees, be sure to determine if the employee is available to 
answer the phone first. This will prevent the customer from being “bounced around” to various phones. 
If the employee is unavailable, then offer to take a handwritten message or connect to voice mail. 
4. Do not give out the E-911 non-emergency number. 
5. If a customer requests information that may take a while to gather, explain that it will take a period of 
time, and offer to call back. 
6. Persons calling in with any type of employee or agency complaint shall be handled immediately, and 
not placed on hold. Procedures outlined in Chapter 5-1 of the Auburn Police Department Policy Manual 
shall be utilized 
B. Messages 
When taking messages, the information should be written legibly on the message form. The sections on 
the message form concerning the intended receiving party, date, time, and the clerk taking the 
message, and a short message may also be placed on the form, but do not push the customer for 
information. Keep in mind that the message form should be used when relaying all messages, not just 
telephone messages. This creates a system for predictable retrieval of messages. Clerks will generally 
take messages and connect customers to employees concerning issues of a routine matter. 
1. Messages shall be placed in the appropriate box. The Patrol Supervisor will be informed that a 
message is ready for retrieval when an employee assigned to Patrol Division receives a message. 
2. Clerks should use common sense, by identifying those messages that need immediate attention, and 
ensure the message is received by the responsible employee. 
X. Records Accountability 
A. Pass-On 
Each clerk relieving the off-going clerk, will check and assume responsibility for the following: 
1. Cash drawer: count money to make sure proper amount. If over or under, the off-going clerk must do 
an overage or under receipt. 
2. Computers: the clerks coming on must log on to the in-house and GCIC with the proper log-on code. 
3. Keys: on-coming clerks must insure that all keys are accounted for. If a key is missing, the off-going 
clerk should have it in pass on log or retrieve it before ending their tour of duty. 
4. Patrol messages: If any messages are in the patrol box, the on-coming clerk is to advise the Shift 
Supervisor. 
5. Fax machine: On-coming clerk is to check to make sure there are no faxes and there is paper. 
6. Copy/printer: on-coming clerk will make sure full of paper. 
7. Housekeeping: Off-going clerk will insure area is clean before leaving. If not clean, on-coming clerk 
must make a note in pass on log and inform off-going clerk. 
8. Determine if there is any other information important to the operation of records section. 
XI. Training 
A. GCIC Training 
All new clerks and any other designated City employees authorized to access GCIC, shall be certified 
through the new GCIC Computer-based Training Program, effective June 1, 2010, either as ‘Entry 
Level’, ‘Inquiry Level’, or ‘MDT Level’ operators. All operators certified prior to June 1, 2010, shall, as 
their recertification, complete the computer-based training course, administered by an agency TAC, in 
its entirety, by June 1, 2012. All GCIC printed material issued prior to the above-mentioned date is 
obsolete and shall not be referenced. Updated manuals are available on the server in the Support 
folder. Recertification training requirements for terminal operators shall occur at least every two years 
from their certification completion dates. The consequences for recertification delinquencies are as 
follows: 
Entry and Inquiry Level 
1-30 days delinquent- TBA 
30 + days delinquent – must complete the entire computer-based course and retake certification test 
MDT Level 
1-30 days delinquent- TBA 

30 + days delinquent- TBA 
Every three years all employees will have GCIC Security and Integrity training. All new agency 
personnel must receive Security and Integrity training within 6 months of employment. 

B. New Clerk Training 
New clerks will receive a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks of training. 
XII. Internal Auditing Practices 
The purpose of the internal auditing procedures is to identify discrepancies in Departmental and 
Sectional operations, which identify training needs for employees, Departmental inefficiency, and/or 
malfeasance. It is the logic of the Department that management will be responsive to the trust placed in 
us by the citizens and seek discrepancies proactively. Any discrepancy will be addressed in the 
appropriate manner. 
A. Quarterly Citation Audit by Race 
Each quarter the clerk of courts will order a report of all citations by race and offense and all written 
warnings by race and offense. The CID Commander will analyze this data to ensure that these 
numbers closely reflect the demographics of the community. If the numbers indicate discrepancies 
might exist, he/she will bring this to the attention of the Chief of Police and to the Office of Professional 
Standards, for an investigation into the discrepancy. The results of this investigation shall be submitted 
to the Chief of Police and the Patrol Division Commander. 
B. Quarterly File Audit 
Each quarter, the Records Section Supervisor shall order an employee within the Section to audit thirty 
case files, at random, to determine if each file is filed in order, and contains the appropriate information. 
C. Bi-Annual Citation Audit 
Twice annually, the Records Section Supervisor or a designee shall audit all citations issued during the 
previous and current calendar year. Generally, the first audit will occur in January, and involve those 
citations issued April through September of the previous year. The second audit will generally occur in 
June and involve those citations issued from October of the previous year through March of the current 
year being audited. The purpose of this audit is to ensure that all citations issued during the year were 
accounted for and returned to the Records Section. 
D. GCIC Entry/Query Audit 
An agency TAC will periodically conduct an audit of all criminal history queries from all terminals to 
insure correct purpose code compliance, and proper dissemination of criminal history information. 
F. Quarterly Deposit Audit 
Each quarter, the Office of Professional Standards shall conduct an audit of deposits made to insure 
the security of funds generated by this Department. 
G. Missing Persons Audit 
The TAC will conduct a monthly audit to determine the current status of missing persons that have 
been entered on GCIC. If no follow-up has been done on these entries by the assigned officer, the 
Support supervisor will contact the supervisor of that officer via email or memo to initiate follow-up 
activity. 
H. Computer Systems Audit 
The Chief of Police or his designee will direct a supervisor to conduct an annual audit of the central 
records computer system for verification of all passwords, access codes, and access violations. This 
audit will serve to maintain the integrity of the system, and the security of the records contained in the 
system. 
XIII. Security of Original Records 
Officer’s Request of Original Files/Documents 
There will be occasions when officers may have a need to obtain an original file folder, or other original 
documents from the Records Section. To maintain the integrity of original files/documents, however, 
line officers and detectives will not be allowed in the Records Section of the Support Division without 
the permission of the Records Supervisor. 
Natural or Manmade Disaster 
In the event of a natural or manmade disaster and to insure the security and integrity of all paper files 
maintained by the police department, the Shift Supervisor will assign an officer to each area of the 
department that maintains paper files. The officer will supervise the removal to a safe location or 

security of the files until the supervisor of the affected area responds to resume this supervision. These 
affected areas may include, but are not limited to, the Training Section, the Records Section, The Office 
of Professional Standards, the Special Investigations Unit, The Criminal Investigations Section, the 
Office of Accreditation, and the Office of Administration. The files will be secured either within or outside 
the department by an assigned departmental employee in a manner to ensure safe retention until they 
can be secured in a more permanent area. 

Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 14-1 Release of Information 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 14-1 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/27/2018 
Subject: Release of Information 

I. Purpose 
To establish guidelines concerning the relationship between members of the department, the media, 
and those individuals seeking information from the Auburn Police Department. 
To provide information and guidelines to produce information and documents created and maintained 
by this department, either under the Georgia Open Records Act or through a Subpoena to Produce 
Documents. 
II. Policy 
The department goal is the maximum flow of information to the public through press, radio and 
television services with a minimum disruption of police activity. The public is very much interested in 
police activities. A police department which fails to provide complete information will not achieve good 
public relations. The public depends on press, radio and television news service to provide information 
and the police department cannot operate apart from the public view. Every member of the department 
must deal fairly with newspersons, operate openly, and allow the reporter to be the judge of what 
represents news for the public. 
From time to time complaints are received by the Police Department that information covering routine 
investigations, such as automobile accidents, railroad accidents, weather conditions, criminal cases 
closed by arrest, and various routine police procedures have been withheld from the press, radio or 
television services. Most matters handled by the police are not secret and will become public 
eventually; so, every effort should be made within the limits of these guidelines to cooperate with the 
news media to facilitate the prompt release of information. If a matter deals with departmental policy, its 
impact on the dignity of the department or its personnel, is not relevant to public safety, or is such that 
publicity might be detrimental or defeat the ends of justice, the news inquiry should be directed to the 
Chief of Police. 
III. News Media Relations 
A. Role of the News Media 
A well-informed public is essential to the existence of a democratic nation. To exercise their franchise 
effectively, citizens must be aware of current events and the state of government. A free press serves 
the public by supplying needed information by stimulating thought and by providing a medium for 
expression. 
B. Role of the Auburn Police Department 
The police department actively seeks to establish a cooperative climate in which the news media may 
obtain information on matters of public interest in a manner which does not hamper police operations. 
However, certain information may need to be withheld from the news media to protect the constitutional 
rights of an accused or victim, to avoid interfering with a departmental investigation, or because it is 
legally privileged. 
C. News Release Policy 
The department recognizes the right of the public to be fully and accurately informed on all matters of 
public safety and that the news media is responsible for providing this information to the public. The 
policy of this department, therefore, shall be to maintain a relationship with the members of the news 
media that is built on trust, cooperation and mutual respect, and one which will generate the correct 
flow of information between the department and the news media. To accomplish this, the department 
when requested will provide such information within policy, legal and investigatory limitations as quickly 
as practicable to all accredited media representatives through the Office of the Chief of Police or a 

designated representative. 

D. Allowing News Personnel to Enter Area of a Serious Incident or Crime 
Police lines may be established to prevent persons from entering the area of a serious police incident 
or crime scene. Dependent upon the tactical situation and the likelihood of jeopardizing personal safety 
and police operations, members of the news media may be allowed into such areas, such as scenes of 
major fires, natural disasters, or other catastrophic events. The agency should provide as much 
assistance as possible to the media to facilitate their need to gather information at the scene of 
incidents. Any questions arising about media access into a scene should be referred to the Chief of 
Police or his designee; or the highest-ranking officer; or the acting PIO at the scene. 
E. General Media Access 
As a rule, the news media have the right to conduct news-gathering activities free from government 
interference on property open to the public and from publicly owned property. The news media have the 
same right of access to information as the public; however, in some instances, they have several 
additional rights of access. Government officials may restrict the public and the news media from crime 
and accident scenes only to the extent necessary to preserve the integrity of a site for investigative 
purposes, for ingress and egress of emergency vehicles, or other reasons of protecting against 
damage to persons or property. Absent a court order, government officials have no legal authority to 
restrict photographs or videotapes that may be taken by the media or the public, or interviews that 
witnesses are willing to give to the media. If private property owners object to media presence on their 
property, law enforcement may then utilize common sense and good discretion in having the media 
removed at the request of the property owner. No law enforcement officer or other public official should 
ever demand the film, camera, or notes of reporters or photographers. 
F. Requesting Withholding of Publication 
Newspersons may photograph or report anything they observe when legally present at an emergency 
scene. Where publication of such coverage would interfere with an official investigation or place a 
victim, suspect or others in jeopardy, the withholding of publication is dependent upon a cooperative 
press, not upon censorship by the department. Upon such circumstances, officers should advise the 
newsperson or their superiors of the possible consequences of publication. However, officers may not 
interfere with newsperson's activities if that performance remains within the confines of the law. 
G. News Media Relations 
1. It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to have a uniformed officer to act as PIO. The 
position of PIO will be appointed by the Chief of Police or his designee. The officer assigned as the 
prosecuting or investigating officer or detective, is responsible to complete a news media release 
information memo and provide it to the PIO for release and dissemination to all divisions and media. 
2. The news media will be encouraged by the Auburn Police Department to submit comments and 
recommendations concerning development of policies and procedures relating to the news media. 
By providing the news media and the community with information on police operations and 
administration, a relationship of mutual trust, cooperation and respect can be maintained. 
Press Conferences 
Press conferences are held generally upon media request to the Chief of Police, the Patrol or CID 
commander for incidents that have a special interest to the public; for incidents that are severe in 
nature; and for the results of certain covert operations that have been on-going and have reached a 
conclusion. Other events of public interest, such as felony reports/arrests, are provided to the media via 
standard press releases, or by on-scene interviews. 
IV. Responsibility for The Release of Information 
A. General 
Only after the approval from the on-scene supervisor, members on scene are authorized to interact with 
the press. All members will ensure that any information released to the news media: 
1. Is accurate; 
2. Does not interfere with the successful conclusion of an investigation or pose a security threat upon a 
person involved; 
3. Is not detrimental to, nor does it defeat the ends of justice; nor is it prejudicial to the rights of the 
suspect or accused; 
4. Is not impactive on the dignity of the department or its personnel; 

5. Is in accordance with the provisions set forth in this standard operating procedure and is not 
otherwise restrained by these guidelines or other departmental policy or general orders. 
NOTE: Matters pertaining to department policy will be referred to the Chief of Police and disseminated 
only after review by him. 
B. Police Public Information Officer (PIO) 
Responsibilities of the PIO are: 
1. The release of information affecting the department, its policies and functional operations, as well as 
all off-scene information pertaining to incidents and acts of nature; and arranging media/officer 
interviews regarding such incidents, after the fact. 
2. Performing duties as outlined in this standard operating procedure. 
3. Assisting Patrol or CID commanders with any problem that may be encountered in dealing with the 
news media. 
4. Providing an official liaison relationship between representatives of the news media and the 
department. 
5. Serving as coordinator for public information education, community relations and public relations 
activities of the department. 
6. Preparing, developing and presenting media occasions that will foster better community/department 
relations. 
C. Supervisors Responsibility 
Responsibilities of the Supervisor shall include: 
1. Serve as the acting PIO during off-duty hours; specifically, for routine activities. The Patrol or CID 
commander will call the PIO to interact with the media during events which would be beyond routine. 
2. Serve as, or appoint a rated officer to serve as, a PIO representative. He will be available during any 
major incident that is likely to generate more than routine news interest. 
3. Furnish information to the PIO regarding major incidents that are likely to generate more than routine 
news interest. 
4. Assist in maintaining a good rapport and working relationship with members of the news media. 
D. Supervisor and Special Units 
Supervisors and special units are responsible for providing routine news information from their offices 
to the PIO as follows: 
1. Nature of incident being investigated, i.e. personal injury accident, fatal accident, shooting, rape, etc. 
2. Time the incident was reported to police. 
3. Number of officers and/or fire companies and ambulances dispatched to the scene. 
4. Location of incident (unless classified; i.e. drug raid). 
5. Number of injured and/or dead, their sex, if known, and name of hospital where injured and/or bodies 
were taken. (Names, ages, and addresses are not necessary in this report). 
6. Traffic conditions and/or detour instructions for the public. 
7. Estimated time when detailed news release is expected to be completed. 
8. Information outlined in above paragraphs 1 through 7, shall be reduced in writing in a news release 
format. If a shift change occurs during an investigation for which a detailed news release has not been 
completed, the Shift Supervisor going off duty shall inform the Patrol or CID commander of the basic 
information as stated above so that he may be responsive to inquiries from the news media and carry 
on. 
It will be the responsibility of the PIO to ensure that detailed news releases are prepared on all 
incidents for which primary investigation/activity was their responsibility. For example: 
a. If the investigation is of such a nature that it would draw the immediate attention of the news media, 
information for a news release shall be relayed by the officer in charge of the investigation to the Patrol 
or CID commander in whose area the investigation is taking place so that he can be responsive to the 
PIO and/or news media inquiries. 
b. The detailed news release shall be prepared by the investigating officers and delivered as soon as 
possible to the Patrol or CID commander. 
E. Investigating Officer 
The investigating officer of any major accident, crime or incident shall be responsible for relaying to the 
Patrol or CID commander the basic information required for a news release as soon as possible after 

all injured and dead have been properly cared for, the scene of the incident properly secured and 
proper traffic control is established. 

1. News release information should be relayed to the Patrol or CID commander whenever possible from 
the scene or upon arrival at the hospital. If necessary, however, a short radio message may be 
transmitted to ensure that the Patrol or CID commander is informed of the situation. 
2. Upon return to headquarters, the investigating officer shall, as soon as possible, prepare a detailed 
news release and leave it with the Patrol or CID commander before resuming routine patrol or going off 
duty. 
3. A copy of every news release shall be kept in the originating office for 30 days. Such copies should 
be made on the copier. The original copy of every news release shall be sent to the PIO where it will be 
kept on file for one year. 
F. Scope and Content of News Releases 
Members will make every effort to cooperate with the press, radio, television or other public information 
media; however, sound judgment must be exercised. Information will not be released which would 
serve to weaken or in any way hinder an investigation being brought to a satisfactory conclusion or 
endanger the lives of investigating officers and/or victims, suspects, or the public. All information 
released shall be based upon fact, not supposition or rumor. 
The department recognizes the legal restraints on the press existing outside the sphere of these 
guidelines and will not assume their application. Likewise, the department expects the press to 
recognize the necessary legal restraints upon the police concerning the release of information. 
The following information shall not be disclosed unless authorized by the Chief of Police or his 
designee: 
1. The identity of any deceased or seriously injured person prior to notification of the next of kin. Every 
effort must be made to notify the next of kin of the deceased before the news media is notified of the 
names. If notification cannot be given within a reasonable time, preferably six hours but a maximum of 
24, the reason will be determined, and the news media advised of the circumstances and the 
identification of the victims. The responsibility for disseminating names of the victims to the public will 
then be that of the news media. 
2. The specific cause of death until announced by the coroner. 
3. The identity and address of any victim of a sexual assault incident. 
4. The identity and address of any victim or witness of an incident of child abuse or neglect. 
5. The home address or telephone number of any member of the department. 
6. Information or statements which may result in disproportionate favorable “publicity” (as opposed to 
legitimate news) for any member, unit or section of the department, or any other agency, including 
non-police, local, city, county, state or federal government offices and agencies. 
7. Opinion not founded in fact. Opinion or inference that could be taken as contrary to department 
policy or mission. 
8. Unofficial statements concerning internal affairs, policy and/or personnel matters concerning the 
department; information that could impact unfavorably on the dignity of the department or its personnel. 
9. It is the practice of news media representatives to contact various officers for soliciting information 
upon which news stories might be predicated. Proper response within the guidelines of this policy shall 
be furnished by the PIO, to media inquiries. Detectives generating press releases shall include number 
and be available on call to satisfy media inquiries. All other inquiries should be forwarded to the on-duty 
supervisor. 
10. Information shall be disclosed without partiality to any news media representative or agency and 
shall not be withheld or delayed favoring any person or agency except that specific independent 
inquiries by a news media representative may be honored at the time of inquiry. It is necessary that all 
accredited representatives of the news media be treated equally, and that no favoritism or 
discrimination be shown to one over another. If one newspaper, radio or television news bureau is 
furnished information initiated by the department, then other news media representatives must be 
furnished the identical information to protect the department from allegations of favoritism. 
11. Good judgment, of course, must be utilized in furnishing information to the news media to ensure 
that the department’s official duties are not hindered. Nonetheless, there is no reason why information 
in the public realm should not be released within these guidelines. For example, in fatal accident cases, 

the fact that the victim is unidentified is no reason for withholding the fact that there has been a fatal 
accident. 

12. In situations where inquiries are received by members other than the Patrol or CID commander, 
who may be occupied on some other matter, and no news release is available, the member taking the 
call shall take the name and address of the news representative. The Patrol or CID commander shall 
be advised immediately so that proper attention can be given to the inquiry and the news representative 
re-contacted and furnished any information available. 
13. Enforcement of laws, within the department’s responsibility, must be given continuous, relentless 
and vigorous attention. Department personnel in their contacts with the news media as well as 
personnel lecturing before various schools or delivering public addresses, must be constantly alert to 
utilize proper language to describe the department’s responsibilities without reference to clichés and 
terminology which may be misleading or misrepresentative of the department’s functions. For example, 
the use of the phrase, “the City police have a drive on speeders” connotes concentrated attention to 
enforcement of only one violation to the total or partial exclusion of others and also infers that when the 
“drive” is over, less attention will be paid to enforcement of the subject matter of the “drive”. 
G. Release of Information Involving Other Agencies 
The purpose of this is to establish procedural guidelines relating to the releasing of information when 
other service agencies are involved in a mutual effort. 
1. When an incident involves another county, city, state or federal agency, a member of the department 
management team compiling the press release of the incident, will coordinate the release of any 
information with the other agency’s news release authority. 
2. In instances where the Auburn Police Department does not have primary jurisdiction and is assisting 
another agency, responsibility for release of information rests with the agency having primary 
jurisdiction. When this department has primary jurisdiction, it shall retain news release authority. 
3. Questions as to news release authority shall be directed to the Office of the Chief of Police. 
V. Release of Information to News Media Concerning Pre-Arrest and Post-Arrest Situations. 
Department policy on making release of information to news media on pre-arrest and post-arrest 
situations is set out herein. There are limitations on what may be released. Adherence to these 
instructions will materially protect the department in judicial review of cases at the same time permit 
continuing cooperation with news media while fulfilling basic responsibilities. 
A. Pre-Arrest Procedures - What Can Be Released 
1. Information relative to criminal investigations which shall be released, if it is not otherwise restrained 
by the effects of these guidelines, shall include: 
a. The type of incident or crime - when accurately known. 
b. The location, time, items or amount taken, injuries sustained, or damages incurred. 
c. The identity of the victim (except when release of identity would endanger life of victim). 
d. Whether or not there are suspects, without further comment. 
e. Numbers of officers or people involved in an event or investigation and the length of the 
investigation, if such information is requested and would not hinder the investigation or performance of 
duty. 
f. Requests for aid in locating a suspect or evidence. 
g. The name, address, description, employment and marital status of a person for whom a warrant has 
been issued. 
h. The exact offense and nature of complaints, i.e. officer, citizen, warrant, indictment, summons. 
2. Items of evidence, which if disclosed would be prejudicial to the solution of the case, should not be 
made public. Photographs of a person accused by indictment or warrant may be furnished. Where the 
identity of a suspect has not been established, it may be desirable to publicize descriptions, artists’ 
sketches, or other information which could lead to the identification and arrest of the suspect. 
a. Suspects who are interviewed but not charged should not be identified. 
b. The finding of physical evidence, such as weapons or proceeds of the crime, the issuance and 
service of a search warrant, and the positive or negative results of the search may be released. 
Information as to how a weapon or proceeds of the crime was located should be withheld if this 
involves information which is prejudicial. 

c. Fugitive cases may require wide publicity. While as a rule prior records of conviction should not be 
publicized, it may be desirable in the public interest to disclose such records in fugitives when the 
pattern of crimes indicates the public may be the victim of fraud or personal injury. Circumstances and 
facts in each case will be the controlling factors in decisions. In some fugitive cases, it may be 
necessary to withhold information when its publication would be detrimental to the apprehension of the 
wanted person. Common sense should dictate the way fugitive cases are handled with a positive view 
toward public interest and safety and the protection of other law enforcement agencies. 
Fugitives who have a history of being armed or who have shown a propensity for violent acts shall be 
characterized as being dangerous and why, so that an arresting officer will be well aware of dangerous 
aspects involved in the apprehension of such a subject. 
Pre-Arrest Procedure – What Not to Release 
1. Requests for Documents – Georgia Open Records Act 
a. Family Violence incident reports where no arrest has been made are not public records and will not 
be released to the public. 
Exception – the victim of the act of family violence may request and receive a copy of the report prior to 
the arrest of the defendant. 
2. Georgia Open Records Act – Exclusions 
Generally, requests for information/documents are processed in accordance with the Georgia Open 
Records Act. Under the Georgia Open Records Act [O.C.G.A. Sec. 50-18-72 (a)], public disclosure 
shall not be required for records that are: 
a. specifically required by the Federal Government to be kept confidential; 
b. medical or veterinary records and similar files, the disclosure of which would be an invasion of 
privacy; 
c. except as otherwise provided by law, records compiled for law enforcement or prosecution purposes 
to the extent that production of such records would disclose confidential investigative or prosecution 
material which would endanger the life or physical safety of any person(s), or disclose the existence of 
a confidential surveillance or investigation; 
d. supplemental reports and information of a subsequent nature that is not included in the initial police 
report. 
C. Post Arrest Procedure- What Not to Release 
To avoid jeopardizing prosecution of a criminal matter by prejudicing the right of the defendant to a fair 
trial, members shall not make statements to the news media in the period between arrest and trial 
relating to: 
1. Character or reputation of a suspect or the existence, if any, of a prior criminal record. 
2. Re-enactment of a crime or the fact that a defendant may have shown investigators where a 
weapon, loot or other evidence was located. 
3. References to a defendant as, for example, a “sex-crazed maniac,” “depraved character,” “typical 
gangster,” “professional burglar,” etc. 
4. The existence or contents of any confession, admission or statement given by the accused or his 
refusal or failure to make a statement and/or the performance or results of any examinations or tests or 
the refusal or failure of the accused to submit to examinations or tests. 
a. Information may be given out only if requested as to whether an individual arrested refused or 
submitted to the normal test in DUI cases. No results of any such test shall be disclosed to the news 
media. 
b. Information may be given out concerning the general facts that physical evidence is being examined. 
However, the description of such evidence and the results of such examinations shall not be disclosed 
without the concurrence of the Chief’s Office. 
6. Guilt or innocence of a defendant, or the possibility of a guilty plea to the offense charged, or to a 
lesser offense (i.e. plea bargaining) or possibilities of other dispositions such as “nolle prosequi”. 
7. Identity, credibility or testimony of any prospective witness. 
8. Testimony, credibility or character of any victim/witness. 
9. Information on a purely speculative nature. 
10. The merits of the case, such as evidence and arguments, whether it is anticipated to be used in 
court. 

11. Transcripts, reports or summaries of occurrences taking place during judicial proceedings from 
which the public and press have been excluded. 
D. Post-Arrest Procedure - What Can Be Released 
1. Personnel authorized to address the news media should supply any relevant information on the 
arrest provided it cannot be construed as prejudicial to a fair trial. Information which may be given out 
includes the following: 
a. Defendant’s name, age, residence, employment, marital status and similar background information. 
b. Substance or text of the charge on which the arrest was made and identity of the person preferring 
the charge (when such information does not constitute a danger to the complainant). Members dealing 
with the press shall withhold identification of persons preferring charges when such persons are victims 
of a sex crime and publication of their identity would be a matter of serious embarrassment to them or 
jeopardize their security. 
c. Identity of the investigating and arresting agency, duration of the investigation and aspects of the 
investigation of a non-prejudicial nature. 
d. The facts and circumstances immediately surrounding an arrest: time, place, resistance, pursuit, 
possession or use of weapons and a general description of contraband seized if disclosure is not 
prejudicial. 
e. Pre-trial release or detention arrangements; i.e. amount of bond, location of detention. 
f. The schedule dates or results of the various stages in the judicial process. 
g. Photos of defendants may be furnished to the news media. Members shall not assist in posing 
defendants for media camera, but the efforts of such cameramen should not be hindered during any 
normal movements of members or defendants which expose defendants to public view. 
2. When there is a question as to whether an item should be released, the decision may be made by 
the Patrol or CID commander or PIO on the general principle that information should be made available 
unless it reasonably could be construed as prejudicial to the defendant, harmful to prosecution or 
endanger the lives of persons involved in the case. 
VI. Special Considerations 
A. Photography or Television 
In public places or places where the press may otherwise lawfully be, no member shall take any action 
to prevent or interfere with the media in photographing or televising an event, a suspect, an accused or 
any other person or thing except that the presence of cameramen and crews shall not be allowed to 
significantly interfere with the police mission at hand. A proper action for the officer in charge of the 
scene would be to make allowances for the presence of cameramen and photographers and try to 
facilitate their job when appropriate. The PIO and/or Patrol or CID commander may extend cooperation 
when departmental property is required for the recording of interviews, news releases, documentaries 
or events of an unusual nature. In routine circumstances, public information programs and the press 
may be permitted to use their own equipment within police buildings or property. 
1. Members shall not deliberately pose a suspect or accused in custody to be photographed, televised 
or interviewed. 
2. Members shall not pose themselves with a suspect or accused, nor shall they enter into any 
agreement to have a suspect or accused in custody at a prearranged time or place to be photographed, 
televised or interviewed. 
3. Police department photographs or films of the following shall not be released except by the Chief of 
Police or his designee: 
a. Crime scene 
b. Suspects or accused persons prior to actual arrest. 
c. The victims of any crime, accident or suicide. 
d. Juveniles (under 17 years of age), unless charged as an adult. 
e. Members of the department. 
B. Juvenile Records 
Although interpretations of the law on the right of public access to some juvenile law enforcement 
records vary, there is a general agreement that for juveniles age 13 or older, arrest reports, incident 
reports, or closed case files that are in exclusive jurisdiction of the Superior Court, or that have been 
transferred to the Superior Court; and arrest reports, incident reports, or closed case files involving 

crimes identified as designated felony acts in the Juvenile Code should be disclosed to the public. All 
other juvenile records, to include records of juveniles after they reach adult age, shall be disclosed in 
accordance with the Georgia Open Records Act and Title 15 of the Official Annotated Code of Georgia. 
(Refer to the Georgia Law Enforcement and The Open Records Act manual. 

1. Incident reports, arrest reports, accident reports, or closed case files involving juvenile traffic 
offenses should be disclosed, unless the offense is transferred to the delinquency calendar by the 
Juvenile Court. O.C.G.A. Title 50 Chapter 18 makes no legal distinction of the status of juvenile records 
once a juvenile offender reaches the age of emancipation. 
2. Incident reports, arrest reports, and closed investigations where juveniles appear as victims or 
witnesses should be disclosed. The law does not permit a witness or victim’s name to be redacted 
because of age. 
C. Incidents of Reported Child Abuse/Neglect 
Names, addresses and telephone numbers of individuals involved in the reporting or witnessing of an 
incident of child abuse or neglect shall be deleted from any information being released to the public 
unless the court determines otherwise and authorizes the release of information. The name of victims 
of reported incidents of child abuse or neglect shall not be open to public inspection. 
D. Names or Identity of Sexual Assault Victims 
Names, addresses and phone numbers of victims of incidents of sexual assaults shall be deleted from 
any information being released to the public unless authorized by the Chief of Police. Victims of rape or 
an assault with intent to commit the offense of rape shall not be released to the public in accordance 
with Georgia law. 
E. Sensitive and Confidential Operations 
Information concerning activities of the Narcotics Unit, or any special police operation necessarily 
deemed to be confidential by the officer in charge of the operation shall not be disclosed, except after 
the expressed permission of the respective officers in charge, appropriate division commander or Chief 
of Police. 
F. Suicide Notes 
The contents of a suicide note, or electronically recorded message is to be considered personal and 
confidential. No member shall make such written or recorded statements public. The fact that a suicide 
note exists may be reported without further comment. 
G. Withholding Information 
At the time information is denied to the press in the face of a legitimate inquiry, the denial shall be 
supported by a courteous, logical and adequate explanation which can be justified upon further inquiry. 
Failure to do this can unnecessarily damage the positive efforts to build good police/press relations. 
H. Names of Armed Forces Personnel 
If news media representatives arrive at the crash scene of a military aircraft, they are to be advised to 
stay away from danger areas and reminded that when the military crash team arrives, a service 
information officer will assist them. Requests for information directly concerning the military (such as 
the names, ranks and missions of military personnel involved) should be referred to military authorities. 
Only accurate, information directly concerning the Auburn Police Department investigation of the crash 
is to be given and, whenever possible, that information should be coordinated with the proper military 
authorities. 
1. Information concerning military personnel involved in civilian automobile, train or plane crashes will 
be released in the same manner as though the servicemen were a civilian. 
2. Cooperation of news media photographers should be requested but no force should be used by 
Auburn Police personnel to prevent their taking photographs at military crash scenes. Military 
authorities should, however, be advised that photographs have been taken and, if possible, they should 
be supplied with the name of the photographer and the agency for which he works. Photographers 
should be reminded that photographing classified equipment is a federal criminal offense as well as 
being detrimental to national security. They should be advised to obtain authorization from the proper 
military officials before taking or publishing photographs of military equipment, which may be classified. 
I. Weather and Road Conditions 
Members on patrol observing changes in highway or weather conditions which would endanger, or 
interrupt traffic will immediately notify their Patrol or CID commander. Such information shall be made 

available to the public and the news media. Requests from a television or radio station for the services 
of a member or highway conditions will be complied with whenever possible. 

J. Recognition of Department Personnel 
Names of members should be incorporated into news releases if the PIO and/or Patrol or CID 
commander determines that the members are deserving of special attention due to their actions 
relating to the incident. 
K. Publication of Department Personnel 
Members are prohibited from releasing stories or statements concerning the policies and/or operations 
of the Auburn Police Department to magazines, periodicals or other similar publications without the 
written approval of the Chief of Police. 
VII. Public Information 
A. General Provisions for Requests for Information 
The public has an abiding interest in law enforcement and in the activities of the Department. The news 
media and members of the public frequently direct inquiries to the department seeking information on a 
variety of subjects. Generally, there are two types of requests for documents the Department receives. 
These are either under the Georgia Open Records Act or through a Subpoena to Produce Documents. 
While it is the aim of the department to fulfill such requests, it is not always possible to do so. Whether 
to release information or to grant interviews will be determined according to the facts of each case. All 
requests for Open Records shall be in accordance with the “Open Records Request and Inspection 
Procedures” set forth within this policy and posted in the lobby of the Auburn Police Department. 
All Open Records requests sent to this department will be coordinated through the Records Manager. 
The Records Manager will evaluate the request to determine if any exceptions exist that would preclude 
the release of the information. For example, a request for personnel records kept by the Department 
would be delivered to the Office of the Chief of Police. Completed requests will then be retrieved by the 
Records Manager, who will contact the requesting party and decide to disseminate the requested 
information. 
When applicable, a record of the amount of time utilized to collect the requested information will be 
maintained. A record of the expenses associated with completing the request should also be kept. 
These expenses include the number of copies made, audio/video tapes, photographs, etc. The Record 
Manager will be responsible for calculating their respective cost of fulfilling the request. 
Under the Georgia Open Records Act, there is a 
three-day limit for either producing documents and/or responding to a request for documents. The limit 
begins on the next business day that the original request was received. Criminal penalties are attached 
for failing to complete the request in a timely manner. If a request cannot be completed in the lawfully 
allotted time, the supervisor responsible for completing the request will utilize the standard response 
form detailing the reasons for the delay. (see Records Manager) 
Subpoenaed Documents 
When a Subpoena to Produce Documents is received, it is the responsibility of the employee that the 
subpoena is addressed to respond to it. The Records Manager will notify supervisor of the respective 
unit of the employee to whom the subpoena is addressed. 
Exceptions to Open Records 
Public disclosure is not required for the following information: 
Family Violence incident reports where no arrest has been made, only the victim is entitled to the 
report; 
Georgia Uniform Motor Vehicle Accident Reports documenting accident reports occurring on state, 
county, and city roadways, and those occurring on private property, except upon the submission of a 
written statement of need (see attached form) by the requesting party, with the exception of the drivers 
of vehicles involved; requests for traffic accident reports should be directed to the Support Services, 
utilizing the accident request form; 
Supplemental reports made pursuant to a follow-up/criminal investigation that is still pending are not a 
matter of public record. Supplemental reports in general are documents describing actions or events 
that occurred after the initial incident report. This may include, but is not limited to statements, lab tests 
requests or results, investigator reports, etc. 

Criminal History and Driver’s History Files: Generally, these files are not a matter of public record. State 
and Federal laws governing the security and privacy of Criminal Justice Information Systems require 
that access and dissemination of Criminal History Information and Driver’s History Information be 
restricted to authorized persons. It should be noted that O.C.G.A. Sec. 35-3-38 provides that anyone 
who “knowingly” or “negligently” releases or allows information to pass to unauthorized persons is guilty 
of a felony. Violations of this policy will not only result in severe disciplinary action, but also may result 
in criminal prosecution. 
If, however, the GCIC/NCIC records are a part of a case file, the information is public record, unless its 
disclosure would constitute an invasion of privacy. 
Wanted Checks 
These files are not a matter of public record and State and Federal Law prohibit their dissemination. 
This information is restricted to authorized personnel only. 
Requests for information/documents described in ‘d’ and ‘e’ of this policy should be directed to the TAC 
supervisor. 
Employee Personnel Files 
These files are generally a matter of public record and are available to citizens upon request, but it is 
permissible to redact the social security number, financial information, insurance/medical information, 
day/month of birth for any person contained in the records. Additionally, for sworn law enforcement 
officers, it is also permissible to redact the home address and telephone number and the identification 
of the officer’s immediate family members or dependents. 
Internal Investigation Files 
Investigative files of a government agency relating to the suspension, firing, or investigation of 
complaints against a public employee are subject to the Act’s disclosure requirements 10 days after the 
investigative record is submitted to the agency for action or the investigation is otherwise concluded. 
General Orders, Personnel Orders, Special Orders, Policy and Procedure Memorandums to all Police 
Department Personnel, Minutes of Departmental Meetings. These documents are a matter of public 
record and are available to the public for a copying fee. 
Requests for information/documents described in ‘7’, ‘8’, and ‘9’ of this policy should initially be directed 
to the Records Manager. 
For additional records categories regarding matters of disclosure, refer to the Georgia Law 
Enforcement and The Open Records Act manual. 
Release of Confidential Information Prohibited 
Any employee of the Department who, during the course of their employment, obtains information 
which is considered confidential by Departmental policy, local, state, or federal law, will not disclose 
such information. This includes, but is not limited to medical information, including AIDS information, 
GCIC information, etc. 
Any employee who is unsure of the confidentiality of Police Department documents/information will 
treat the information as confidential. That employee will immediately inquire through the chain of 
command as to the confidentiality of that document/information. 

11. Copies of police reports will be made available to members of the media in accordance with federal 
and state statutes. 
12. News media interviews of subjects in custody are not granted without first consulting the district 
attorney having jurisdiction. Officers may not prevent brief comments by arrestee to reporters while in 
public places (e.g. at the arrest scene or in the hallway adjacent to the court). 
B. Permission for Use of Police Facilities 
Normally, the Department will not grant permission for its equipment or the interior of its facilities to be 
used for television, motion pictures or other entertainment productions. However, when coverage is 
required for recording interviews, news documentaries, news releases or events of an unusual nature, 
representatives from the news media or public information programs may be allowed to use their 
equipment inside police facilities under supervision. 
C. Cooperation for Feature Articles or Programs 
Requests for Department cooperation in preparation of articles for individually considered and, if 
approved by the Chief, for permission for the interviewing of department personnel and the 
photographing of police facilities will be limited to the scope of approval. Officers participating in the 

preparation of such articles should ascertain the scope of approval and should be cautious not to 
exceed those limits. Officers should exercise care and discretion so as not to make statements or 
convey information which, if later quoted, may create a misunderstanding or compromise the 
effectiveness of the police service. 

D. Responsibilities to Supply Information 
Frequently, due to public expectations and because of accessibility, an officer is called upon to supply 
information both related and unrelated to the law enforcement function. An officer should appropriately 
answer questions put to him that apply to the immediacy of an operational situation and to routine duty 
or refer the person to the proper individual or agency for such answers. When a request is made for 
information about a police matter, an officer should decide if he is in possession of sufficient facts and 
is qualified to respond and whether the person making the request is a proper person to receive the 
information. Generally, an officer should be open in his dealings with the public and, unless there is 
reason to the contrary, he should supply requested information. He should, however, be cautious to 
avoid representing as fact that which is his opinion. 
E. Public Information Programs and Education 
The department conducts various information and crime prevention programs to educate the public and 
to eliminate specific crime problems. In addition, the department cooperates in developing new 
programs in those areas where the relationship between any group, or the public, and the department 
may be involved. In so doing, the probability of crimes being committed may be reduced and the 
effectiveness of the department enhanced. 
F. Tours of Auburn Police Facilities 
Many people rarely have an occasion to enter a police station or to witness activities, which support line 
operations. To acquaint the public with the law enforcement task, the department will hold “open house” 
and upon request, conduct tours of police facilities. The scope of such tours will be dependent upon 
security requirements and personnel availability. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 
OPEN RECORDS REQUEST AND INSPECTION PROCEDURES 
In accordance with O.C.G.A. 50-18-94 and 50-18-71(a), the following rules will be adhered to, and 
documents will be inspected under the supervision of the Records Custodian. 
All open records requests received will be reduced to writing either by the requesting party or by 
Support personnel taking the request on the appropriate form. 
All open records requests received after 1:00 P.M., will be attributed to the next business day. 
All open records requests shall be responded to within three business days from the date that the 
request is received by the Records Custodian, excluding weekends and holidays. 
All documents inspected will be under the supervision of the Records Custodian or her designee. 
For persons inspecting documents, no purses, briefcases, bags, etc. will be allowed, only one file/item 
will be presented at a time for inspection and said person shall be in full view of the Custodian at all 
times. If original documents are being inspected, no ink pens or markers will be allowed. The Custodian 
will supply a pencil and paper for limited notes. 
Documents may be inspected Monday through Friday between 0800-1200 hours, and 1300-1600 
hours. 
Payment of cash or money order is required at the time that the documents are picked up for requests 
estimated at $500.00 or less. If payment is by a business or personal check, the documents will be 
made available upon the check clearing the bank. 
For large requests estimated over $500.00, a payment of half of the total amount is required before any 
research or retrieval begins, and the remainder of the bill is required at the time that the documents are 
available for pick-up. 


Chapter 15 Traffic and Parking Enforcement 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 15 
Effective Date: July 1, 2018 Revised: 07/01/2018 
Review: 10/30/2018 
Subject: Traffic and Parking Enforcement 

Purpose 
The purpose of traffic law enforcement is to reduce or eliminate traffic accidents through preventive 
patrol and active enforcement. Officers have the responsibility to enforce the traffic laws and as such, 
must be familiar with Georgia statutes that apply to traffic law enforcement. 

II. Procedures 
A. Traffic Enforcement Activities 
The goal of traffic enforcement is to reduce traffic accidents and gain voluntary compliance with traffic 
laws. Directed enforcement measures will be used to assign traffic enforcement personnel and 
equipment to specific geographical locations to provide preventive patrol for specific categories of traffic 
violations. 
Analysis of traffic accidents will be done by the crime analyst on a monthly basis. 
Analysis of traffic enforcement activities will be performed at least on a monthly basis. The traffic 
complaints received during the month will be reviewed as well as the citations written to determine if 
adequate enforcement is being applied to identify high accident rate and complaint locations; school 
zones, and roadway conditions. 
Directed enforcement shall be undertaken in those areas where analysis of traffic accidents and 
violations indicate that special attention is needed. Patterns of causes and or sudden increases in the 
number and severity of accidents, crime data or trends, or violations are reasons for extra enforcement 
activity at a given location. When law enforcement becomes aware of a particular problem that may or 
may not be reflected in accident report data, steps will be taken to correct the problem. 
Traffic law enforcement is the responsibility of all uniformed police personnel regardless of specific 
assignment. All officers are charged with observing, detecting, and preventing traffic law violations and 
taking appropriate corrective action. Enforcement not only involves arrest and citations, it includes 
effective warnings to drivers and pedestrians, and will be applied without regard for such factors as 
attitude, intent, or excuse. 
The patrol commander or his/her designee will be responsible for the planning, analysis, monitoring, 
coordination and administration of traffic enforcement and traffic activities. The responsibilities include, 
but are not limited to: 
1. Traffic Control 
a. Motor Vehicle Collision investigation; 
b. Operation of speed measuring devises; 
c. Parking control; 
d. Compilation, review and comparison of traffic collision data and traffic enforcement activities; 
e. Implementation of enforcement techniques and procedures; 
f. Deployment of traffic enforcement personnel special detail; and 
g. Evaluation of traffic enforcement activities. 
2. The Patrol Commander, or his designee, will ensure that traffic safety materials are readily available 
to the public. 
B. Physical Arrest 
A physical arrest will be made if a driver is determined to be driving while his license is suspended or 
revoked. 
In cases involving excessive speed violations, reckless driving, or serious injury by vehicle, the officer 
should use professional judgment and take into consideration any extenuating circumstances when 

deciding what enforcement action to take. As a Departmental guide, at speeds in excess of 50 mph 
over the posted speed limit, the officer is strongly encouraged to require the violator to post bond. 
There may be other incidents in which a violator should be physically arrested. The decision to affect a 
physical arrest should be based upon sound legal principles as opposed to peripheral issues, such as 
the violator's "attitude 

C. Notice to Appear Citation 
The issuance of a traffic citation is applicable in the majority of cases for those violators residing within 
the boundaries of the judicial jurisdiction in which the case will be adjudicated. Non-residents of 
Auburn/Barrow County should be issued a traffic citation and released, unless circumstances indicate 
the violator may not return for court appearance, or post payment of fine. 
1. The traffic citation should be issued to all violators who jeopardize the safe and efficient flow of 
vehicular and pedestrian traffic, including hazardous moving violations and parking violations. 
2. When a driver displays a valid driver’s license, an officer may issue a copy of charges in lieu of 
physical arrest in all traffic cases. 
3. Citation books shall be issued to officers by the clerk of court or designee. Issued citation numbers, 
the officer's name, and date shall be recorded in the traffic citation logbook. Officers should turn in their 
old citation book upon obtaining a new book. Officer shall be issued only one book at a time, unless 
approved by their immediate supervisor, who will notify the clerk, granting this permission. Traffic 
officers may obtain two books without a supervisor’s approval. Officers shall report any lost or stolen 
citation(s)/book(s) to his supervisor, and complete a miscellaneous report documenting the same. 
4. Citations may be voided by an officer only after consulting with his/her supervisor and the Patrol 
Commander. 
5. Citations that cannot be accounted for on the citation record will be noted by the clerk of court, who 
will contact the officer's supervisor. If the citation cannot be accounted for, the officer will complete an 
incident report to account for the lost or destroyed citation. Once a report has been filed, the court clerk 
will note the citation disposition (lost, destroyed, etc.) on the citation record. 
D. Written Warning 
A written warning is a proper alternative by officers in response to a minor traffic infraction committed in 
those areas where traffic accident experience is minimal. Written warnings are also appropriate for 
those violations which occur within tolerances generally allowed by the agency and endorsed by the 
courts. These tolerances would include speeds in excess of the legal limit, but less than a speed for 
which a citation or arrest would result. It is also applicable to running a stop sign at a speed slower than 
walking at intersections where traffic accident experience is slight. Written warnings may also be issued 
in traffic crashes at officer’s discretion. Officers shall be encouraged to cite the at fault driver in any 
accident regardless of the amount of damage. 
E. Enforcement Policy 
The following guidelines are provided to assist officers in making decisions as to whether or not a traffic 
citation and/or arrest is warranted. 
1. Speed violations: Enforcement action may depend on the location of violation, such as a congested 
area, school zone, etc. or the road and weather conditions. Generally, officers may give written warning 
for speeds of 11-14 MPH over the speed limit and written citations for 15 MPH or more over the speed 
limit. This guideline does not apply to designated strict enforcement area(s). In these areas, officers are 
authorized to issue citations for speed violations more than 11 MPH over the posted speed limit. 
Officers operating radar will follow applicable Georgia law. 
2. Other hazardous violations: Consider the degree of hazard, place, previous accident history of 
location, current directed patrol emphasis, etc. Hazardous violations may include laying drag, reckless 
driving, improper lane change, or other similar violations that create a hazard. 
3. Public Carrier/Commercial Vehicle Violation: Officers should consider time, location, and degree of 
hazard and any citizen complaints. 
4. Other Non-Hazardous Violations: Should be a clearly convictable case in court. It may depend on 
time, location, degree of hazard, and previous accident history of location. Officers should consider 
warnings unless repetitive or flagrant. 
5. Multiple Violations: Officers may cite for all identified traffic violations. However, the officers should 
normally choose the most serious violation for issuance of a citation and issue warning citations for all 

other traffic violations, unless, in the officer’s judgment, multiple citations are warranted. 

6. Newly Enacted Laws/Ordinances: Normally a grace period of 30 days, is established during which 
written warnings will be given. Thereafter, officers should use discretion. 
7. Suspended or Revoked License: When a traffic stop is made and it is determined, through a GCIC 
computer check, that the subject’s license is suspended/revoked, the officer shall inquire if a serve date 
is included on the printout. Although some of the license suspension/revocation offenses do not require 
a serve date, the officer must still provide the court with proof the driver received notice of the 
suspension. If a serve date is known, that date will be noted on the citation. 
8. Following a traffic crash investigation, officers will issue the offending driver a citation for the law 
violation, if any, that caused the collision. In cases where the apparent damage is non-existent, or very 
minor officers are authorized to issue the offending driver a written warning instead of a citation. Should 
an officer not issue a citation or written warning, the facts leading to that decision will be clearly noted in 
the accident report narrative. 
9. The applicability of the level of enforcement used should be based on the degree and severity of the 
traffic violation. If the enforcement action required a court appearance, make sure the violator knows 
where and when to appear. Explain any alternatives to the violator, but do not predict the actions of the 
court, or give any information concerning the cost of a cash bond. Always advise the violator of the 
following: 
a. Court date; 
b. Court time; 
c. Court location; 
d. Whether the court appearance is mandatory; 
e. Violator must contact Municipal Court to determine the amount of the fine; 
f. Whether or not the fine may be paid at Municipal Court prior to the assigned court date; 
g. The violator must sign the citation, or he/she will be required to post a cash bond. 
G. Traffic Citations/Incident Reports/Supplemental Reports 
1. Accurate, timely and complete reports are basic to this Department's efficient and effective operation. 
2. Citations will be printed legibly in blue ink and turned into the court clerk at the end of the officer’s 
shift. 
3. Citations will be entered in the appropriate RMS database by the clerk of court or designee. 
4. All reports by uniformed personnel should be completed and submitted to a supervisor by the end of 
the shift. The supervisor will check each report for accuracy and completeness. 
H. Accountability for Traffic Citations 
All traffic citation books will be issued by the clerk of court or her designee. Each officer will be 
responsible for the numbered citations assigned. Records of the issuance of traffic citation books will be 
maintained by the court clerk and compared to records of completed citations issued. 
1. Officers will be expected to account for all traffic citations issued to them. The auditing of all traffic 
citations will be conducted by the court personnel. 
2. Once a citation has a listed court date, it will be processed and docketed for the appropriate court. 
Once an officer turns in a citation to the court clerk, the officer relinquishes control of the citation, and it 
will not be returned to the officer, even if requested. Citations containing errors may be returned to a 
Patrol Supervisor by the clerk of court, in order to have the citation completed for either entry or voiding. 
4. If an officer's citation book is lost or stolen, the officer will immediately notify his supervisor of the 
incident. The Chief of Police, through the Chain of Command, will be notified in writing of the citation 
number(s), and this information will be forwarded to the clerk of court, so the citation can be properly 
cleared. 
I. Traffic Patrol Procedures 
1. Stationary Observation 
Unmarked Vehicles: Unmarked vehicles will not normally be used in traffic enforcement duties. Officers 
operating unmarked vehicles should execute traffic stops only when the observed violation creates an 
imminent and continuing danger to other traffic or pedestrians and necessitates immediate action. This 
section should not be construed as prohibiting unmarked vehicles from making investigative vehicle 
stops for other than traffic enforcement purposes; however, the use of a marked unit to affect the stop 
is always preferred. 

J. Parades & Festivals 
Traffic direction and control for parades & festivals will be determined on an individual and as-needed 
basis, and need will be determined by the route and the number of people participating as specified in 
the parade/ festival event. The placement and utilization of manpower will be decided by the patrol 
commander or his designee. 
K. Adverse Weather Conditions 
In the event of adverse weather such as fog, heavy rain, snow or blowing debris, wherein the weather 
is causing an extreme driving hazard, officers will contact their supervisor who will make a 
determination of the type of traffic control needed. This control can be the complete stopping of 
vehicular traffic or the detouring of traffic to maintain a safe and orderly flow of traffic. 
L. Road Hazards 
1. Emergency Road Hazards - Emergency road hazards such as downed power lines, road 
construction, malfunctioning traffic lights, etc. will require the responding officer to provide for the safety 
of the public as well as maintaining the flow of traffic. The officer will immediately inform the shift 
supervisor of the hazard and the shift supervisor will determine if the officer should standby until the 
hazard is made safe. The responding officer shall contact those departments needed to remove the 
hazard through the 911 Center. 
2. Non-Emergency Road Hazards - Road hazards of a non-emergency nature will be reported by the 
officer detecting the hazard. A City of Auburn Service request “work order” will be completed by the 
responding officer and submitted to the shift supervisor in order to be forwarded to public works. 
The Shift Supervisor, in consultation with the responding officer, will make the final determination if a 
road hazard is of a non-emergency nature. 
M. Special Enforcement 
1. Request for Re-Examination by licensing authorities: Department personnel will sometimes come in 
contact with drivers who, due to apparent physical or mental incapacity, are incapable of safely 
operating a motor vehicle. 
This is not a judgment that is to be made lightly by officers, and it should be able to be documented and 
clearly indicated as a safety hazard before recommendations for driver re-examinations are made. 
Any officer who becomes aware of an apparent mental or physical incapacity of a licensed driver, 
should secure the name, driver’s license number, and current home address of the driver. This 
information, along with a detailed description of the physical or mental impairment, will be forwarded to 
the Patrol Commander, who will in turn forward his findings to the Chief of Police. 
After reviewing this documentation, the Chief of Police has the option to seek additional information to 
support a legitimate safety problem, or by submitting a letter requesting re-examination of the driver to 
the medical examiner of the Department of Driver Services. 
2. Bicycles/Pedestrians- Officers shall be responsible for enforcing laws relating to the safe operation of 
bicycles and movement of pedestrian traffic. Officers will exercise discretion in applying these laws. The 
following procedures are guidelines, which should result in a more uniform and consistent application of 
the law. 
a. On those arteries with a substantial flow of vehicular traffic where hazardous moving violations are 
observed involving persons operating bicycles and pedestrian violations, the laws should be enforced. 
Officers are encouraged to use discretion prior to issuing citations. 
b. In those areas where traffic flow is minimal and traffic accident count is low, officers should exercise 
discretion in enforcing the laws pertaining to bicycles and pedestrian traffic. 
c. Prior to any substantial increase in the enforcement effort directed toward bicycle and pedestrian 
traffic, a sufficient publicity and community awareness campaign should be conducted. This is 
especially true in areas where these laws have previously had minimal attention. 
3. Off Road Vehicles- Any person operating any off-road vehicle on the roadway shall follow all 
applicable traffic laws related to the specific off-road vehicle. Any person found violating these 
provisions may be issued a traffic citation. 
The operation of any off-road vehicle on private property without the consent of the property owner, or if 
the off-road vehicle is not equipped with operable brakes, mufflers, or other silencing equipment, the 
driver can be charged even on private property. 
N. Traffic Safety Checkpoints 

Traffic Safety Checkpoints will be held at various times of the year throughout the City of Auburn at 
various times of the day. The purpose of the checks is to educate the public and create awareness 
concerning traffic laws. Traffic safety checkpoints are also useful in detecting drug and alcohol impaired 
drivers and for creating a perception of non-tolerance for substance impaired driving. All traffic safety 
checkpoints should follow these guidelines: 

1. The Chief of Police shall authorize supervisors to conduct safety checkpoints as the resources and 
volume of calls allow. Supervisors will also have the authority to cancel checkpoints as needed to allow 
personnel to perform other tasks. The approving supervisor will ensure that the checkpoints are 
operated in a safe and legal manner and make corrections when needed. The Shift Supervisor is 
responsible for any traffic safety checkpoint occurring on his/her shift, unless the checkpoint is part of a 
targeted enforcement effort that is being conducted by another supervisor. 
2. Officers will be courteous to the motoring public and explain the purpose of the check. The public 
should only be detained for brief periods. If the approving supervisor notices traffic volume becomes 
heavy and motorists are being exposed to excessive delays, the supervisor can authorize deviation 
from the standard guideline of checking every vehicle, and authorize officers to check, for example, 
every other vehicle, or every third vehicle, until an acceptable delay is attained. Common sense might 
dictate that an alternate location is used. 
3. Checkpoints should be clearly identifiable as police checkpoints. This can be accomplished by using 
signs, traffic cones, vehicles utilizing the emergency lights, etc. The checkpoint should be situated in a 
location allowing the motoring public ample time to identify it as a checkpoint and stop. All officers 
participating in the checkpoint shall wear a reflective traffic vest as furnished by the Department. 
4. Prior notice may be given whenever possible through the local media. Prior notice informs the 
motoring public that they may encounter a checkpoint. 
5. Unless reasonable suspicion or probable cause exists, the officer should not ask any motorist 
questions such as where you’re going or coming from, etc. 
6. The Shift Supervisor, the approving supervisor, or his/her designee participating in the checkpoint, 
shall enter all enforcement action taken as it relates to the checkpoint in the Department’s special detail 
database. 
7. Supervisors or their designee will conduct roll call training on traffic safety checkpoints. 
O. Assisting Motorist 
Auburn Police Department officers will at all times assist and protect citizens and motorists that are in 
need upon any street or highway. 
When an officer observes a stranded motorist, he will stop and ascertain what assistance, if any, is 
required. The officer may take any of the following actions: 
1. If the vehicle is disabled upon the roadway and can be pushed to a safe location off the roadway, the 
officer may at his/her discretion help the person move the vehicle if safety allows. 
2. Arrange for the motorists to have the vehicle towed either by owner’s request or by the department 
list towing service. 
4. Transport the motorist to the police department, to a telephone, or any other place of safety. 
5. Relay the motorist’s request to the 911 center for assistance in contacting a third party. 
6. Emergency assistance shall be provided to motorists by police personnel in any of the following 
manners: 
a. First aid; 
b. Obtaining medical assistance; 
c. Fighting Fires; and 
d. Obtain fire service assistance. 
All emergency requests will be radioed to the 911 Center for response. 
III. Traffic Stops 
A. Unknown Risk Traffic Stops 
Traffic stops are potentially dangerous situations for police officers. The following steps are intended to 
provide maximum safety for the officer, the violator, and other users of the roadway. These procedures 
are to be followed when possible and are presented from the perspective that ideal conditions exist: 
1. When making a vehicle stop, the officer should notify the dispatcher, on the appropriate radio 
channel, of the tag number, vehicle color, any visible occupants and the location of the traffic stop prior 

to stopping the vehicle. The officer shall maintain radio contact throughout the duration of the traffic 
stop in the event the dispatcher has information regarding the vehicle or its occupants. 

2. The officer should signal the violator by utilizing emergency equipment. This should be done by using 
the available equipment in the following order: 
a. Blue lights; 
b. Blue lights and siren. 
3. The violator should be signaled and directed to the right side of the roadway near the curb or on a 
shoulder. This can be done by utilizing the public-address system. 
4. On multi-lane roadways, the officer should attempt to ensure the safety of the violator during lane 
changes, by changing from lane to lane with the violator, until the right side is reached. 
5. Should the violator stop abruptly in an undesirable location, the violator should be directed to move 
to a safer location. Officers should use the public-address system, if available, to instruct violators to 
move. If the patrol vehicle is not so equipped, and gestures are insufficient, the officer should quickly 
exit the patrol vehicle and give verbal instructions. If the violator is suspected of being impaired, they 
should not be allowed to move the vehicle after they have stopped. 
6. After the violator’s vehicle is stopped, the officer should position the patrol vehicle approximately 1520 
ft. behind the violator’s vehicle. The police vehicle should be positioned so the left front is offset 
approximately two feet to the left of the violator’s vehicle. This provides safety to the officer and the 
violator. Emergency flashers may be used at the officer's discretion, based on the location and intensity 
of oncoming traffic. 
7. The officer should exit the patrol vehicle and be continuously alert for any suspicious action by the 
violator, or other occupants of the vehicle, as well as the traffic traveling on the specific roadway. 
8. The officer’s approach to the violator’s vehicle should be along the driver’s side of the vehicle. Unless 
this position places the officer in unnecessary danger. The officer should take a position just behind the 
doorpost of the driver’s door. From this position, the officer can communicate with the driver and keep 
all the occupants in view. 
9. When traffic stops are made by two-officer patrol vehicles, the passenger officer should be 
responsible for radio traffic and should exit from the vehicle and act as an observer and cover for his 
fellow officer. At no time should the two officers approach the vehicle together. 
10. At night, the procedures are basically the same with the additional necessity of exercising caution in 
selecting an appropriate place for the traffic stop, signaling the violator (the spotlight should not be used 
except in extreme situations), and positioning the police vehicle. After the stop, the headlights should 
be on low beam for the safety of on-coming traffic unless some suspicious activity by the driver 
warrants the use of high beams to keep the violator at a disadvantage. If the police vehicle has "take 
down lights" they should be used to monitor activity inside the vehicle. 
B. Officer/Violator Contacts 
The Officer/Violator contacts are activated once the officer has stopped and approached the violator to 
a point where communication begins. The officer should: 
1. Be absolutely certain the observations of the traffic violator were accurate. 
2. Decide on the appropriate enforcement action based upon the violator’s driving behavior. In most 
cases, it is advisable to have the form of enforcement action decided prior to the initial contact with the 
violator. 
3. Be prepared for the contact by having the necessary equipment and forms immediately available. 
4. Be alert at all times for the unexpected. 
5. Present a professional image, dress, grooming, language, bearing and emotional stability. 
6. An officer issuing a traffic citation will make the violator aware of the requirements associated with 
the citation, inquiries regarding procedural matters, consequences of the violation, or other matters 
related to the violation will be courteously responded to within the scope of the officer’s knowledge. 
7. Be alert to any emotional stress exhibited by the driver. Instructions concerning the citation may have 
to be repeated. Always be on the lookout for the presence of alcohol/drug use by the driver and, if 
discovered, initiate the standard DUI investigation procedures. 
8. After issuing a traffic citation, the violator must sign it. If the violator refuses to sign the citation, the 
officer will advise the violator that Georgia Law requires the violator to sign the citation. Refusal to sign 
will require the violator to post a cash bond. 

9. Remember, the purpose of traffic enforcement is to obtain voluntary compliance with traffic laws. 
10. When the officer has completed the traffic stop, assist the violator in safely re-entering the traffic 
flow. 
C. The Traffic Stop Model 
When a traffic stop, other than a felony stop, is made, the officer making the stop should use the 
following dialogue as closely as possible: 
1. Good morning (afternoon or evening), 
2. My name is officer (Officer’s title and last name) with the Auburn Police Department. 
3. The reason I stopped you is (reason for the stop), 
4. Do you have a lawful reason for that? 
5. (If not) may I see you driver’s license and 
6. Proof of insurance (the violator shall remove the documents from the wallet before the officer takes 
possession of the documents). 
7. Make a final decision whether to issue a citation or a written warning, 
8. Close by saying something such as to be careful and wear their seat belt. 
The above model should be utilized whenever practical; however, it is understood that the actions of 
the violator may necessitate more stern actions or verbiage. 
D. High Risk Stops 
When a vehicle is found to be operated or occupied by a suspect wanted for a felony, the officer will 
notify the radio dispatcher immediately. The officer will inform the dispatcher of the location and give a 
description of the vehicle and its occupants. The officer will keep the vehicle in view and request 
sufficient assistance in making the stop. The suspect vehicle will not be stopped, unless necessary, 
until adequate support is available. 
Note: The following technique is a guideline for handling high risk situations. 
The following procedures may be used in effecting the stop: 
1. The officers should attempt to stop the vehicle in a location that presents minimal danger to himself 
and others. 
2. When conditions are appropriate and support units are available, the officer will move into position to 
the rear of the violator’s vehicle. The officer will signal the violator to stop and will attempt to stop the 
vehicle on the far-right side of the roadway. 
3. The officer will have his weapon accessible and ready for immediate use. 
4. The primary officer will stop the patrol vehicle off set (as in a regular stop) but slightly canted to the 
left approximately 30-40 feet behind the violator’s vehicle. 
5. At night, all lights including the spotlight will be focused on the interior of the violator’s vehicle. 
6. The driver of the primary patrol vehicle will open the driver door but will remain in the driver’s seat in 
a position allowing maximum cover and still having the public-address system available. If the vehicle 
has no public-address system available, the officer will give loud voice commands. To avoid conflicting 
or confusing instructions only one officer (preferably the primary officer) will attempt to communicate 
with the occupants of the violator’s vehicle. 
7. The initial officer (primary officer) shall be in charge of the traffic stop and is responsible for the 
positioning of back-up units. Placement of back-up units will vary according to location and nature of 
the stop. Generally, the first back-up officer will position their vehicle to the left of the primary vehicle 
stopping even with that vehicle slightly canted to the right 
Additional back up units will be positioned by the primary officer. Officers in one of these units will exit 
from the driver’s side of the patrol vehicle and will take a covered position in the primary officer’s 
passenger side seat, at their vehicle or other place of cover which will not interfere with other officers or 
the stop. No back-up units will be positioned in such a way that it would create a crossfire situation. 
8. When the vehicle stops, or when police vehicles are in place, the officer who initiated the stop will 
begin communication with the violator. 
9. The driver will be directed to remove the key from the ignition and to keep it in the right hand. 
10. The driver will then be directed to roll down the window and to open the vehicle door from the 
outside, if possible, using the left hand. 
11. The violator should then be told to exit the vehicle facing away from the officers with both hands 
raised. 

12. After an initial visual search is made, the violator will be told to walk backwards toward the officers. 
If only one occupant is visible, the officer should tell the violator to stop and open any rear doors on the 
driver’s side. After opening the door, the violator should be instructed to either stop at the trunk and 
throw the keys onto it or to move toward the trunk keyhole and while following officer instructions, open 
the trunk, step to one side, and then close the trunk leaving the key in the key hole. Once done, the 
violator should then be instructed to walk backwards, with hands raised, toward the officers until told to 
stop. 
Note: All violator movements should be done while facing away from officer. 
13. When the violator is at the front bumper of the patrol vehicles, the violator is told to stop and to get 
down on both knees and then cross the ankles. Once this is done, the secondary officer moves from 
cover, after holstering their weapon and readying the handcuffs for application and approaches the 
violator. While taking cover behind the violator, the officer applies handcuffs. After cuffing, the officer 
moves the violator, using an escort hold, to the rear of the secondary patrol unit to conduct a complete 
search of the suspect. This person should then be placed in the secondary unit. When this person has 
been handcuffed, searched, and secured, other occupants of the vehicle should be removed using the 
above listed procedures. 
Note: Stops following pursuits are to be considered high risk stops and are to be conducted as such. 
IV. D.U.I. Enforcement Policy 
A. General 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to reduce alcohol and/or drug related traffic violations. 
This is accomplished by strict enforcement of the laws of the State of Georgia and the ordinances of the 
City of Auburn that are related to the operation of motor vehicles while under the influence of 
intoxicants. 
It shall be the policy of the Auburn Police Department to stop, arrest and prosecute any person who is 
driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs to the extent that his/her ability 
to operate that motor vehicle safely is impaired. 
B. Officer Safety During DUI Investigations 
1. While conducting field sobriety tests, the officer may be vulnerable to assault. Therefore, the tests 
should be administered at a SAFE distance from the flow of traffic and with an additional officer 
standing by. Select a place that is most advantageous to the officer. Preliminary Breath Tests may be 
given in the patrol car if the officer feels that is the safest place. 
2. To lessen the chance of acquiring a communicable disease, the officer should use caution while 
handling the mouthpiece after the test. In most cases, the officer should use the plastic wrapper to grab 
the mouthpiece to discard it. 
C. Preliminary Breath Test Instrument 
1. The device should be calibrated at least annually by authorized personnel, regardless of the number 
of tests performed. It will be the shift supervisor’s responsibility to ensure all devices are made available 
to the testing personnel upon request. 
2. The Patrol Commander shall ensure a log is maintained to record the calibration. The log should 
include the device serial number, the person performing the calibration and the fact that the device(s) 
was functioning properly. 
3. Routine maintenance consists of changing the battery when needed. This should be done quarterly. 
4. The instrument may be carried in a coat or shirt pocket during cold weather, in order to maintain it at 
operating temperature, otherwise it should be stored in its case. 
5. Repairs will only be made by authorized and fully trained personnel from vendor/s selected by the 
Chief of police or his designee. 
6. Do not allow a suspect who has been smoking to blow into the device until five minutes after he has 
stopped smoking. 
D. DUI Detection 
1. Routine Patrol: A police officer may observe, while on routine patrol, erratic driving behaviors that 
may be indicative of an impaired driver, such as, crossing center line, frequent speed changes, 
improper lane changes without cause, etc. 
2. Non-Moving Violations: A police officer may encounter an impaired driver, after making traffic stops 
for equipment violations, such as, no taillights and then realize he is in contact with an impaired driver 

after face to face contact. 

3. Traffic Accidents: A police officer will frequently contact an impaired driver during the investigation of 
a traffic accident. 
Note: Care should be taken to ensure that the signs of intoxication and/or impairment are not resulting 
from of any injury or medical problem but are related to the consumption of alcohol and/or other drugs. 
4. Traffic Safety Checkpoints: The checkpoint is beneficial in that it emphasizes prevention of the 
impaired driver problem. The officer does not have to wait for hazardous driving, or a traffic accident to 
occur before action is taken. Traffic Safety Checkpoints must be established within existing 
Departmental policies. 
E. DUI Arrest 
Drivers operating their vehicles in any manner which would raise a concern as to their sobriety or other 
abnormal conditions should be stopped and the cause of the erratic driving obtained. From a legal 
standpoint, officers must remain cognizant of the two basic elements of DUI. 
1. Subject was operating a motor vehicle, or in actual physical control (as determined by statute). 
2. Officer had probable cause to believe that subject was under the influence of an intoxicant (as 
defined by statute). 
The fact that the driver did not operate the vehicle in a "less safe manner" should not prevent an officer 
from taking some type of enforcement action. In determining what enforcement, the officer should 
attempt to ascertain the potential danger a driver may present to himself and to the public and consider, 
in the marginal incidents, whether a driver's BAC is rising or stabilized. 
3. Examples of Detection Cues 
a. Turning with a wide radius 
b. Almost striking object or vehicle 
c. Weaving 
d. Straddling center or lane markers 
e. Appearing to be drunk 
f. Driving on other than designated roadway 
g. Driving into opposing or crossing traffic 
h. Slow response to traffic signal 
I. Turning abruptly or illegally 
j. Stopping inappropriately 
k. Accelerating/Decelerating rapidly 
l. Headlights off at night 
m. Swerving 
n. Following too close 
o. Drifting 
p. Speed slower than 10 mph below speed limit 
q. Tires on center lane marker 
r. Braking erratically 
s. Signaling inconsistent with driving actions 
4. Cues that may be observed during actual stop: 
a. An unusually fast compliance to the blue-light and siren or a so-called "screeching halt," either on or 
off the roadway; 
b. A slowness or hesitancy to comply; 
c. Seemingly ignorant of the attempts to stop the vehicle; 
d. Attempts to out-run the police; and/or 
e. Any unusual movement inside the vehicle which would generally indicate attempts to dispose of 
alcohol and/or containers or to switch drivers. 
5. The officer should be alert for any signs of alcohol/drug intoxication on every traffic stop. Some of the 
following examples may be indicators of the driver’s true condition: 
a. Odor of alcoholic beverage on the breath 
b. Poor coordination 
c. Slurred speech 
d. Attitude reflecting alcohol influence 

1. Signs of nervousness; 
2. Excessive self-confidence; 
3. Unusual cheerfulness; 
4. Apparent hesitancy complying with lawful orders or instructions; and/or 
5. Difficulty in understanding simple questions or instructions. 
Note: Some injuries and diseases to the central nervous system make a driver appear intoxicated. The 
officer should be aware and consider this in his decision. 
F. Field Sobriety Tests 
If trained, the officer should perform the battery of court-validated Standardized Field Sobriety Tests: 
1. Horizontal and vertical gaze nystagmus; 
2. Walk and turn; 
3. One leg stand; 
4. A preliminary breath-testing unit may be used to verify the presence of alcohol after the subject has 
performed the standardized battery of tests. 
The tests should be administered in the exact order and manner in which the officer was trained, to 
maintain court validation. In the event that the complete battery of tests cannot be attempted by the 
suspect due to physical and/or medical reasons, other test(s) may be used that the officer has 
experience in administering. Tests may be terminated at any time if the officer has reason to believe 
that the driver is: 
a. Not under the influence; 
b. Under the influence and not capable of safely completing the test. If the contact officer follows this 
option, the officer should clearly articulate in the narrative section of the arrest report the reason for 
termination. 
G. Procedures for DUI Arrest 
It shall be the individual officer’s discretion as to what action shall be taken based on all his 
observations. If the driver is to be arrested for driving under the influence of intoxicants, the contact 
officer should be able to clearly articulate the probable cause for arrest based on all observations. If an 
arrest is made, the arresting officer shall ensure that the following is completed: 
1. Verbally inform the driver that he is under arrest for DUI. 
2. Read the applicable implied consent warning to the driver at the scene and at the time of arrest. 
Begin a twenty-minute observation period of the suspect. 
3. If the arrest is made in a hostile environment, the officer should proceed to the nearest area of safety, 
stop the vehicle, advise of implied consent, and note the reason for the delay in the incident report. 
4. The officer will transport the suspect to the nearest facility with an Intoxilyzer for a breath test, or to 
Northeast Georgia or Gwinnett Medical Center for a blood or urine test. 
5. When the driver submits to the State-administered chemical tests and is charged with DUI, the driver 
is to be given the option of the additional tests at their own expense. 
6. The standard arrest report will be completed as well as the appropriate citations. A 180-day driving 
permit will be attached to the bottom of the violator’s copy of the DUI citation, if the violator's BAC was 
below .08 grams, if he is suspected of being under the influence of drugs, or the violator is not subject 
to mandatory suspension, based on the violator’s BAC. 
H. Securing the Vehicle of Suspected DUI Driver 
The security of a suspected DUI driver's vehicle is the responsibility of the department once that driver 
has been removed from the vehicle by an officer. Officers shall not leave the vehicle unattended while 
taking the driver away from the scene of the traffic stop. The officer will make arrangements for the 
security of the driver's automobile by either: 
1. Calling a sober, responsible person to the scene to take possession of the vehicle with the owner's 
consent; 
2. Calling the contract wrecker service and impound the vehicle; or 
3. Calling another unit to stand by the vehicle until a determination of the driver’s condition can be 
made. Officers are cautioned, however, not to tow the vehicle if there is any doubt in their mind that the 
driver will not be charged. 
I. Miranda Warnings - DUI Cases 

Since Miranda only applies when police questioning occurs after a suspect is under arrest, Miranda will 
normally not apply in DUI investigations. If the suspect is placed under arrest for any offense prior to 
conducting any part of the DUI investigation, Miranda must be advised. 

V. Chemical Test 
A. Breath Test 
1. If a breath test is designated, the driver will be transported to the testing device. A 20-minute 
observation period (transport time will be included in this time frame) will be conducted by either the 
arresting officer or breath test operator before a breath test is administered. It is the operator’s 
responsibility to ensure the 20-minute period is observed. The purpose of the observation period will be 
to insure any alcohol held in the motorist's mouth at time of arrest has dissipated. In addition, the 
observing officer shall ensure the motorist does not vomit, regurgitate, or otherwise ingest or place 
anything in his mouth. 
2. Any breath test administered shall be conducted by a certified Intoxilyzer operator. 
3. After completing the breath test, the Intoxilyzer log sheet will be completed and the test card will be 
completed and signed by the Intoxilyzer operator. 
4. Other tests (i.e. blood, urine, and/or bodily substances) shall be administered by certified medical 
personnel or other persons specified by the Auburn Police Department using kits provided by the 
Department. 
5. If an officer has probable cause to believe that the driver of a commercial vehicle is in violation of 
OCGA 40-6-391, an alcohol screening device examination can be used to support a violation. A 
reading over .04 grams may indicate a violation of OCGA 40-6-391 depending on the results of an 
evidentiary test. 
B. Blood Test 
1. If a blood test is designated, the driver will be transported to a location, usually Northeast Georgia, 
Gwinnett Medical Centers, or closest Fire Station, where qualified personnel will draw a blood sample. 
2. The arresting officer must observe the test. 
3. The officer shall insure the technician drawing the blood seals, labels, and transfers the sample to 
the officer to maintain chain of custody. 
C. Urine Test 
The officer may administer a urine test using urine bottles furnished by the department. When doing so, 
the officer must observe the collection of the sample in question and then take possession of the bottle. 
The officer will then package the sample according to instructions. 
NOTE: Blood and urine samples will be submitted to the GBI Crime Lab in accordance with 
Departmental and GBI procedures. Urine testing is not a viable option in testing for blood alcohol 
concentration and is not to be used for that purpose. 
D. Additional Tests 
1. Once the arrestee has submitted to the required State Administered Chemical Test(s), the subject 
must then be given the opportunity to obtain additional chemical test(s) by qualified personnel of his 
own choosing. This opportunity must be given immediately after the completion of the State's test. 
2. The arrestee will be transported to the testing facility. Should the facility require cash payment before 
taking the sample, and the person does not have the funds, the officer must assist the accused to 
obtain the funds by; 
a. Allowing the accused to call someone to bring the funds; 
b. Taking the accused to an ATM machine; 
c. Any other reasonable action approved by a supervisor. 
3. The officer will not sign forms that indicate the Department is requesting the service or indicating any 
liability for the test. 
4. The arrestee will be given the sample for testing. 
E. Refusal to Submit to State Administered Test(s) and Administrative License Suspension (ALS) 
Procedures. 
If the arrested subject refuses to submit to the state administered chemical test(s) following the initial 
request, the subject will be permitted to submit to and complete the test or tests if the subject voluntarily 
reverses his initial decision within a reasonable time period. The existing circumstances will determine 
the time period that is reasonable. 

a. If the subject refuses to submit to a test at the time of the request, subsequently expresses a desire 
to submit and then refuses to complete a test, subsequent consideration of a desire to alter his decision 
will not be given. 
2. The results of breath test or the refusal to submit to a breath test shall be noted in the report. 
3. If the driver refuses to submit to the State administered chemical test after being advised of the 
consequences of the refusal, and after being requested to submit to a test, or tests, or if the driver 
submits to a test or tests and the results are 0.08 or above if over 21 years of age, or 0.04 or above, if 
operating a commercial motor vehicle with a commercial motor vehicle driver’s license or 0.02 and 
above, if under 21 years of age, the officer must take the following steps: 
a. Complete a Law Enforcement Sworn Report (Form DPS 1205) and indicate if the driver refused the 
tests, or the result was an alcohol concentration of 0.08, 0.04 or 0.02 grams or more. 
Note: Do not complete the form if blood or urine test results are not known. Complete the DPS 1205(s) 
when results are returned. 
b. The arresting officer is required to confiscate any driver's license or permit on the person at the time 
of the arrest. 
c. The officer shall issue the driver a driving permit if he has a valid license, which will allow that person 
to drive until the administrative suspension becomes effective. The license restrictions and 
classification are to be added on the permit by the arresting officer and made authentic by the arresting 
officer's signature and I.D. number. 
Note: The arresting officer is required to validate the driving permit on the DPS 1205 if the violator’s 
license is valid at the time of arrest, whether or not the violator signs as well. The arresting officer 
MUST personally hand-deliver the yellow copy of the DPS 1205 to the violator. 
d. The report will be mailed to the Department of Driver Services by a designated person within courts 
or records. The officer will maintain a copy of the Law Enforcement Sworn Report and all other copies. 
F. Reporting Requirements 
1. Law Enforcement Sworn Report if applicable; 
2. Incident Report; 
3. Vehicle Impound Report, if applicable; 
4. All applicable citations; 
5. One copy of the Intoxilyzer test card; 
VI. Traffic Engineering 
While on patrol, an officer may encounter traffic situations that are unsafe and/or restrict the smooth 
orderly flow of traffic. Notice of a potential problem can come from many different sources. These 
sources may include neighborhood watch groups, citizen contacts, letters from citizens, other city 
employees, other government agencies, and personal observations of officers. Once notified of traffic 
engineering problem officers shall forward a written request to the Patrol Commander via the 
immediate supervisor through a memorandum, email, or service request. 
The Patrol Commander shall compile the necessary data needed to deny or confirm a need for traffic 
engineering. This data will be collected from central records, traffic analysis, and/or surveys. The Patrol 
Commander will make a written recommendation regarding changes to ordinances, new ordinances, 
the use of traffic control devices, or other engineering improvements to the Chief of Police. The Chief of 
Police may then forward this recommendation to the City Administrator for referral to the GDOT or the 
City’s Public Works Department. 
The Patrol Commander shall participate in traffic management planning meetings as needed. The 
Patrol Commander shall evaluate all serious traffic crashes, along with GDOT and the City’s Public 
Works Department, to determine if engineering might prevent future crashes. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 15-1 Traffic Citations Special Procedure 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 15-1 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/30/2018 
Subject: Traffic Citations (Special Procedures) 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this chapter is to establish procedures for the issuance of traffic citations or 
non-issuance of citations in special situations. 
II. Policy and Procedure 
A. Non-Residents 
If a violator's state of residence is a member of the Non-Resident Violator Compact, the officer may 
release the person on a copy of the citation, and will advise the violator that if the citation is not paid, or 
if he does not appear in court on the date indicated, the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicle Safety 
will notify the appropriate driver’s license authority of the violator's home state, and the driver's license 
will be suspended until the fine is paid. If a violator's state of residence is not a member of the 
Non-Resident Violator Compact, the violator must post a bond. The violator will be escorted to the 
Auburn Municipal Court, if during regular business hours, or if after hours, to the Gwinnett County Jail 
to post a bond. The citation should be marked "Posted Bond" in the remarks section of the citation, and 
appropriate copies forwarded to the Court Clerk. As of April 1996, the following states are not members 
of the Non-Resident Violation Compact: Alaska, California, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, and 
Wisconsin. Violators holding a license from one of these states must be escorted to the Auburn 
Municipal Court or to the Gwinnett County Jail to post a bond. 
B. Juvenile Offenders 
If a driver is 16 years old or younger, with or without a valid driver's license, and the offender violates a 
law or ordinance governing the operation of a motor vehicle upon the highways or street, and if a 
citation is written, it should be directed to the Juvenile Court. No court date should be given either 
verbally or in writing; the Juvenile Court will handle the notification as to when the juvenile is to appear. 
The summons section of the citation should be clearly marked "JUVENILE". 
A Juvenile Complaint Form and incident report shall accompany the following traffic violations whether 
the juvenile is arrested or released with a citation: 
a. Homicide by Vehicle; 
b. Manslaughter; 
c. Driving Under the Influence; (DUI) 
d. Failure to stop and render aid; 
e. False affidavit relating to ownership of vehicle; 
f. A felony in the commission of a crime of which involves a motor vehicle; 
g. Racing on the highway or street; 
h. Fleeing or attempting to elude an officer; 
I. Fraudulent or fictitious use of a license; 
j. Hit and run or leaving the scene of an accident; 
k. Laying drag; and/or 
l. Display of another person's license 
A Juvenile Complaint form may also accompany other citations where the officer feels that additional 
information surrounding the circumstances of the violation would be beneficial to the court. 
C. Legislators 
All legislators, state or federal, shall be free from arrest during legislative sessions or committee 
meetings, and in going thereto or returning therefrom, except for treason, felony, or breach of the 
peace. When legislators are in session, citations or physical arrest shall not be initiated without prior 

approval of the arresting officer's immediate supervisor. (Ga. Const. Art.III, Sec.IV, Para. IX) 

D. Diplomatic and Consular Immunity 
1. The person of a diplomatic agent shall be inviolable. He shall not be liable for any arrest or detention. 
The receiving state shall treat him with due respect and shall take all appropriate steps to prevent 
attack on his person, freedom, or dignity. (Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, Article 29-31, 23 
U.S.C. 3227; 23 U.S.C. 254a et seq.) 
2. The term "diplomatic agent" includes the head of a mission, (generally an ambassador), of a foreign 
government, and members of the diplomatic, administrative, and technical staff of a mission. (22 U.S.C. 
254a). 
3. The members of the family of a diplomatic agent forming part of his household shall...” enjoy the 
privileges and immunities afforded the diplomatic agent”. (Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 
Art. 37). 
4. Private servants of embassy personnel have no immunity. 
5. In the absence of a specific treaty, Consular Officials are not entitled to diplomatic immunity. (Hall v. 
Coppell, 74 U.S. 549, 19 L. Ed 244,247). 
6. The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, Article 41-42, 21 U.S.T. 78, provides that: 
a. The receiving state shall treat Consular Officers with due respect and shall take all appropriate steps 
to prevent any attack on their person, freedom, or dignity. 
b. Consular Officers shall not be liable to arrest or detention pending trial, except in the case of a grave 
crime, (felony offense that endangers the public safety), and pursuant to a decision by the competent 
judicial authority. 
c. Except as specified above, Consular Officers shall not be committed to prison. 
d. If criminal proceedings are instituted against a Consular Officer, he must appear before the 
competent authorities. 
7. If a Consular Officer, employee, or members of their families are taken into custody, the U.S. 
Department of State should be promptly notified. 
8. The term "Consular Officers" includes Consul Generals, Consuls, Vice Consuls, and Consular 
Agents, who are official representatives of a foreign government accredited to the United States. 
(Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, Art. 1.) 
Honorary Consuls are not entitled to immunity under Article 41. Georgia extends the same privileges 
and immunities as are extended to Consulate General of foreign countries to the Coordination Council 
for North American Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan). (OCGA 50-1-1) 
9. Family members of Consular officials are not entitled to immunity. (Vienna Convention on Consular 
Relations, Art. 57.) 
10. Traffic violations by Consular Officers: 
The U.S. Department of State has taken the position that "authorities in all jurisdictions of the United 
States would be free to issue regular traffic tickets or summonses to any driver with diplomatic or 
consular status, who fails to observe traffic laws and regulations." (7 Digest of Int'l L. 17, p.172.) 
In DUI cases where a Consular Officer is considered a danger to himself or others, the U.S. 
Department of State advises that a law enforcement officer may: 
a. Take the Consular official to the station or a location where he may recover sufficiently to drive 
safely; 
b. Take him to a telephone to call someone to drive them home; 
c. Call a taxi for him; 
d. Take the official home; and/or 
e. In all cases involving a Consular official, a superior officer should be contacted. 
11. Verification of Status of Persons for Whom Immunity is Claimed 
A person claiming immunity is required to produce satisfactory evidence that he is entitled to immunity. 
The U.S. Department of State issues identification to diplomatic agents and Consular officials 
accredited to the United States. (7 Digest Int'l. L. 8, p.108) The Georgia Secretary of State issues 
identification cards to honorary consuls and members of the families of career Consular officials who 
are stationed in Georgia. 
In any situation in which a law enforcement official needs to establish entitlement to Diplomatic or 
Consular immunity, and the person asserting it cannot produce satisfactory evidence thereof, i.e., 

identification card issued by the U.S. State Department, or the official wishes to verify that the 
employment from which the person's immunity or that a family member derives is still valid, 
confirmation of the correct status, or wishes advise concerning a particular situation, the official can 
telephone the U.S. Department of State as follows: 
During regular hours, the Office of Protocol, U.S. Department of State. 
a. For Diplomats: (202) 647-4510 

b. For International Organization employees: (202)647-1402 
c. For Consular Officers: (202) 647-1404 
d. For United Nations employees: (202) 415-4131 
After normal hours, all calls should be made to the Command Center of the Office of Security, U.S. 
Department of State as follows: 
a. (202) 647-7277 
b. (202) 415-4444 (United Nations employees) 
E. Privilege of Military 
The members of the organized military forces shall in all cases, except treason, felony, or breach of the 
peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at drills, parades, meetings, encampments, 
and the election of officers; and going to, during, and returning from the performance of any active duty, 
as such members. (O.C.G.A. Sec. 17-4-2) 
No doubt the legislative purpose of the immunity statutes was to prevent civil interference with the 
military on active duty in the performance of duty. This purpose will be served only if the immunity is 
asserted at the earliest opportunity. The legislative purpose is defeated if the military personnel allows 
himself to be deterred from the performance of his duty and then raises the privilege for the sole 
purpose of avoiding the criminal sanctions which he faces. [140 Ga.App.441(5)] 
Military shall be composed of the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, and the Georgia State 
Guard when organized. [O.C.G.A. Sec. 38-2- 2(10)] 
NOTE: Any sheriff or peace officer may apprehend persons subject to the Georgia Code of Military 
Justice (GCMJ) upon reasonable belief that an offense has been committed, and that the person 
apprehended has committed an offense. (O.C.G.A. Sec. 38-2-340) All members of the Georgia 
organized militia are subject to the provisions of the Georgia Code of Military Justice. (O.C.G.A. Sec. 
38-2-322) 
F. Witnesses 
Witnesses who come into, or pass through Georgia, pursuant to a summons issued under the "Uniform 
Act to Secure the Attendance of Witnesses", are immune from arrest or the service of civil or criminal 
process, in connection with matters which arose prior to the witness coming into the state under the 
summons (OCGA Sec. 24-13-96). 
G. Foreign Nationals 
The United States is a country home to many different cultures and nationalities. As such, based on 
Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, whenever a member of this Department 
arrests, or takes into custody a person other than a United States citizen, the arresting officer will ask 
the arrestee if the person desires to have the arresting officer contact their home country’s embassy or 
consular official. Any refusal or desire to contact an official, and the results of the contact, will be 
documented in the narrative of the incident report. 
Several countries require notification, regardless of the wishes of the violator. It is the arresting officer’s 
responsibility to determine the violator’s country’s status and to inform a consular official as required by 
Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and then document such notification in the 
arrest report. Officers are provided a Consular Notifications and Access Reference Card which lists 
instructions for arrest and detentions of foreign nationals, and the mandatory notification countries. The 
information may also be obtained at the Department of State website, ) 736-7559. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 15-2 Traffic Accident Investigation 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 15-2 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/30/2018 
Subject: Traffic Accident Investigation 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines related to traffic collisions, including providing 
emergency assistance to the injured, protecting the collision scene, conducting on-scene, and follow-up 
investigations. 
II. Policy 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to investigate all traffic accidents within the jurisdiction 
of the City of Auburn. Response to serious accidents will include providing initial emergency services 
(as needed) and recording short-lived evidence and restoring normal traffic flow. Serious accidents 
involving death or serious injury shall be investigated by GSP or other investigating entity/s as directed 
by the Chief of Police. Response to less serious accidents will be influenced by availability of personnel 
and workload. The following type accidents are considered as serious accidents: 
A. Accidents involving death or injury 
B. Accidents in which one or more vehicles and/or drivers left the scene 
C. Accidents involving impairment due to alcohol and/or drugs 
D. Accidents involving public vehicles or property 
E. Accidents involving hazardous materials 
F. Accidents involving disturbances between principals 
G. Accidents that create major traffic congestion 
H. Accidents that result in damage to the extent that towing is required 
III. Procedure 
A. General Investigation Procedures Involving Some Property Damage 
The following will be conducted by the initial officer receiving a traffic accident call: 
1. Upon arrival, the officer will assume command of the scene (until relieved) and determine if there are 
injuries requiring emergency medical attention. This is to be accomplished through personal 
observations and/or asking all involved persons if they require medical attention, and when needed to 
call for EMS if not already enroute. The officer will also advise 911 when rescue and/or wrecker service 
is needed and coordinate positioning of officers for traffic control. 
2. When serious bodily injury (death is likely or prosecutable as a felony offense), death, or extenuating 
circumstances exist, a GSP traffic unit (or other investigating entity as directed by the Chief of Police) 
will be notified. 
In this case, vehicles are not to be moved unless necessary to preserve life or prevent further collisions. 
3. The initial responding officer shall attempt to identify any potential fire hazards such as down power 
lines, spilled fuel, or actual flames. If these exist, Barrow 911 should be notified to have fire control 
unit(s) enroute. If hazardous materials exist, the officer shall continue in accordance with III (G). If there 
is a disturbance between the parties involved which has become violent, or has the propensity to 
become violent, the investigating officer shall call for additional officers. The priority will be to defuse the 
volatile situation. 
4. Obtain driver's license and verify each vehicle’s insurance status through the state’s database by 
running the involved vehicle’s license plate through GCIC via Barrow 911. 
5. Question and obtain names and addresses from any witnesses. When it is necessary for a witness to 
leave the scene before the investigation is completed due to a pressing appointment or some type of 
emergency, obtain the necessary information as quickly as possible and allow the witness to leave. 

6. Investigate the collision to determine the cause of the accident. Note the position of all vehicles 
involved and take measurements if necessary. If the accident causes major traffic congestion, the 
officer at the scene will call for additional units as needed and inform the Shift Supervisor. Additionally, 
the officer may call for barricades, traffic cones, or wreckers as needed. 
7. After the preliminary investigation is completed, clear the roadway quickly, and refrain from blocking 
any portion of the roadway while completing the report. The officer is to turn off the vehicle’s emergency 
lights. This action will usually allow traffic to flow faster by attracting less attention. 
8. The wrecker service will clear the roadway of debris at the accident scene. An officer will remain with 
the vehicle(s) until removed by a wrecker service or by an authorized individual. 
9. After investigating a reportable motor vehicle accident, and when a violation of a traffic law has 
occurred, the offending driver shall be issued the appropriate citation(s). 
Note: According to O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-6-273, the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in 
injury to, or death of any person, or property damage to an apparent extent of $500.00 or more, shall 
immediately, by the quickest means of communication, give notice of such accident to the local police 
department if such accident occurs within a municipality. If such accident occurs outside a municipality, 
such notice shall be given to the office of the county sheriff or to the nearest office of the state patrol. 
10. The investigating officer shall be authorized to remove any valuable property (larger amounts of 
currency, jewelry, firearms, etc.) from any vehicle being towed if the person(s) involved are unable to 
care for the property. All property will be returned to the owner before the end of the investigating 
officer’s shift or the officer should complete a property and evidence sheet and secure the items in 
Property and Evidence at the Auburn Police Department for safe keeping. The officer shall advise the 
owner or other responsible person concerning the location of the property. All other items will be left in 
the vehicle and noted on the Vehicle Inventory Sheet. This form shall then be submitted to the Shift 
Supervisor, who will forward the document to the Records Section for storage. 
11. Complete the Traffic Accident Electronic Reporting Form, including the narrative page and sketch 
diagram. 
B. Follow-up Investigation 
After the officer has completed the on-scene investigation, if the driver and/or passengers of any 
vehicle involved were transported from the scene because of injuries, the officer will conduct a 
follow-up investigation at the Emergency Room, if approved by the Supervisor, obtaining all the 
information necessary to complete the report. Generally, the follow-up investigation, if needed, may 
involve obtaining additional vehicle owner information, verification of insurance and/or driver or 
passenger information. Depending upon the extent of injuries and/or the existence of fatalities, the 
following activities may be included in the follow-up investigation: 
1. Taking of statements from witnesses and principals 
2. Reconstruction of the accident scene and/or the use of expert or technical assistance 
3. Preparation of formal reports to support formal criminal charges. In such cases, all follow-up activities 
will be conducted by the traffic officer assigned the investigation. 
C. Accident Involving Serious Injury 
Note: According to O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-6-394, a serious injury accident occurs when someone, without 
malice, causes bodily harm to another by depriving him a member of his body, rendering a member of 
his body useless, seriously disfigures his body or a member thereof, or by causing organic brain 
damage which renders the body or member useless through the violation of O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-6-390 
(reckless driving) or O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-6-391 (DUI). This is a felony offense. 
1. The initial officer receiving the call will arrive on the scene and park outside of the scene area. 
2. Upon determination that the accident involves serious injuries (the offending driver has injured 
another person other than himself), the initial officer will advise E-911 to notify the Shift Supervisor. The 
Shift Supervisor will contact GSP or other designated investigating entity. 
3. The accident scene will be protected as a crime scene. Other traffic will be diverted or directed 
around the scene. The responding traffic officer will relieve the officer in charge and assume command 
of the scene, to include responsibility for the investigation of the crash. All pertinent information will be 
relayed to the investigating officer. 
4. Any perpetrators, suspects, or witnesses at the scene will be detained by the initial officer, either at 
the scene if at all possible, or if injured, at the medical center for later investigation. 

5. No items, such as vehicle parts, or body limbs should be disturbed or removed from the accident 
until photographed and processed by investigating officer/s. This does not prevent personnel from 
erecting barricades or other type shields to prevent on-lookers from viewing the body or body parts. 
6. No wreckers or spectators will be allowed to enter the accident scene until authorized. 
7. The initial responding officer, or any other officer that assisted with the incident, will complete a 
supplemental report outlining his activities, to be included in the investigative report. 
8. The investigating officer will complete all investigative reports and will be responsible for coordinating 
with the accident reconstructionist, and/or Traffic Supervisor, in concluding the investigation, including 
initiating any criminal charges that may be forthcoming. 
10. The investigating officer will be responsible for clearing the accident scene and impounding 
vehicles. The impounding wrecker service will clear the roadway of debris at the accident scene. 
11. The following reports will be a part of the felony investigation of a serious injury collision and 
completed by the investigating officer/agency such as GSP: 
a. Georgia Motor Vehicle Accident Report 
b. Investigation Report, detailing the complete investigation 
c. Witness Statements 
d. Arrest Booking Report (if applicable) 
e. Results of state administered chemical tests on victim and/or all involved drivers, when probable 
cause exists to believe one or more of the drivers is impaired by alcohol and/or drugs 
f. Warrants (if applicable) 
g. Medical Information relating to the collision 
h. Photographs (to be attached later) 
i. Accident investigation report 
D. Accidents Involving Fatalities 
In the event a fatality collision is reported, or if a collision victim’s death is imminent, the following 
procedures will be followed: 
1. The Chief of Police and the Patrol Commander will be notified by the Shift Supervisor. Accidents 
involving fatalities will be investigated by GSP or other investigative entity/s as directed by the Chief of 
Police. 
2. The GSP officer or other investigating officer, upon arrival, shall relieve the officer in charge of the 
scene, and shall assume responsibility for the scene. The assigned investigating officer will complete 
the vehicle accident report and initiate the appropriate criminal charges. 
E. Hit and Run Accidents 
1. The first officer to arrive on the scene shall: 
a. Administer first aid and advise Barrow (or respective location 911 services) when emergency 
equipment is needed 
b. Obtain information and give lookout on suspect's vehicle 
c. If the hit and run accident involves a fatality or serious injury, notify the Shift Supervisor, who will then 
notify the investigating officer/agency. If a fatality, the Chief of Police and Patrol Commander shall be 
notified. 
2. The officer receiving the call when it does not involve a serious injury or fatality will handle the 
investigation and report as follows: 
a. Investigate and, if possible, determine the cause of the accident 
b. Obtain any other evidence that would aid in identifying suspect's car, to include photographs 
c. If possible, give additional information for lookout broadcast 
d. All evidence collected at the scene should be submitted into Property/Evidence or uploaded onto the 
host under the incident’s case number 
e. Complete a vehicle accident report and mark clearly on the report that the accident is a hit and run 
f. Complete an incident report. The follow-up investigation shall be the responsibility of the reporting 
officer 
F. Private Property Accidents 
Accident investigations on private property will not be conducted unless the following offenses are 
present: 
1. Driving under the influence 

2. Habitual Violator 
3. No insurance 
4. Reckless driving; 
5. Leaving the scene of an accident/striking an unattended motor vehicle 
6. Laying drag 
G. Accidents Involving Hazardous Materials 
In the event of a train derailment or a traffic accident suspected to involve hazardous materials, the 
responding officer shall: 
1. Notify the Barrow 911 Center for Fire Department assistance and advise the type of hazard if known. 
2. Assume command of the scene until relieved and notify the Shift Supervisor of the situation. 
3. Move and keep people away from the scene and its environs. 
4. Request additional police assistance to establish a perimeter and coordinate responding officer’s 
approach so access to the scene can be controlled. 
Note: When approaching an accident scene involving hazardous cargo, officers should maintain a great 
distance upwind of the scene, until the nature of the material can be determined. Distance and direction 
may be the only defense against the effects of some materials. 
5. Not walk into or touch any spilled material. 
6. Avoid inhalation of all gases, fumes, and smoke, even if hazardous materials are not involved. Do 
not assume that gases or vapors are harmless because of lack of smell. 
7. Based upon the extent and severity of the possible or actual contamination, the supervisor may 
establish a Command Post near the accident scene and shall coordinate activities according to the 
Emergency Response Plan as outlined in Chapter 16-12, of the Auburn Police Department’s Policies 
and Procedures. 
H. Accidents Involving Impairment Due to Alcohol and/or Drugs 
When investigating accidents involving impairment due to alcohol and/or drugs, the officer shall act as 
outlined in III. A. (1-9), of this Chapter, then begin the DUI investigation. If the subject is under arrest for 
any other offense, the officer conducting the investigation must advise the subject of Miranda prior to 
beginning the DUI investigation. 
1. If the subject has been transported to a medical facility or is about to be transported to a medical 
facility, the investigating officer shall go immediately to the facility and advise the subject of Miranda, (if 
already under arrest) and Implied Consent, and request a blood and/or urine sample. 
2. The officer should attempt to get the sample(s) prior to any medications or I.V. being administered. 
I. Wrecker Service 
The following procedure for obtaining wrecker services will be used: 
1. The officer requesting service should make their request through the Barrow County E-911. 
a. If the officer is requesting the wrecker service, only the contract wrecker services provided by the 
City (next list wrecker) shall be used. 
b. The investigating officer, not the wrecker driver, is responsible for filling out the automobile 
impound/inventory report. An automobile impound/inventory report will be completed on every police 
impound. The form has three (3) copies. Once completed, one copy will be given to the wrecker driver, 
one copy will go to the owner/driver, and one copy will be forwarded to the support services division. 
c. An officer will stand by and not leave the scene, until after the wrecker has cleared the scene with the 
vehicle in tow. 
2. Accident victims may use the wrecker service of their choice when: 
a. The vehicle involved is not causing an immediate traffic hazard and will be moved within a 
reasonable time. 
b. When a private wrecker is used, the parties involved may be required to make contact with the 
company themselves. 
c. When a wrecker is required, and the drivers are able to communicate, determine from them if they 
want a wrecker for their vehicle (in cases where there will not be an impound by the investigating 
officer). If asked, the officer is authorized to advise Barrow E-911 of the owner’s request for a specific 
wrecker company. 
J. Accident Reports 

A report shall be completed for all accidents that occur on public roads, streets, and highways of the 
State, including City and County roads, within the corporate limits of the City of Auburn. The accident 
report should be completed in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the booklet titled Georgia 
Uniform Motor Vehicle Accident Report Instruction Manual, and in compliance with the format specified 
in the Auburn Police Department policy, Chapter 14. 
At times, officers will be dispatched to conduct an accident investigation where the accident occurred at 
an unknown location, or after parties have entered into a civil agreement for an accident that is not 
required to be reported under state law. In these instances, the officer will complete a miscellaneous 
information report detailing the known facts in the narrative. 
In a case of a delayed report, an accident report will be completed, if an individual reports the crash 
within seven days of the collision and the elements mentioned in the foregoing paragraph do not apply. 
In these instances, the officer will complete the accident report, to include a sketch, based on the 
details reported by the complainant. 

K. Accidents Involving City of Auburn Vehicles 
A thorough investigation will be made of all circumstances involving city vehicle accidents resulting in 
injury to city personnel and/or damage to city vehicles, and city-owned property. Accident reports 
involving Police Department vehicles will be forwarded to the Chief of Police as soon as possible, for 
review and recommendation; and to Office of the City Administrator at City Hall. The Chief of Police 
should be notified as soon as practical after such an accident occurs. Accident reports involving City 
vehicles will be forwarded to the Office of the City Administrator as soon as possible. 
1. In addition to the above, required reports for city use only, as they relate to corrective action taken, 
etc., will be completed by supervisory personnel and turned in on all accidents (vehicular) involving City 
personnel. 
2. The following guidelines are to be followed in reporting accidents involving Police Department 
vehicles: 
a. The driver shall notify Barrow E-911 of the accident, give the location and other pertinent information, 
and request that a supervisor be dispatched to the scene, if able to do so. 
The driver shall notify his/her patrol commander at once or the chief of police if unable to reach the 
patrol commander. It is the policy of Auburn Police Department to request the assistance of the Barrow 
County Sheriff’s department to investigate and report all serious accidents involving police department 
vehicles. Minor accidents may be investigated and reported by a 2nd party Auburn Police Officer upon 
direction from command staff. In any case, the Shift Supervisor is to respond to the scene and notify 
appropriate command staff. 
b. An accident report will be completed, as well as an incident report, depending on the severity of 
damage, whether people are injured, etc., at the discretion of the supervisor. 
c. The supervisor or traffic officer conducting the investigation will prepare the appropriate accident 
report. If the collision occurred on a public highway, the supervisor or traffic officer will issue a citation 
to the party responsible for the accident if the apparent damage exceeds $500.00. If the damage is less 
than $500.00, a written warning may be issued at officer discretion. 
d. In cases involving grievous bodily injury or death, the Georgia State Patrol will be contacted to 
conduct the official investigation. 
e. Injured citizens will not be transported to the hospital in police cars. 
Note: Statements of drivers are recorded by the investigating officer at the scene utilizing assigned 
on-body audio/video recording devices 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 15-3 Traffic Direction and Control (Final) 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 15-3 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Traffic Direction and Control 

I. Policy 
The Auburn Police Department will carry out its responsibility for traffic direction and control by 
providing, managing, and training appropriate personnel and alternate resources to expedite the 
movement of pedestrians and vehicles. Only sworn or auxiliary personnel are authorized to direct 
traffic. 
II. Purpose 
The purpose of this chapter is to establish uniform procedures for the provision of traffic direction and 
control. 
A. Traffic Direction at Accident Scenes 
1. Minor traffic accidents requiring an accident report, do not present a major problem relative to traffic 
direction. In these cases, the officer should note the position of each vehicle and other relevant physical 
evidence, and have the vehicles moved to a safe location, restoring traffic flow, and then complete the 
accident report. 
2. In serious accidents requiring a thorough investigation, the scene may need protection for an 
extended period of time. In these cases, the investigating officer shall follow these procedures: 
a. Summon sufficient assistance to handle traffic direction responsibilities 
b. Utilize sufficient equipment to protect the scene (barricades, traffic cones, etc.) 
c. Detour traffic as necessary 
d. Give priority attention to collecting the information necessary at the scene to facilitate restoring 
normal flow of traffic 
e. Restore the scene to a safe condition (replace signs, etc.) 
f. Continue traffic direction duties until traffic flow is normal 
B. Manual Direction of Traffic 
1. VISIBILITY - Personnel shall wear their issued reflective jacket or reflective vest when directing 
traffic. During adverse weather conditions, personnel shall wear a reflective jacket or high visibility 
raincoat when directing traffic. To indicate that the officer is present for the purpose of directing traffic, 
he should: Position himself so that he can be seen clearly by all, usually in the center of an intersection 
or street; stand straight with weight equally distributed on both feet; allow hands and arms to hang 
easily at his sides except when gesturing; stand facing or with his back to traffic which he has stopped, 
and with his side toward traffic he has directed to move. 
2. STOPPING TRAFFIC - To stop traffic, the officer should first extend his arm and index finger toward, 
and look directly at, the person to be stopped until eye contact is made, or that person is aware, or it 
can be reasonably assumed that he is aware of the officer's gesture. Second, the pointing hand is 
raised at the wrist, so that its palm is toward the person to be stopped, and the palm is held in this 
position until the person is observed to stop. To stop traffic from both directions on a two-way street, the 
procedure is then repeated for traffic coming from the other direction, while continuing to maintain the 
raised arm and palm toward the traffic previously stopped. 
3. STARTING TRAFFIC - To start traffic, the officer should first stand with shoulder and side toward the 
traffic to be started, extend his arm and index finger toward, and look directly at the person to be 
started, until that person is aware, or it can be reasonably assumed that he is aware of the officer's 
gesture. Second, with palm up, the pointing arm is swung from the elbow only, through a vertical 
semi-circle until the hand is adjacent to the chin. If necessary, this gesture is repeated until traffic 
begins to move. To start traffic from both directions on a two-way street, the procedure is then repeated 

for traffic coming from the other direction. 

4. RIGHT TURNS - Right turning drivers usually effect their turns without the necessity of being 
directed by the officer. When directing a right turn becomes necessary, the officer should proceed as 
follows. If the driver is approaching from the officer's right side, his extended arm and index finger and 
gaze are first directed toward the driver, followed by swinging the extended arm and index finger in the 
direction of the driver's intended turn. If the driver is approaching from the officer's left side, the same 
procedure may be followed utilizing the left arm. 
5. LEFT TURNS - Left turning drivers should not be directed to affect their movement while the officer is 
also directing on-coming traffic to proceed. 
Therefore, the officer should either direct opposing vehicles to start, while avoiding left gestures 
directed at turning drivers, which leads them to complete their turn only when there is a gap in the 
oncoming traffic, or to stop, or hold oncoming drivers, after which the left turning driver can be directed 
into his turn. The officer's right side and arm should be toward the oncoming traffic, and the left side 
and arm should be toward the left turning driver. After stopping on-coming traffic by using the right arm 
and hand, the right hand should remain in the halt gesture, then the extended left arm and index finger 
and officer's gaze is directed toward the driver who intends to effect a left turn. When the left turning 
driver's attention has been gained, the extended left arm and index finger are swung to point in the 
direction the driver intends to go. In order to clear the lane occupied by a driver who intends to make a 
left turn, but cannot because of oncoming traffic, he can be directed into the intersection and stopped 
adjacent to the officer's position until the left turn can be safely completed. The driver should be 
directed into the intersection by pointing toward him with the extended arm and index finger, which is 
then swung to point at the position at which the officer wishes the driver to stop and wait for clearing 
traffic. In the alternative, the driver may be directed to move with one arm and hand gesture while the 
other arm and hand are utilized to point to the position at which the driver is to stop. After the driver is 
positioned within the intersection, the officer may either halt oncoming traffic and direct the completion 
of the turn or permit the driver to effect the turn during a natural break in the oncoming traffic. 
C. Signaling Aids 
1. The whistle, if used, is to get the attention of drivers and pedestrians. It is used as follows: 
a. One long blast with a STOP signal. 
b. Two short blasts with the GO signal. 
c. Several short blasts to get the attention of a driver or pedestrian who does not respond to a given 
signal. Establish eye contact as soon as possible. 
2. The whistle should be used judiciously. It should not be used to indicate frustration. The volume 
should be just that sufficient to be heard by those whose attention is required. 
Therefore, whistle blasts directed at pedestrians should be moderate in volume. The whistle should be 
used only to indicate stop, go, or to gain attention. When its purpose has been achieved, the officer 
should cease sounding the whistle. If the whistle is utilized continuously, it ceases to hold meaning for 
drivers and pedestrians. 
3. The voice is seldom used in directing traffic. Arm gestures and the whistle are usually sufficient. 
There are numerous reasons why verbal commands are not used. Verbal orders are not easy to give or 
understand and often lead to misinterpretations, which are dangerous. An order which is shouted can 
antagonize the motorist. 
Occasionally, a driver or pedestrian will not understand the officer's directions. When this happens, the 
officer should move reasonably close to the person and politely and briefly explain his directions. No 
officer shall exhibit loss of temper by shouting or otherwise indicate irritation toward those who do not 
understand, or who do not wish to obey the officer's directions. 
4. The flashlight can be used to stop traffic by slowly swinging the beam of light across the path of 
oncoming traffic. The orange traffic cone shall be attached to the end of the flashlight when directing 
traffic. After the driver has stopped, arm signals may be given in the usual manner with the vehicles 
headlights providing illumination. 
This procedure is to be used in conjunction with all relevant existing Departmental policies, procedures, 
rules and regulations. 
D. Traffic Control at Critical Incidents 

The goal of traffic direction and control at critical incidents is to ensure that efficient, continued traffic 
flow is maintained. Based on the severity and scope of the incident, vehicles and pedestrians may be 
detoured slightly to avoid certain areas within a specific area or be directed completely away from a 
designated area. Critical incidents can involve fires, natural or manmade disasters, crime scenes, or 
collision scenes. 

1. Officers engaged in traffic direction and control services at fire scenes, or other critical incident 
scenes, will ensure access to and egress from the scene by Fire Department personnel and other 
emergency vehicles such as ambulances, or other law enforcement vehicles. 
2. No unauthorized vehicles or pedestrians will be allowed into the controlled scene. In the case of fires, 
no vehicles will be allowed to cross fire hoses without the approval of the senior fire official on the 
scene. 
3. Parked vehicles which interfere with critical incident scene operations may be towed as needed. 
E. Traffic Direction During Periods of Adverse Road and Weather Conditions 
1. The Shift Supervisor will request dispatchers to notify the local radio stations, public works, the 
Auburn Fire Department, and other public safety agencies of adverse road conditions that will affect the 
motoring public. 
2. Departmental personnel will provide traffic direction and control services at the scene of all downed 
power lines, broken gas lines, water mains, or construction sites, when these incidents unnecessarily 
endanger the safe movement of traffic through the area. 
3. The Shift Supervisor may close a street, if in his opinion, the surface conditions and terrain, create an 
unusually hazardous condition. The Supervisor should request assistance from the proper agency in 
alleviating the problem and request public service radio announcement in reference to the closure. 
Other public safety agencies will also be notified. 
F. Traffic Control Devices 
1. Temporary traffic control devices such as cones, barricades, etc., may be issued by APD or obtained 
from the Public Works Department, for special events or emergency situations. The Shift Supervisor will 
have authority to request these devices and determine the location for using them. 
2. Temporary devices will be removed when the event or emergency is over and will be returned to the 
Public Works Department. 
3. In cases where traffic is congested because of a special event, police emergency, or malfunctioning 
traffic control device, and the traffic control device needs to be repaired or placed on flashing, the 
Public Works Department will be called to the scene. Officers will not manually operate traffic control 
devices unless requested by GDOT (or other state-approved entity in control of said device/s) and 
shown how to perform such operation. 
G. High Visibility Clothing 
1. All personnel will wear their issued high-visibility reflective traffic vest when working traffic. 
2. All officers will wear their issued/approved headgear when working traffic during special events. 
H. Escorts 
1. Funeral escorts are provided by the Barrow County Sheriff’s Department. Funeral Directors will be 
required to notify the Barrow County Sheriff’s Department at least one hour in advance of routine 
processions. At least 24 hours advance notice and specific times of particularly large or potentially large 
processions will be required, so that the Department can plan a free-flowing traffic route, and arrange 
for sufficient personnel to handle the escort. This will greatly improve the smooth flow and reduce 
officer idle or waiting time. All notices will be immediately relayed to the effected Shift Supervisor by the 
call taker. 
Any funeral escort will be provided by marked uniform patrol cars only. The patrol car(s) will utilize its 
emergency lights at all times during the escort. The patrol vehicle, with its escort, may proceed past a 
red traffic signal or a stop sign, only after coming to a complete stop and checking that traffic has seen 
and stopped for the emergency vehicle. Assistance should be obtained by other police officers to block 
traffic as needed. The purpose for the blocking of the traffic is to keep the procession together and 
moving in an orderly fashion. 
2. Requests to escort public officials or dignitaries must be approved by the Chief of Police 
3. Police vehicles will not be used to escort any emergency vehicle which has its own operating 
emergency equipment, or private vehicles on emergency runs. Police officers may facilitate the 

movement of other emergency vehicles by assisting with traffic control at key intersections. Officers will 
request EMS personnel for medical emergencies. 

4. Requests for escorts for large or oversize vehicles, as well as vehicles transporting hazardous or 
unusual cargo, will be coordinated through Patrol Commander. It will be that supervisor’s responsibility 
to ensure that the person or company requesting the escort has completed a city permit and has 
complied with other applicable laws or ordinances before the escort is conducted. Once approved, the 
escort will be conducted by marked police vehicles only. Officers engaged in the escort are authorized 
to direct or limit traffic along the route, to facilitate vehicular movement and completion of the escort. 
5. Officers will not engage in emergency escorts involving private vehicles. Instead, officers should 
determine the nature of the emergency and then summon the appropriate emergency aid (fire, EMS, 
etc). 
I. Special Events 
Special events such as parades, sporting events, highway construction and maintenance, picketing, 
etc., may require special traffic plans, which cover all aspects of traffic control and direction. The 
Special Events Planning Guide will be used for planning, logistical needs, organization of the event, 
and will serve as an after-action report. 
Upon learning of a special event, the Chief of Police will promptly designate a person to supervise and 
coordinate the event. The following tenets shall be considered during the planning, and will be 
documented, if applicable, on the Special Events Planning Guide: 
1. Written estimates of traffic to include: 
a. Ingress and egress of vehicles and pedestrians 
b. Provisions for parking 
c. Spectator/crowd control 
d. Public transportation 
e. Assignment of point control duties and relief 
f. Alternate traffic routing 
g. Temporary traffic controls and parking prohibitions 
h. Emergency vehicle access 
i. Appropriate area for media coverage 
2. Crowd control and potential crime problems 
3. Contingency plan for traffic control and direction. 
4. Use of special operations personnel if needed 
5. Logistical requirements 
6. Coordination inside and outside the agency 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 
Auburn Police Department 
Special Event Planning Guide 
Event: _____________________________________________________ 
Event Date: ________________ 
Posting Date: ______________ 
APD Coordinator: ___________________ 

I. Division/section/unit contacts: 
Patrol: ______________________________ 
CID: _______________________________ 
Traffic: _____________________________ 
SIU: _______________________________ 
Support: ____________________________ 
Other: ______________________________ 
Other: ______________________________ 
Other: ______________________________ 
II. City of Auburn and Other Agency Support 
Department:_________________Name:_____________________ Phone:___________ 

Department_________________ Name:_____________________ Phone:___________ 
Department:_________________Name:_____________________ Phone:___________ 
Notes:____________________________________________________________________________ 

III. Citizen Contact(s): 
Name:_________________________ Phone:_____________ Phone:_____________ 
Name:__________________________ Phone:_____________ Phone:_____________ 
Notes: 
IV. Traffic and Crowd Control 
Estimated number of persons at the event: _______ Based on: ___________________ 
Estimated volume of traffic: (circle one) N/A light medium heavy 
Attach a map designating traffic route and direction control points (Include street closings and 
barricades) 
V. Preplanning: 
Notes: 
VI. Personnel requirements 
Complete and attach a list of all personnel to be used during the event. Be sure to include each 
employees date, time, and location to report along with the name of the person they should report to. 
Include a description of the proper uniform and equipment needed. 
Complete and attach a list of all personnel assignments, duty location, time on station, and supervisor. 
Give written instructions on time and/or method to be relieved from duty. 
VII. After action summary: (include problems identified and actions taken) 

Submitted by:__________________________ Approved:______________________________ 


Chapter 15-4 Use of Radar 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 15-4 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Use of Radar 

I. Policy 
The Auburn Police Department will only use speed-measuring devices which meet or exceed the 
performance specifications established by the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicle Safety under 
O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-14-1 and 40-14-2. 
II. Procedures 
A. The municipal or county government must obtain a permit from the Department of Motor Vehicle 
Safety. Permits are not available to any local government where law enforcement officers or court 
officials are paid on a fee system, O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-14-2 (b). Applications for permits must name the 
streets and roads where the radar will be used. The speed limits on those roads must be approved by 
the State Department of Transportation, O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-14-3. 
B. Each county or municipality using radar must erect signs, at least 30 by 24 inches in area, which 
warn motorists that speed detection devices are in use. The signs should be erected at each point 
where a highway (part of the State highway system) intersects the corporate limits of the municipality or 
the county boundary, O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-14-6. In Ferguson v. State, 163 Ga. App. 171, (1982) and again 
in Royston v. State, 166 Ga. App. 386 (1983), the defendants complained because the evidence 
showed that at some points where there should have been signs, there were none. The Court of 
Appeals noted that the code section did not contain a specific exclusionary provision, applied a 
substantial compliance standard, and affirmed the convictions. 
C. Any county or municipal police officer using stationary radar must be sure that the vehicle from 
which the device is being used is visible to approaching motorists for a distance of at least 500 feet, 
O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-14-7. (The obvious purpose of this section is to protect motorists from speed traps. It 
previously required the radar device to be visible at a distance of 500 feet and applied to state officers 
as well as local law enforcement agencies. See Dardin v. Rapkin, supra.) 
D. Evidence of speed obtained by county or municipal officers through use of radar is inadmissible as 
evidence if it was obtained: within 300 feet of a speed reduction sign within the limits of an incorporated 
municipality; within 600 feet of a speed reduction sign outside an incorporated municipality; within 30 
days after the speed limit was reduced in the area the evidence was obtained, O.C.G.A. Sec 40-14-9. 
E. Radar shall not be used by municipal officers within 500 feet of any warning sign erected pursuant to 
O.C.G.A. Sec 40-14-6. 
F. Radar shall not be used by municipal officers on any portion of a highway where there is a grade 
more than 7 percent O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-14-9. 
G. Each county or municipal officer using radar, must, prior to issuing a citation, inform the alleged 
speeder that he has a right to request that the officer test the radar device for accuracy. If a test is 
requested, and the device does not meet the manufacturer’s minimum accuracy requirements, no 
citation can be issued. The device must be removed from service until it has been calibrated and 
recertified by a technician with at least a second-class radiotelephone license from the FCC, O.C.G.A. 
Sec. 40-14-5. All calibration checks will be logged in the officers Radar Log Book. To ensure that each 
certified Radar or Laser operator remains in compliance with both state law and rules set forth by the 
Georgia Department of Motor Vehicle Safety, it is the department’s policy to conduct an accuracy test 
of these units prior to placing them into operation, and again before their use is discontinued. It shall 
further be the department’s practice to maintain a daily log for each of these devices, in which the 
officer will document the times of the accuracy test as mentioned above, as well as the unit’s antenna 
number, counting unit number, tuning forks numbers, and total hours of operation. Laser logs will vary 

slightly but will need to include testing site distance information. Finally, these logs shall be maintained 
by each certified officer and immediately produced to his designee, or any supervisor, upon request. 

H. County and municipal officers can use radar to make speeding cases only: in properly marked 
school zones, one hour before, during and one hour after the normal hours of school operation; in 
properly marked residential districts (thoroughfares with speed limits of 35 miles per hour or more are 
not considered residential districts); in any area, provided the alleged speeder is exceeding the posted 
speed by more than 10 miles per hour, O.C.G.A. Sec. 40-14-8. 
I. Proving the State's Case at Trial 
In view of the foregoing, there is obviously more to proving the State's case than asking the officer to 
tell what happened. The Supreme Court, in Wiggins v. State, 249 Ga. 302, (1982) discussed what is 
required of the state in a speeding case made as a result of radar use by the state patrol. The decision 
indicates that the state can rely on the business records rule for the introduction of the necessary 
proofs which are not within the personal knowledge of the arresting officer. The officer should bring to 
court the following or assure its readily available through Auburn Municipal Court prosecutor: 
1. Documents from the Department of Public Safety showing the device used has been approved for 
use by the Department. 
2. A copy of the FCC license issued to the Department allowing the use of radar. 
3. The certificate, or a copy of it, showing that the radar device used has been tested for accuracy by an 
FCC licensed technician prior to being placed into service, and annually thereafter, if it has been in 
service more than one year. 
4. Certificates showing the accuracy of the tuning forks the officer uses in testing the device during 
each tour of duty. 
5. The officer's log book showing the results of his daily tests. 
6. The certificate issued to the officer by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council 
certifying the officer as a radar operator. 
7. The log book will be maintained by each officer where the results of the tests performed by the officer 
at the beginning and end of each shift are recorded. 
The business record rule should be an adequate vehicle for the introduction of the evidence which is 
not within the personal knowledge of the arresting officer: 
J. Other Considerations: 
1. The admissibility of evidence gained by use of radar speed detection device properly may be raised 
by a Motion in Limine although the motion may be styled as, or in the form of, a motion to suppress, 
and the trial court has discretion to hear the motion pre-trial or to reserve ruling on the admissibility of 
the evidence until it is offered as evidence during the trial Wiggins v. State, supra at 303. 
2. It is imperative that radar units are properly maintained. The Patrol Commander or FMSO will 
establish procedures to ensure: 
a. programmed maintenance, proper care, testing, and calibration of all Auburn Police Department 
owned speed measuring devices; 
b. that adequate maintenance, calibration and operational record systems, suitable for introduction in 
court, are developed and maintained; 
c. and that operators receive proper certification, periodic in-service training and recertification. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 16 Patrol 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 16 
Effective Date: July 1, 2018 Revised: 07/01/2018 
Review: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Patrol 

I. Policy 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to provide police services to all persons within the 
geographical boundaries of the City of Auburn, Georgia. 
II. Purpose 
The Department is charged with the responsibility for: the protection of life, individual liberty and 
property; the preservation of peace, the prevention of crime and disorder; the detection and arrest of 
violators of the law; the enforcement of state law, city ordinances, and the provision of public service to 
the community. This means the police function must be broadly interpreted to include many tasks other 
than the enforcement of laws. 
III. Rules and Regulations 
A. Scope of the Police Function 
To meet these demands, Patrol Division provides emergency and non-emergency services to the 
citizens of Auburn, Georgia, 24 hour a day, every day of the week. This is accomplished by the use of 
scheduled shifts. Officers are required to report for duty 15 minutes prior to their scheduled shift for the 
purpose of roll call. Additionally, the Patrol Division covers a wide scope of police services. Among the 
services provided are: 
1. Law enforcement 
2. Traffic enforcement 
3. Investigation of criminal activities 
4. Investigation of suspicious people and activities 
5. Maintenance of law and order 
6. Crime prevention 
7. Security inspections of commercial businesses, private residences, and public property 
8. Community services 
9. General assistance to the public 
10. Other services as required by the situation and the public 
Patrol Officers will make preliminary investigations of crimes, prepare necessary reports, protect, 
process, and maintain crime scenes, control public gatherings, render miscellaneous police field 
services, and arrest offenders in violation of law’s and ordinance’s. 
B. Personnel 
Personnel will be assigned to the Patrol Division by the Chief of Police or his designee. Officers are 
assigned to shifts based on manpower needs. The Patrol Division is comprised of the following: 
Shift Patrol and Support Services 
Shift Patrol and Support Services 
Shift Patrol and Support Services 
Shift Patrol and Support Services 
Each of the four squads is supervised by a Sergeant who reports to a designated Patrol Lieutenant. 
Each shift will work on a 12-hour schedule as follows: A and B squads are scheduled 0700 to 1900 
shift, and C and D squads 1900 to 0700 shift. All squads work two days, off two days, work three days, 
off two days, work two days then are off three days during a two-week period. 
1. Members of the Department should recognize that service to citizens of the community is a major 
objective of the police and that this service can and must be rendered by all divisions and all ranks. 
Members should try to assist citizens who are victims of crime, those who need emergency help, or 
those who need assistance or who would otherwise be inconvenienced by the Department's failure to 

act. This kind of service can range from giving simple directions and advice to travelers, to providing 
victims of crime with reassurance and support. 

2. Officers are assigned to shifts by the Patrol Commander and are assigned to zones by the Patrol 
Sergeant (as needed). The primary purpose of assigning officers to zones is to set accountability for the 
zone to a group of officers, to maintain uniform patrol coverage throughout the geographical limits of 
Auburn, Georgia, to minimize the distances between calls, and to reduce response time. 
3. Officers assigned to Patrol Division shall attend a Roll Call briefing beginning 15 minutes prior to the 
0700 or 1900 hour in the patrol room of the Auburn Police Department. Roll call briefings are designed 
to accomplish the following: 
a. Inspection of personnel and equipment by a supervisor as prescribed by policy. 
b. Notifying patrol officers of changes in schedules and assignments. 
c. Briefing patrol officers with information regarding Patrol Division activities, unusual situations 
occurring in the community, wanted persons or changes in their status, stolen vehicles and property, 
the status of major investigations, and an avenue for two-way exchange of information between officers 
of different squads, and detectives and patrol officers. 
d. Conduct training to keep officers apprised of changes in the law, policy, procedure and other 
departmental matters. 
C. Crime Prevention and Community Relations 
An important, though often overlooked, function of the police is crime prevention. In many ways crime 
prevention is a more worthwhile function than after-the-fact investigation and apprehension activities. 
For this reason, crime prevention will be a shared responsibility of all department personnel. In addition 
to suppressing crime through visible, aggressive patrol, officers can accomplish long term crime 
prevention objectives by informing citizens of ways to protect themselves and their property from 
criminal acts, through encouraging their cooperation with criminal justice agencies and by participating 
in school programs involving the youth of the community. Because the conduct of each Departmental 
employee reflects on the department as a whole, the burden of achieving the Departments Community 
relations objectives will be shared by all employees of the Department 
D. Order Maintenance 
Another broadly interpreted function of the police might best be defined as that of a manager of social 
order, a role which would include such activities as preventing or settling neighborhood and family 
disputes, providing traffic escorts and directions, assisting ill or injured persons in need of emergency 
help, etc. 
E. Patrol Objectives 
The patrol operation exists to provide 24-hour a day police protection to the citizens; to prevent the 
occurrence of street crimes through visible preventive patrol; to respond rapidly to all requests for 
emergency police service; to improve the criminal apprehension rate by conducting thorough 
preliminary on-the-scene investigations where appropriate; to reduce traffic congestion and accident 
hazards through systematic enforcement of traffic laws and ordinances; to respond to motor vehicle 
accidents; to aid victims and to investigate the circumstances of the accident; to assist citizens in 
dealing with legal, medical, social or humanitarian problems through direct crisis intervention and/or 
making correct referrals to agencies equipped to deal with such problems; and to improve 
police/community relations through increased quality and quantity of contacts between citizens and the 
police. 
F. Preventive Patrol 
Although the patrol officer's work is often dictated by requests for service, a considerable portion of the 
officer's work day is normally available for preventive patrol. In order to make productive use of their 
available time, officers should plan their patrol to focus on specific problems within their zone. 
1. Patrol Members 
The key to the prevention of street crimes is aggressive, preventive patrol. To this end officers are 
encouraged to make increased contact with persons in their zone, to utilize field observation reports 
where appropriate, and to be aware of known criminals and their activities. 
2. Knowledge of Area 
It is essential that patrol officers know the physical characteristics of their area of responsibility as well 
as the current crime problems in those areas. Additionally, they should become acquainted with 

residents and business persons in their areas, gaining knowledge about the habits and idiosyncrasies 
and to investigate any unusual conduct. Patrol officers should be skilled in the detection of criminal and 
vice activities and should be willing and eager to conduct their own preliminary investigations and then 
refer information to others within the zone, and the Department. 

3. Preventive Action 
Patrol officers should be conscious of and alert for conditions which are conducive to crime and should 
take the necessary preventive measures whether this be advising a storekeeper of crime hazards, 
mediating a family dispute which could escalate into an assault or homicide, or handling a drunken 
person. 
4. Problem Solving 
The essence of community-oriented policing is the Department’s commitment to problem solving. 
Employees of the Auburn Police Department will strive to assist citizens in solving individual and 
neighborhood problems. The patrol commander shall be responsible for facilitating appropriate police 
response to identified criminal or quality of life concerns within specified areas in order to formulate 
proactive enforcement. 
G. Commitment of Resources 
Police as public service employees have an obligation to each citizen and to all citizens. Ideally, the 
Department would be able to satisfy each obligation equally, but in reality, this is not the case. 
Requests from individual citizens for special services such as increased patrol, the use of radar, 
premises checks, etc., should be carefully evaluated in terms of total departmental commitments before 
any promises are made. If such a service is proposed, It is incumbent upon the officer making the 
proposal to take immediate steps to ensure the request for service is being processed, and to qualify 
the promise by informing the citizen that other demands may make it impossible to comply with the 
request. 
H. Escorts 
1. Emergency Escorts 
Police vehicles will not be used to escort other vehicles (civilian or marked) on an emergency run. 
Assistance at intersections can be rendered. The supervisor can determine the need on a case by case 
basis to minimize danger. 
2. Public Officials and Dignitaries 
Request to escort public officials and dignitaries must be approved by the Chief of Police. 
I. Patrol Hazards 
To ensure that officers perform their duties effectively and safely, a system of communications has 
been established. This system of communications allows for potential and actual police hazards to be 
identified and disseminated to counteract them. 
1. Sources 
a. Information gathered from officers in the field who identify hazards. 
b. Complaints or information reported by citizens. 
c. Road hazards, utility hazards, natural hazards, etc. encountered by officers shall be reported 
immediately. In those situations in which immediate attention is vital to the public safety the officer shall, 
upon approval of the supervisor, notify the appropriate city employee and standby until given further 
direction by the supervisor. 
d. Persons, areas or events existing or anticipated which have come to the knowledge of the Police 
Department and which may affect police operations, strategies, or tactics. 
e. Communications from surrounding cities or Public Safety Departments forwarding information about 
hazardous situations which can affect the service area. 
f. Developments in investigations which does or could present a hazardous situation. 
g. Crime analysis and expected trends. 
2. Dissemination Methods 
a. Internal memorandums read at roll call. 
b. Verbal exchange of information between squads by supervisors and officers at shift change. 
c. Joint roll call briefings between Patrol and CID divisions. 
d. Bulletin boards. 
e. Broadcast by the Barrow 911 dispatcher. 

f. Radio communications between officers in the field via mobile and portable radios. 
Once an actual hazard or potential police hazard has been identified and the information has been 
disseminated to the affected components, all attempts shall be made to determine the most efficient 
patrol techniques to counteract the hazard. 
J. Tactical Response to Calls 
The police unit shall be parked a reasonable distance from the entrance to the location of the call. 
1. Park the vehicle properly and as close to the curb as possible. Park about half a block prior to arrival 
to avoid signaling your arrival. 
2. If there are additional weapons in the car, they should be removed or locked in the car depending on 
the type of call. 
3. Approach the building from an angle to reduce the possibility of an attack from the inside. 
4. In case the immediate presence of the police is required to protect a person from possible death or 
injury, the first officer on the scene will enter the building, notifying the radio operator of his intentions. 
5. If a situation calls for one or more back-up units to respond in addition to the zone unit, the first car 
on the scene should maintain a safe position until one of the back-up units arrive. 
6. When approaching a doorway, knock on the door and stand to either side of the entrance. 
a. This position keeps the person opening the door off balance. 
b. In the event of violence, the officer is in position to defend himself. 
c. When the officer is making the initial approach to any building, he should take notice of any 
movement inside, such as persons, running silhouettes, or flashlight movement. 
7. The interior of the building must be given careful consideration. 
a. The possibility of more than one-person present poses a threat to the security of the officer. The 
officer should keep all persons in front of him. 
b. Suspects or persons placed under arrest are probably familiar with the interior of the house or 
building. 
c. Do not let persons get hats, coats, etc. Get the article for them if it is needed but search the article 
before giving it to the person. 
d. Do not let the arrested person wander around inside. 
e. All persons arrested and being transported to another location will be handcuffed in the rear and 
placed in the rear seat of the transporting unit. 
8. Never consider a call as routine. 
a. Opinions must not be formed about calls being routine before arrival at the scene. 
b. Be governed by the circumstances after arrival. 
c. In the event of difficulties or violence being encountered, request assistance through Barrow E-911. If 
possible, refrain from further action until the arrival of assistance. 
7. The first officer to arrive at the scene has definite responsibilities. 
a. Cover the most likely avenue of escape. 
b. If there are injuries involved, administer first aid and request rescue if needed. 
c. If suspect has left the scene, obtain a description and issue lookout. 
d. Take charge of and process or protect the crime scene, preserve evidence, and identify witnesses. 
e. If it is determined that additional assistance is needed, notify Barrow E-911. 
f. Prepare the appropriate report. If the zone officer is not present, the first officer arriving is responsible 
for the report. 
g. When serious calls (shootings, robberies, cuttings, nature unknown, etc.) are unfounded, Barrow 
E-911 is to be notified at once. 
h. On calls of an emergency nature, notify Barrow E-911 of the circumstances of the call as soon as 
possible. Keep Barrow E-911 informed of the situation if out of service for an extended period of time. 
Note: Remember that a superior officer is monitoring the situation and has the authority to designate 
duties and responsibilities and send assistance as he deems necessary. 
K. Officer Needs Help Call 
Units responding will operate with blue light and siren. They will be very observant and cautious when 
arriving at the scene if the exact situation is not known. When the situation is under control or an 
assisting officer's services are not needed, he should immediately notify Barrow E-911 and return to 
service. Only those units directed to remain at the scene by the superior officer will do so. 

1. Extreme caution should be used in responding to an officer needs help call. Remember that many 
other officers will be responding with blue light and siren and the intersection you use could be the 
same one used by another responding officer. 
2. If you are to assist the officer that needs help, you must first arrive there safely. 
L. Response to Silent/Audible Burglar Alarms 
It is the responsibility and policy of the Auburn Police Department to respond to silent and audible 
alarms as quickly as possible. Further, it is the responsibility and policy of the Auburn Police 
Department to thoroughly check the structure serviced by the alarm to insure there is not a burglary 
which is/has taken place. In performing this function, the officer must remember that the persons who 
commit these crimes should be considered dangerous. Due to this danger and the danger to private 
citizens, the officer must approach these calls with the utmost alertness and professionalism. To 
become careless and unprofessional can lead to disaster. 
1. Officers will respond to 10-4 checks from Barrow E-911 and give their location. 
2. The first officer on the scene should inspect the premises to the best of his ability to determine if 
there is any evidence of entry. 
3. If there is no evidence of entry, the officer should check with Barrow E-911 to see if the alarm has 
been re-set or the key holder is en route to the scene. 
a. If the silent alarm has not been re-set, or the audible alarm continues to ring, Central 
Communications should be instructed to make every effort to locate the key holder. 
b. If there will be a considerable time span prior to the key holder arriving at the scene, the officer will 
return to service and advise Central Communications to instruct the key holder to call Central 
Communications upon his arrival on the scene so that the officer can return. 
c. If Central Communications cannot locate the key holder or some other responsible person, the officer 
is to check the building as thoroughly as possible. 
4. If the officer determines entry has been made, the officer will immediately notify E-Barrow 911 of 
such entry and request assistance. The officer will then attempt to cover the location from the outside 
and wait until assistance arrives before searching the building. 
5. In the event of a storm causing numerous alarms, the officer will consult his Superior Officer for 
instructions. 
6. When the key holder responds, do not allow him to enter until the building is cleared. If he insists the 
officer shall warn him that the Auburn Police Department will not be responsible for his safety and this 
will be documented in the report. 
M. Managing Disputes 
The role of law enforcement officers in non-criminal, civil disputes is that of an impartial keeper of the 
peace. The role of law enforcement officers in criminal disputes is to restore order, quell disturbances 
and to make the necessary arrests for violations of law. 
Civil (Non-Criminal) Disputes is defined as: non-violent confrontations between two or more persons 
which does not involve a breach of the peace or the commission of an unlawful act. 
1. The following procedures will be used for handling non-criminal disputes: 
a. Stand-by Situations 
Officers are requested to stand by to prevent assault or breach of the peace while personal articles 
such as clothing, health and grooming aids are removed. In this situation, the officer shall remain on 
public property or roadway unless admitted to private property by a lawful occupant or claimants of 
such property until or unless there is a violation of the law. When entry into private property and/or the 
removal of property is denied to a claimant by another who is in possession, the following procedures 
will be used: 
b. The officer shall advise the claimant that claims to personal property will not be enforced by the 
Department but may be by the Sheriff’s Office with the appropriate papers. 
c. If attempts are made to recover personal property over the objection of another, misdemeanor 
assaults which occur outside the officer’s presence will not be cause for a warrantless arrest unless the 
officer can establish probable cause and the offense falls into one of the statutorily provided 
warrantless arrest. 
d. If a confrontation between two or more persons develops into a brawl or breach of the peace, both or 
all disputants will be subject to arrest. 

2. When handling disputes which do not involve weapons or a criminal offense under family violence 
the officer shall: 
a. Park in a manner that allows safe approach and an opportunity to evaluate the situation. 
b. Separate and interview disputants in a calm and unbiased manner. 
c. Get disputants to offer or suggest alternatives for resolving the dispute. 
d. Maintain third party neutrality while restoring normal communications between disputants. 
3. Orders of the Court 
Officers of the Department shall enforce only local and current orders of the court which specifically 
direct the Sheriff or his duly constituted deputies and/or police officers to execute the order of judgment. 
a. After a restraining order has been served violations, of the order, which occur after the order is 
served, must be reported by the complaint to the court which issued the order. The officer responding 
will document the reported violation in an incident report but will only make an arrest with the prior 
standing order of the issuing judge to arrest upon violation. 
b. Enforcement of violations of a local court order must originate from the court with an arrest warrant. 
Officers shall not make warrantless arrests for violations of civil court orders. Verbal orders by a judge 
will not be executed. 
c. A conditional order of the court which orders the arrest of a person shall not be executed unless the 
order is current, and verification of the order and its provisions can be established at the time of arrest. 
4. Criminal disputes are defined as any confrontation between two or more persons which involves 
breaches of the peace, potential for violence, and/or misdemeanor assaults committed in an officer's 
presence, as well as related felonies. Procedures for handling criminal offenses (assaults and 
disturbances) are as follows: 
a. In violent or felony disturbances, or when weapons are involved an assisting patrol unit will be 
dispatched. When an assisting patrol unit is unavailable for dispatch, a supervisor shall be dispatched. 
b. In violent or felony disturbances, or when weapons are involved, responding patrol units should 
coordinate a simultaneous arrival, if possible. 
c. Responding unit(s) will park in a manner that allows safe approach. 
d. Responding officer(s) should attempt to observe disputants and to hear and evaluate the nature and 
extent of the dispute before making their presence known. 
e. The responding officer(s) shall separate and calm disputants and attempt to establish normal 
speaking conversation. 
f. Officers should maneuver themselves into a position where disputants are facing away from each 
other while officers are facing each other. In this position, each officer can see the front of one 
disputant, and the back of the disputant who is facing the second officer. 
g. Officers shall determine if there is cause for an arrest without a warrant. 
1. Upon probable cause and in accordance with the laws of arrst an arrest may be made. 
2. Disputants will be advised of procedures for initiating criminal prosecution when there is insufficient 
probable cause (or need) for arrest without a warrant. 
3. Officers may attempt to bring disputants back together to develop alternatives to conflict, or to obtain 
further aid or counseling. 
N. Child Custody Disputes 
When an officer receives a call to settle a dispute concerning the custody of a child, the officer must first 
determine which person or persons have legal custody. If the child is currently in the custody of anyone 
having the legal right to custody of the child, the officer will take no action to change the custody of the 
child and submit a miscellaneous report. If a legal document can be produced by either party that 
delineates visitation the officer will take no action to enforce the order, however a report may be written 
if the propensity exist for a domestic incident to occur. The officer may advise the appropriate party of 
the procedures that should be taken to regain custody through judicial remedy. 
O. Building Checks and Searches 
One method of reducing the threat of burglary is through police-initiated building inspections. By 
checking, the officer can lessen the probability of an occurrence or quickly ascertain that a crime has 
occurred. If a crime has been committed, a search should collect significant data on the method of 
operation, the point of exit and entry, the time frame, and other information imperative to the timely 
reporting of the preliminary investigation. 

1. Checking Buildings as a Part of Patrol 
If leaving his vehicle, an officer must advise Barrow E-911 when checking a building or group of 
buildings. 
a. Give the exact address or location of the building to be checked. 
b. If it is suspected that a prowler is in the building or in the vicinity, additional officers should be 
requested. 
c. Always carry a flashlight when checking buildings. 
d. When searching the area, hold the lighted flashlight away from and to the side of the body in the 
non-gun hand. 
e. Attempt to maintain a continuous beam from the flashlight as intermittent bursts will affect the 
officer's vision in a dark room. 
f. Check all doors and windows thoroughly. 
g. Depress the latch or turn the knob when checking doors. Inspect padlocks for signs of tampering or 
defects. 
h. Inspect the window sills for pry marks and disturbance of dirt and particles. 
i. Be familiar with the normal appearance of the building. 
j. Look for any unusual conditions such as lights not turned on or window shades drawn. 
k. Be familiar with the general appearance, location of safes, and cabinets as well as furniture and 
equipment arrangements. 
l. Officers should be constantly aware of the possibility of a security guard being on the premises. 
m. Check for ladders, barrels, boxes, etc., against wall of building which may indicate possibility of 
prowlers on roof. 
n. Be alert for "lookouts" in the vicinity. They are usually in a place where they can observe an officer's 
movements and yet be seen by associates on the inside. If located, the lookout should be apprehended 
immediately only if it appears he will flee before assistance arrives. 
o. Be observant for any subject with a walkie talkie radio as he may be a lookout (use of C.B. radio is 
not uncommon). 
p. Be alert for unusual noises. 
q. Check buildings more than once during a watch if time permits. 
r. Do not get into the habit of checking a building at the same time each day or night. 
2. The following procedures shall be used when an open or unlocked door or window is discovered. 
a. Notify Barrow E-911 at once, giving the address of the building and what has been detected; request 
a backup officer and additional assistance if needed and repeat location. 
b. Do not enter the building until the backup officer arrives. 
c. Guard the most likely avenue of escape. 
d. When assisting officer arrives, disclose your location by radio. 
e. Search the building. 
f. Do not mistake a security guard for a prowler. 
g. The investigating officer will notify the Barrow E-911 operator by telephone if possible, giving him the 
exact location. The Barrow E-911 operator will notify the keyholder and request that he respond to the 
scene. Upon completion of notification, the Barrow E-911 operator will notify the investigating officer if 
the keyholder will respond. 
h. One officer will remain at the scene until keyholder arrives. If unable to contact the owner or 
representative, the building will be secured as well as possible. 
i. Necessary reports will be prepared. 
3. Searching a Building 
a. Contact the supervisor to determine if a K-9 Unit is available. The ranking officer at the scene will be 
in charge of the search. If no ranking officer is present, the officer assigned to the zone in which the 
building is located will be in charge. In the event the zone officer is not present, the first officer receiving 
the call or discovering the condition will be in charge. 
b. Officers will be posted outside the building to prevent possible escape of prowlers before the building 
is entered by the search party. 
c. Number and position should be such that all exits from the building are visible to the officers. 
d. The officers must remain at the assigned places until the search is completed. 

e. Slowly open the door about one inch, stand back away from the door, listen for a moment. 
f. Open the door cautiously and enter. 
g. Buildings with two or more floors will be searched from the bottom up, securing or controlling any 
elevators and stairways. 
P. Responding to Persons with Mental Illness 
Mental disability, mental illness, and substance abuse are linked together because they each represent 
a form of abnormal behavior that comes under the umbrella of Mental Health services. Sometimes 
however, there is a breakdown in the system, and law enforcement officers become involved. For this 
reason, it is important that every officer have knowledge of the specific characteristics common to each 
group, as well as information necessary to deal effectively with the mentally disabled, mentally ill, and 
substance abuser. 
As a peace officer, it is not necessary to learn how to diagnose a person who appears to be abnormal. 
It would be helpful to be aware of some of the characteristics of the major mental disorders in order to 
become more skilled in dealing with mentally ill people. Mental illness can develop at an early age or at 
any age. It is sometimes treatable and even curable. It can also reoccur without warning. Mental illness 
crosses all socioeconomic lines and no group is immune. Some signs to look for are: 
a. Any change in behavior 
b. Strange loss in memory 
c. Belief people are plotting against him 
d. Grand ideas about himself; believes he is God 
e. Talks to himself 
f. Hears voices 
g. Sees visions, smells strange odors, has peculiar tastes 
h. Has bodily ailments that are impossible, even when nothing is physically wrong. 
Sworn employees of the Auburn Police Department shall receive in-service training on Responding to 
Persons with Mental Illness annually and civilian employees shall receive refresher training at least 
once every three years. If available, an officer who has received Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training 
should be summoned to the scene of calls involving persons in crisis due to mental illness. Upon 
arrival, CIT officers will assume the primary role in handling calls of this nature. If a CIT officer is not 
available the responding officer shall: 
1. In dealing with persons with mental illness, it is your responsibility to handle the person in a 
professional manner being aware that a person with some sort of mental illness can pose a real threat 
to officer safety. 
2. Take steps to calm the situation. Where possible, eliminate emergency lights and sirens, disperse 
crowds, and assume a quiet non-threatening manner when approaching or conversing with the person. 
When no violent or destructive acts have occurred, and do not appear impending, officers should avoid 
physical contact. 
3. Move slowly and do not excite the disturbed person. Provide reassurance that the police are there to 
help and the person will be provided with appropriate care. 
4. Communicate with the person in an attempt to determine what the problem is. Relate your concern 
for their feelings and allow them to express their feelings. Where possible, gather information on the 
subject from friends or family members and request professional assistance if available and appropriate 
to assist in communicating with and calming the person. 
5. Avoid topics that may agitate the person. Guide the conversation towards topics that help bring the 
subject back to reality. 
6. Always attempt to be truthful. 
7. Summon appropriate medical attention if needed. 
8. It is important to get as much information as you can. Some questions you can ask are: 
a. Is the person agitated, calm, withdrawn, a threat, or communicative? 
b. What about his past or recent history that may have led up to this situation? 
c. Has he ever been like this before? Was he taken for treatment? 
d. Does he have a long-standing psychiatric problem? 
e. What emotional outburst started the situation? 

Sometimes it is not possible to find out the answers to these questions. In this situation, it is important 
to: Position yourself in relation to the individual to minimize being struck or hit by flying objects or 
gunfire. Once safety is established, talk to the person in a calm, non-threatening manner. 

a. Use time as your ally; avoid rushing the person 
b. Make slow, cautious moves 
c. Use a low, calm voice 
d. Introduce yourself and tell the person why you are there 
e. Let the person vent his feelings too 
f. Listen between the lines and observe body language 
g. Don’t lie for any reason 
h. Display a helpful attitude, no matter how verbally abusive the person becomes. 
9. Local Resources for Handling the Mentally Ill 
In the event an officer needs additional help in dealing with a person with mental illness, there are 
several resources available. 
a. for most recent list of resources, contact your supervisor. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 16-01 Communication 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 16-01 
Effective Date: March 1, 2018 Revised Date: 03/01/2018 
Review Date: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Communications 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this SOP is to prescribe the policies and guidelines of the Auburn Police Department 
regarding Radio Communications. 
II. Statement of Policy 
It shall be the policy of the Auburn Police Department all officers using a radio for two-way 
communication follow proper and accepted guidelines, 
III. Discussion 
Effective radio communications are necessary for the efficient operation of the Auburn Police 
Department. Officers should follow accepted and established guidelines as set down by the Federal 
Communications Commission and Barrow County Central Communications, 
Proper communications guidelines are necessary to ensure that all possible information is transmitted 
and received by different units, officer safety is enhanced, and the Auburn Police Department is 
represented in a professional 
manner. 
The Auburn Police Department will maintain 24-hour two-way capability providing continuous 
communication with Barrow County Central Communications in order that the Police Department’s 
mission shall be successfully completed. 
IV. Definitions 
RADIO -Any device capable of transmitting and receiving wireless voice transmission via 
electromagnetic energy emission/detection. 
V. General Responsibilities 
A. Shift Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that proper radio communications guidelines are 
followed by assigned personnel and to take appropriate action to resolve problem areas that may 
jeopardize the overall effectiveness of the communications process. In addition, Shift Supervisors will: 
1. Maintain a sufficient number of in-service officers; 
2. Have at least one supervisor remaining in-service at all times to provide immediate supervision over 
emergency situations, regardless of location, until the normally assigned supervisor can handle the 
matter. Barrow County Central Communications shall advise supervisors when they are the only 
remaining in-service supervisor and they should delay going out-of-service until further notice; 
3. Keep a reasonable complement of manpower so that field services are not impaired by permitting 
officers to go out-of-service. Situations such as meal breaks may have to be delayed if other field 
officers are otherwise involved in previously-authorized activity; 
4. Prioritize call assignments as necessary; and 
5. Understand that the initial officer assigned to the incident will be assigned a case number, when 
necessary, unless otherwise directed by the Shift Supervisor. 
B. Barrow County Central Communications is responsible for: 
1. Providing 24-hour toll-free telephone access for emergency calls for service. 
2. Making initial call assignments to officers; 
3. Maintaining the status of all officers; 
4. Notifying the appropriate Shift Supervisor if at any time there is not a Uniform Patrol Division unit 
available to answer a call; 
5. Recording whenever an officer goes out-of-service; 

6. Ensuring that an appropriate number of officers are dispatched to serious calls such as robbery in 
progress or burglary in progress calls. Whenever possible, at least two officers should be dispatched to 
all Priority One and Priority Two Calls, or to any call involving potential injury to responding officers or 
members of the public. 
7. Notifying other agencies when officers request assistance; 
8. Relaying emergency notifications or information when direct contact with the officers is not possible 
or practical under the circumstances 
9. Providing immediate playback of recorded telephone and radio conversations while maintaining a 
continuous recording of radio transmissions and emergency telephone conversations within the 
communications center. 
Recordings shall: 
a. be retained in compliance with the Georgia Records Retention Act guidelines as published by the 
Secretary of State’s office; 
b. be secured in their handling and storage; 
c. be made available for review to Police Department officials who are 
engaged in their official capacity. 
Providing copies of recordings, incident printouts, etc.• to Police Department personnel who submit a 
written request to the Barrow County Central Communications Administrative Assistant. Provided, 
however. said request must be made in the lawful discharge of the Police Department employee's 
duties or official capacity in order to be filled. 
10. Providing officers. complainants, victims. witnesses, or any person seeking law enforcement or 
medical assistance translation services via telephone when a party does not speak the English 
language fluently. 
VI. Radio Guidelines To/From Officers 
A. All Uniform Patrol Division personnel are required to advise the dispatcher of the following situations: 
1. On or off duty; 
2. When a call is received; 
3. On scene arrival; 
4. In/out of service; 
5. Exit vehicle; or 
6. The status of the situation. 
B. Officers assigned to a zone will remain in that zone unless relieved or instructed by a supervisor to 
leave the zone. 
C. All personnel will use their assigned radio number during radio transmissions. All personnel will use 
assigned portable radios to maintain contact with Barrow County Central Communications when the 
officer is away from his/her unit. If an officer does not have a portable radio or the portable radio cannot 
be used to make contact with Barrow County Central Communications, then the officer will use other 
methods to maintain contact. 
D. In the event that it becomes necessary for units from the Auburn Police Department to interact with 
units from other agencies, Auburn Police Officers will precede their radio number with the designation 
“Auburn Police Department” and the officer’s number. 
E. When transmitting, officers should use the approved Auburn Police Department’s Ten Code 
Communications System (see Attachment). In unusual circumstances, plain language will be used to 
make sure the message is clearly understood. 
F. Transmissions should be clear and concise and only pertinent information should be conveyed. If 
necessary, information can be relayed over landline or by cell phone. 
G. When involved in self-initiated activity, officers should provide information in a designated format. 
This will ensure that the proper information is relayed and that the dispatcher can enter the information 
into the computer system. For example, if the officer were going to stop a vehicle, during the initial call 
he/she would advise the dispatcher that they were going to stop a vehicle. The dispatcher would then 
advise the officer to continue with the traffic stop. 
H. When an officer calls in a vehicle tag number to the dispatcher, it should be given in the following 
format: 
1. Give the vehicle tag number phonetically: “Alpha Bravo Charlie 123”; 

2. Repeat the tag number as it appears: “ABC123”; and 
3. If the information requested is for an out-of-state tag, the name of the state should be given first and 
then the tag number. 
Anytime numbers are called into the dispatcher the numbers should be given and then repeated. If 
letters appear in the number such as in a Vehicle Identification Number, they should be given 
phonetically. 
J. When officers are calling in a traffic stop, abandoned vehicle, or a type of activity where the location 
is given, the location will be given to the dispatcher first after the dispatcher acknowledges the officer. 
K. When checking driver’s license status or requesting an NCIC check on a subject, the following 
format should be used: 
1. Last Name, First Name, Middle Name or initial (the names should be spelled out if there is more than 
one common spelling); 
2. Date of birth; 
3. Race of subject; and 
4. Sex of subject. 
L. When checking a driver’s license, the Operator License Number should be checked first and if that 
information does not return, the name and DOB should be used if it is available. 
M. When checking a driver’s license from another state, the name of the state should be given first and 
then the subject information. 
VII. Notification & Dispatch of Supervisors 
A. The Barrow County Central Communications will immediately notify the Shift Supervisor, regardless 
of their duty status, of all emergency calls to officers under their command. A Shift Supervisor will 
respond whenever any of the following calls for service are received: 
1. Burglary in progress; 
2. Any violent crime in progress; 
3. Homicide or report of death; 
4. Officer needs help; 
5. Chase in progress; 
6. Officer injured or killed; 
7. Any reported discharge of a firearm by a officer; 
8. Any use of force incident involving an officer resulting in injuries; 
9. Any officer involved in a vehicle accident; or 
10. Any other call as needed. 
B. Shift Supervisors have the authority to override the dispatch concerning the unit(s) dispatched and 
prioritization of calls. 
Priority of Calls 
A. In order to manage calls for service, Central Communications shall prioritize calls for dispatch as 
follows: 
1. Priority One: Those calls requiring immediate dispatch to a potentially life-threatening situation (e.g., 
violent crime in progress, traffic crashes with injuries, officer needs assistance, bomb threat, confirmed 
alarm); 
2. Priority Two: Those calls requiring immediate dispatch, but not of an emergency nature (e.g., traffic 
crashers without injuries, unconfirmed alarm, suspect has left the scene); 
3. Priority Three: Routine calls for law enforcement service that require the presence of an officer (e.g., 
thefts, burglaries, and other crimes against property) or any report of criminal activity that does not 
represent a present threat or danger or that has occurred in the past; and 
4. Priority Four: General calls for information for which an on-scene officer is not requested or required. 
B. Call Stacking 
Priority One & Priority Two calls shall be dispatched immediately. If a unity is not available to respond, 
Central Communications will notify the Shift Supervisor who will in turn decide how to handle the 
emergency situation. Dispatchers must be prepared to advise a Shift Supervisor if there is a unit that 
can be diverted from a lower priority situation. 
2. Priority Three calls will be dispatched after priority one and two calls are completed. Whenever there 
is a significant delay, the complainant will be notified by the dispatcher, if possible, of the officer’s 

expected time of arrival. 
Emergency Traffic 

A. Whenever any unit or a dispatcher makes an emergency transmission, all non-emergency radio 
traffic on that channel will cease until the emergency condition is lifted. All non-emergency radio 
transmissions will be re-routed to an alternate channel, which will be monitored by an additional 
dispatcher. 
B. The dispatcher shall broadcast a “10-3” (stop transmitting) and “10-33 (emergency) and will notify 
units going in-service (10-8) of the emergency. 
C. When advised by the officer or Shift Supervisor handling the situation, the dispatcher shall terminate 
the emergency condition and permit the resumption of normal radio operations. 
D. If a unity fails to respond to the radio after being called, the Shift Supervisor shall be notified and will 
be responsible to initiate the proper action to determine the officer’s safety and status. 
Communications Standards 
A law enforcement organization’s professional level is most often exhibited through their radio 
communications. Other agencies and many private citizens monitor law enforcement communications. 
With this in mind, officers of the Auburn Police Department should always use the radio in a 
professional manner. The following guidelines should be used in all communications: 
A. Be brief, yet concise when providing information; 
B. Speak clearly and at a voice level that can be easily heard and understood; 
C. Us the 10 Codes whenever possible; 
D. Try to maintain a level voice while transmitting. Raising your voice will not help the radio 
transmission; 
E. Refrain from using slang words or derogatory remarks; 
F. Supervisors will not use the radio to reprimand or discipline a subordinate officer; 
G. Refrain from expressing anger, disgust, or any negative emotion in communications; 
H. Do not become argumentative with the dispatcher. Any problems with dispatchers will be conveyed 
to the Shift Supervisor for appropriate action; 
I. Do not use the radio to communicate personal messages unless it is an emergency; and 
J. When calling another unit, officers should use radio numbers and not names or nicknames. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 16-04 Foot Pursuits 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 16-04 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Foot Pursuits 

I. Purpose 
To establish and describe guidelines and procedures for all officers involved in foot pursuits in the 
performance of their duties. Pursuing fleeing suspects constitutes a basic function of law enforcement 
officers. Because officers are regularly involved in foot pursuits, they often become complacent about 
the dangers inherent in chasing suspects on foot and develop a false sense of security. 
II. Policy 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department that officers consider the external factors when they 
initiate a foot pursuit. These factors include the nature of the offense or call for service, the location and 
surrounding area involved, the type and availability of communication, the presence of physical danger, 
the physical condition and abilities of the officers involved, and the safety of the officers and the public. 
Because unique situations arise in law enforcement, this policy cannot address all possible 
circumstances. Therefore, the policy will guide officers’ decisions about initiating, continuing or ending 
foot pursuits. 
III. Procedure 
A police officer has the authority, at all times, to attempt to stop any individual suspected of committing 
any criminal offense, violation, or traffic infraction. 
The Auburn Police Department allows its officers to base their decisions on whether to pursue a fleeing 
suspect on the degree of risk to themselves or others. While the department does not want to stop 
officers from capturing fleeing suspects, it does want them to consider the possible consequences of 
such action. Therefore, foot pursuits are not allowed under the following conditions: 
A. Into vacant or occupied buildings, structures, or confined spaces without using the team concept or 
without authorization, except in the event of extreme urgency, such as the immediate threat to the 
safety of the general public or other officers. 
B. If the officer believes that the danger to pursuing officers or the public outweighs the necessity for 
immediate apprehension. 
C. If they get disarmed or lose possession of their service weapon. 
D. If they lose contact with their fellow officers or the BARROW E-911 Center. 
E. If they lose visual contact with the violator and become unsure of the suspect’s whereabouts or 
continued direction of travel. 
IV. BARROW E-911 Notification 
Any time an officer engages in a foot pursuit, the following will be adhered to: 
A. Notify Barrow E-911 of 10-80 on foot. 
B. Give exact location and the direction of travel. 
C. Give a description of the suspect(s). 
V. Supervisor Responsibility 
All foot pursuits shall be monitored by the shift supervisor. If the pursuit is not within the guidelines set 
forth by this policy the pursuit will be terminated. Any training deficiencies, policy violations or officer 
safety issues will be addressed with the involved officers. 
VI. Training 
At least once annually, officers will participate in training on foot pursuits as a part of a daily roll call 
session. 
Christopher Hodge Date 


Chief of Police 


Chapter 16-05 Code Enforcement 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 16-05 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/09/2018 
Subject: Code Enforcement 

I. Purpose 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to enforce City Codes relating to environmental issues 
as a necessary function of the City of Auburn. It is an accepted fact that if police allow violations to go 
unchecked citizen apathy will give way to crime, disorder, and public safety issues that affect the quality 
of life of our citizens. 
II. Policy 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to ensure the assignment of Code Enforcement 
Officer(s) to address environmental issues within the city limits of Auburn. Code Enforcement officer(s) 
work under the direct supervision of the Criminal Investigations Division Lieutenant. Code Enforcement 
officers are given wide discretion and autonomy in performing their jobs and will normally work in the 
field with little direct supervision. When an environmental violation exists, the Code Enforcement 
officers shall take appropriate action in a fair and equitable manner. Citizens that are normally law 
abiding may be the focus of environmental code violations, these citizens will be treated with respect 
and dignity with the primary goal being voluntary compliance as opposed to enforcement action being 
taken. When a situation arises beyond the control of the code enforcement officer(s) then Barrow E-911 
will be contacted immediately to dispatch a patrol officer to the involved location. 
III. Definition 
Code Enforcement Officer: A city employee authorized and assigned to identify, investigate, and 
prosecute code violations. 
Code Violations: The act of not obeying the City of Auburn Ordinances enacted by the Mayor and 
Council for safety and a healthy environment. 
A. Code Enforcement Officer Responsibilities 
To ensure that Code Enforcement Officers take appropriate action, in a fair manner, the supervisor will 
create reporting and accountability procedures as is necessary. The code enforcement officer(s) are 
tasked with identifying, investigating and prosecuting code violations. These code enforcement officers 
are to follow the established accountability procedures to ensure that all contacts related to code 
infractions are properly documented. 
B. Violation Investigation and Court Summons Procedures 
The following shall be used as a guideline when investigating environmental violations and summoning 
citizens to Municipal Court. 
1. A Notice of Violation shall be issued to the violator. All questions concerning the violation shall be 
answered and a re-inspection date given in writing. 
a. The Notice of Violation is a courtesy that is given to the involved citizen with the intent to educate and 
demonstrate a desire to cooperate with the citizen in allowing time to comply with environmental 
ordinances. 
b. If the citizen does not demonstrate a desire to resolve environmental issues or if the citizen has had 
a similar notice in the past the Officer may summons the citizen to court without first issuing a notice of 
violation. 
2. Photographs shall be taken documenting code violations each time a citation(s) is issued. 
Photographs shall be up-loaded and maintained in MDS for use in court, if needed. 
3. If the violation(s) is not resolved by the re-inspection date, a code enforcement citation will be issued 
by the Code Enforcement Officer. When the re-inspection is conducted the Code Enforcement Officer 
shall again photograph the violation if it has not been corrected which serves to document the fact that 

violation in question had not been corrected. 

4. During each encounter with citizens during which time environmental code violations are being 
addressed/discussed the Code Enforcement Officer shall document said encounter via an audio digital 
recording. Once captured this documentation is to be downloaded to the department’s in-house 
computer system. 
5. Re-inspection dates will be at the discretion of the Code Enforcement Officer but will not exceed ten 
calendar days. 
C. Case Review 
The Unit’s immediate supervisor shall ensure that violations are properly documented, followed up on, 
and monitored through random reviews of the daily activity reports that these officers generate as well 
as reviews of files that are created and maintained for each incident requiring enforcement action. This 
review will not preclude the Code Enforcement Officers from discussing cases on a more frequent basis 
or the supervisor from reviewing all or part of the Officer’s cases on a more frequent basis to ensure the 
effective operation of the unit. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 16-08 Crime Analysis 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 16-08 
Effective Date: March 1, 2018 Revised: 03/01/2018 
Review: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Crime Analysis 
Purpose: The purpose of this directive is to establish procedures on providing statistical data and 
pertinent information to enhance identification of trends and patterns of criminal activity within the City 
of Auburn. 
Policy: The Auburn Police Department will maintain data for review of different elements of criminal 
activity, along with specific data on each incident where applicable. 

1. CRIME ANALYSIS FUNCTION 
1.1. Crime analysis of regularly collected information of reported crimes and criminals is a very useful 
tool in the prevention and suppression of crime and the apprehension of criminal offenders. 
1.2. All personnel of the Auburn Police Department will assist in this function by gathering complete and 
accurate data to be used by the Crime Analyst. 
1.3. The Crime Analyst is responsible for providing a system to collect, collate, analyze and 
disseminate crime data for the purpose of supporting the Department in management and operational 
activities. In addition, the Crime Analyst may brief the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and provide 
estimates of future crime trends based on inferences derived from crime data. 
2. Procedure 
2.1. Analyst: 
2.1.1. The CID Commander, or his designee, will serve as the Analyst, who will review all incident 
reports, miscellaneous reports, arrest reports, Field Interrogation Cards, and other submitted 
documentation filed by law enforcement personnel. This analysis will be to identify criminal activity to 
determine patterns and/or trends of such criminal activity, and to identify potential and actual police 
hazards within the City's service area. 
2.1.2. The CID Commander may designate other police or administrative personnel to assist in 
maintaining information derived from such reviews for dissemination of analysis information. 
Crime Analysis 
2.1.3. The Patrol Commander, or his/her designee, will serve as the Analyst who will review all accident 
reports and any other appropriate documentation filed by law enforcement personnel under his/her 
command. This analysis will be to determine patterns and/or trends of motor vehicle accidents, to 
identify potential and actual hazardous intersections within the City's service area. The Patrol 
Commander or his/her designee will review the annalist reports to see if special traffic enforcement 
actions are needed to address the findings, and if so take appropriate action to address the finding. If 
the report shows possible traffic engineering problems or roadway defects then the person reviewing 
the reports shall forward their finds to the appropriate agency. 
2.2. Analysis 
2.2.1. The crime analysis function will identify and analyze methods of operation of criminal activity and 
provide crime pattern recognition. The Crime Analyst will collect data from arrest files, incident reports, 
arrest reports, U.C.R. data and field interrogation data. These programs will include data identifying the 
frequency of crime by crime type, geographic, temporal and chronological factors, victim and target 
descriptors, modus operandi information, suspect descriptors, physical evidence information and 
suspect vehicle descriptors. 
2.2.2. Information derived from the reports will be reviewed by the Analyst. Information to be reviewed 
for analysis includes: 
Incident type and frequency 
Incident location 
Incident day/date 

Incident time frame 
Victim and target information 
Suspect information (if possible) 
Suspect vehicle information 
Modus Operandi 
Miscellaneous (property taken, weapon used, physical evidence, etc.) 

2.2.3. The Crime Analyst will also be responsible for briefing the Chief of Police and the Patrol 
Commander on crime patterns or trends as determined by the crime analysis function. The necessity of 
this briefing is to keep the Chief of Police and Patrol Commander informed of trends through efforts 
generated by the Department, rather than through outside sources. 
Crime Analysis 
2.2.4. Documentation of temporal and geographical distribution of selected crimes shall be in the form 
of reports. The Crime Analyst shall document the effectiveness and utilization of crime analysis 
information through feedback and program evaluation. Surveys of the affected units should attempt to 
ascertain whether the crime analysis process is efficient and whether its products are effective tools for 
combating crime. In order to provide timely data for the crime analysis programs, data entry for 
incidents shall be the responsibility of the Records Section. 
2.2.5. Pin maps may also be utilized for additional documentation of temporal and geographical 
distribution of the following crimes: 
Robberies; 
Commercial Burglaries; 
Residential Burglaries; 
Automobile Thefts; and 
Entering Automobiles. 
2.2.6. Pins and flags of various colors are used to readily display the locations of the above crimes by 
type and days of week. Electronic computer maps may be utilized (if available) for all incidents and 
trends when needed. 
2.3. Procedures for Dissemination and Response 
2.3.1. Analysis information will be distributed to Police personnel in the form of memoranda’s, shift 
change briefings and weekly updates utilizing pin maps and statistical data. 
2.3.2. Data from reports are available via the monthly reports in all locations. This allows for immediate 
accessibility by supervisors to assist in the identification of both criminal and traffic enforcement 
priorities. Report data will be collected, collated, analyzed and presented in the form of annual reports. 
2.3.3. Statistics on clearances of all reported criminal activity will be maintained within the Criminal 
Investigation Division. 
2.3.4. Information will be used for immediate, as well as long range strategies for resolving problem 
locations and for projecting budget structures for number of personnel and equipment needs. 
Crime Analysis 
2.3.5. Information distributed to sources outside of the department will be on a "need to know" basis 
only, such as, but not limited to, specific press releases to assist in the development of information to 
aid in the apprehension of individuals committing specific crimes. 
2.3.6. These reports will assist the various executive, administrative and elected officials, as well as, the 
various division and unit commanders in developing tactics, strategies, long range plans for crime 
suppression, manpower and resource projections in the future. 
2.3.7. When trends, patterns, or other viable results are obtained, then the Division Commander or 
his/her designee is responsible for disseminating this information to the appropriate personnel to take 
effective enforcement efforts. Examples of such personnel include but are not limited to: 
Crime Suppression Units 
General or Specialized Investigators 
Uniformed Patrol 
Traffic Enforcement 
Cooperating local, state, or federal agencies 
Other agencies as required 

2.3.8. The CID Commander or his designee is responsible for updating the Chief of Police of the results 
of identified crimes trends or patterns, to include the specific enforcement efforts chosen in response. 
2.3.9. Information available through the Freedom of Information Act or Georgia Open Records Law 
shall be released according to each applicable criterion. Crime Analysis information will also be made 
available to other law enforcement agencies to assist them in their crime prevention or planning 
activities. 
2.4. Review of Analytical Process: 
2.4.1. The Certification/Accreditation Manager, or other personnel as designated by the Chief of Police, 
will review the analysis process on an annual basis to evaluate the efficiency of the program and report 
these findings to the CID Commander for the purpose of maintaining or improving the status of such 
program. 
2.4.2. Watch Commanders will submit reports to the CID Commander on an asneeded basis, indicating 
problems and/or suggestions and comments that reflect on the efficiency of the process. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 16-09 Bias Based Profiling 

Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 16-09 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Biased Based Profiling 

I. Purpose 
Profiling can be a useful tool to assist law enforcement officers in carrying out duties. Bias based 
profiling, however, is the selection of individuals based solely on a common trait of the group. This 
includes ethnic background, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, economic status, age, cultural 
group or any other identifiable group. Officers will not make traffic contacts, field contacts, or asset 
forfeiture efforts through bias-based profiling. The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for 
officers to prevent such occurrences, and to protect officers when they act within the dictates of the law 
and policy from unwarranted accusations. 
II. Discussion 
A fundamental right, guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States to all who live in this nation is 
equal protection under the law. Along with this right to equal protection is the fundamental right to be 
free from unreasonable searches and seizures by government agents. Citizens are free to walk and 
drive our streets, highways, and other public places without police interference so long as they obey the 
law. They also are entitled to be free from crime, and from the depredations of criminals, and to drive 
and walk our public ways safe from the actions of reckless and careless drivers. The Auburn Police 
Department is charged with protecting these rights for all. 
Because of the nature of the business, law enforcement officers are required to be observant, to 
identify unusual occurrences and law violations, and to act upon them. It is this proactive enforcement 
that keeps citizens free from crime, and streets safe to drive upon, and allows detection and 
apprehension of criminals. 
This policy is intended to assist law enforcement in accomplishing this total mission in a way that 
respects the dignity of all persons and yet sends a strong deterrent message to actual and potential 
lawbreakers that if they break the law, they are likely to encounter the police. 
III. Policy 
It is the policy of this department to patrol, in a proactive manner, to aggressively investigate suspicious 
persons and circumstances, and to actively enforce the law. Citizens will only be stopped or detained 
when there exists reasonable suspicion to believe they have committed, are committing, or are about to 
commit, an infraction of the law. Officers shall focus on a person's conduct or specific suspect 
information. 
IV. Procedure 
A. Training 
Officers will receive initial and ongoing training in proactive enforcement tactics, including training in 
officer safety, courtesy, cultural diversity, the laws governing search and seizure, other legal aspects of 
bias based profiling, and interpersonal communications skills. Training programs will emphasize the 
need to respect the rights of all citizens to be free from unreasonable government intrusion or police 
action. 
B. Enforcement 
Enforcement activities will be accompanied by consistent, ongoing supervisory oversight to ensure that 
officers do not go beyond the parameters of reasonableness in conducting such activities. If any 
supervisor detects any questionable patterns of any officers that may be perceived as bias-based 
profiling, that supervisor will immediately take the appropriate corrective action, and then notify the 
Office of Professional Standards and the Office of the Chief of Police via email or memo, identifying the 
officer(s) involved, stating the behavior and the corrective action taken. 

1. Motorists and pedestrians shall only be subjected to stops, seizures or detentions upon reasonable 
suspicion that they have committed, are committing, or are about to commit an infraction. Each time a 
person is stopped, the officer shall radio to the dispatcher the location of the stop, the description of the 
person or vehicle being detained, and the reason for the stop, and this information shall be logged, and 
a case number assigned via CAD. Under no circumstances shall an officer ever inform Barrow E-911 
that a case number is not needed upon making a traffic stop or a ‘Terry’ stop. 
2. Appropriate enforcement action should always be completed, in the form of a warning, citation, field 
interview, or custodial arrest. In instances where the officer does not issue a citation, field interview, or 
execute an arrest, the officer must complete a miscellaneous report. All traffic stops, therefore, shall be 
documented in some form by the officer. The proper form must be filled out by the officer, and shall 
include the gender, race or ethnicity of the person stopped, if this information can reasonably be 
ascertained by physical appearance or from the driver's license or other documents provided by the 
individual. 
3. No person, once cited or warned, shall be detained beyond the point where there exists no 
reasonable suspicion of further criminal activity, and no person or vehicle shall be searched in the 
absence of a warrant, a legally recognized exception to the warrant requirement, or the person's 
voluntary consent. In each case where a search is conducted, this information shall be recorded, 
including the legal basis and the results of the search, on a miscellaneous report unless an incident 
report is required. It is strongly recommended that consent searches only be conducted with written 
consent, using the proper department form. If the individual indicates that they will consent to a search 
but are refusing to sign the form, fill out the form anyway and indicate "consented to search but refused 
to sign", inserting initials and the signature of any witness in the signature block. 
4. The video camera and audio shall be activated upon activation of the blue lights, to record the 
behavior of the vehicle or person, and shall remain activated until the person is released and resumes 
their journey. 
5. In the absence of a specific, credible report containing a physical description, a person's race, 
ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation or any combination of these shall not be a factor in determining 
probable cause for an arrest or reasonable suspicion for a stop. 
6. The deliberate recording of any misleading information related to the actual or perceived race, 
ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation of a person stopped for investigative or enforcement purposes is 
prohibited and a cause for disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. 
C. Complaints of Racial/Ethnic Profiling 
Any person may file a complaint if they feel they or another person has been stopped or searched 
because of a profile based solely on a common trait. No person shall be discouraged, intimidated, or 
coerced from filing such a complaint, or discriminated against because they have filed such a 
complaint. 
1. Any officer contacted by a person who wishes to file such a complaint, shall inform the citizen of 
complaint procedures. 
2. Supervisors receiving such a report shall forward it to OPS for investigation. OPS shall inform the 
complainant, in writing, concerning the results of the department's investigation within a reasonable 
time. The report shall be provided to the Chief of Police along with findings and any suggestions for 
disciplinary action or changes in policy, training, or tactics if a violation has occurred. 
3. On an annual basis, the department shall make public a statistical summary of all profiling complaints 
for the year, including the findings as to whether they were sustained, not sustained, or exonerated. 
The Office of Professional Standards will complete and submit to the Chief of Police a documented 
annual administrative review of agency practices including citizen concerns. Additionally, the Support 
Supervisor shall submit, to the Chief of Police, a quarterly summary of the records database reflecting 
contacts between officers and citizens broken down by race and gender. This report shall also be 
submitted to the Office of Professional Standards for review to determine if any discrepancies exist. If 
any discrepancies are noted, the report will be discussed at the next available staff meeting. If the 
discrepancies are not expelled, OPS will conduct additional audits and investigate the matter to 
determine if any procedural recommendations or corrective action is warranted on specific officers or 
groups of officers. 

4. The Office of Professional Standards shall quarterly randomly review three audio/video recordings of 
reports filed on stops by officers. Supervisors shall respond, at random, to back up officers on vehicle 
stops, and shall take appropriate action whenever it appears that this policy is being violated, being 
particularly alert to any pattern or practice of possible discriminatory treatment by individual officers. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 16-10 Citizen Ride Along Program 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 16-10 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Citizen Ride Along Program 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to establish criterion by which citizens may participate in the ride-along 
program with police officers, to promote and protect the interest of National Security, and to further 
ensure accountability for the dissemination of Criminal History Record Information which the citizen will 
be exposed to, while accompanying a police officer in the lawful discharge of their duties. The citizen 
ride-along program allows citizens to get a first-hand view of a police officer’s job function and to create 
an avenue for better police/citizen relations. 
II. Definitions 
A. Citizens - Any person currently inside the jurisdictional boundaries of Auburn, GA. 
B. Sworn Officer - Any person sworn and certified as a law enforcement officer currently employed with 
a law enforcement agency. 
C. Citizens Police Academy Student - Any person enrolled and actively attending the CPA while it is in 
session. 
D. Explorer Program - Any person currently enrolled and actively attending the explorer’s program while 
it is in session. 
E. Citizen Ride-Along Request Form – standard form upon which the applicant explains the purpose for 
their request to ride. This form also advises of the possible risks and what is expected of the applicant 
on high risk calls. 
F. Release from Liability & Indemnity Agreement and Criminal History Consent Form - standard form 
upon which requires completion by the potential ride along and approval by the Chief of Police prior to 
citizen participation in the ride along program. 
III. Rules and Regulations 
Each citizen must submit to a criminal history background check as a criterion for approval by the Chief 
of Police, by signing the Release from Liability & Indemnity and Criminal History Consent Form. Only 
sworn police officers as defined in this policy will be exempt from this process. The ride-along program 
recognizes seven categories of persons that may ride with Auburn Police Officers. They are as follows: 
A. Students Enrolled in the Citizen Police Academy 
Students enrolled in the CPA may ride two times for up to eight hours each time during each calendar 
year in which they are participating in the academy. 
1. Students wishing to ride-along must sign the CPA ride-along log on a first come first serve basis. 
2. The logbook will be maintained in the Support Division with the police clerks, except that it may be 
moved to the training office during CPA class to allow for sign-up. 
B. Sworn Officers 
Sworn Officers from other jurisdictions may only ride-along once per year and then only with the written 
approval from the Chief of Police or his designee. Off-duty Auburn Police Officers may ride-along only 
with written permission from the Chief of Police or his designee. 
C. Citizens 
Citizens may ride-along on a one-time basis for a maximum of eight hours. Prior written approval from 
the Chief of Police or his designee must be obtained prior to the ride-along. 
D. Explorer Program 
Explorer’s, eighteen years of age or older, may ride one time for four hours. The child’s legal guardian 
must request in writing that the child be allowed to ride. The guardian must also sign the Rider Consent 
Form. 

E. Guidelines for Riders 
All persons riding must obey the following rules: 
1. All riders must sign the Riders’ Consent Form. 
2. Riders, including sworn officers, will not possess any weapon(s) while riding. (Sworn officers actively 
employed in law enforcement are exempt from this rule). 
3. Riders must remain in the patrol vehicle upon response to a call, except at the discretion of the 
officer or the supervisor. 
4. Riders may not operate any police vehicle or any equipment in the vehicle except in a life or death 
situation. 
5. Riders may not become involved, either verbally or physically, in any call except in a life or death 
situation. 
6. Riders will not be allowed to ride if they are under the influence of alcohol or any other drug. 
7. Supervisors will assign riders to the officer, with the exception of spouse riders. Upon arrival, the 
riders are to report to the on-duty supervisor. 
8. No person under eighteen years of age may ride absent specific policy allowances or other situations 
specifically authorized by the Chief of Police. 
9. Only one rider will be allowed at any one-time period. Riders will sign-up to ride in the ride-along 
book which will be maintained in the Support Division. 
10. Riders are required to dress in business casual attire while riding (examples: slacks, khaki pants, 
collared shirt). 
F. Responsibilities of Officers 
Officers that have been assigned a rider will make every effort to be cordial to the rider and to answer 
questions the rider may have about police operations. The officer will keep in mind that he is 
responsible for the safety of the rider. The following rules shall be adhered to: 
1. Officers will not engage in high-speed pursuits with riders in the vehicle. 
2. At no time will an officer respond to a crime in progress reportedly involving violence if the officer 
feels it may place the observer in danger. If the officer feels that it is necessary, the observer will be 
deposited at a public location (such as the police department or other place of safety as agreed upon 
by the officer and the ride-along) until the officer or another officer can return to continue the ride along. 
3. If a personality conflict or any other conflicts exist, the officer shall immediately report this to the 
supervisor. 
4. If, in the officer’s opinion, the rider violates any rule or creates an unsafe situation for the officer, 
himself or any citizen, the officer shall immediately return to the police department and inform the 
supervisor. 
5. Officers that are still on probationary status will not have riders assigned to them, except upon 
approval by the Chief of Police. 
IV. Request Procedures 
Each ride along candidate must submit the proper paperwork prior to riding. Copies of the required 
paperwork will be maintained in the Records Section. Once the paperwork is completed, and signed by 
a witness, it should be returned to the Records Section. A certified GCIC terminal operator will 
complete the required GCIC query, attach the results of the query to the application, and forward it to 
the Support Commander, or designee for review of policy compliance. The Support Commander will 
then forward all information to the Chief of Police for approval. 
A. The applicable Release from Liability & Indemnity Agreement and Criminal History Consent (Patrol 
Vehicles) form must be submitted by all ride along candidates except sworn police officers. 
B. Ride along applicants over the age of 18 must complete and submit a Citizen Ride-Along Request. 
Anyone under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian submit a Explorer program Ride-Along 
Request on their behalf. 
C. All ride along candidates must sign a GCIC Awareness Statement prior to riding. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 
RELEASE FROM LIABILITY & INDEMNITY AGREEMENT 
AND CRIMINAL HISTORY CONSENT 


(PATROL VEHICLES) 
I, ____________________________________________________,(print full name) Address 
___________________________________________________________________, 
race/sex,_____/_____, SSN#___________________________, DOB_________________ Phone 
#__________________, being 18 years of age or older, in consideration of my being able to ride in a 
patrol vehicle belonging to the City of Auburn and which is assigned to the City of Auburn Police 
Department and my being allowed to accompany members of the City of Auburn Police Department on 
patrol or other police activities, do hereby agree as follows: 

a. That I release the City of Auburn, Georgia, The City of Auburn Police Department, and their agents 
and employees from any liability to me or the estate of my son/daughter/ward as a result of any 
damage to property of my son/daughter/ ward, injury to my son/daughter/ward, or the loss of the life of 
my son/daughter/ward sustained as a result of his/her riding in a patrol vehicle or participating in the 
above named activity. 
b. That I agree to hold the City of Auburn, Georgia, the City of Auburn Police Department, and their 
agents and employees harmless for any loss sustained by them as a result of any damage or injury 
caused by my son/daughter/ward, and I agree to indemnify said City Police, agents and employees for 
any loss incurred thereby. 
c. That this agreement shall remain in effect until cancelled in writing to the City of Auburn Police 
Department by myself or another adult with authority to do so. 
I hereby request and authorize the Auburn Police Department to receive Criminal History Record 
Information on me, which may be in the files of any state or local criminal justice agency as a condition 
for permission to ride in any police vehicle. 
Signed on the ______day of _____________________, 20____. 
Witness Participants Signature 
Permission is granted for the above-named individual to ride in vehicles assigned to the City of Auburn 
Police Department and to accompany members of the department on patrol and other police related 
activities. 

Chief of Police Date 
Citizen Ride-Along Request 
I would like to ride with an officer of the Auburn Police Department for the following reasons: 
____________________________________________________________________________. I have 
read and signed the release form and I understand the provisions and liabilities. I understand that 
because of the nature of patrol functions that I maybe in greater risk of receiving an injury due to a 
physical encounter or from being involved in a traffic accident. I understand and agree that I may not be 
allowed to accompany officers on certain types of calls. I understand that I may be asked to exit a patrol 
vehicle at a safe location and wait for the officer to return or another officer to escort me back to the 
Auburn Police Department. 
If you are approved to ride with a Auburn Police Department officer you must adhere to the dress code. 
All riders are required to dress in casual business attire (examples: slacks, khaki pants, collared shirt). 
When you arrive at the Police Department to ride along you must first sign in with the support division 
and then report to the on-duty supervisor so he can assign you to an officer. 
Name: _______________________________________ 
Telephone: _______________________________________ 
Best time to call: _______________________________________ 

(Signature) 

(Please Print Name) 

(Date) 
Revised: 05-12-10 
RELEASE FROM LIABILITY & INDEMNITY AGREEMENT 


AND CRIMINAL HISTORY CONSENT 
(PATROL VEHICLES) 
I, ____________________________________________________,(print full name) Address 
___________________________________________________________________, 
race/sex,_____/_____, SSN#___________________________, DOB_________________ Phone 
#__________________, am the parent or guardian of____________________ 
______________________, (print full name) Address___________________________ 
____________________________, race/sex,___/___, SSN#_______________________, 
DOB_________________ Phone #__________________, who is a member of the Teen Citizen Police 
Academy and 14 years of age or older, in consideration of my child being able to ride in a patrol vehicle 
belonging to the City of Auburn and which is assigned to the City of Auburn Police Department and my 
child being allowed to accompany members of the City of Auburn Police Department on patrol or other 
police activities, do hereby agree as follows: 

a. That I release the City of Auburn, Georgia, The City of Auburn Police Department, and their agents 
and employees from any liability to me or the estate of my son/daughter/ward as a result of any 
damage to property of my son/daughter/ ward, injury to my son/daughter/ward, or the loss of the life of 
my son/daughter/ward sustained as a result of his/her riding in a patrol vehicle or participating in the 
above named activity. 
b. That I agree to hold the City of Auburn, Georgia, the City of Auburn Police Department, and their 
agents and employees harmless for any loss sustained by them as a result of any damage or injury 
caused by my son/daughter/ward, and I agree to indemnify said City Police, agents and employees for 
any loss incurred thereby. 
c. That this agreement shall remain in effect until cancelled in writing to the City of Auburn Police 
Department by myself or another adult with authority to do so. 
I hereby request and authorize the Auburn Police Department to receive Criminal History Record 
Information on my child, which may be in the files of any state or local criminal justice agency as a 
condition for permission to ride in any police vehicle. 
Signed on the ______day of _____________________, 20____. 
Witness Parent/Guardian Signature 
Permission is granted for the above-named individual to ride in vehicles assigned to the City of Auburn 
Police Department and to accompany members of the department on patrol and other police related 
activities. 

Chief of Police Date 
Revised: 05-12-10 
Explorer Program Ride-Along Request 
I would like for my child to ride with an officer of the Auburn Police Department. I have read and signed 
the release form and I understand the provisions and liabilities. I understand that because of the nature 
of patrol functions that my child maybe in greater risk of receiving an injury due to a physical encounter 
or from being involved in a traffic accident. I understand and agree that my child may not be allowed to 
accompany officers on certain types of calls. I understand that my child may be asked to exit a patrol 
vehicle at a safe location and wait for the officer to return or another officer to escort him/her back to the 
Auburn Police Department. 
If your child is approved to ride with a Auburn Police Department officer they must adhere to the dress 
code. All riders are required to dress in casual business attire (examples: slacks, khaki pants, collared 
shirt). When you and your child arrive at the Police Department to ride along you must first sign your 
child in with the support division and then report to the on duty supervisor so he can assign your child to 
an officer. 
Your Name: _______________________________________ 
Your Child’s Name: _______________________________________ 
Telephone: _______________________________________ 
Best time to call: _______________________________________ 


(Signature) 

(Please Print Name) 

(Date) 
Revised: 01-28-11 
GEORGIA CRIME INFORMATION CENTER 
AWARENESS STATEMENT 
Access to Criminal Justice Information, as defined in GCIC Council Rule 140-1-.02 (amended), and 
dissemination of such information are governed by state and federal laws and GCIC Council Rules. 
Criminal Justice Information cannot be accessed or disseminated by any employee except as directed 
by superiors and as authorized by approved standard operating procedures which are based on 
controlling state and federal laws, relevant federal regulations, and the Rules of the GCIC Council. 

O.C.G.A. §35-3-38 establishes criminal penalties for specific offenses involving obtaining, using, or 
disseminating criminal history record information except as permitted by law. The same statute 
establishes criminal penalties for disclosing or attempting to disclose techniques or methods employed 
to ensure the security and privacy of information or data contained in Georgia criminal justice 
information systems. 
The Georgia Computer Systems Protection Act (O.C.G.A. §16-9-90 et seq) provides for the protection 
of public and private sector computer systems, including communications links to such computer 
systems. The Act establishes four criminal offenses, all major felonies, for violations of the Act: 
Computer Theft, Computer Trespass, Computer Invasion of Privacy, and Computer Forgery. The 
criminal penalties for each offense carries maximum sentences of fifteen (15) years in prison and/or 
fines up to $50,000.00, as well as possible civil ramifications. The Act also establishes Computer 
Password Disclosure as a criminal offense with penalties of one (1) year in prison and/or a $5000.00 
fine. 
The Georgia Criminal Justice Information System Network is operated by the Georgia Crime 
Information Center in compliance with O.C.G.A. §35-3-31. All databases accessible via CJIS Network 
terminals are protected by the Computer Systems Protection Act. Similar communications and 
computer systems operated by municipal/county governments are also protected by the Act. 
By my signature below, I acknowledge that I have read and understand this Awareness Statement. 
Print Name: 
Signed: Date: 
Witnessed: Date: 

Chapter 16-12A Civil Disturbance 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 16-12A 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Civil Disturbance 

I. Purpose 
During civil disorder, the Department’s mission is the protection of life, property, and the restoration of 
law and order. This mission may be accomplished by dispersing unauthorized assemblages and by 
increased patrolling within the disturbance area. To prevent commission of lawless acts, the 
Department may present a show of force, establish road or area blockades, disperse crowds, employ 
chemical agents, or start such action necessary to apprehend and perform other required operations. 
The Chief of Police, or his designee, shall coordinate the Department’s response to civil disorder. 
II. Policy 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to protect life and property, and to restore law and order 
in the event of civil disorder. 
III. Definitions 
CIVIL DISTURBANCE: An unlawful assembly that constitutes a breach of the peace, or any assembly 
of persons where there is imminent danger of collective violence, destruction of property, or other 
unlawful acts. 
IV. Procedure and Regulations 
A. Authority for Plan Implementation 
During times of civil disturbance, the Chief of Police will have full authority over all civilian law 
enforcement inside the City of Auburn. The Patrol Commander or other officer(s) designated by the 
Chief of Police will assume the responsibility as Incident Commander. 
The Incident Commander is authorized to implement this plan and is responsible until relieved. 
Appropriate notification of implementation must be through the proper Chain of Command. 
The Incident Commander will be in command of the situation as to the strategy, tactics and actions of 
all responding agencies, by communicating orders to the designated officer in command of the 
responding agency. 
B. Departmental Resources 
1. The Incident Commander shall determine what, if any, additional Departmental resources are 
required in terms of personnel and/or equipment. 
a. Additional personnel may be called or placed on stand-by in accordance with Chapter 16-12, 
Unusual Occurrences Plan. 
b. Mutual Aid from surrounding jurisdictions may be requested by the Incident Commander. 
c. Assistance from Georgia State Patrol and/or other State and Federal agencies may be requested. 
d. Military/National Guard assistance may be requested through the Chief of Police through the Mayor 
in accordance with applicable laws. 
2. Equipment needs beyond that readily available to the Incident Commander will be coordinated 
through the Chief of Police, or his designee. 
a. Equipment such as shotguns, O.C. spray, gas masks, riot helmets, shields, less lethal weapons, etc., 
are either assigned to individual officers or are stored at the Police Department. Access may be given 
to any officer with the immediate approval of the Shift Supervisor, or other applicable supervisor. 
b. Additional equipment, as deemed necessary, may be requested within the guidelines of mutual aid 
from surrounding law enforcement agencies. 
3. Communications 
a. All public safety/emergency communication will be handled through the Barrow County 911 
Communications Center. All marked patrol units are equipped with mobile radio systems and all 

personnel are assigned portable radios. The Auburn Police Department or the Department’s Mobile 
Command Post will serve as a secondary communication center. 

4. Situational maps shall be maintained at the Auburn Police Department and will be used to chart 
problem areas as well as track resources in the field. 
C. Duties of First Responders 
The duties of the first officer(s) arriving at the scene of a disturbance include: 
1. Observe the situation from a safe distance and determine if the crowd is peaceful or potentially 
violent; 
2. Notify the Shift Supervisor as to the seriousness of the situation and request additional back up to 
respond; 
3. Attempt to identify, by observation, the leader of the group; 
Protect citizens; and 
5. Protect property. 
D. Duties of the Incident Commander 
Upon arrival at the scene, the Shift Supervisor may assume Incident Command until relieved. The 
Incident Commander duties and responsibilities should include: 
1. Assessing the situation for seriousness and potential danger. If the situation is minor in nature, it may 
be handled with existing resources. 
2. Maintaining communications with the dispatcher, providing such information as: 
a. Estimated size of the crowd and area involved; 
b. Gauging the mood of the crowd; 
c. Weapons, if any involved; 
d. Need for medical attention; and 
e. Damage or destruction of property involved. 
3. Establish a Command Post at a suitable, but safe location, (a building equipped with adequate 
telephone lines should be given priority consideration. Depending on the location of the event, City 
facilities may be a consideration.) The Agency Representative of each public safety agency, as well as 
others involved in coordinating response and/or implementing plans, should be advised of the 
Command Post location. 
4. If an emergency mobilization of off duty officers is initiated, the Incident Commander will determine 
the staging area and equipment to be worn. 
5. Instructing dispatch to make proper notifications of possible need for assistance, to include: 
a. Emergency Service Unit Commander to place Tactical Unit on standby for victim extrication, etc.; 
b. Fire Department to stand by in the staging area; 
c. EMS request to stand by in the staging area; 
d. Local hospital emergency room; 
e. Barrow County Sheriff’s Department; 
f. Georgia State Patrol to provide patrol coverage to City and traffic direction and control. 
6. Assigning a Public Information Officer to serve for the duration of the incident. The person should 
provide the media with factual information to prevent or dispel any rumors. 
7. Coordinate with support members, field officers, and assisting law enforcement agencies as to traffic 
control in disturbance area (survey area). 
a. Transport emergency medical supplies, as needed; 
b. Request traffic barricades and/or warning signs; 
c. Determine alternate routes for detours; 
d. Route traffic as situation dictates; 
e. Control ingress and egress of vehicles and pedestrians, as required; 
f. Determine strategic locations for posting personnel; 
g. Investigate traffic accidents when practical; 
h. Enforce traffic laws. 
8. Establish an outer perimeter sufficient to contain the disturbance and prohibit entrance into the 
affected area. 
9. Ensure that, to the degree possible, innocent civilians are evacuated from the immediate area of the 
disturbance. 

10. Arrange for food, water and sanitation at the scene, and at any temporary detention facilities. 
11. Arrange for evidence collection at the scene through the Criminal Investigations Section. 
E. Operations 
1. Crowd Control: In the control of any crowd, whether peaceful demonstration or peaceful gatherings, 
the Incident Commander should follow these guidelines: 
a. A minimum number of uniformed officers will be placed in positions for handling crowd control. 
b. Officers should be positioned where physical contact with the crowd can be kept to a minimum. 
c. The officers should continually assess the mood of the crowd/group and respond to those changes 
as directed by their supervisors. 
d. Officers should not engage in any demonstrations and related conversations with the participants. It 
is expected that the officers will remain neutral and impartial at all times. Officers will be courteous and 
helpful. Officers should be reminded that expressions of friendliness may be a valuable tool in keeping 
any situation calm. 
e. Designated personnel will be assigned to establish and maintain communications with the 
group/demonstration leaders. This should be done as a soon as possible and is done to keep each side 
informed of one another’s needs and intentions. It must be continuous, clear and immediate. 
Emergency Services Unit Crisis Negotiators may be used to conduct or assist with negotiations. 
f. Officers may be posted on rooftops or high ground areas to assist with identifying locations where 
individuals are propelling objects (bottles, rocks, etc.). These officers can signal or guide uniformed 
officers to the location of these individuals to effect an arrest. 
g. Ensure that surveillance points are established to identify agitators, leaders, and individuals 
committing crimes, and to document and report on events as they happen. Photographic and video 
documentation of evidence of criminal acts and perpetrators shall be generated whenever possible. 
2. Actions: Once appropriate and adequate personnel are in place, and a determination is made that 
assembly is unlawful, the Incident Commander or designated personnel will: 
a. Approach the crowd and inform them via the P.A. system that the assembly is unlawful, and the 
group/crowd should disperse immediately. To avoid any confusion, avenues for departure should be 
announced with the instructions. 
b. A time limit should be established, and no extensions allowed. The announcement should be 
repeated several times before the time limit is reached. 
c. Audio and video recording of this process should be utilized. 
d. If the crowd fails to disperse and continues its activity, the Incident Commander will, after 
consultation with the Chief of Police, authorize the use of force, move into the crowd for control, or 
initiate arrest(s). Prior to making these decisions, the Incident Commander should provide for 
transportation, Fire and EMS personnel. 
e. Less-lethal force: When physical arrest of identified leaders and agitators fails to disperse the crowd, 
the OIC may use less lethal force to accomplish these ends. In so doing, the OIC shall ensure that: 
i. A clear path of escape is available for those who wish to flee the area; 
ii. The use of chemical agents, smoke, or other less-lethal devices is coordinated and controlled; and 
f. Use of deadly force: The use of deadly force in the control and dispersal of civil disturbances, as in 
other circumstances is governed by the Chapter 11, Response to Aggression/Resistance. 
Specifically: Law enforcement officers are permitted to use deadly force to protect themselves or others 
from what is reasonably believed to be an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury. 
Caution should be taken when using firearms during civil disturbances - the arbitrary use of return fire in 
crowds is prohibited. 
When sniper fire is encountered, or hostages taken, the Agency’s policy on Hostage and Barricaded 
Subjects shall be followed. 
F. Transportation 
All Departmental vehicles will be available for transportation of officers/equipment to the scene, and for 
prisoner or evacuee transportation from the scene. If additional transportation is required, the Incident 
Commander should request assistance from County, State, and Federal agencies. Specifically, the 
following agencies shall be contacted for equipment and transportation needs: 
1. The Barrow County Sheriff’s Department; 
2. The Barrow County Board of Education; 

3. Barrow County Parks and Recreation; 
4. The Georgia National Guard; 
5. The Barrow County Emergency Management Service; 
6. The Georgia Department of Transportation; 
7. The Georgia Emergency Management; 
8. The Barrow County Fire EMS Services. 
Note: Special equipment needs will be coordinated through the Chief of Police or his designee. 
G. Public Facilities Security 
Attempts should be made to provide security to all public facilities threatened by any crowd to include: 
1. City Water Supply 
2. Fire/Rescue buildings as well as access to these 
3. City Hall 
4. Schools 
5. Communications Center 
Public Works 
6. The Auburn Police Department 
In any given situation, it may not be necessary to ensure the security of each listed facility, or only those 
that are in an affected area. The decision to ensure security, by assigning personnel to a particular 
location, shall be left up to the discretion of the Chief of Police or the Incident Commander. 
H. Arrests 
During a civil disturbance involving large numbers of people, violations of the law will inevitably take 
place. In some instances, it may be necessary to take immediate action to apprehend an offender or 
offenders. However, in some cases, an arrest may only serve to anger a crowd and worsen the 
situation. Before making an arrest under such circumstances, officers should consider the nature of the 
violation and the mood of the crowd. If identification of an offender can be made and the arrest can wait 
until such time as the situation has de-escalated to a manageable level, the arrest should be made at a 
later time. Depending on the severity of a disturbance, the Shift Supervisor or the Chief of Police may 
require that no arrests be made without prior approval. When an arrest is made, the offender(s) shall be 
immediately removed to a location outside of the area of the disturbance and out of the view of persons 
involved. 
I. Mass Arrests 
During the course of civil disturbance, it may be necessary to make arrests of numerous individuals 
over a short period of time. In order for this process to be handled efficiently, safely, and legally, the 
shift supervisor shall ensure that: 
1. Officers adhere to Georgia Statute, City of Auburn Municipal Code, and case law when making an 
arrest and arrest only when probable cause exists. 
2. The Shift Supervisor may use the Community Service bus, the Sheriff’s Department buses, and/or 
buses from the Barrow County Board of Education to transport arrested subjects. Additional 
transportation resources may be obtained through referring to IV. F of this policy. 
3. Prisoners will be transported to the Auburn Police Department patrol room, at which time a 
supervisor designated by Chief of Police will determine which arrested persons will be charged and 
released, and which will go to the Barrow or Gwinnett County Jail for processing. At the scene of the 
arrest, the booking officer will take a digital photograph of the officer that effected the arrest with the 
arrested subject. The date, time, case number and charge(s) will be noted. 
4. Juvenile prisoners will be transported separate from adult prisoners to the Auburn Police Department 
and processed. Misdemeanant(s) will be released to their guardian. The Juvenile Intake Officer will be 
contacted in felony cases involving a juvenile. 
5. All arrested subjects will have a hearing before a Magistrate within 48 hours of arrest or be released 
if the arrest was made without a warrant. 
6. Arrested subjects will be detained at the Barrow or Gwinnett County Jail. Any overflow will be in 
accordance with the respective jail policy and procedure. 
7. All evidence collected will be handled in accordance with existing Departmental policies. 
8. All arrestee(s) will be identified prior to having a bond set for their release. Any arrestee that refuses 
to identify himself will not be released until identification is made, except by order of a State or Superior 

Court Judge. 

9. Under the terms of Mutual Aid, the Auburn Police Department will assist surrounding agencies using 
no more than 50% of its sworn officers at any one time. The Auburn Police Department may also 
request assistance from other nearby agencies and/or the Georgia State Patrol and GBI as the need 
arises. 
In all situations, the Chief of Police or his designee will decide to assist or request assistance. 
10. Arrested persons will have the right to visits by defense counsel after the booking procedures are 
completed, but before any questioning occurs, in accordance with Miranda restrictions. Visitation at any 
location other than the Barrow or Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department/s, including the Auburn Police 
Department, is prohibited. 
11. The Chief of Police, or his designee, will maintain open communication with the District Attorney 
and the City Solicitor during times of mass arrest. 
12. In the event of civil unrest or disturbance, a supervisor designated by the Chief of Police shall be 
the media relations officer for the duration of the incident. The designated supervisor shall indicate a 
media area where factual information will be given to the media. Rumors will be brought to the attention 
of the media relations officer immediately, so they can be dispelled with factual information. 
13. All arrested persons will have food, water, and proper sanitation, provided in accordance with the 
Barrow or Gwinnett County Jail policy and procedure. Prisoners will not be detained at the Auburn 
Police Department for any more time than is required for processing. During this time prisoners will 
have access to water and restrooms. All arrested persons requiring medical attention will receive 
medical attention in a timely manner. 
14. Security is provided through the physical plant of Barrow or Gwinnett County Jail, Deputies, and the 
Jailers assigned. Security of the Auburn Police Department will be assigned to police officers by the 
Shift Supervisor. 
K. De-escalation Procedures 
1. Once the disturbance has been brought under control and the situation has returned to normal, the 
Incident Commander will begin de-escalation procedures to include: 
a. Disengage officers as appropriate. Outside enforcement agencies should be withdrawn from the 
area; 
b. Lower the phase of the emergency; 
c. On duty officers will return to normal patrol operation; 
d. The Police Department’s strength should gradually de-escalate, based on assignment and time in 
the area of the disturbance; 
e. All local services should be reestablished; 
f. Personnel should be returned to their regular assignments. 
2. Assign officers to remain in area of disturbances to protect from any recurrence of trouble. 
3. Discontinue the Command Post. 
4. Ensure that all Departmental equipment is collected. 
L. Post Occurrence Duties 
1. Once the situation has been brought under control, the Incident Commander will disengage officers 
as appropriate; on duty officers will return to normal operations; return issued equipment to appropriate 
authority; disengage the Command Post; assign officers to remain in area of disturbance to protect 
from any recurrence of trouble. 
2. The Incident Commander will prepare a detailed report providing all factual information about the 
incident to the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police will forward necessary documentation to the City 
Administrator. The report shall include in order of events, the following: 
a. First indication of disturbance; 
b. Incidents leading up to the crisis; 
c. Notification of field units/Chief of Police; 
d. Establishment of field command post; 
e. Notification of off-duty personnel; 
f. Request for assistance to support agencies; 
g. Any assistance by outside agencies; 
h. Traffic/security control points by location; 

i. Allocation of personnel involved; 
j. Location of disturbance; 
k. Casualties (killed, injured, treated and released, and identified); 
l. Assessment of damage to property; 
m. Number of arrest(s); 
n. Date and time order restored; 
o. Critique of police actions; 
p. Recommendations for future planning; 
q. Any budgetary matter that may have resulted from the incident. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 16-12B Bomb Threats 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 16-12B 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Bomb Threats 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this directive is to establish proper procedures for the handling of bomb threats. 
II. Policy 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to handle bomb threat incidents in such a manner as to 
reduce panic, identify offenders, and reduce injury and/or property damage in an accurate and efficient 
manner. 
III. Procedures/Rules and Regulations 
This procedure identifies information to be obtained from the complainant, safety precautions for 
handling a bomb threat call, and techniques of searching for a bomb. Only a Bomb Disposal Technician 
should examine any suspect packages or containers. 
A. Response to the Scene 
The Patrol Division will be primarily responsible for the initial response to a bomb threat call. Response 
to bomb threats will be code one unless exigent circumstances justify a code two or three response. 
Once the responding units are in close proximity, (about 300 Feet), of the bomb threat location the car 
radio, portable radio and any cellular telephones will be turned off. Some explosive devices can be 
activated by radio transmissions. Any communication with 911 within this 300-foot radius will be by the 
use of hard-lined telephones. If the bomb threat is at the Auburn Police Department all radios, including 
the desk radio and all portables, and all cellular telephones will be turned off. 
2. The first responding Patrol Unit arriving at the scene shall locate the complainant and determine if 
the bomb or suspected device has been located. The decision to evacuate will rest with the person in 
charge of the facility at the scene. If the decision to evacuate is made, all persons shall be moved at 
least 350 feet from the building. Before leaving, as many doors and windows as possible should be 
opened. Police may advise the person in charge that an evacuation is necessary when there are 
circumstances that elevate the risk. Schools and larger businesses may have established procedures 
and evacuation plans to aid them in decision-making during such incidents. In incidents involving 
school facilities, the responding officer will immediately begin coordination with the appropriate school 
officials to aid in their decision on whether to evacuate the involved facility. If an evacuation is initiated, 
then police officers on scene shall assist in that process as much as possible. 
Note: Upon arrival, the officer should also encourage the complainant to ensure that they and all 
location representatives turn off their own radios and cellular telephones as well. 
3. Police personnel will not conduct a search unless specifically requested to do so by the person in 
charge of the facility. 
4. In the event that no bomb or suspected device is located, the primary officer will make an appropriate 
incident report. 
B. Searches for Explosive Devices 
If a search is conducted the following guidelines will be followed by the Incident Commander: 
a. Establish a Command Post and ensure emergency personnel on scene checks in and is recorded as 
being on scene. 
b. Enlist the aid of building security, custodial, and supervisory personnel to accompany each officer 
involved in the search. 
c. Obtain floor plans if possible. 
d. Assign search teams to all areas accessible to the public. 
e. Search inside and outside the building. 

f. Maintain control of search teams. 
g. Use stairways instead of elevators, if possible. 
h. Terminate all searching 20 minutes prior to the threatened time of explosion. 
i. Instruct searchers not to touch a suspected device or package. 
j. Techniques of Searching 
1. Start of search: 
a. Start outside and work inside; and 
b. When searching start at the lowest level. 
2. The search should be broken into three steps: 
a. Exterior - The exterior search begins at the ground level. Close attention should be given to piles of 
leaves and refuse, shrubbery, trashcans, and parked vehicles (outside accessibility is unlimited); 
b. Public Area Search - Extended outward from the building to some natural divider (curb or wall, 
usually 25 to 50 feet); and 
c. Interior Room Search: 
1. Special attention should be given to utility rooms or areas where access is unlimited; 
2. Begin the search at the lowest level and work upward, completely searching each level before 
changing floors; 
3. When searching a room, search in four levels: 
Floor to waist check, chairs, desks, trashcans, anything at a level that could conceal a bomb; 
Waist to eye level or top of head behind pictures, cabinets, miscellaneous on walls; 
From eye level to the ceiling light fixtures, any item suspended from the ceiling, e.g., heating and 
air-conditioning ducts; and 
Ceilings and false ceilings. 
Whenever first entering a room, remain completely calm and immobile. Listen for any unusual sounds. 
Many times, such actions will pick up sounds indicating a device. 
k. Vehicle Searches 
1. Whereas a bombing in a building is normally set to detonate at a specific time an auto bomb usually 
has a triggering device; 
2. The initial action in a vehicle involved incident is to evaluate and secure as much information as 
possible from the driver/owner (any threats, evidence of tampering, suspicious noises, unfamiliar 
objects); 
3. Find out when the vehicle was last operated, was it locked, who is to be the next person in the 
vehicle (who is the intended target, driver or passenger?); and 
4. Check the area around the vehicle for signs of tampering (marks on the ground, bits of tape, wire 
insulation, etc.). 
NOTE: A vehicle bomb can be installed in 15-30 seconds. A detailed search emphasizing safety may 
take several hours depending on the situation. 
C. Incident Commander Duties upon locating an Explosive Device/Suspicious Package. 
1. Upon locating a bomb or suspected device, it will be the responsibility of the Incident Commander to 
request the GBI or Gwinnett Bomb Squad through E-911. 
2. The Incident Commander will advise E-911 to dispatch the Fire Department and EMS to the site and 
stand by. The Incident Commander will ensure that the building that the device(s) were located in are 
completely evacuated and will determine if further evacuation is needed in surrounding buildings. The 
Incident Commander will also ensure that unauthorized persons are denied access into the evacuated 
area through the implementation of an outer perimeter. If additional police units are needed the Incident 
Commander will ensure that an all call is conducted. 
3. The Shift Supervisor will proceed to evacuate the immediate area. An inner security perimeter will be 
established at a safe distance from the device (minimum 300 feet). Access will be restricted to all 
personnel except members of the EOD units. 
4. With the locating of one bomb or suspected device, it should be assumed that a secondary explosive 
device exists. The Incident Commander will establish an outer perimeter with a distance of at least 
1,000 feet from the initially located devise for public safety staging. Incident Commander will also 
ensure that unauthorized persons are denied access into the evacuated area. If additional units are 
needed the Incident Commander shall direct them to the proper location. 

5. Upon arrival of the EOD team, the Senior Bomb Technician will take command of the immediate 
bomb scene. The Incident Commander will assist the EOD team with all resources, which are 
reasonable to dispose of the bomb safely. 
6. Upon locating of any bomb or suspected device, the Chief of Police will be notified. The primary 
responding uniformed officer will make an incident report. A detective from CID will conduct a follow-up 
investigation. 
7. Once bomb rescue operations are completed, the scene will be secured and protected as a crime 
scene. CID will collect and process evidence as per chapter 17 of the policy manual. If the bomb rescue 
efforts confirmed that the suspected device was in fact, capable of exploding, then the notification of 
ATF shall be required prior to such collecting and processing. If the device is determined to be fake or 
otherwise incapable of exploding, then the notification of ATF shall be discretionary, and rests with the 
Chief of Police. 
8. This policy will be reviewed annually by the Chief of Police, or his designee. 
D. Media Relations 
The Incident Commander will be responsible for assigning a Public Information Officer who will be 
responsible for informing the media concerning any bomb threat. If a suspicious package is found or a 
bomb is detonated or recovered, a supervisor designated by the Chief of Police will act as the media 
relations officer for the department. The media will be denied access into the perimeter if one is 
established. 
E. Conclusion of Search 
1. The Incident Commander at the scene will notify the owner/person in authority of the building of the 
results of the search; and 
2. The Incident Commander will make sure that all required reports have been completed and all units 
are back in service. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 16-12C Hostage Sniper Barricaded Subject 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 16-12C 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Hostage/Sniper/Barricaded Subject 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines and procedures for responding to and handling 
incidents involving a hostage, sniper and/or barricaded persons. 
II. Policy 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to establish and adhere to a tactical plan for handling 
incidents involving a hostage, sniper and/or barricaded person. 
A. Duties of Responding Officer(s) 
1. The initial responding officer(s) should attempt to avoid confrontation in favor of controlling and 
containing the situation until the arrival of support personnel, trained tactical and/or hostage negotiation 
personnel (unless there is an active shooter involved). 
2. The first officer on the scene is the Incident Commander until relieved of that duty. The first officer on 
scene should safely direct other responding officers to specific locations to set an inner perimeter. The 
inner perimeter should confine the suspect(s) to the immediate area of the incident. An outer perimeter 
should be established as soon as possible a safe distance from the area preventing innocent 
bystanders from entering the area. 
3. The Incident Commander will notify the Shift Supervisor on duty of the incident situation. 
4. As soon as possible, an attempt must be made to evacuate any injured persons and bystanders in 
the line of fire. Evacuation routes should not expose evacuees to any offensive action by police or the 
suspect. All persons evacuated should be accounted for and should be available for interviews at a 
later time. The responding officers must also evacuate residents from surrounding homes in the 
immediate line of fire or as directed by the Incident Commander. 
5. Initial responding officer should begin gathering intelligence information regarding: 
a. Location of suspect (floor, room, roof); 
b. Types of weapons suspect may have or can possibly obtain; 
c. Identification of suspect, including complete physical description, mental state, and physical 
condition; 
d. Suspect's purpose; 
e. What crime has suspect committed (assault, robbery, minor disturbance, etc.); 
f. Physical description of any hostage(s) and his/her physical and mental condition, communicating this 
information to all responding personnel; and/or 
g. Location of any telephones. 
B. Duties/Responsibilities of Incident Commander 
The Incident Commander shall have full control over the Command Post, the operation, and all persons 
involved in the operation. 
1. The Incident Commander is responsible for the notification and deployment of assisting personnel, 
including SWAT. 
2. The Incident Commander is responsible for ensuring that the Command Post is on scene and 
properly staged and operational. 
a. Command Post should be set outside the inner perimeter and inside the outer perimeter. It should be 
out of view of the incident scene. It should also be upwind of the incident location. 
b. There should be ample parking area around that Command Post and restrooms and water should be 
available. 
c. There will be at least one uniformed officer assigned to the Command Post for security. 

3. The Incident Commander must ensure that the evacuation of all injured and other individuals 
possibly in the line of fire is completed. The Incident Commander must consider the safety of anyone to 
be evacuated, taking into account the nature of the injuries and whether the evacuation would put 
individuals in greater harm than leaving them in a secured place (cover and concealment). 
4. The Incident Commander must ensure that EMS, Fire, and the media have staging areas. 
5. The Incident Commander must ensure that a media officer is appointed and at the media staging 
area with up-dated information about the incident. 
6. The Incident Commander will contact the CID Supervisor on duty/call to ensure a detective is 
immediately assigned to obtain and document intelligence, complete arrest/search warrants etc. 
7. The Incident Commander, if convinced that the suspect has become destructive and irrational, 
should prepare for an assault action; the assault action may entail use of force to include use of 
chemical agents and/or deadly force consistent with the departmental response to aggression policy. 
8. The authority to commence an emergency entry and/or to employ firepower will only be given by the 
Incident Commander. The exception to this authority will be if an officer observes an action by the 
suspect that places himself or a third party in jeopardy of receiving sever bodily harm or death. 
9. The Incident Commander will consider the following actions during the incident as a part of the 
incident resolution. 
a. Telephone Service: The Telephone Company can limit calls into the barricaded area to prevent the 
media and family members from contacting the suspect. The telephone company can also make the 
telephone an open microphone so that even when the phone is "hung up" it still picks up sounds inside 
the barricaded area. The telephone company can restrict outgoing calls from inside the barricaded 
area. All outgoing calls will ring to a designated police telephone. The telephone company will be 
concerned with privacy issues and their liability. 
b. Gas Services- The gas company can cut service inside the barricaded to prevent fire and/or 
explosion inside the barricaded area. (Also, natural gas can be used to ambush the entry team.) 
c. Electric Services- The electric company can disconnect services inside the barricaded area, so the 
entry team can make a "black out" entry if needed. There is also a psychological effect on the hostage 
taker and/or the barricaded person in that they are not in control. This may be used later as a 
bargaining tool for the negotiator. 
d. Water Services- The water company can disconnect water services to the barricaded area. Water 
can be very effective in negating the effects of chemical agents that may be used in the barricaded area 
by the Emergency Response Unit. 
e. E-911 can assist with communicating with other agencies, not on the Auburn Police Department 
frequency, by patching radio traffic at the E-911 console. The OIC may also issue Auburn Police 
Department radios and call numbers to assisting agencies. 
C. Mobilization of Hostage and/or Barricaded Situation 
1. The Incident Commander should exhaust all reasonable resources to bring the situation to an end 
before allowing the situation to become mobile unless the move serves as tactical advantage to the 
officers. If it has become necessary to allow a perpetrator to move from the original location of 
negotiations, the suspect begins to mobilize the situation, or if the suspect is already in control of a 
conveyance when first contained, the following plan will take effect: 
a. The Incident Commander will notify the Communications Center if there is to be a movement of 
captor and hostage(s), and the proposed route and destination, if known. 
b. The Communications Center will notify commands along the primary and parallel route not to 
interfere with the progress of the convoy. 
c. The Communications Center will notify other agencies if pertinent, and notify command covering the 
location of destination if outside the City. 
2. Responsibility will be maintained with the Incident Commander unless the incident shifts to another 
jurisdiction or is relieved by a higher authority. 
3. The Commander of the new area or other jurisdiction will be briefed, and assistance of the Auburn 
Police Department will be offered if necessary. The Incident Commander will command the hostage 
transportation convoy and determine its size. Consideration should be given to the number of captors, 
their armament, the number of hostages and the destination. The convoy should have a minimum of 
four (4) vehicles. 

a. Escape Vehicle 
b. First vehicle: The remainder of the hostage negotiating team and two members of SWAT as a 
containment unit. 
c. Second Vehicle: The remainder of SWAT or four members as an assault team. 
d. Third Vehicle: Command Car containing the Chief of Police and the Auburn Police Department 
Incident Commander. 
4. Communications will be maintained as to the progress and exact location of the convoy. 
E. Post Occurrence Duties/After Action Reports 
Members of the Criminal Investigation Division will be responsible for the scene once it has been 
secured for investigative purposes. Detectives will be responsible for the criminal investigation into the 
entire event. 
1. After the occurrence of a hostage/ barricaded/sniper gunman situation, the Incident 
Commander/Chief of Police and officers involved in the incident will complete an after-action review as 
soon as possible. A report will document the event and actions will be completed by the Incident 
Commander and forwarded to the Chief of Police. This detailed report will include: 
a. Incident Case number; 
b. Date and time of incident; 
c. Incident Commander Assignment; 
d. Tactical Commander Assignment; 
e. Staging Areas; 
f. Command Post Staging/Usage; 
g. all persons who participated in the incident (including supporting agencies) and the assignments they 
held; 
h. documentation of inner and outer perimeter assignments; 
i. Public Information Officer Assignment; 
j. EMS/Fire Staging/Assistance; 
k. Special equipment usage; 
l. time spent on task/incident; 
m. radio log; 
n. photographic documentation of Command Post assignment board; and 
o. A summary of the entire incident to include areas in which improvement is needed. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 16-12D Unusual Occurrences_Tactical Responses 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: 16-12D 
Effective Date: July 1, 2018 Revised: 
Review: 
Subject: Unusual Occurrences/Tactical Response 
DISASTER RESPONSE 
The purpose of this plan is to expedite the mobilization of department personnel in an effective and 
efficient manner during an emergency or disaster situation. Examples of natural disasters are: 
Natural disaster: 
Earthquake. 
Flooding. 
Severe weather. 
Large scale fire. 
Manmade disaster: 
Incidents of possible terrorism. 
Deployment of weapons of mass destruction. 
Violence at educational facilities. 
Civil Disturbances 
Policy 
It is the policy of the department to effectively respond to all emergency situations occurring within the 
corporate limits and to bring these situations to a safe conclusion. Proper notification of emergency 
management, fire, emergency medical and other support services will be made when necessary. When 
it is evident that an emergency situation has occurred or is imminent, the Chief Executive Officer shall 
be notified as well as all pertinent department personnel. 
Emergency Planning 
The Chief Executive Officer, or his/her designee, will coordinate emergency management planning and 
act as a liaison to the Barrow County Emergency Management Agency and other city and county 
emergency services to develop and maintain emergency operations plans for the law enforcement 
department. The Auburn Police Department shall utilize the National Incident Management System 
(NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS) for response, command and control of incidents. 
Command Authority 
The Watch Commander shall have command authority over all law enforcement personnel until the 
arrival of the Chief Executive Officer. In the absence of the Chief Executive Officer, his/her designee 
shall assume command authority. Coordination of activities will be made by the highest command 
officer with personnel from the Barrow County Emergency Management Agency, fire and emergency 
medical services. 
Disaster Plan 
In the event of a disaster, the following procedures shall be followed in conjunction with guidelines 
established through the Barrow County Emergency Management Agency as a guide for handling the 
situation in an appropriate manner: 
Communications 
The Barrow County Communications Center is designated as the primary communications center 
during emergency situations occurring within the City/County. 
All of the radio equipment operates on the Barrow County 700 MHz system. All Barrow County public 
safety agencies have access to several common radio channels which will allow person-to-person 
communication. 
Situation Maps 
The Incident Commander will obtain maps which may be used for planning and tactics in a disaster 
situation. The zoning map located in the Watch Commander’s office is the primary map for use during 


an incident. The Permits & Inspections Department has complete maps of businesses and streets 
within the City of Auburn that can be used. 
Field Command Post 
Normally, the command post will be the Law Enforcement Headquarters because of the security and 
resources available to this location. However, there occasionally must be a field command post located 
at a site closer to a particular incident. The Incident Commander shall select a field command post site 
when needed with particular attention to the safety of personnel and the ability to protect that site. The 
site may change if a situation escalates or the problem shifts to another location. Whenever possible, 
the command post will be designated in advance of the action plan. Maps of the affected area shall be 
maintained in the field command post. 
Chain of Command 
To provide for unity of command during a disaster situation operation, which may involve personnel 
from other agencies, a scene or incident commander is necessary. This person exercises command 
and control over all civil law enforcement resources committed to an operation. The senior law 
enforcement officer will be in charge of the overall scene and of all law enforcement resources at the 
scene of any unusual occurrence until relieved by a higher-ranking officer. This will include all law 
enforcement and civilian resources from other law enforcement agencies. 
Whenever a SWAT call-out is necessary for additional specialized manpower, hostage, or high-risk 
situations, the SWAT Commander will be in charge, unless the Chief Executive Officer assumes overall 
command. 
Casualty Information 
Information relating to fatalities and/or injuries shall be made public by Chief Executive Office, Uniform 
Division Commander or the designated Public Information Officer. 
Upon obtaining an identification of a deceased or injured victim of a fire, criminal act, accident or other 
misfortune, the Chief Executive Officer will assign personnel to notify the next of kin prior to releasing 
the name and address to the news media. If the next of kin has not been located after a reasonable 
length of time, this information may be released after approval of the Chief Executive Officer or his/her 
designee. 
A "reasonable length of time" will be determined after examining all areas of concern and 
circumstances and may vary accordingly. 
Community Relations / Public Information 
The Chief Executive Officer or his/her designated Public Information Officer shall serve as the media 
liaison officer during any disaster situation. Information designed to control rumors will be promptly 
disseminated to the news media, as well as responses to inquiries by the news media. 
Court/Prosecutorial Liaison 
Incidents may occur during which specialized legal assistance is required. Should such a need arise, 
the Barrow County District Attorney’s Office should be contacted at 770-307-3040. The “on duty” 
attorney will contact other required resources within their office if needed. 
Other Law Enforcement Agency Support 
Mutual aid assistance shall be requested through proper channels as outlined in O.C.G.A. Section 
36-69-1 et seq. and the guidelines of this plan. Formal requests for mutual aid may be made 
telephonically or by teletype on the GCIC computer system when time allows per requests from the 
Shift Supervisor. The following agencies will be among the first asked for assistance: 
Gwinnett County Police Department 
Barrow County Sheriff’s Department 
Winder Police Department 
Statham Police Department 
Georgia State Patrol 
Georgia Bureau of Investigation 
The Auburn Police Department will maintain a liaison with all of the City/County Departments and 
various legislative authorities to keep them aware of any needed resources. 
Military Assistance 
In the event that National Guard assistance (Military support/Martial Law) is needed in a matter of a 
public safety emergency, the chain-of-command to the Mayor / City Manager will be followed, who will 


officially request the service of the County Emergency Management Agency, who will in turn notify the 
Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), who will then notify the Georgia National Guard for 
assistance. 
Public Facility Security 
Any public facility may become a target during unusual occurrences. As soon as possible, security of 
the Auburn Police Department and the City Municipal Complex will be instituted. 
Normally, personnel requested on mutual aid from other agencies will be used to provide security for 
these facilities. 
Traffic Control 
It shall be the responsibility of the Auburn Police Department to take charge of traffic control. The 
perimeter of the incident area must be secured, and traffic may need to be routed around the scene. 
The decision about traffic control should be made by the Watch Commander. 
Uniformed sworn officers should be used on all traffic posts. If officers are needed at the incident 
scene, Mutual Aid should be requested from adjacent agencies to man these traffic posts. 
It shall be a responsibility of the traffic posts to ensure that only authorized and necessary persons are 
permitted to respond to the scene. Unnecessary personnel at the scene only contribute to confusion 
and are usually counter-productive. 
At the first opportunity, the routes prohibited to traffic shall be blocked with moveable barricades, 
flashing lights and other visible barriers until traffic is permitted access again. 
Equipment Requirements 
Officers shall report in uniform with gun belt, radio and personal equipment from their own agencies 
when called in for mutual aid or emergency mobilization. The senior supervisor on duty will immediately 
assess the equipment needs of the situation and see that any equipment in addition to that issued to 
every officer is distributed. If specialized firearms or other rescue equipment is necessary, such as 
repelling gear or automatic weapons, the SWAT Team will be activated. 
Special equipment or emergency supplies shall be requested on an "as needed" basis from any of the 
following agencies by Communications at the direction of the Incident Commander: 
Barrow County Emergency Management. 
Barrow County Fire Department. 
Barrow County Emergency Medical Service. 
Georgia Emergency Management Agency per the Barrow County EMA Director. 
Georgia Department of Transportation. 
Georgia Environmental Protection Agency. 
Georgia National Guard per the Mayor or City Manager. 
De-escalation Procedures 
At the time when the Chief Executive Officer and other authorities decide that the operation has 
concluded, they will advise all personnel to return to normal operations and will institute all post disaster 
incident procedures. A GCIC teletype will be made to all involved agencies. 
Post Incident Duties 
Upon the conclusion of any situation or incident involving a tactical deployment, the Incident 
Commander shall prepare a confidential after-action report evaluating the overall law enforcement 
response, to include any proposed recommendations for revision of training, operational or 
administrative procedures. After-action reports will be forwarded to the Chief Executive Officer. 
After-Action Reports 
Immediately after an unusual occurrence situation, an after-action debriefing and critique will take 
place. The on-duty supervisor at the time of the incident shall be responsible for completing a detailed 
narrative report of the operation, with copies of all logs, case reports, witness statements, and other 
documentation attached. 
Transportation 
The senior supervisor on duty will immediately assess the transportation needs of the situation and take 
what action is necessary to secure the required transportation. City owned vehicles will be used as the 
primary source of transportation. However, when mutual aid is requested, all personnel responding 
from other agencies will be requested to provide marked law enforcement vehicles to assist with 
transportation needs. 


When required, other specialized vehicles (such as private buses) may be requested. 
Maintenance of Plan 
The Chief Executive Officer or his/her designee shall be responsible for maintaining the department's 
disaster plan in accordance with the Barrow County Emergency Management Agency. The plan shall 
be reviewed, updated annually and procedural changes made in the plan, if necessary. 
BOMB THREATS 
Purpose 
While many bomb threats are later determined to be hoaxes, they all present particularly serious 
response requirements for the department. It shall be the policy of this department that all responses to 
bomb threats be conducted systematically, efficiently and in a manner that gives primary consideration 
to the protection of human life. This policy provides employees with a protocol for dealing with bomb 
threats, actual bombings or explosives related incidents to include response, deployment, search, 
communications, evacuation and coordination with other agencies. 
Communications 
Communications Operator’s Responsibilities 
When a bomb threat is received by the Communications Center the operator taking the call will try to 
obtain as much information as possible. Information received from the caller is critical to the responding 
units and could prove invaluable during later stages of the incident. At a minimum, the operator should 
try to obtain the following; 
The exact location of the device with as much precision as possible; 
Time device is set to explode; 
What the device looks like; 
What will make it detonate; 
Why it was placed; 
Be alert to the exact wording of the threat; 
Try to determine age, sex, race and gender of the caller and; 
Note any background noises if possible. 
Dispatch one unit to the location. Notify supervisor to insure he/she is aware of the incident and 
en-route to the location. 
Advise the caller to turn off all radios, cell phones and other communications devices if a suspicious 
device is located. 
Advise responding units to terminate radio traffic ½ mile from the location. 
Prepare to notify other emergency personnel as needed, i.e., Barrow County Sheriff Department, 
Barrow County Fire Department and Barrow County EMS. 
Notify Chief Executive Officer, Uniform Division Commander and CID Commander. 
Initial Responding Unit 
Bomb Threats 
The Bomb Squad does not normally respond to mere bomb threats. 
All units shall turn off their Laptops, mobile radio, portable radio, and cell phone a minimum distance of 
300’ before they reach the target location. 
If possible, make face to face contact with the complainant who received the threat to obtain additional 
information to include; 
Whether previous threats have been received; 
Possible motives/suspects 
Vulnerabilities of equipment and personnel 
If an explosive device is alleged to be within a building but has not been located, the superior officer will 
contact the building owner/management or other responsible persons to determine if a search of the 
facility is desired. 
The decision to search, evacuate or reenter a location during a bomb threat is the responsibility of the 
individual in charge of the property. 
If the person responsible for the property desires a search of the location, it shall normally be 
conducted with the assistance of personnel familiar with the building and its contents. 
Searches shall be done systematically. Each area/room shall start from the floor to waist, waist to eye, 
eye to ceiling and, finally, ceiling/false ceiling. 


Officers will not declare an “all clear” or any other language that would indicate that the location is free 
of explosive devices. The superior officer will merely state to the responsible person that no device was 
found. 
Suspected Device 
The Watch Commander or Assistant will become the Incident Commander and remain so until the 
arrival of the Chief Executive Officer or Uniform Division Commander. The initial Incident Commander 
shall establish a Command Post and/or staging area and advise radio of the location. The Gwinnett 
County Bomb Squad will be immediately notified. 
Officers will remain a minimum distance of 300 feet from the suspected device. All other personnel will 
be evacuated from within the 300 foot area. 
Officers should always be aware of the possibility of secondary devices in the area. 
Minimal department personnel will remain in the area of the device. 
Do not touch, disturb, move or in any way cause the device to be moved or anything else in the area of 
the device. 
Post Blast 
The first superior officer on the scene will become the Incident Commander until the arrival of the Chief 
Executive Officer or Uniform Division Commander. The initial Incident Commander shall establish a 
Command Post and/or staging area and advise radio of the location. 
The minimum distance for the CP/staging area at the scene of a post blast incident will be 1000 ft. from 
ground zero. Officers should always be aware of the existence of secondary devices in the area. 
The first officer on the scene shall advise the Communications Center of the extent of the damage, 
number of casualties/injuries, hard to evacuate buildings and other information as necessary. 
Evacuate injured parties to a location outside the perimeter. This will be done in a “load and go” 
manner. When EMS is on scene, they are the primary medical responders and will take the lead role in 
transportation, triage, and treatment. 
It may become necessary to conduct traffic and crowd control operations as well. The Incident 
Commander shall evaluate, as soon as possible, the need for assistance from other agencies 
Follow up Investigations 
Upon the location of a suspected device or after a post blast, the investigation of the incident will 
commence. Depending on the severity of the incident, there could possibly be many different agencies 
assisting in the investigation such as ATF, FBI, GBI and other agencies. 
The area around the suspected device (300’) or ground zero (post blast 1000’) shall be considered a 
crime scene and treated as such. 
News Media 
The need for public information during incidents of suspected devices and post blast investigations will 
be great. When dealing with the news media, refer to the media relations section of this policy. 
HOSTAGE/BARRICADE INCIDENT 
Purpose 
The successful outcome of any barricade situation, either with or without hostages, depends upon the 
use of a team approach, good communication, and the effective and efficient coordination of all 
personnel. It is the objective of this department that working together will enable the ultimate goal of a 
safe and peaceful solution to be achieved. 
Actions by law enforcement in barricaded person situations will vary depending upon the 
aggressiveness, mental condition, emotional state, or criminal background of the barricaded person. 
Barricaded persons will generally resist forceful action on the part of law enforcement personnel. For 
this reason, it is best not to immediately resort to offensive law enforcement tactics, if this is at all 
possible. Officers who come into contact with hostile, barricaded persons, or persons with hostages 
should attempt to avoid confrontation in favor of controlling and containing the situation until the arrival 
of trained tactical and / or hostage negotiation personnel. 
Initial Responding Officer’s Responsibility 
When an officer is confronted with a situation in which a potentially armed suspect has seized control of 
a dwelling, structure or place, immediate steps must be taken to insure the safety of bystanders and 
responding officers. 


Evaluate the situation, avoiding confrontation, and control the affected area until the arrival of trained 
tactical or hostage negotiations personnel. 
If the officer feels he is in direct danger or his/her presence would endanger civilian personnel, he 
should retire to a safe position(s) which permits viewing of any possible areas of escape and yet 
provides for the confinement of the suspect(s). 
The officer should contain the situation and discourage the incident from becoming mobile by blocking 
off all escape routes. 
Maintain firearms discipline. Gunfire by a barricaded suspect in the general direction of officers who are 
adequately covered does not justify the return of gunfire. If it is necessary to resort to gunfire, it should 
be limited to self-defense or to the defense of another and then only when without risk to any possible 
hostage(s) or civilian(s). 
Notify the Communications Center by the safest means available, advising the following: 
Location and physical description of barricade. 
Number, description and names (if known) of barricaded suspect(s). 
Reason the suspect(s) is barricaded. 
Whether or not the suspect(s) is armed and, if armed, the type(s) of weapon(s) suspect(s) is using. 
Number and description of any hostage(s) being held. However, the hostage's name(s) shall not be 
given out over the air. 
Any areas or streets which may be unsafe for additional units responding to the scene. 
Advise responding units not to go directly to the scene but to a location near the situation for control 
purposes. 
If the subject should leave cover, attempts should be made to prevent re-entry if possible. 
Immediately notify the Watch Commander and request that he respond to the scene. 
Evacuate injured persons, if the situation permits, and arrange for medical treatment or transportation 
to medical facility. 
Brief Watch Commander on the status of the situation and the position of all officers around the 
location. 
Watch Commander at the Scene 
Designate responding units to block off all possible vehicular escape routes. 
Evaluate the situation and assign additional personnel to establish an inner and outer perimeter beyond 
the line of sight of the barricaded location. Citizens and unauthorized vehicles shall not be allowed 
within this outer perimeter. 
Determine the necessity to evacuate civilian personnel from areas of potential danger and assign patrol 
personnel to affect their removal, paying special consideration to their safety. 
Designate someone to be note taker, maintaining time line of notes regarding occurrence of events, 
decisions made, authorization of decisions, time and date. 
Ensure that all personnel maintain firearms discipline. 
Update the Communications Center of any new information. 
If the Watch Commander determines the need for negotiators and/or the SWAT Team, immediately 
notify the Communications Center to contact Barrow County personnel. 
The Chief Executive Officer and the Uniform Division Commander are to be notified and report to the 
scene in any S.W.A.T. call out situation. 
Designate a staging area at a safe location out of sight of the barricaded location to which additional 
units can respond. Advise the dispatcher of its location. 
Have all civilians who are evacuated from areas of potential danger, or who are leaving the inner 
perimeter on their own, held at a safe location for identification and debriefing. 
Designate a preliminary news media (press) information area as close to the scene as practical and 
that safety considerations permit and establish it closer when it is safe to do so. Also, assign an officer 
as liaison with media representatives so that those covering the event may be kept "officially" informed 
of progress. 
Generally, the news media area should be no further away than the staging area or closer than the 
command post. However, for safety reasons and to prevent exposure of officer location, the locations 
should not be close enough to allow the viewing of the incident. 
Request that an ambulance and fire engine respond to the staging area on standby 


Communications Section 
The Barrow County Communications Center is designated as the primary communications center 
during emergency situations occurring within the City/County. 
All radio equipment operates on the Barrow County 700 MHz system. All Barrow County public safety 
agencies have access to several common radio channels which will allow person-to-person 
communication. 
Upon being advised of a barricaded situation, the Communications Center shall: 
Immediately invoke a 10-3. 
Relay to other responding units the following information as it is received from the field: 
The location of any areas or streets which may be unsafe. 
The location of the staging area as designated by the Watch Commander. 
The location of the command post as designated by the Watch Commander. 
The designated emergency response route and any connecting route. 
Upon receipt of a request from the Watch Commander for the SWAT team to respond, the dispatcher 
shall notify the following: 
Barrow County Communications Center who will notify their SWAT team of the call out. Negotiators 
respond with the SWAT team. 
The Communications Center shall make the following notifications 
Chief Executive Officer and Uniform Division Commander. 
Other law enforcement agencies (i.e., Winder Police Department, Barrow County Sheriff's Office, 
Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Bureau of Investigation) if assistance is needed. 
Additional equipment available for hostage situations includes 
Helicopters, Canines and specialized surveillance equipment, if needed, will be requested by the 
SWAT commander. Other resources such as the Georgia State Patrol and G.B.I. shall be requested by 
the Incident Commander. 
The dispatcher will advise the other units which are not involved in the incident to switch their radios to 
a designated channel. 
Control of Scene 
The officer-in-charge of the department will establish a central command post in a safe area and shall 
establish both an inner perimeter (to contain the suspect), and an outer perimeter (to prohibit 
unauthorized access to the area). When it appears that the situation cannot be resolved promptly and 
there is the possibility of danger or injury to law enforcement or general public, a request will be made 
to the Communications Center for a call-out of the Barrow County SWAT Team. 
the SWAT Commander, the officer-in-charge of the shift will remain in command and act as the scene 
commander until relieved by a superior officer. The Uniform Division Commander or Chief Executive 
Director, upon arrival, will be responsible for command of the incident. 
Once the SWAT Commander, superior officer or Chief Executive Director has assumed command, the 
Watch Commander will be free to return to his/her duties as overall Watch Commander for the City, if 
not needed. 
SWAT/Negotiation Team Responsibilities 
The Barrow County SWAT team is the designated SWAT team for call outs within the city. The SWAT 
team is configured such that negotiators respond with the call out of the unit. The SWAT team shall 
operate within its standard operating procedures until such time that the scene is released back to the 
Auburn Police Department. 
Assault on a Secured Area and Use of Firepower 
Continued negotiating, a lessening of demands and the uneventful passage of deadlines imposed by 
the perpetrator may indicate he/she is beginning to weaken. The negotiations will continue to consume 
time. 
If convinced that the suspect has become destructive and irrational, the SWAT Commander, or his/her 
designee, should prepare for an assault action. Chemical agents may be utilized at the discretion of the 
Chief Executive Officer or his/her designee. The authority to commence an assault and/or to employ 
firepower will only be given by the Chief Executive Officer or his/her designee. 
Mobilization of Hostage Situation 


If it becomes necessary to allow a perpetrator to move from the original location of negotiations by 
vehicle or other means accompanied by a hostage(s), the following plan will take effect: 
The Incident Commander will notify the Communications Center if there is to be movement of captor 
and hostage(s) and the proposed route and destination, if known. 
The Communications Center will notify commands along the primary and parallel route not to interfere 
with the progress of the convoy. 
The Communications Center will notify other agencies if pertinent and notify command covering the 
location of destination if outside of the City. 
Responsibility will be maintained unless the incident shifts to another jurisdiction or is relieved by a 
higher authority. The Commander of the new area or other jurisdiction will be briefed, and the 
assistance of the Auburn Police Department will be offered if necessary. The Incident Commander will 
command the hostage transportation convoy and determine its size. Consideration should be given to 
the number of captors, their armament, the number of hostages and the destination. The convoy should 
have a minimum of four (4) vehicles. 
Escape Vehicle 
First Vehicle - The hostage negotiating team and two members of the SWAT Team as a containment 
unit. 
Second Vehicle - The remainder of the SWAT Team or four members as an assault team. 
Third Vehicle - Command Car containing the SWAT Commander and the Incident Commander. 
Communications will be maintained as to the progress and exact location of the convoy. 
As defined in subsequent sections of this Chapter, the Chief Executive Officer or the ranking officer 
taking command of a hostage, barricaded person, sniper, or other unusual occurrence will retain such 
command until some other jurisdictional responsibility arise. 
Post Incident Activities 
Public Information and Media Control 
All injury and casualty information shall be relayed to the Public Information Officer (PIO) for media 
briefings. Information shall include but not be limited to number of injuries, number treated and 
released, number of casualties, names and ages of victims, and names of casualties once next of kin is 
notified. 
After action Reports 
Immediately after a barricaded person or hostage situation, an after-action debriefing and critique will 
take place. The on-duty supervisor at the time of the incident shall be responsible for completing a 
detailed narrative report of the operation, with copies of all logs, case reports, witness statements, and 
other documentation attached. 
Conclusion 
The Watch Commander shall debrief his/her officers and instruct each to prepare a short summary 
report about their duties and observations and forward the report to the Incident Commander or his/her 
designee. 
The Incident Commander shall review the officers’ summary reports with the Watch Commander and 
evaluate the totality of the incident. 
TERRORISM PREVENTION PLAN 
ATTENTION CEO: You will have to identify critical targets of opportunity in your area that may be 
potential targets. 
POLICY 
It will be the policy of this department to take a proactive stance in the war on terrorism by identifying 
potential targets within this agency’s jurisdiction, if any. Once the targets are identified, if any, an 
assessment of vulnerability shall be conducted. 
The Auburn Police Department will cooperate with appropriate authorities, if needed, in order to 
coordinate special security procedures for high risk targets. These agencies include Federal, State and 
County organizations. 
The department participates in planning sessions, table top exercises, drills and rehearsals on an as 
needed basis as part of the plans for the Stepan plant, and Barrow County Airport which are identified 
as high risk targets. 


Auburn Police Department also participates in planning sessions as a part of Barrow Co. Homeland 
Security Division and the Barrow Co. Emergency Management Authority. 
Members of the Auburn Police Department are trained to the level of the NIMS/ICS commensurate with 
their position. Ongoing training as prescribed by the Office of Homeland Security shall be completed 
when an officer progresses to a higher rank. 
The Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting SAR Initiative (NSI) training strategy is a multifaceted 
approach designed to increase the effectiveness of state, local, and tribal law enforcement 
professionals in identifying, reporting, evaluating, and sharing pre-incident terrorism indicators to 
prevent acts of terrorism. 
All personnel will receive training to recognize behavior and incidents that may indicate criminal activity 
associated with terrorism. Their routine duties position them to observe and report suspicious behaviors 
or activities. 
The Auburn Police Department shall utilize the NIMS/ICS model for all events of terrorism, natural 
disaster or other occurrences requiring a multifaceted response. 
The CID commander will act as the liaison for the Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center 
(GISAC). 
PUBLIC INFORMATION/MEDIA RELATIONS 
Policy 
The Auburn Police Department actively seeks to establish a cooperative environment in which the 
news media may obtain information on matters of public interest without hampering Agency operations. 
However, certain information will be withheld from the news media to protect the constitutional rights of 
an accused, to avoid interfering with an Agency investigation, or because it is legally privileged. 
It will be the policy of the Auburn Police Department and its employees to cooperate with news media 
personnel, whenever possible, in the release of information. Release of such information shall be made 
without partiality and shall not be withheld in favor of a particular agency or representative. 
Responsibility 
The public information function of the Auburn Police Department is the responsibility of the Chief 
Executive Officer or his/her designee. In the absence of the Chief Executive Officer or a designated 
Public Information Officer (PIO), public information relating to law enforcement matters will be handled 
as set forth in this policy. 
Media Access 
Allowing News Media to access major incidents, natural disasters or Crime Scenes 
Law enforcement lines may be established to prevent persons from entering the area of a serious 
incident or crime scene. Dependent upon the tactical situation and the likelihood of jeopardizing law 
enforcement operations, members of the news media may or may not be allowed in these areas. 
Authorization for entry is normally dependent upon the judgment of the supervisor present. While news 
media may be permitted in the area of a crime scene or a serious incident, they do not have the 
authority to be within an area which has been secured to preserve evidence, or at any location where 
their presence jeopardizes law enforcement operations. 
News Media Not Exempt from Laws 
The primary responsibility of news professionals is to report the news by obtaining information and 
photographs of newsworthy incidents. Their opportunity to do so is frequently at an emergency scene. 
An officer sharing these circumstances with news people should not obstruct them in the performance 
of their duty. However, members of the news media are neither implicitly nor expressly exempt from the 
requirements of any municipal, state, or federal statute. 
Requesting Withholding of Publication 
News professionals may photograph or report anything they observe when legally present at any 
emergency scene. When publication of this coverage would interfere with an official investigation or 
place a victim, suspect, or others in jeopardy, the withholding of publication is based on decisions of a 
cooperative press, not censorship by the Agency. Under these circumstances, officers should advise 
news professionals or their superior officers of the possible consequence of publication. However, 
officers may not interfere with news media activities as long as the news person's performance remains 
within the confines of the law. 
Photographing Defendants 


Employees of the Auburn Police Department will neither encourage nor discourage the media from 
photographing or televising defendants when they are in public places. Employees of the Agency shall 
not position or pose the accused for the benefit of the media. 
Release of Information to News Media 
Department personnel will not be authorized to respond to the news media regarding any event in this 
policy unless authorized by the Chief Executive Officer; however, the Uniform Division Commander 
must be informed by the Commanding Officer at the scene, as soon as possible, of any major or 
newsworthy incident. 
The Commanding Officer on the scene of any newsworthy law enforcement incident, at which reporters 
are present, will give only basic information to those reporters or designate someone to fulfill this 
obligation. 
In administrative matters, such as internal affairs investigations, disciplinary action, etc. information 
should only be released by the Chief Executive Officer. 
Members of the Department must exercise care, common sense and discretion to avoid rendering 
statements or information which, if later quoted, may create a misunderstanding or compromise the 
effectiveness of the department. 
No preferential treatment will be accorded any representative of the news media. This statement will 
not be construed to prohibit initiative reporting, nor will it require notifying all news media prior to the 
release of information. 
All actual press releases will be issued by the Chief Executive Officer, or other person designated by 
the Chief Executive Officer. 
Communications Section personnel are authorized to confirm an incident of newsworthy event to 
members of the news media; however, they are bound by this policy and procedure. 
The Communications Section will handle the release of general information regarding current working 
accidents and street hazards or closings during traffic rush hours. 
Release of Information Guidelines 
Information Which May Be Released 
The identity of an arrested adult, to include age, home address, occupation, charges, circumstances of 
the arrest, bond information and arresting officer’s name and assignment. As a general rule, the identity 
of an arrested juvenile will not be released even when charged as an adult. The only exception is in 
those circumstances where such release would be in the best interest of public safety. 
Mug shots may be released upon approval of the investigator. 
The department jail log is public record and open to inspection. 
Suspect Information 
The existence of a suspect may be acknowledged without divulging names, as long as it will not 
interfere with the investigation. After apprehension and prior to being charged, a description of the 
suspect may be released without name or race. 
Victim/Witness Information 
Information concerning the name, age, address, occupation and injuries received may be released 
when doing so would not jeopardize the victim’s life or property. 
The existence of a witness may be confirmed, but under no circumstances will a witness to a crime be 
identified. 
In cases involving a sexual assault, the victim’s name and address will not be released. Only the age, 
sex and geographic area may be released. 
Any death in the city, weather accidental, natural or by homicide or suicide, automatically qualifies for 
media attention. The crucial concern in releasing the identity of the deceased is to first notify the next of 
kin. Once the notification is made, the release of the decedent’s name, age, home address, occupation, 
cause and manner of death is proper. A release may be made when notification has been attempted, 
even though unsuccessful and within a reasonable period of time (twelve hours may be considered 
reasonable.) 
Accidents of all kinds (automobile, construction, drowning, etc.) frequently attract the attention of the 
news media. Information should be made available concerning the facts and circumstances of an 
accident as soon as it becomes available. The identity of the victim (once notification has been 
accomplished) should be released. Of particular importance is a statement concerning use of seat belts 


or other safety equipment (i.e., helmet) and whether alcohol or drugs were a factor? Note: Juveniles 
involved in an accident are not exempted from public disclosure and should be identified. 
Information Not to Be Released 
An investigator or arresting officer shall not discuss his/her case nor confirm arrest information with the 
news media prior to or during adjudication. Post adjudication requests for interviews shall be 
coordinated with the PIO. 
Investigative or sensitive information involving internal affairs investigations shall not be disclosed 
except by authorization of the Chief Executive Officer. 
Criminal History Record Information shall not be released or confirmed by law enforcement employees 
per GCIC Rule 140-1-02. Penalties are provided. Requests by the media to inspect an individual’s 
arrest record will be denied. If further information is requested, referral to the District Attorney’s Office 
may be made. Note: Charging documents filed with the court are public record. 
The existence or the contents of any confession, admission, statement or alibi given by an accused or 
the failure to make same shall not be released. 
The results of or failure of a defendant to submit to any test, such as a polygraph, Breathalyzer, etc., 
shall not be released. 
The testimony, credibility or character of any witness or victim shall not be released. 
Any opinion as to the innocence or guilt of the accused or merits of the case, such as evidence and 
arguments, whether or not their use in court is anticipated, shall not be released. 
Transcripts, reports or summaries of judicial proceedings from which the public press have been 
excluded by judicial proclamation shall not be released. 
The home address, telephone number or photograph of any employee of the Department, unless the 
employee consents (or employee’s family if the employee is incapacitated) shall not be released. 
Information which, if prematurely disclosed, would significantly interfere with an investigation or 
apprehension shall not be released. Especially prohibited are premature disclosures of unchecked 
leads, unverified information, and specific facts of an M.O., details known only to a suspect and 
information which may cause a suspect to flee or avoid apprehension. 
The identity of an arrested juvenile (under 17 years of age) shall not be released. It is permissible to 
state the age, sex and home town. Note: Inquiries concerning juveniles charged as adults should be 
directed to the PIO. 
The existence, but not the contents, of suicide notes may be acknowledged. 
Release of Information Concerning Confidential Investigations and Operations 
Only the Chief Executive Officer or PIO shall have the authority to release information relative to 
departmental confidential investigations and/or operations. The objective is not to keep the media 
uninformed but is to not jeopardize the investigation. 
Release of Information When Other Public Services Agencies Are Involved in a Mutual Effort 
When the Auburn Police Department and other public service agencies (Fire, EMS, Medical Examiner, 
etc.) are involved in a joint operation, the PIO shall coordinate with the other public service agency’s 
spokes-person(s) to facilitate the timely release of information in compliance with the same guidelines 
as established earlier. If possible, a representative from all agencies assisting in the joint operation 
should be present for the interview with the media or should aid in the drafting of the press release. 
News Releases 
While most information is orally communicated, there may be instances that require a written press 
release. All written press releases must be approved by the Chief Executive Officer or PIO prior to 
release and shall include only known facts while maintaining compliance with existing directives. Press 
releases should generally be short in length, one page or less, yet contain sufficient information. 
Releases may be faxed to the local media outlets. 

Christopher J. Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 16-13 Missing and Endangered Persons 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized by: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 16-13 
Effective Date: May 01st, 2018 
Revised: 05/01/2018 
Subject: Missing and Endangered Persons Review: 10/27/2018 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this chapter is to establish guidelines for the preliminary and follow up investigations of 
missing and unidentified children and missing adults; to define certain categories of missing persons; 
and to establish guidelines for the emergency activation of alert systems and response of law 
enforcement. 
II. Definitions 
A. Missing Adult 
A missing adult is anyone 18 years of age or older that is being reported as missing from his/her usual 
location within the City limits of Auburn. 
B. Missing/Unidentified Child 
A missing child is anyone 17 years of age and under, that is being reported as missing from his/her 
usual location within the City limits of Auburn. 
An unidentified child is an unidentified person, whether living or deceased, who appears to be a child 
and is located unattended within the city limits of Auburn. 
Note: The Auburn Police Department has at its disposal the use of several outside programs to utilize in 
the search for missing persons or assisting in identifying located children: ‘Levi’s Call’, A Child is 
Missing (ACIM), the National Locator Alert database, the National Center for Missing and Exploited 
Children (NCMEC), and the Safe Return Program. Such programs will be utilized, as necessary, for 
searching for missing persons and the safe return of unidentified persons. 
C. Critical Missing Person 
A critical missing person is any child under the age of twelve, or any person over the age of seventy, 
that is missing; or any person in poor physical, or questionable mental health; or any missing person 
where there is an indication of foul play. Foul play is indicated if the occurrence is grossly out of 
character for the person missing, or the reporting party has sufficient reason to believe foul play has 
occurred. Any person missing under circumstances which would lead a reasonable person to conclude 
that there is danger if the missing person is not located immediately (i.e., person missing outdoors in 
extremely harsh weather, person who requires medication, etc.) will also be considered a critical 
missing person. 
D. A Child is Missing Alert (ACIM) 
The ‘Child is Missing’ alert is a system that uses the local telephone networks to alert residents, via 
recorded message, to be on the look-out for missing children, missing disabled adults, and/or wanted 
persons who pose a significant threat to children in the community. ACIM is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week, 365 days a year. ACIM can be used in conjunction with ‘Levi’s Call’ and a critical missing 
person. ACIM can be used for the following situations: wander-off children(2-5 years); adventurers, 
elderly (Alzheimer’s), habitual runaways where foul play is suspected; first time runaways, with or 
without foul play suspected, child abductions from home or other areas; and mentally/physically 
challenged. The officer must receive a supervisor’s approval prior to activating an ACIM alert. ACIM 
requires that the officer be able to answer the following questions prior to contacting them, so they can 
broadcast an alert via a pre-recorded message: 
a. Case Number 
b. Name and description of missing person(s) 
c. Location last seen, zip code, county and search area 
d. Date and time last seen 

e. Police department number for citizens to report sightings 
Once the person has been located, the responding officer will notify ACIM, so the case can be closed. 
ACIM can be contacted at 888-875-2246, or if no answer by pager at 954-492-4778. 
E. ‘Levi’s Call’/Georgia’s Amber Alert 
The ‘Levi’s Call is an alert initiated by law enforcement when a child has been abducted and is believed 
to be in danger of being harmed by his/her abductor. This alert system utilizes the Emergency Service 
Alert System and the Georgia Department of Transportation’s changeable message boards, located 
along major highways around the state. The criteria for a ‘Levi’s Call’ activation consists of the 
following: 
a. A confirmed child abduction. 
b. Circumstances surrounding the event must indicate that the child is in danger of harm or death. 
c. The child is under the age of eighteen (18) years. 
d. Sufficient descriptive information is available to believe that an immediate broadcast will be 
beneficial. 
e. The abduction must be entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. 
A ‘Levi’s Call’ bulletin will be completed and presented to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation by the 
assigned detective. The information required includes a description of the child; a suspect description; 
a vehicle description and direction of travel; where the abduction took place; where the child was last 
seen; and a phone number where the public can contact local law enforcement. 
F. ‘Mattie’s Call’ 
‘Mattie’s Call is an alert/lookout initiated by law enforcement for missing disabled adults (any adult who 
is developmentally impaired, suffers dementia, or other cognitive impairment). The system utilizes three 
phases: Phase I: the “Child is Missing” system; Phase II: The Georgia Association of Broadcasters’ 
News Net; and Phase III: the Georgia Lottery Corporation. Procedure: If it has been determined through 
a thorough investigation, that the missing disabled adult is in immediate danger of bodily harm or death, 
a ‘Mattie’s Call’ should be initiated. Before the alert is initiated, the missing person must have been 
entered onto NCIC, a local and state-wide BOLO activated, and the local media notified. The ‘Mattie’s 
Call’ alert form must be completed. PHASE I (local alert) of the alert system is completed by initiating 
the ACIM Alert (see above initiation instructions). If it is believed that the missing person has traveled 
outside of the local area, or there have been no results from PHASE I, PHASE II of the alert should be 
initiated. PHASE II is completed by faxing or emailing the ‘Mattie’s Call’ information form, along with a 
photo of the missing person to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The information will be forwarded to 
the Georgia Association of Broadcasters’, (GAB) News Net, and may be broadcast by local news 
agencies. Phase III is the State-wide alert, which is activated by contacting the Georgia Lottery 
Corporation and providing them with the information that has been collected. The investigating 
detective will provide contact telephone numbers that he/she can be reached consistently in the event 
of other required information for the alert. 
G. ‘Kimberly’s Call’ 
‘Kimberly’s Call’ is an alert/lookout initiated by law enforcement, for criminals who are wanted for 
serious crimes against persons, and who pose a serious threat to the public. The system has three 
phases that include: Phase I: “A Child is Missing” system, Phase II: The Georgia Association of 
Broadcasters’ News Net, and Phase III: the Georgia Lottery Corporation. Procedure: If it has been 
determined by the assigned detective, and approved by the CID Commander, this alert may be 
activated for suspect(s) that have active arrest warrants for serious crimes against persons. The 
suspect must pose a serious threat to the public. Before the alert can be initiated, there must be an 
active arrest warrant for the suspect; the suspect’s information must have been entered onto 
GCIC/NCIC; a state-wide BOLO placed on the suspect; and the ‘Kimberly’s Call’ information sheet 
completed. Phase I can be used if the suspect is believed to be in the immediate community from which 
the crime was committed, and where children are in danger of being harmed if the subject is not 
immediately arrested. In Phase I, the investigating detective must contact ACIM and provide 
information recorded on the information work sheet. ACIM will work as explained in the ‘Mattie’s Call’ 
alert procedure. Phase II is intended to alert persons in the regional area where the suspect may be 
located. In Phase II, the investigating detective will complete the ‘Kimberly’s Call’ work sheet, and email 
or fax it to the GBI. The information will be forwarded to the Georgia Association of Broadcasters’ News 

Net and may be broadcast by local news agencies. Phase III is the State-wide alert, which is activated 
by the assigned detective, by contacting the Georgia Lottery Corporation and providing them with the 
information that has been collected. The investigating detective will provide contact telephone numbers 
that he/she can be reached consistently in the event of other required information for the alert. 

III. Rules and Regulations 
A. Missing Adult Initial Investigation 
Upon receiving a report of a missing adult, the responding officer will acquire the following information: 
1. An initial physical description of the individual. 
2. Any leads as to the possible location (destination, mode of travel, routes, etc.). 
3. The identity and location where the person was last seen, and the identity of the person who last saw 
the person. 
4. Names and telephone numbers of relatives and friends, and any other information which may assist 
in locating the person. 
The responding officer will initiate an immediate investigation to locate the missing person and relay 
such information through the on-duty Shift Supervisor. This investigation will include the following 
actions: 
1. A broadcast made over the patrol frequency with a description of the missing person and any known 
circumstances. 
2. Officers will also disseminate information to adjacent agencies, and to the law enforcement agencies 
in the jurisdiction of any known or suspected destinations. 
3. Locations will be lawfully searched, if the complainant indicates a probable location or locations. 
4. The officer will initiate and document an immediate entry into the NCIC/GCIC computer system. This 
entry will be removed if the individual is located. 
5. Interviews with the reporting person, a spouse, parents, siblings, friends, employers, co-workers, or 
any other persons who may have knowledge of the whereabouts of the missing person. These 
interviews may be made by telephone or in person, but all interviews and attempts to interview will 
always be documented. 
6. Obtain a photograph, if possible, of the missing individual and forward the photograph to CID, so 
missing person posters can be generated for distribution. 
7. Initiate an incident report, with a narrative summary of all actions taken by the reporting officer, and 
any related actions known to have been taken by others. The officer shall also complete the GCIC 
Missing Person’s Declaration, give it to the clerk on duty as soon as possible, and receive the NIC 
number. 
B. Missing Adult Follow-up Investigation 
The Criminal Investigation Section will be responsible for the follow-up investigation. The follow-up 
investigation will include: 
1. Contacting the complainant and completing all aspects of the initial investigation that was not 
completed by the first responder. 
2. Contacting the local media and providing them with the information and a photograph, if available, 
regarding the missing adult to facilitate a broadcast of this information to the public. This action can only 
be approved by the Chief of Police. 
C. Missing Child Initial Investigation 
Upon receiving a report of a missing child, the responding officer will take the following specific actions, 
in addition to those outlined in the missing adult investigation: 
1. Notify the Shift Supervisor, and initiate a thorough and detailed physical search of areas where there 
are reasonable grounds to believe that the child could be located. There should always be a lawful, 
physical search of the home and property where the child lives, even if this is not the location they are 
missing from. This physical search should be made even if the parent has already conducted a search. 
Small children may hide and refuse to answer people calling their name. The physical search should 
start with the home of the missing child, and spiral outward. 
2. The responding officer will contact ‘A Child Is Missing’, (ACIM), to report the missing person as 
outlined under II (D) of this chapter. 
D. Unidentified Child Investigation 

Upon receiving a report of an unidentified child, the responding officer will acquire the following 
information: 

1. An initial physical description of the child. 
2. The identity and location where the child was located, and the identity of the person who located the 
child. 
The responding officer will initiate an immediate investigation to identify the child and relay such 
information through the on-duty Shift Supervisor. This investigation will include the following actions: 
3. A broadcast made over the patrol frequency with a description of the located child and any known 
circumstances. 
4. Officers will also disseminate information to adjacent agencies. 
5. The officer will initiate and document an immediate entry into the NCIC/GCIC computer system. This 
entry will be removed if the individual is identified. 
7. Take a photograph of the child and forward the photograph to CID, so posters can be generated for 
distribution if approved. 
8. Initiate an incident report, with a narrative summary of all actions taken by the reporting officer, and 
any related actions known to have been taken by others. Document the assigned NCIC number in the 
narrative of the report. 
9. If the child is not identified and a caretaker located within a reasonable amount of time the 
Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS) should be summoned to take custody of the 
child and complete the required Protective Custody paperwork. 
E. Missing Child Follow-up Investigation 
The Criminal Investigations Section will be responsible for the follow-up investigation. The follow-up 
investigation will include: 
1. Contacting the complainant and completing all aspects of the initial investigation that was not 
completed by the first responder. 
2. Contacting the Barrow County Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFACS) to request 
access to any relevant information on the missing child, including: whether there is an active case; the 
name of the case worker; previous missing incidents; previous reported abuse cases; and other 
information which would lead to the whereabouts of the child. 
3. Contacting the local media and providing them with the information and a photograph, if available, 
regarding the missing child, to facilitate a broadcast of this information to the public. 
4. Entering the missing child’s information and photograph, if available, on the Locater Alert database, 
to facilitate viewing by other law enforcement agencies nationwide. 
5. Contacting the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST 
and provide them with all available information for posting on their website. 
6. Interviewing the child within 48 hours of when he/she is located and completing a missing Juvenile 
Debriefing Report. 
F. Critical Missing Person Initial Investigation 
Upon receiving a report of a critical missing person, the responding officer will take the following 
specific actions, in addition to those described in Missing Person Initial Investigation and/or Missing 
Child Initial Investigation: 
1. Mobilize all resources available, which could be of assistance in locating the subject. This 
mobilization shall be implemented through coordination with the on-duty Shift Supervisor. Resources to 
consider include: 
a. Notifying the news media and asking for a camera crew and/or reporter. 
b. Requesting assistance from the City/County Fire Department, Public Works Department, and other 
City/County resources to aid in a search. 
c. Requesting assistance from other law enforcement agencies. 
d. Requesting a law enforcement Canine Unit, when appropriate. 
e. Requesting law enforcement air support to assist in a search. 
f. Requesting search assistance from volunteer groups. 
2. The Supervisor shall initiate a thorough and detailed physical search of areas where there are 
reasonable grounds to believe that the person could be located. When a small child is involved, there 
should always be a physical search of the home and property where the child lives. This physical 

search should be made even if the parent has already conducted a search. Small children may hide 
and refuse to answer people calling their name. The physical search should start with the home of the 
missing person, and spiral outward. 
The officer will cause an immediate entry into the NCIC/GCIC computer system by submitting the 
Missing Person Declaration, signed by the parent or guardian. The reporting officer must notify the 
parents or legal guardian when the report is entered into NCIC/GCIC and note it on the report. 

4. The responding patrol officer will contact “A Child Is Missing” (ACIM) to report the missing person as 
outlined in section II (D) of this chapter. 
5. If there is a confirmed child abduction case, the CID Commander will be immediately notified, and a 
detective will be immediately assigned to investigate the incident. If the circumstances surrounding the 
abduction indicate that the child is in danger, or the child has mental or physical disabilities that would 
cause the child to be in danger if not properly cared for, and is 17 years of age or younger, a ‘‘Levi’s 
Call’’ will be activated by the investigating detective. 
G. Critical Missing Person Follow-up Investigation 
If a critical missing person is not located within two hours, the Commander of the Criminal Investigation 
Section (CID) will be notified, and a detective immediately assigned to conduct a follow-up 
investigation. The follow up investigation will include: 
1. Remaining in contact with the person making the report, to keep them apprised of the progress of the 
investigation. 
2. Continuance of reasonable efforts to acquire additional and ongoing information about the missing 
person, following transmittal of the initial information available, and promptly integrating any additional 
information acquired into the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) and the National Crime 
Information Center (NCIC) computer systems. 
3. If the critical missing person is a disabled adult, activate Georgia’s ‘Mattie’s Call’ following a CID 
supervisor’s review and approval. 
4. If the missing person suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease, contact the Safe Return program at 
800-572-1122 and provide them with the information on the missing adult. Safe Return will enter the 
information in their database, which will assist in confirming the identity of the person if they are located 
by another jurisdiction. 
5. If the missing person is a child and has not been located within thirty (30) days after the date in which 
the report was filed, request from the missing child's parents or guardians, the dental records of the 
missing child. The dental records shall be entered into the GCIC. 
6. If the missing person is a child notify the County's Department of Family and Children Services, 
(DFACS), and request access to any relevant information on the missing child, including: whether or 
not there is an active case; the name of the case worker; previous missing incidents; previous reported 
abuse cases and other information which would lead to the location of the child. 
7. If the missing person is a child provide the parent(s) or legal guardian with the 24-hour State of 
Georgia’s Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-282-6564, for assistance to be 
used by parents. 
8. When a missing child is located an interview with the child should be completed within 48 hours. A 
missing juvenile debriefing report should be completed and attached to the original incident report. 
Note: When dealing with unidentified children, located runaways, or Abandoned Children all the above 
resources and procedures will be applied to identify and safely return the located person(s). If a 
guardian or parent is not located within a reasonable time, the child will be placed in protective custody 
as outlined in Chapter 8-2. 
H. Removal of Information from Criminal Justice System 
When the missing person or critical missing person is located, the officer responding will verify the 
information, and request to have the information removed immediately from GCIC/NCIC by the on-duty 
Support Services clerk. If the missing person is located by the detective completing the investigation, 
he/she will be responsible for requesting the removal of the missing person from GCIC/NCIC. If the 
‘Mattie’s Call’ alert was activated, and the missing person was located, the assigned detective must 
notify the local media, ACIM (A Child is Missing), cancel the state-wide BOLO, notify the Lottery 
Corporation, and notify the GBI, if News Net was utilized. If the ‘Kimberly’s Call’ alert was initiated, the 
assigned detective will conduct the same notifications as with the ‘Mattie’s Call’ alert. 

Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 16-14 Rights of Victims and Witnesses 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 16-14 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Rights of Victims and Witnesses 

I. Policy 
The Auburn Police Department is committed to working closely with the Barrow and Gwinnett County 
District Attorney’s Offices. A spirit of cooperation and support of the efforts of the District Attorney’s 
Office and other concerned private and public agencies is imperative in ensuring the rights of victims 
and witnesses. 
A. Victims have a right to be treated with fairness, dignity, and compassion by emergency services, 
criminal justice personnel, news media, and the public. 
B. Victims/Witnesses have a right to protection from intimidation and harm, and officers shall ensure 
confidentiality. Additionally, confidentiality relating to their role in case development shall be respected, 
as provided by law. 
C. Victims/Witnesses have a right to be informed concerning the criminal justice process. This includes 
the status and progress of an investigation or prosecution, when the defendant is released on bail or 
from prison, and to be informed of all hearings and procedures, in time to exercise their right to attend. 
D. Victims have a right to counsel. Assistant District Attorneys, Solicitors, and/or Prosecutors, are 
essentially the victims' or witnesses' attorney, and will protect the victims/witnesses' interests, and 
discuss the case, in layman’s terms, if necessary. 
E. Victims have a right to restitution for expenses of property loss incurred as a result of a crime 
(O.C.G.A. Sec. 17-15-1). When restitution is ordered, they have a right to have that order enforced. 
F. Victims have a right to preservation of property and employment. They should be able to respond to 
a subpoena without fear of retaliation, or loss of wages. Victims' stolen property, once recovered, shall 
be returned promptly, to the rightful owner, providing photographs of the property can be substituted in 
a criminal proceeding. 
G. Victims/Witnesses have a right to “due process” in criminal court proceedings. They should be 
notified, in advance, when a proceeding has been rescheduled or canceled. A victim or witness should 
be minimized from stress, cost, and inconvenience, resulting from their involvement in a prosecution or 
investigation. The victim should have the right to have a victim impact statement presented and 
considered prior to sentencing (O.C.G.A. Sec. 17-10-1.1). 
II. Procedures 
A. Preliminary Investigations 
The primary responsibility for aiding a victim or witness will be the first responder to a scene. At the 
point of initial contact with the victim or witness of a crime, and after emergency assistance has been 
rendered, the initial responding officer shall render the following services, in addition to other normal 
investigative routines: 
1. Provide information to the victim/witness about applicable rights and services (e.g. counseling, 
medical attention, compensation programs, emergency financial assistance, victim advocacy, etc.) and 
the phone number or brochure of the Victim advocacy center/s serving the Barrow and Gwinnett county 
areas; 
2. Advise the victim/witness to contact E-911 if the suspect or the suspect's companions or family 
threatens or otherwise intimidates him or her; 
3. Provide the victim/witness a victim’s pamphlet, containing, the case number, contact information on 
the various services available and explain subsequent steps in the processing of the case; 
4. Provide the telephone number to the Criminal Investigations Division and name of the detective, (if 
known by the officer), that the victim/witness can call to report additional information about the case, or 

to receive information about the status of the case; and 

5. Refer victims/witnesses to other service agencies, both private and public, that may be of assistance. 
B. Follow-Up Investigations 
Scheduling line-ups, interviews, and other required appearances should be at the convenience of the 
victim/witness whenever feasible. Factors which should be considered in this scheduling include, the 
physical, financial, and emotional well-being of the victim/witness. If necessary, the Auburn Police 
Department will provide transportation to and from the police station for the victim/witness. 
1. Whenever possible, victim/witness property taken as evidence by the Department, will be promptly 
returned (with the exception of contraband, disputed property, and weapons used in the course of 
crime). Officers should consult with the prosecutor and the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, 
whenever questions of law or rules of evidence are in doubt. 
2. Whenever there is a traumatic incident, such as a rape, child abuse, sexual assault, an act of family 
violence, or other incident, which requires more than the average amount of victim/witness assistance, 
the victim/witness should be advised of the services of a victim’s advocate, or an appropriate domestic 
violence shelter to assist them during the follow-up investigation. 
3. When the perpetrator of a crime is arrested, the victim/witness will be notified of the arrest, the 
charge, and the immediate custody status. Other information required by Georgia law, such as the date 
of arraignment, and bail-bond information, cannot be provided by members of the Auburn Police 
Department. Additionally, officers of the Auburn Police Department will not inform victims/witnesses 
that a suspect will be held without bond. 
4. The detective or investigating officer will refer the victim/witness to the District Attorney’s Office for 
assignment of an advocate. In cases involving violent crimes, such as sex crimes, aggravated assault, 
aggravated battery, homicide, and similar cases, the investigating officer, or the assigned detective, 
should contact the appropriate office for the victim, and make frequent follow-up contacts with the victim 
to determine whether their needs are being met. 
5. The detective or investigating officer should explain to the victim/witness the procedures involved in 
the prosecution of their case and their role in those procedures, if not an endangerment to the 
successful prosecution of the case. The detective or investigating officer should provide the contact 
number for the victim’s advocate if an advocate has been assigned by the prosecuting court. The 
advocate can assist in making sure that the victim/witness understands the court process. 
C. Threatened Victims and Witnesses 
Threats to any victims or witnesses will be documented by a police incident report and forwarded to the 
Criminal Investigations Division for follow-up. Appropriate assistance/protective measures will be 
determined by the nature of each individual case, the level of threat, and the resources available to the 
Department. 
Appropriate assistance may range from arrest of the individual making any threats, to simply talking 
with the threatened person. 
If the Police Department becomes aware of danger to a victim or witness, every effort will be made to 
promptly contact, alert, and offer appropriate assistance/protective measures to the threatened person. 
If outside this jurisdiction, the member learning of such threat will also notify the affected police 
department. 
Protective measures may include the following: 
1. Traces and/or recordings of telephone threats; 
2. Patrol officers notified, and more frequent additional patrol directed specifically to the victim's 
neighborhood and home; 
3. Escorts or surveillance, upon request, from the victim's home or business to their car, to ensure that 
they are not being stalked or followed; 
4. Persuading the victim to take up temporary residence at a relative's home or at a hotel, until court 
injunction and/or arrest can be made; 
5. Use of on-duty police officers at a fixed post outside the victim/witness location (note: this solution 
should only be used when other alternatives are not feasible); 
6. Coercive protection, detention, and custody of a material witness to a homicide, or other serious 
felony, when there is likelihood that there will be violence against the victim/witness, (note: this solution 
should not be used without specific permission from the Auburn Police Department and the appropriate 

prosecutor); 

7. Documentation of all reports of threats or intimidation on an incident report, to be read at roll call by 
all officers coming on-duty. The Solicitor's or Prosecutor's Office will be promptly notified of any threats 
received. 
D. Orientation of All Employees 
The Training Officer will be responsible for the training of all existing personnel and any subsequent 
personnel in the agency's role in any available Victim/Witness Assistance Program/s and Victim 
Advocacy Programs. Initial and subsequent training may be accomplished through standard roll call 
training. 
E. Victim Assistance Services to Police Personnel 
Whenever Auburn Police employee has been killed, or seriously injured, as a result of a line-of-duty 
incident, Department personnel shall attempt to render appropriate assistance. Such assistance may 
include, but not be limited to any of the following: 
Timely and compassionate notification of the spouse, next of kin and other family members; 
2. Assisting the family of slain or injured personnel at the hospital; 
3. Supporting the family at the funeral and burial of slain employees; 
4. Helping the family with legal and benefits matters; 
5. Counseling the family regarding finances and other possible problems; 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 16-19 Officer Discretion 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 16-19 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 01/05/2018 
Review: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Officer Discretion 

I. Purpose 
To establish a standard operating procedure governing officer discretion for arrests, which has as its 
basis, the continuance of fostering community cooperation in the resolution of criminal activity and 
other community related issues. Such discretion shall be exercised in such a manner that shall not 
target, discriminate against, nor alienate, any citizen or foreign national. 
II. Definitions 
A. Officer Discretion - is the choice of a well-informed, well-researched officer to immediately complete 
an arrest or not. 
B. Felony - a crime which is punishable by incarceration for more than one year and a fine of more than 
$1000.00. 
C. Misdemeanor - a crime which is punishable by incarceration for less than one year and/or a fine of 
less than $1000.00 
D. Family Violence - the occurrence of a crime between past or present spouses, persons who are 
parents of the same child, parents and children, stepparents and stepchildren, foster parents and foster 
children, or other persons living or formerly living in the same household. 
E. Probable Cause- a set of facts and circumstances, which would lead a reasonable and prudent 
person using all one’s senses, to believe that a crime has been, is being, or is about to be committed by 
the person suspected. 
III. Policy 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department for any officer using his or her discretion not to 
complete an arrest where probable cause exists to consider the following: the offender’s criminal 
history, the offender’s behavior, Zero Tolerance Arrest Area, victims of the crime, and/or any other 
relevant information specific to that case. The officer must also complete an incident report which would 
contain the same information as an incident report where an arrest was made, to include specific and 
articulated circumstances which caused the decision to be made. No crime involving family violence 
can be initially exceptionally cleared. No felony crime can be exceptionally cleared without a 
supervisor’s prior approval. Consistency and a degree of consideration in the use of criminal statutes 
and city ordinances when charging violators is paramount in maintaining community cooperation in the 
resolution of criminal activity. 
IV. Procedure 
An officer who has considered all above listed factors and decides not to complete an arrest must 
obtain a case number, complete an incident report that documents the crime committed, seize any 
contraband or evidence of the crime, and notify his immediate supervisor. Conversely, when a decision 
is made to arrest, the officer will complete a detailed incident report. This report narrative will include 
details of any unique facts and/or circumstances which support the use of charges that are outside 
typical charges applied in similar situations. 
As it relates to citizens and foreign nationals, the Auburn Police Department will consistently address 
those persons who possess and/or display a fraudulent or fictitious identification document as 
described in O.G.C.A. Sec. 16-9-4 (a)(4). Only in the event of the following circumstances, such 
violators will be charged with Possession, Display, or Use of a Fraudulent Identification Document 
(O.G.G.A. Sec. 16-9-4 (b): 
1. There is sufficient information available to confirm that the offender is involved in the manufacture of, 
selling or distributing of the fraudulent documents. 

There is sufficient information available to confirm the offender has also committed a separate felony 
offense, whether the fraudulent identification was a component of that separate offense. Nothing in this 
policy shall restrict the appropriate use of Identity Theft charges where a victim’s financial 
status/condition has been impacted using such fraudulent identification. 

V. Evidence Disposition 
Any evidence obtained in a case that is exceptionally cleared must be marked “Destroy” by the 
submitting officer. The evidence technician will destroy the contraband that was marked “Destroy”. 
VI. Supervisor Review 
All cases that are to be potentially exceptionally cleared by an officer must be first approved by his or 
her supervisor. It shall be the responsibility of that supervisor to ensure that the proper considerations 
have been reviewed and the proper reports completed. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 17 Criminal Investigations Divison 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 17 
Effective Date: July 1, 2018 Revised: 07/01/2018 
Review: 10/31/2018 
Subject: Criminal Investigation Division 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to provide for responsibilities, staffing, and operation of the Criminal 
Investigations division of the Auburn Police Department. It is necessary to establish a division for the 
purpose of follow-up investigation on all cases which are not immediately solved by the initial 
responding officer's preliminary investigation, and those solved cases which are of a serious nature. 
It shall be the policy of the Auburn Police Department to maintain a Criminal Investigations division for 
criminal investigations and to gather intelligence information. This general order contains acceptable 
procedures to be used by officers of the Auburn Police Department in the investigation of criminal 
activity; however, due to the complexity of some criminal investigations, the contents of this general 
order are considered minimal and officers should exhaust every effort to bring an investigation to a 
successful conclusion. 
II. Organization and Function 
The overall responsibility for the administration, operation, and personnel of the Department's Criminal 
Investigations division, hereby referred to as CID, will be vested with the Commander of that Division. 
Such Commander shall hold the rank of Lieutenant, unless otherwise designated by the Chief of Police. 
The Commander will operate under the direct authority of the Chief of Police, and shall at all times 
ensure that he is informed of all major investigations. There will also be as many supervisors, 
detectives, investigators, and officers, (patrol and otherwise), assigned to the Division as is necessary 
to handle the caseload on a reasonable basis, and as organizational structure permits. The function of 
CID is to identify person(s) suspected of criminal activity, and to present criminal cases to the Barrow or 
Gwinnett County District Attorney's Offices for prosecution. The criminal investigations function will be 
performed by non-uniformed officers assigned to the Criminal Investigations Section as detectives. This 
directive is in no way intended to prohibit uniformed officers and support civilian personnel from 
gathering information regarding reported criminal activity. 
III. Case Management and Control 
A. Case Screening System 
A system of case screening will be used to determine whether follow-up investigation will be conducted 
on a specific case. The objective of case screening is to apply available manpower to those 
investigations that have the best chance of being successful. The following procedure will be used: 
1. Solvability Factors: The Criminal Investigations Division Commander, or his designee, will review 
each case and determine if the case is to be actively investigated, and if so, determine when progress 
reports are due. The Commander or his designee shall assign the case for investigation if anyone or 
any combination of the following solvability factors are present: 
a. the suspect or accomplice has been named (i.e. full name, partial name, nicknames, or aliases); 
b. a full description, or what is believed to be a distinctive partial description, of the suspect or 
accomplice is available; 
c. significant data is available about the suspect(s) or accomplice from a photo or in-person lineup; 
d. a victim or witness could possibly identify the suspect or accomplice from a photo or in-person 
lineup; 
e. any property associated with the crime is traceable; 
f. the suspect's or accomplice's vehicle license number is known completely or sufficiently to be 
traceable; 
g. a detailed description of any involved suspect vehicle is known or a distinctive description of part of 
the vehicle or its contents is known and traceable; 

h. a suspect's fingerprint(s) is obtained; 
i. significant physical evidence, (either traceable or uniquely distinctive), is developed; 
j. an unusual, distinctive, or significant modus operandi pattern is identified; 
k. there was a definite limited opportunity for anyone, except the suspect(s), to have committed the 
crime. 
l. the use of a case solvability worksheet. 
During this review for assignment, the CID Commander may also distribute or refer appropriate reports 
to various internal Divisions or Units for informational purposes (i.e. drug arrests to the Corporal drug 
investigator.) Similar distributions are also to be made to various outside governmental agencies (i.e. to 
the School Board when juvenile school attendees are charged with crimes, or to DFACS when child 
abuse/neglect incidents are reported.) 
B. Assignment of Cases 
All cases will be assigned to a specific detective by the CID Commander. The assigned detective shall 
be responsible and held accountable for the case and all investigative efforts. Attempts should be made 
to assign re-opened cases to the original detective unless circumstances dictate otherwise. 
1. Cases to Be Assigned by Skills and Abilities: It shall be the responsibility of the CID Commander to 
review all incident reports turned in by the Patrol Division. The Commander will ensure that cases are 
assigned for follow-up investigation based on the solvability factors of each case reviewed. This 
decision will be based on the Commander’s personal experience and any solvability factors that are 
indicated in the report. In cases requiring specialized skills and abilities (i.e., sex crimes, juvenile 
offenses, homicides, rape, etc.) the Commander may assign the case to a particular detective who 
possesses the special skills necessary to properly conduct the investigation. Once the assignment has 
been made, the detective has full responsibility of the case and is thus held accountable for the 
investigation. 
2. Cases involving the mistreatment of children should be investigated by a detective who has received 
specialized training in the following areas: 
a. interviewing and report writing techniques; 
b. dealing with child victims of sexual abuse; 
c. dealing with child victims of physical abuse and neglect; 
d. familiarity with the Barrow county child abuse protocol and MDT standards. 
e. the use of audio/video recording devices. 
D. Case Status Control System 
A Case Status Control System will be maintained real-time in the Criminal Investigations Division 
through the use of agency records management software and will include: 
1. Name of the detective/officer assigned to the case; 
2. date assigned; 
3. case number; 
4. incident type; 
5. the status of the case. 
E. Case Status Categories 
Criminal Investigations Section cases will be classified in one of six (6) status categories: 
1. Cleared by Arrest - An offense is “cleared by arrest” or solved for crime reporting purposes when at 
least one person is: 
a. arrested; 
b. charged with the commission of the offense; and/or; 
c. turned over to the court for prosecution whether following a custodial arrest, a non-custodial arrest, 
such as a court summons, the filing of a juvenile complaint form, or the issuance of a traffic citation. 
2. Exceptionally Cleared – An offense can be “exceptionally cleared” only when an affirmative answer 
can be applied to all of the following questions: 
a. Has the investigation established the identity of the offender? 
b. Is there enough information to support an arrest, charge, and turning over to the court for 
prosecution? 
c. Is the exact location of the offender known so that the subject could be taken into custody now? 

d. Is there some reason outside law enforcement control that precludes arresting, charging, and 
prosecuting the offender? 
3. CLOSED - General - After initiating an investigation no collaborating evidence or probable cause was 
developed to substantiate a crime or continuation of said investigation. 
4. OPEN-SUSPENDED – All available leads have been exhausted, yet the case has not been brought 
to a conclusion and shall be reopened if/when new solvability factors develop, or the suspect has been 
identified. 
5. OPEN - Assigned Case - The case is assigned to a detective and investigative efforts are active. 
6. UNFOUNDED - After initiating an investigation, it is determined that criminal intent cannot be 
substantiated; therefore, no offense has been committed. 
F. Case Suspension Criteria 
The CID Commander may inactivate or "suspend" an investigation if he feels that the follow-up 
investigation has exhausted all leads but has not been brought to a satisfactory conclusion. The 
following criteria will be considered when suspending an investigation: 
1. Absence of further leads or solvability factors; 
2. Unavailability of investigative resources; 
G. Follow Up Policy 
Contacting a victim, complainant, or witness for a follow up investigation, after the lapse of several 
days, may result in the receipt of information leading to the clearance of a case. Maintaining a policy of 
"follow up" in investigations is valuable in building public confidence in the agency as well as indicating 
that the law enforcement officers are genuinely concerned about the welfare of the victim and other 
citizens associated with the case. Therefore, the case detective will keep the victim of each case 
assigned to him (and others as he deems necessary) advised of the status of the case. 
1. If the case is open, the victim will be informed within 72 hours of the detective’s reception of the case 
and kept verbally updated. 
2. When a case status is changed the victim will be notified. 
3. All contacts with the victim and other principals will be noted in the case report. 
H. Maintenance of Case Files 
Case files should be maintained on all cases in which investigative activities are ongoing. 
1. Case files for active investigations will be maintained by each assigned detective in an organized 
manner accessible to all detectives and should contain at a minimum: 
a. a copy of all preliminary investigative reports; 
b. a copy of all statements; 
c. results of examination of physical evidence; 
d. detective assignment; 
e. case status reports; and 
f. any other reports or records needed for investigative purposes. 
2. All assigned detective cases will be organized and arranged in the below order, and submitted to the 
CID Commander for final review: 
a. case detective report; 
b. supplemental reports of assisting detectives; 
c. suspect's statement; 
d. suspect's waiver of counsel; 
e. witness statements; 
f. arrest warrants; 
g. search warrants; 
h. condemnations; 
I. diagrams; 
j. all supporting documents, and records not generated by the Auburn Police Department including 
reports from other jurisdictions, copies of convictions, and court orders. 
k. initial report and responding officer’s supplement; 
l. all evidence supporting documentation including Chain of Custody forms, Evidence records, 
laboratory reports; and Photographs and Audio/video recorded interviews (a recorded copy of said 
interview/s should be downloaded from the video recording device, or server and placed onto a CD or 

DVD and attached to the case file securely). 
Note: The assigned detective shall check with the department Records Division to determine if any 
paperwork such as evidence sheets, vehicle tow sheets or other associated documents may have been 
filed by the officer who took the original report. As each investigation is brought to a conclusion or 
suspended, all related documentation will be compiled within the associated case file. 

3. In the event that a detective completed an original GCIC report form, such as a recovered property 
report or arrest report, he will forward the original and copies to the Criminal Investigations Division 
Commander for review and approval and forwarding to the agency TAC. 
4. All CID personnel shall proof read all reports and summary sheets for grammatical errors, accuracy 
and completeness before submitting to the CID Commander. 
5. All closed or suspended cases will be maintained in the original file within the Criminal Investigations 
Division for period of 5 years. Completed case files which are older than 5 years shall be maintained in 
the department records archive room per prescribed records retention schedule as mandated by the 
state of Georgia and purged accordingly. 
6. A case file log will be completed and signed when any case is taken from the CID investigative file 
archive. The investigative case file log will require the following information: 
a. case number; 
b. reason for removal; 
c. date out; 
d. officer's name; and 
e. date returned. 
7. All detective investigative activity reports of assigned status shall reflect a chronological account of 
the investigation, which will be divided by separate paragraphs for each investigative action. Each 
paragraph will begin with the date and time. The initial paragraph will consist of a review of the initial 
report outlining the facts of the incident and the elements of the offense. 
8. Assigned cases will be reviewed thirty (30) days after the assignment by the CID Commander. Every 
attempt will be made to assign a case status of closed or suspended within thirty (30) days of 
assignment. If the investigation is ongoing, or the detective is awaiting a laboratory report to continue 
the investigation, another review of that case will be conducted by the Division Commander every thirty 
(30) days thereafter. It will be the assigned detective's responsibility to insure these scheduled reviews 
are completed. 
9. Each detective will be subject to a case review at any time, even beyond the regular thirty-day review 
cycle. Such review is intended to provide a record of the performance of each detective and the 
progress of each on-going investigation. 
I. On-Call Status 
After normal operating hours the CID Commander shall provide for an "on-call" detective who shall be 
required to respond for "police" or "investigative" services as needed. 
1. CID personnel will be assigned on-call duty on a rotating basis. The frequency of this rotation shall 
depend upon the number of available detectives assigned to the division, and or at the direction of the 
CID commander. 
2. The CID Commander shall ensure that a list of current CID on-call personnel is maintained and that 
a copy of such list is provided to the Support Services Division, the 911 Dispatch Center, and to Office 
of the Chief of Police. 
3. It is the responsibility of the assigned on-call detective to keep the aforementioned parties informed 
of where he can be contacted during other than normal duty hours. 
4. The on-call detective shall be contacted when any of the following offenses/incidents occur: 
Rape; 
b. Aggravated Assault (including Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer); 
c. Any death (including suicides, homicides, and natural causes); 
d. Any Robbery; 
e. Burglary involving entry into an occupied residential dwelling, and/or incidents involving the 
apprehension of a burglar; 
f. Arson; 
g. Kidnapping; 

h. Any serious injury or death relating to use of force or pursuit; 
i. Any Critical Missing Person; and 
j. Any other incident as determined by the Criminal Investigations Commander. 
5. When notified of a response situation the on-call detective should respond directly to the scene of the 
event. He will assume command responsibilities for the investigation and will direct uniform personnel. 
6. Among the things the on-call detective is responsible for are the following: 
a. obtaining a briefing at the scene from Patrol Division personnel; 
b. ensuring the scene is properly secured; 
c. coroner notification (if necessary); 
d. determining/justifying the need for the response of additional CID personnel; 
e. accepting the case for investigation and presenting it to the CID Commander for his review and 
permanent disposition/re-assignment; 
7. When any of the following offenses occur the on-call detective should perform the following 
notifications, or request that Auburn Support Services complete a supervisor notification to the Chief of 
Police and each division Commander. The on-call detective should immediately notify the CID 
Commander of the details and discuss the necessity to be in route to assist with the investigation if 
needed. The required incidents are as follows: 
a. Homicide; 
b. Suicide; 
c. Suspicious death; 
d. Armed Robbery; 
e. Robbery by force resulting in a serious injury; 
f. Aggravated Assault resulting in a gunshot wound or serious stab wound; 
g. Rape; 
h. Kidnapping; 
i. Missing Persons identified as Critical Missing Persons as described in Chapter 16-13 of this Policy 
Manual; 
j. Any search warrant; and, 
k. Any report of Child Molestation or abuse referred to juvenile authorities. 
8. CID personnel are free to, and should, contact the CID Commander any time they have a question 
regarding any case. 
9. The following incidents require a follow-up investigation by the case detective, and should include 
latent prints, photography: Omission of a follow-up will only be approved by the CID commander or his 
designee. 
a. serious assaults on police personnel or any assault with serious injury to any person; 
b. "Safe" burglary; 
c. any robbery; 
d. arson; 
e. accidental or natural deaths; and, 
f. other types of incidents as determined by the Criminal Investigations Commander. 
10. The following incidents require the response of an adequately trained division Crime Scene 
Technician (BCSO, GBI): 
a. Homicides; 
b. Rape; 
c. Kidnapping; 
d. Police involved shooting; 
e. Robbery with serious injury; 
f. Arson with death or serious injury; and, 
g. Any incident as determined by the Criminal Investigations Section Commander. 
IV. Criminal Investigation Procedure and Operation 
It shall be the policy of the Auburn Police Department to reduce crime through the successful 
completion of the criminal investigative process, which should identify, cause the arrest and conviction 
of the suspect and recover stolen property. The preliminary investigation is a critical step in the overall 
criminal investigation process. Often, the success or failure of the entire case hinges on the quality of 

this phase of an investigation. The follow-up investigation is of equal importance in most investigations 
and should be conducted accordingly. 

A. Preliminary Investigation Procedures 
Preliminary investigations will normally be initiated by uniformed patrol officers. Detectives may initiate 
investigations as needed. The steps to be followed in conducting a preliminary investigation will 
include: 
1. providing aid to the injured; 
2. maintain and protecting the crime scene to ensure that evidence is not lost or contaminated and 
arranging for the collection of the evidence; 
3. observing and recording all conditions, events, and remarks; 
4. determining if an offense has actually been committed, and if so, the exact nature of the offense; 
5. notification of the shift supervisor of the status and circumstances of the case; 
6. determining the identity of the suspect or suspects and effect an arrest, if it can be accomplished at 
the scene or through immediate pursuit; 
7. through use of the communications center, furnishing other field units with descriptions, method and 
direction of flight, and other relevant information concerning wanted person(s) or vehicle(s); 
8. In order to elicit information from the public regarding crimes, which have been reported to the 
Auburn Police Department, officers will conduct neighborhood canvasses involving all residential thefts, 
including misdemeanors where patterns or trends have been established, and all felony crimes, where 
applicable. Officers will as a minimum contact the tenants of three - (3) houses/apartments on either 
side of victim’s residence, including houses on the opposite side of street or roadway. Officers will 
document the names of individuals contacted, including all bio-data, address, and telephone number 
and enter a brief statement in their initial report as to what the person(s) observed or heard. The 
contact information will be secured in the names/persons field of the MDS software database. 
9. obtaining the location and complete identification of all witnesses; 
10. determining what information is known by the victim and each witness; 
11. arranging for the collection of evidence and crime scene processing; processing for fingerprints on 
burglary, theft, and other cases where there is a possibility of obtaining latent prints; 
12. determining in detail the exact circumstances of the offense; 
13. interviewing the complainant, victim(s), witnesses, and suspects; 
14. to accurately and completely record all pertinent information, and to transcribe that information to 
the standard law enforcement report form; 
15. providing the victim(s) with a "Report Number Assignment" card in order that the victim may obtain 
a police report of the incident at a later time; 
16. requesting communication center personnel and/or support services personnel to make appropriate 
GCIC/NCIC inquiries, entries and clearances, if appropriate; and, 
17. when necessary, brief supervisors and/or detectives, as to the known facts of the case. 
B. Responsibilities of the Patrol Supervisor 
Upon arrival at the scene of a crime, Patrol Supervisors should: 
1. immediately ascertain from the patrol officers the seriousness of the incident under investigation and 
the basic details concerning the crime; 
2. ensure that the patrol officers conduct a thorough preliminary investigation and gather all pertinent 
facts and information; 
3. provide leadership to subordinates to ensure an efficient and effective preliminary investigation; 
4. ensure that patrol officers devote that amount of time necessary for a quality preliminary investigation 
without jeopardizing other important police services; 
5. review preliminary investigation reports as soon as possible and ensure completeness of the reports 
prior to approving them. (Note: If the preliminary investigation/incident report is incomplete, the 
supervisor will return the report to the patrol officer for completion.) The report must be completed prior 
to the end of the shift unless authorized otherwise by the patrol supervisor. If due to circumstances 
beyond the officer's control the report cannot be completed prior to the end of the shift, the approving 
supervisor will attach a note to the report explaining the circumstances and provide a date and time 
when the report will be completed. The approving supervisor will be held accountable for the 
completeness of a preliminary investigative report. 

C. General Responsibilities 
Except in those cases where the presence of a uniformed officer would obviously hinder a proper 
investigation, or specific expertise is required, the preliminary investigation shall be conducted by the 
uniformed patrol officer assigned to the call. The assigned patrol officer shall initiate and complete as 
many of the activities listed above as are necessary. The individual circumstances of the incident will 
determine how many of the activities are required. 
1. The patrol officer assigned shall be responsible for initiating action through his immediate supervisor 
to inform other appropriate Department Divisions that a serious crime, or one requiring immediate 
on-the-scene follow-up investigation by the Criminal Investigations Division exists. 
2. Follow-Up Investigative Procedures: The follow-up investigation is an extension of the preliminary 
investigation. The purpose of the follow-up is to provide additional investigation in order to affect the 
arrest of an offender and/or recover stolen property. 
Basic functions of the follow-up investigation in a non-criminal case include: 
a. interviewing complainants and witnesses; 
b. locating missing persons; 
c. determining if information or suspicious activity may/does relate to criminal activity; 
d. locating lost property & returning same to owner; 
e. investigating deaths, overdoses, suicides and injuries to determine if a crime was committed and 
notification of the coroner; 
f. recording information obtained. 
Basic functions of the follow-up investigation in a criminal case include the above listing functions, in 
addition to the following: 
a. reviewing and analyzing all reports prepared in the preliminary phase, Departmental records, and 
results from laboratory examinations; 
b. recording information obtained during follow-up investigation (supplemental report); 
c. seeking additional information (from patrol officers, informants, contacts in community, other 
detectives/agencies, etc.); 
d. conducting additional interviews with victim(s), witness(s), and suspect(s); 
e. arranging for the dissemination of information as appropriate (teletypes, lookouts, etc.); 
f. planning, organizing and conducting searches; 
g. collecting physical evidence; 
h. recovering stolen property; 
i. arranging for the analysis and evaluation of evidence; 
j. identifying and apprehending the perpetrator(s); 
k. checking suspect's criminal history; 
l. determining if other crimes may have been committed by the suspect(s); 
m. consulting with the District Attorney's office in preparing cases for court presentation and assisting in 
the prosecution thereof; especially in cases involving crimes against persons 
n. attendance to testify in court. 
D. Information Development 
The development of pertinent case information begins when the call for the police is received and 
continues until the case is cleared or suspended. Obtaining and recording even apparently minor 
information is often crucial to the successful conclusion of a case. Sources of information that should be 
considered are: 
1. initial and follow-up reports; 
2. crime scene reports and laboratory results; 
3. interviews with victim, witnesses, officers, informants and suspects; 
4. review of department records; 
5. review of records from other agencies; 
6. GCIC and NCIC computerized wanted and criminal history inquires; 
7. Court and Tax records; and, 
8. other sources unique to the individual case. 
The detective should conduct interviews and interrogations that are appropriate to the individual case. 
Information developed as a result of an interview or interrogation shall be recorded in the investigators 

report in RMS and submitted for approval and then filed by the detective. Interviews may be conducted 
in various places, dictated by the circumstances. Interrogations may be conducted in the field as well as 
in the CID interview room. The Miranda warning shall be administered when and if appropriate. 

E. Victim/Witness Interviews 
Detailed notes and/or a recorded interview (includes both audio and/or video tapes) should be made for 
future reference, giving time, date, location, officers present, and other information as deemed 
necessary. The trauma or stress to which the victim or witness has been subjected should be 
considered and the interview conducted in such a manner as to reduce stress and minimize further 
problems. The age, physical limitations, and credibility of witnesses should also be considered. 
F. Victim/Witness Identification of Perpetrator(s) 
Upon obtaining admissible evidence from victims and/or witnesses of crimes regarding the identity of 
suspects of crimes, one of three identification processes are required by sworn Departmental 
personnel. The three processes include Show-ups, Physical line-ups, and Photographic line-ups. The 
specific process used will be determined by the facts and circumstances of the incident being 
investigated. Each process must be reviewed and approved by a supervisor, and the approval should 
be noted in the report. 
1. Show-up identification — The suspect or suspects are controlled and maintained in a calm manner 
by a contact officer. The suspect should be maintained in a lighted area where he or she can be clearly 
viewed in a standing position. The victims or witnesses should be brought to the suspect’s location by 
an officer, and allowed to view the suspect(s) being detained individually. Victims and or witnesses 
shall be kept separate and view the suspect independent of each other. No officer participating in the 
process should indicate the guilt or innocence of the suspect being viewed. The officer should tell the 
victim or witness that the individual being viewed may or may not be the person responsible for the 
crime being investigated and that the investigation will continue whether or not a positive identification 
is made by them. This process should be utilized only when a suspect is located and detained by police 
within a reasonable time following the crime. The person detained must also closely fit the physical 
description, (including clothing worn), as provided by the victim or witness. The entire process, 
including telling the victim or witnesses that the person being detained may, or may not be the person 
responsible for the crime, shall be recorded on the body camera video and/or audio recorder and will be 
documented in the incident report. If the individual detained is identified the officer shall ask the victim 
or witness with what level of confidence are they making the identification. If the individual detained is 
not identified as the perpetrator, documentation of the detention and show-up must be documented in 
the incident report. 
2. Photographic Lineup — This process utilizes an organized line up of at least six individual 
photographs on separate pages. The photographs must be of the same general size, photo quality, and 
must have similar backgrounds. The individuals contained within the lineup must be of the same gender 
and race. The individuals must also be similar in height, weight, and skin tone. Each individual’s hair 
style should be similar as well. The photographs must be placed in random order. There will be no 
consistent placement of the suspected perpetrator’s photo in the lineup arrangement. The photographs 
used in these type lineups will generally be those arrest/booking photos stored within the Records 
Management System of the Auburn Police Department, Barrow County Jail records or other law 
enforcement agencies. Biographical information for each individual depicted in the lineup will be copied 
and made a part of the investigative case file along with the date the photograph was originally taken. 
The original pictorial lineup will also be made a part of the case file. A supervisor must review, initial, 
date, and approve each lineup before it is presented to any victim or witness to ensure that it is properly 
completed and the names of the individuals in the lineup are documented. The officer presenting the 
lineup will advise the witness or victim that the person responsible for the crime being investigated may 
or may not be in the series of photographs and that the investigation will continue whether or not a 
positive identification is made by them. If a suspect is identified the officer shall ask the victim or 
witness with what level of confidence are they making the identification. If more than one victim or 
witness is to review the lineup, the officer must insure that they are kept separate, that they view the 
lineup independent of each other and are not allowed to discuss the process until all have viewed the 
photos. No officer participating in the process should indicate the guilt or innocence of any person in the 
lineup series or make any comments to encourage or discourage the witness/victim from choosing an 

individual in the lineup. The entire process, including telling the victim/ witness that the persons 
depicted in the photo lineup may, or may not be the person responsible for the crime, shall be video 
and/or audio recorded and will be documented in the supplemental report. 
The photographic lineup form attached to this policy must be reviewed and completed by the 
witness/victim that viewed the lineup for a investigation. This form will be made a part of the original 
investigative file. 

3. Physical Lineup — This process utilizes actual individuals in a controlled environment. This process 
utilizes an organized line up of at least six persons in a single line. The individuals contained within the 
lineup must be of the same gender and race. The individuals must also be similar in height, weight, and 
skin tone. Each individual’s hair style should be similar as well. The individuals must be placed in 
random order. There will be no consistent placement of the suspected perpetrator’s in the physical 
lineup order. Generally, this process will be completed only at a facility that has rooms designed for the 
process. There will be two separate rooms with tinted or reflected glass between the two that would 
allow the witness/victim to view the individuals clearly, without being seen by the persons in the lineup. 
There must be at least six persons placed in the lineup, and, as with the photo lineup, each person’s 
biographical information must be recorded and included in the investigative file. A photograph should 
be taken of the individuals, as they appear in the physical line up, and it must be included in the 
investigative file, as well. A supervisor must review and approve the lineup before it is presented to any 
victim or witness, to ensure that it is properly completed, and that the names of persons in the lineup 
are documented. The officer presenting the lineup will advise the witness or victim that the person 
responsible for the crime being investigated, may, or may not be in the lineup and that the investigation 
will continue whether or not a positive identification is made by them. If a suspect is identified the officer 
shall ask the victim or witness with what level of confidence are they making the identification. If more 
than one victim or witness is to review the lineup the officer must insure that they are kept separate, 
that they view the lineup independent of each other and are not allowed to discuss the process until all 
have viewed the lineup. The officer shall not use the same lineup if the victim or witnesses view the 
lineup on different days or if the victim/witness would be reasonably able to discuss the lineup before 
viewing it. In those circumstances, new lineup up shall be assembled, and the suspect will be placed in 
a different location within the lineup. No officer participating in the process should indicate the guilt or 
innocence of any person in the lineup or make any comments to encourage or discourage the 
witness/victim from choosing an individual in the lineup. The entire process, including telling the 
victim/witness that the persons participating in the lineup may, or may not be the person responsible for 
the crime, shall be video and/or audio recorded and will be documented in the supplemental report. 
The photographic lineup form attached to this policy must be reviewed and completed by the 
victim/witness that viewed the line-up for a investigation. This form will also be included in the original 
investigative file. 
Note: The Auburn Police Department will utilize this process exclusively with consultation of, and at the 
direction of the District Attorney’s Offices. 
G. Interview Room Procedures 
A designated interview room is located on the lower level of the Auburn Police Department and is 
available for use by uniformed and non-uniformed personnel. When interviews are conducted with 
suspects who are in custody, or potential suspects who may be arrested, the following procedures shall 
be followed: 
1. Security Concerns: Suspects who are in custody, shall be properly restrained. An exception is when 
a suspect is being administered a polygraph examination. Care should be used with non-custodial 
suspects. When possible, two officers should be present during all interviews. In some cases, the 
second officer may monitor the interview remotely in an adjoining room to provide additional security if 
needed. 
2. Number of Officers: The number of officers who participate in the interview should be limited to those 
directly involved in the investigation. No more than two officers should be in the interview room at a 
given time. The number of officers shall be at the discretion of the lead investigator. 
3. Summoning Assistance: Officers should always be prepared for an attempt to escape or a combative 
suspect. 

4. Equipment: All interview rooms should be kept clean and free from unnecessary items. Officers are 
responsible for providing the necessary items, such as pen and paper, during the interview. At the end 
of the interview, all items shall be removed from the interview room. Interview rooms are not equipped 
with locking doors and are not considered holding cells. 
6. Comfort Breaks: Suspects being interviewed will be allowed access to the restrooms and water in a 
reasonable time. Comfort breaks will be given when appropriate. Officers should be aware that 
requests for breaks may be used by the suspect as a distraction from the interview. During breaks, 
officers should also be aware of the heightened security risks and take appropriate measures. 
H. Suspect Interviews 
1. The Auburn Police Department will ensure the rights of accused persons are maintained. Officers will 
conduct questioning of accused and suspected persons in accordance with the United States 
Constitution, the statutes of the United States, as well as the Constitution and statutes of Georgia. In 
the interview of suspects, officers should consider these important points: 
a. Interviews to obtain investigative leads can be very useful, but all constitutional precautions must be 
taken. It is further suggested that the interview be recorded so it may be introduced into court at a later 
time. 
b. Detailed notes and a digital recording shall be maintained to document the time, date, location, 
officers present, waiver of rights, time interview ended and any other information as deemed 
necessary. 
c. Statements obtained during an interview must not be based on coercion, promises, delays in 
arraignment, or deprivation of counsel. 
d. For a statement to be admissible in court, in most cases, a suspect in custody must be advised of his 
"Miranda Rights," and the officer must be able to demonstrate that the suspect knew and understood 
those rights prior to the in-custody questioning. Further, the officer must be able to demonstrate that the 
suspect knowingly and intelligently waived those rights without the presence of any duress, coercion, 
and/or promises. 
e. Officers should stay abreast of recent court decisions which may mandate changes in constitutional 
rights procedure. 
2. The Fifth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution states that a person will not be compelled in any 
criminal case to be a witness against himself. Miranda v. Arizona states that before in custody 
questioning of a suspect, he must be advised of his right to consult with counsel and to have counsel 
present during questioning. He must also be advised that if he cannot afford to hire an attorney one will 
be appointed to represent him. 
3. If the accused indicates that he wants an attorney to represent him the questioning must cease until 
the attorney is present. The burden is on the government to prove that the accused knowingly and 
intelligently waived his right to an attorney. 
4. In Custody questioning refers to those contacts involving individuals who are either under arrest, 
where their freedom to come and go as they wish is restricted or, although not physically detained, are 
at any location where a law enforcement officer creates a coercive atmosphere. 
5. When an officer is questioning a subject, who is suspected of committing a crime, the officer will 
refrain from interviewing or acting in a manner inconsistent with case law and statutory law concerning 
the voluntariness of statements made by the subject. 
6. Once a suspect or accused has been advised of his Miranda Warning and has invoked his right to 
have counsel present during any questioning, the suspect or accused shall not be subject to further 
questioning until counsel has been made available or he has himself initiated further communications, 
exchanges, or conversations. 
7. When there is no reason to suspect a subject of being involved in a crime and he makes an 
incriminating statement, the detective shall listen and document the statements. If the detective intends 
to detain the subject, then Miranda warnings will be advised after the voluntary statements have been 
completed and before incriminating questions are asked of him. If the detective decides that the subject 
will not be detained and is free to leave, then the questioning will continue without the issuance of 
Miranda warnings. After questioning, the subject will be allowed to leave. The detective can then secure 
the appropriate arrest warrants and effect the arrest at a later time. 

8. Officers involved with criminal cases will refrain from making statements or comments to the news 
media that will prejudice a fair trial. 
I. Interviews of Juveniles 
Juvenile arrestees must be given the same constitutional protection as adults. The following additional 
safeguards should be followed: 
1. When juveniles who are in custody or who are suspects are questioned, a parent, guardian, or 
attorney should be present at the interview. If the parent or guardian does not choose to be present, the 
officer may continue with the interview, so long as the parent or guardian is aware of the questioning. 
2. There should be no more than two officers engaged in the suspect interview. The interview duration 
should not exceed two hours without a fifteen-minute restroom and refreshment break. No interview 
with a suspect being charged as a juvenile should exceed five hours. 
3. The assigned officer conducting a juvenile arrestee or suspect interview will explain the Auburn 
Police Department and Barrow County Juvenile Justice procedures to the juvenile and his parent or 
guardian. 
4. When conducting follow-up investigations of incidents involving the abuse, neglect, or molestation of 
children, interviews with the victim shall be conducted by individuals from the Child Advocacy Center 
(CAC), The Tree House, who have received specialized training in: 
A. interviewing and report writing techniques 
B. dealing with child victims of sexual abuse 
C. dealing with child victims of physical neglect and abuse 
D. familiarity with the use of anatomically correct dolls, drawings and 
E. the use of taping and recording devices. 
J. Collection, Preservation and Use of Physical Evidence 
Physical evidence is a valuable tool in successful investigations. The detective should use care and 
caution in dealing with the physical evidence. The successful prosecution of a case often hinges on the 
quality of the physical evidence collected and preserved. 
1. All officers are responsible for the preservation of evidence, and for maintaining and documenting the 
chain of custody of all evidence that is in their custody. 
2. Officers having questions about the collection and preservation of specific items of evidence should 
consult the case detective. 
K. Surveillance 
The secretive observation of a person, place, or vehicle is a basic legal police technique that can be 
used by all Departmental units. Surveillance may be used by the detective when its use would develop 
information regarding a case, and/or to gather evidence of illegal activity, and/or to apprehend criminals 
after a pattern of their criminal activity has been identified. The detective shall advise his division 
Commander that surveillance is to be used and what resources are to be required. If the surveillance is 
to be conducted in the jurisdiction of another agency, that agency should also be advised. 
1. All officers should be encouraged to use surveillance on known trouble spots and known violators as 
part of their efforts to suppress crime and arrest suspects in their areas. 
2. Officers should contact the CID Commander for specific assistance in surveillance procedures, 
techniques, and equipment. 
L. Checklists 
To aid in preliminary and follow-up criminal investigations certain checklists have been designed in 
order that critical areas of investigation are not overlooked. Such checklists include but are not limited 
to the following areas: 
1. Crime scene processing; 
2. Death investigations; 
3. Sexual assaults; 
4. Special considerations for both male and female interviewees; and, 
5. Major case investigations. 
M. Use of Deception Detection Devices 
Polygraph examinations may be used to aid and/or enhance a criminal investigation. The polygraph 
examination will be administered by personnel who have been trained in an APA (American Polygraph 
Association) certified school and who maintain active membership with the Georgia Polygraph 

Association. Persons who are to be administered polygraph examinations, will be advised of their 
Miranda warnings, and must voluntarily consent to the examination. The use of Psychological Stress 
Evaluators and Voice Stress Analysis is hereby prohibited, unless specifically approved in writing by 
the Chief of Police. 

N. Constitutional Rights 
At all times the Constitutional rights of persons involved in criminal investigations shall be protected. 
Care should be used in the following areas: 
1. confessions and statements are obtained voluntarily; 
2. arraignments are properly conducted in a timely manner; 
3. arrestee are informed of their Miranda rights before questioning; 
4. an attorney is provided, if requested or required; and 
5. information is not released to the media which would prevent or hinder a fair trial. 
O. Background Investigations 
(This policy is not intended for application to background investigations involving the selection and 
hiring process of pre-employment applicants.) The Criminal Investigations Division may conduct 
background investigations in conjunction with another investigation or to verify intelligence information. 
These investigations should be conducted discreetly, and confidentiality should be maintained. Prior to 
the investigation the detective should: 
1. identify the purpose of the investigation; 
2. identify the potential sources of information, such as past employers, schools, credit bureaus, postal 
service and associates; 
3. identify the uses of the information collected; 
4. identify the distribution of the information collected; 
5. identify how long the information will be maintained; 
6. ensure that all files will be purged in compliance with applicable State and Federal guidelines. All 
original documentation will be maintained by the responsible detective while the criminal investigation is 
on-going and will be made a part of the original investigative file within the Criminal Investigations 
Division of the department. 
P. Identity Theft Investigations 
The elements of Identity Fraud are defined in O.C.G.A. Sec. 16-9-121, and involve the theft and use, or 
attempted use, of personal identifying information, as defined in O.C.G.A. Sec. 16-9-120. 
Identity theft is the wrongful use of another person’s identifying information – such as credit card, social 
security or driver’s license numbers – to commit financial or other crimes. Identity theft is generally a 
means for committing the following types of unauthorized activities in the victim’s name: 
1. Credit card charges, debit cards usages, ATM cards withdrawals; 
2. Credit card checks written against their account; Credit card accounts opened or account addresses 
changed; 
3. Establishment of a line of credit at a store or obtaining a loan at a financial institution; 
4. Goods or services purchased in their name; 
5. Gaining access to secure areas; 
6. Used as computer fraud. 
7. Used to obtain employment 
The Auburn Police Department shall take those measures necessary to record criminal complaints, 
assist victims in contacting other relevant investigative and consumer protection agencies, and work 
with other federal, state and local law enforcement and reporting agencies to identify perpetrators. 
Identity crimes often involve incidents that take place in two or more jurisdictions. Officers shall, upon 
request, complete an offense report when: 
1. The victim of the crime is a local resident and the transaction or use of the compromised information 
took place in Auburn; or 
2. The victim of the crime is a local resident and the transaction or use of the compromised information 
took place in another jurisdiction; or 
3. The transaction or use of the compromised information involved in the identity theft took place in 
Auburn, regardless of the location of the victim. 

All sworn police personnel are authorized to take crime reports on identity theft. Recording all relevant 
information and data in such reports is essential to further investigation. The report should include all 
available information, to include: 

1. The specific personal information that was compromised. Examples may include; credit card 
accounts, banking information and social security numbers; 
2. How the victim was notified or became aware of the theft; 
3. What specific activity took place as a result of theft; 
4. When and where the activity took place; and 
5. Potential suspects or information concerning how the information may have been compromised. 
A copy of all documents supporting the theft shall be marked with the case number and forwarded to 
CID. These documents may include; credit card statements, bank statements, credit reports, and other 
account statements or correspondence. 
Officers taking reports of identity theft may take those steps reasonably possible to help victims resolve 
their problem. This includes providing victims with the following suggestions where appropriate: 
1. Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) (1-877-IDTHEFT) – which acts as the nation’s 
clearinghouse for information related to identity theft crimes – for assistance from trained counselors in 
resolving credit related problems. 
2. Contact the fraud departments of the three major credit reporting agencies [Equifax 
(1-800-525-6285), Experian (1-888-397-3742), TransUnion (1-800-680-7289)], and ask them to put a 
fraud alert on the account and add a victim’s statement requesting creditors to contact the victim before 
opening new accounts in his or her name. Also, request copies of your credit report. 
3. If credit cards are involved, cancel each credit card and request new cards with new account 
numbers. 
4. If bank account information is involved, report the loss to each financial institution, cancel existing 
accounts and open new ones with new account numbers. If deemed necessary, place stop payments 
on outstanding checks and contact creditors to explain. 
5. If a driver’s license is involved, contact the state motor vehicle department. If the driver’s license 
uses the social security number, request a new driver’s license number. In such cases, also check with 
the Social Security Administration to determine the accuracy and integrity of your account. 
6. Change the locks on your house and cars if there is any indication that these have been copied or 
otherwise compromised. 
7. As a part of taking the report, the officers will ask the victim if they would like to be entered into the 
GCIC/NCIC Identity Theft database. If so, then the victim will complete the Consent Waiver (worksheet) 
as supplied by the reporting officer. This form, collecting relevant identifying information on the victim by 
which to create a profile, will be delivered to the on-duty Support clerk for entry into GCIC/NCIC. A 
photograph of the victim should be taken and attached to the report case number for later identification 
confirmation. The victim will also provide a unique password, and document it on the Consent Waiver. 
Normally, an investigation by the Department will only take place when a transaction or use of the 
information occurs within the city limits of Auburn. When requested, the Criminal Investigations Division 
will provide investigative assistance to outside agencies to assist in the successful prosecution of 
crimes. Incidents involving identity fraud are normally prosecuted in the jurisdiction where the 
transaction takes place. Investigation of identity theft shall include but not be limited to the following 
actions where appropriate: 
1. Review the crime report and conduct any follow-up inquiries of victims or others as appropriate for 
clarification/expansion of information. 
2. Contact other involved or potentially involved law enforcement agencies for collaboration and 
avoidance of duplication. These agencies include but are not limited to: 
a. Federal law enforcement agencies such as the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service as appropriate whether or not the victim has filed a 
crime report with them. 
b. Any state and/or local enforcement agency with which the victim has filed a crime report or where 
there is an indication that the identity theft took place in that respective jurisdiction 
3. Completing an investigative supplemental documenting the review and any follow-up work 
completed on this case. 

V. Reporting Procedures 
Detectives shall submit supplemental reports on information and facts as they develop in their assigned 
cases. The Criminal Investigations Division is required to submit a Monthly Activity Report. This report 
will be used by the Commander in assessing case assignment and determining manpower needs. This 
report can be generated on RMS and kept in a computerized file. 
VI. Investigative Task Forces 
An Investigative Task Force may be established by the Chief of Police in the following circumstances: 
1. a series of serious or violent offenses which may be the work of a single offender or organized group; 
2. a series of offenses that involve one or more other law enforcement agencies; 
3. to address a specific offense that will require more than the standard investigative assignment. 
A. Guidelines for Formation of Task Force 
The following guidelines will be followed when forming a task force within the department or in 
conjunction with other Departments in order to govern their activity. This documentation will serve as a 
basis for the task force operation as well as justification for its continued use or disbandment: 
1. identifying the purpose; 
2. defining authority and responsibility; 
3. establishing accountability; 
4. identifying resources; 
5. and evaluating results and continued necessity. 
B. Identification of Participants 
The Chief of Police will identify individuals within the Auburn Police Department who will participate in 
the Task Force. The selection of the Task Force Commander should be based on the following: 
1. rank, training and expertise of the individual; 
2. location of the offenses if more than one agency is involved; 
3. number of detectives assigned; and 
4. resources of the agencies involved. 
C. Other Agency Involvement 
If other agencies are involved, a Chief's committee will be formed consisting of the chief executive 
officer of the involved agencies. When forming a task force with other agencies, a written agreement 
will be drawn up to include the above criteria and any other stipulations deemed appropriate by the 
Chief of Police or the City Attorney's Office. After the agreement has been signed it will be kept on file 
with the city clerk’s office for future review. 
D. Task Force Commander 
The Task Force Commander will meet with all persons assigned to the Task Force and define the 
purpose of the task force. The Task Force Commander shall be accountable to the Chief of Police for 
all actions of APD personnel and will have the authority to make decision and create written 
agreements with the approval of the Chief Of Police as needed to ensure the efficient operation of the 
task force. He will also have the responsibility to act as a liaison between APD and other agencies in 
the task force. If the circumstances dictate, the standard chain of command may be waived with the 
Task Force Commander reporting directly to the Chief of Police or the Chief's committee. 
1. The Task Force Commander shall identify all of the resources available and needed to complete the 
investigation. Expenses should be shared by the participating agencies, if appropriate. 
2. A written report on the progress of the task force shall be submitted weekly or monthly, as 
appropriate. The Chief of Police or the Chief's committee will evaluate the results, anticipated results, 
success and the continued necessity of the task force. 
3. Department employees assigned to a special task force will be required to comply with any policies 
and procedures issued by the Task Force. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 17-01 Special Investigations Unit (Final I) 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 17-01 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 11/01/2018 
Subject: Special Investigations Unit 

I. Purpose 
To provide for responsibilities, staffing, and operation of the Special Investigations Unit of the Auburn 
Police Department. It is necessary to establish a unit for the investigation and suppression of vice and 
drug related offenses that require a law enforcement response. Criminal participation in such vice and 
drug related offenses inevitably spawn the opportunity for such participants to organize into groups, 
which are designed for financial profit. Subsequently, the established unit shall also be responsible for 
the effective collection and dispersal of appropriate criminal intelligence. 
II. Organization and Function 
A. Organization 
1. The overall responsibility for the administration, operation and personnel of the department’s 
Special Investigations Unit, herein referred to as SIU, will be vested with the commander of the Criminal 
Investigation Division. Such Commander, in conjunction with the Chief of Police, shall identify a 
Corporal to oversee the daily operations of the Unit or above. 
2. The Corporal or above shall operate under the direct authority of the CID Commander, who 
shall at all times ensure that the Chief is informed of all investigations concerning vice, drug, and 
organized crime activities. 
3. The CID Commander, in conjunction with the Chief of Police, will have the authority to 
identify an officer to participate with local and regional drug task force organizations upon available 
manpower. The process for selection will be consistent with other such appointed position. The officer 
will function under the guidelines established in the Memorandum of Intergovernmental and 
Interagency Agreement and the policies and procedures outlined in the Auburn Police Department 
Operations Manual. The Criminal Investigations Commander will evaluate the results and the need for 
continued participation with the task force biennially. 
B. Functions 
1. To actively initiate investigations involving those offenses defined as being related to 
organized crime, illegal drugs or vice activities’ 
2. To identify person(s) suspected of criminal activity 
3. To ensure the thorough collection, secure storage and appropriate dissemination of intelligence 
information 
4. To present criminal cases to the Barrow County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution 
5. Initiate and over-see all criminal based asset forfeiture/seizure activity and report all activity 
directly to the chief of police 
III. Case Management and Control 
A. Notification Responsibility 
Each member of the Auburn Police Department SIU shall, on a routine basis, thoroughly inform the CID 
commander, of the investigations and intelligence- gathering processes in which they are involved. The 
Unit Supervisor should, in turn, keep the Division Commander informed as to who will be responsible 
for briefing the Chief of Police. All cases that are activated shall be assigned to a primary investigator. 
The investigator shall be responsible and held accountable for the case and all investigative efforts. 
B. Case Status Control System 
A case status control system shall be maintained in SIU and will include the following information: It is 
the responsibility of the CID commander to monitor the case status control parameters through MDS on 
a routine basis: 

1. Name of Investigator assigned to the case 
2. Date assigned 
3. Case number 
4. Specific incident type 
5. Report review date, if required 
6. Status of case 
C. Case Status Categories 
Special Investigations Unit cases will be classified in one of six (6) status categories: 
1. Cleared by Arrest - An offense is “cleared by arrest” or solved for crime reporting purposes when at 
least one person is: 
a. Arrested 
b. Charged with the commission of the offense; and/or 
c. Turned over to the court for prosecution, whether following a custodial 
arrest, a non-custodial arrest, such as a court summons, the filing of a 
juvenile complaint form, or the issuance of a traffic citation 
2. Exceptional Clearances – An offense can be “exceptionally cleared” only 
when an affirmative answer can be applied to all of the following questions: 
a. Has the investigation established the identity of the offender? 
b. Is there enough information to support an arrest, charge, and turning over to 
the court for prosecution? 
c. Is the exact location of the offender known so that the subject could be 
taken into custody now? 
d. Is there some reason outside law enforcement control that precludes 
arresting, charging, and prosecuting the offender? 
3. CLOSED - General - After initiating an investigation no collaborating evidence 
or probable cause was developed to substantiate a crime or continuation of said 
investigation. 
4. OPEN-INACTIVE/SUSPENDED - All available leads have been exhausted yet 
the case has not been brought to a conclusion, but may be reopened if new 
solvability factors develop, or the suspect has been identified. 
5. OPEN - Assigned Case - The case is assigned to a detective and investigative 
efforts are active. 
6. UNFOUNDED - After initiating an investigation, it is determined that criminal 
intent cannot be substantiated; therefore, no offense has been committed. 
D. Case Suspension Criteria 
The SIU Supervisor may inactivate or “suspend” an investigation if he feels that the follow-up 
investigation has exhausted all leads but has not been brought to a satisfactory conclusion and 
investigative efforts may be resumed at a later time. The following criteria will be considered when 
suspending an investigation: 
1. Absence of further leads or solvability factors 
2. Unavailability of investigative resources 
3. Insufficient degree of seriousness 
E. Maintenance of Case Files 
Original case files should be maintained within the SIU on all cases in which investigative activities are 
ongoing. 
1. Each investigation that is initiated through SIU will be documented as follows: 
a. All investigations will generate a departmental incident case number at the onset 
of each criminal investigation. An original GCIC based incident report form will 
then be forwarded to the CID commander for review and approval. 
b. Upon being assigned or initiated the investigative case will be entered into the 
SIU case status control system (Case Management section of MDS). 
c. The primary investigator will then be responsible for the secure storage of the 
incident case file (hard copy and all attachments) while the investigation is active. 
d. The completed case file will be forwarded for secure storage within the 

Department’s Records Section upon completion of the investigation. 

2. Case files for active investigations will be maintained by each assigned investigator in 
an organized manner assessable to all investigators and the Supervisor and should 
contain at a minimum: 
a. A copy of all preliminary investigative reports 
b. A copy of all statements 
c. Results of examination of physical evidence 
d. Case status reports 
e. Any other reports or records needed for investigative purposes 
3. All SIU investigative case files will be organized and arranged in the below order and 
submitted to the CID commander for final review. 
a. Case investigator’s report 
b. Supplemental reports of assisting 
c. Suspect’s statement 
d. Suspect’s waiver of counsel 
e. Witness statements 
f. Arrest warrants 
g. Search warrants 
h. Condemnations 
i. Diagrams 
j. All supporting documents, and records not generated by the Auburn Police 
Department including reports from other jurisdictions, copies of convictions, and 
court orders 
k. Initial report and any supplements from patrol officers 
l. All evidence supporting documentation including Chain of Custody forms, 
evidence records, laboratory reports; and photographs and audio taped interviews 
or interrogations (which are to be placed into an envelope and stapled to the case 
file) 
4. When an investigator completes an original incident, report form he will forward the original to the 
CID commander for review and approval (MDS). 
5. SIU personnel shall proof read all reports and summary sheets for accuracy and completeness 
before submitting to the CID commander. 
6. All files will be purged in compliance with applicable State and Federal guidelines. All final 
documentation will be maintained in the original file within the records section of the police department. 
7. All investigative reports shall reflect a chronological account of the investigation, which will be divided 
by separate paragraphs for each investigative action. Each paragraph will begin with the date and time. 
The initial paragraph will consist of a review of the initial report outlining the facts of the incident and the 
elements of the offense. 
8. Active SIU investigations should be reviewed twenty-eight (28) days after the assignment by the CID 
commander or initiation by SIU investigator/s. Every attempt will be made to assign a case status of 
closed or suspended within twenty-eight (28) days of assignment. If the investigation is ongoing, or the 
investigator is awaiting a laboratory report to continue the investigation, another review of that case will 
be conducted by the unit Supervisor every twenty-eight (28) days thereafter. It will be the assigned 
investigator’s responsibility to ensure these schedules reviews are completed 
9. Each investigator will be subject to a case review at any time, even beyond the regular twenty-eight 
(28) day review cycle. Such review is intended to provide a record of the performance of each 
investigator and the progress of each on-going investigation. 
IV. Rules and Regulations 
A. Use of Informants 
The use of confidential informants is important to the satisfactory completion of many investigations. 
The purpose of this policy is to establish procedures, which will develop a controlled system of use, 
which will avoid abuse and minimize the adverse impact on police operations. 
1. O.C.G.A. Sec. 17-5-21, specifies that an officer’s use of information from a confidential informant in a 
criminal investigation must be supported by probable cause. In utilizing a confidential informant to 

secure such probable cause, the officer must be able to show that the information is both credible and 
reliable or that probable cause was established based on information from the previous use of an 
already established reliable informant. 

2. All officers are responsible for developing sources of information that will assist them in their 
follow-up investigations. Information that is obtained that relates to specific crimes being investigated 
by other officers, investigators, or detectives should be brought to the attention of those officers and 
their supervisors. 
3. Information is available from many sources, i.e. concerned citizens who wish to remain anonymous, 
and criminals who have first-hand knowledge of illegal activity and relatives or friends of those involved 
in criminal enterprises. These sources should be kept in mind when conducting investigations and 
related interviews. Sworn personnel are cautioned to determine the motivation of individuals who 
provide information in order to help evaluate that information. 
4. Informants’ personal biographical and contact information shall be maintained in separate 
confidential master files. A master confidential names list will be maintained with the master files which 
lists the number code assigned to each individual confidential informant. 
For the purposes of the policy, the Auburn Police Department recognizes a confidential informant as a 
person who agrees to and does provide information and/or does participate in any limited capacity in an 
ongoing investigation related to past, present, or future criminal activity; for any one of the following: 
a. For payment 
b. In exchange for any form of leniency on the disposition of or sentencing of any 
criminal charges files or pending against the involved person or any other 
person 
In order to show credibility and reliability, it will be the responsibility of SIU to maintain an informant file 
on confidential informants and to cause the file to be updated each time the informant is used. This file 
will be maintained in a secure location and will be kept secured at all times. A typical informant file 
should contain: 
a. Biographical and background information 
b. Past contacts 
c. Method of contacting the informant 
d. Criminal history 
e. Payments made to the informant 
f. Information supplied by the informant 
g. Informant’s involvement in any operations 
h. Code number 
B. Informant Funds Disbursements 
1. The department’s budget will provide a confidential fund within the investigative expense budget line, 
to be used to support the informant operations. The City of Auburn Disbursing Clerk shall issue a check 
upon request, to the Supervisor. The SIU Supervisor shall submit the check to the Chief of Police for 
his signature. After cashing, the funds will be placed in the SIU expense fund and the amount entered 
into the log. The log will be maintained to show the initial balance, credits, debits, and the balance on 
hand. Personnel are prohibited from paying informants from any funds except those authorized in this 
policy. The fund will be the direct responsibility of the SIU Supervisor. Informants shall be paid based 
on the following factors: 
a. The information was instrumental in clearing an offense 
b. Multiple cases were cleared as a result of the informant 
c. The normal course of the investigation would not have developed the 
information 
d. The informant has provided valuable information in the past 
2. An informant fund disbursement log will be maintained and include: 
a. Date and time funds were disbursed 
b. Case number 
c. Amount disbursed 
d. Purpose 
e. Informant’s name and/or code 

f. Balance of fund 
3. An accounting and auditing system will be maintained on the SIU Informant Fund and 
will include: 
a. Submission of a written monthly report to the Chief of Police for approval. 
b. Any request for funds to be disbursed in an amount in excess of $200 for a 
single case will be submitted to the division commander and the Chief of Police 
for approval. 
c. A completed confidential informant form indicating all transactions of payment 
and amount of funds given to the informant. 
d. A photo copy of money distributed to investigators by the SIU supervisor 
which will be randomly compared to “money on hand” of each investigator by 
the supervisor on a monthly basis. 
e. Office of the SIU Supervisor shall conduct a quarterly audit of the informant 
cash fund and submit a report to the Chief of Police. 
C. Juveniles as Informants 
The Department will utilize juveniles as confidential informants on a limited basis and only with the 
approval of the Chief of Police and the juvenile’s custodian. Such situations shall include but are not 
limited to, recommendations by the Juvenile Court Judge of Barrow County, Georgia, that a juvenile 
provide assistance to the Auburn Police Department in exchange for leniency or as part of a 
rehabilitation program. 
D. Informants of the Opposite Sex 
Sworn personnel are required to have another officer present when dealing with an informant of the 
opposite sex, or one whose sexual preferences may make an investigation more susceptible to 
compromise through alleged irregularities. Further, conversations may be recorded, if deemed 
appropriate. 
E Probationers or Parolees as Informants 
Probationers and parolees may be utilized as informants only after prior approval has been received 
from their probation officer. The APD Investigator must contact the probationer/parolee’s supervising 
officer and advise the nature of the investigation and the role the probationer/parolee will have in the 
investigation. The APD Investigator is not required to include the supervising probation officer in the 
investigation. The date and time the supervising officer is contacted will be noted on the CI Form and if 
permission was granted for the probationer/parolee to work as a confidential informant. 
F. Relations with Informants 
The confidentiality of informants shall be maintained. No information about an informant may be 
released to anyone without a “need to know” justifiable basis, and upon approval of the SIU Supervisor. 
Information may be released in response to a court order. 
1. Care and caution shall be used in releasing any information to informants. 
2. When meeting with an informant, the officer should always select the time and 
place. Locations and times should vary to avoid a pattern. 
3. The officer should not permit an informant to take charge of a relationship or 
investigation. The officer must retain control. 
4. It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to grant no tolerance toward 
criminal activity in exchange for a continuing relationship with an informant. 
5. Use of informants by Patrol Personnel: The procedures described above shall 
apply to the use of the informants by patrol personnel. Any information provided 
by an informant to an officer shall be relayed by the officer to his supervisor and 
to the appropriate SIU member. As outlined in Section IV, paragraph A 4, there 
is a specific process in place for the documentation of and use of established 
informants. If any agency member establishes a contact that fits such informant 
criteria, then that process of documentation shall be followed. Initial 
documentation to establish an informant shall be completed prior to any active 
participation by such informant within an on-going criminal investigation. The 
contact officer assumes responsibility to ensure that the respective informant file 
is updated with each use of an informant. Use of informants within an on-going 

criminal investigation shall normally be conducted by SIU personnel as to ensure 
patrol officer availability to calls for service. Patrol officers will not ordinarily be 
allowed to disburse money from the investigative fund. An officer wishing to pay 
an informant must receive approval from the appropriate SIU member, who shall 
assume responsibility of ensuring the necessary documentation is completed. 

G. Specialized Equipment 
Specialized equipment acquired and utilized by the department for surveillance and covert operations 
purposes is available for officers’ use. The SIU Supervisor shall designate responsibility for the 
maintenance, storage, and operational functioning of this equipment with an assigned investigator 
within SIU. The following procedures apply to the overall responsibility of such equipment: 
1. Equipment used by members of the SIU for surveillance and covert operations shall be stored within 
a designated area, within SIU Equipment shall be securely stored at all times. Access to the storage 
area shall be limited to authorized personnel only. 
2. A logbook shall be maintained to document each time any of the specialized equipment is removed 
from storage. This logbook shall document the following information: 
a. Date equipment checked out 
b. Name of employee utilizing the equipment 
c. Description of equipment checked out 
d. Date equipment returned 
e. Case number (if appropriate) 
f. Supervisor’s approval signature 
3. The surveillance equipment is available to any member of the department with a need for its use. 
Such use shall first be authorized by the officer’s supervisor. Any necessary training on the use of the 
equipment shall be conducted by an investigator within SIU. The SIU investigator releasing the 
equipment shall ensure for its return to secured storage. 
4. The designated investigator shall ensure the operational readiness of the equipment, to include: 
a. Providing maintenance and upkeep of the equipment 
b. Informing the SIU Corporal of needed repairs and maintenance requiring financial allocations 
c. Storing the equipment in a logical manner, making retrieval and inventory easily accomplished 
d. Maintaining an adequate supply of batteries and other necessary items to ensure readiness of all 
equipment 
H. Covert and Raid Operations 
All organized stakeouts, surveillance, undercover, decoy, and raid operations must be approved by the 
SIU Supervisor or other appropriate departmental supervisor. The officer initiating the operation shall, 
prior to the initiation of the operation, review the planned operation with the appropriate supervisor. This 
initiating officer, or another assigned by the overseeing supervisor, shall assume primary responsibility 
for the operation. 
1. Prior to conducting such operations, the following procedures must be followed as they apply to 
specific type of detail: 
a. Conduct an analysis of the criminal activity to determine the offenders, modus operandi, victims, and 
locations(s) of the criminal activity and the need for the operation. 
b. Discuss and determine the legal ramifications. 
c. Familiarize officers with the objective, location, suspects, and logistical requirements for 
implementation of the operation, to include surveillance, potential high-risk entries, arrests, and over-all 
security relief of participating officers on the scene. 
d. Evaluation of safety and danger factors involved and verification that all personnel involved in the 
operation are wearing protective vest. 
e. Ensuring for the distribution of any necessary expense funds, false identification(s), or disguises. 
f. Arranging for appropriate communications between participating officers, to include both emergency 
and non-emergency traffic, to include any necessary requests for medical assistance. 
g. Selecting and distributing equipment and vehicles. 
h. Ensuring that the operation is not discussed with anyone other than that those officers and citizens 
with an appropriate need to know. 

i. Ensure that the appropriate officer of supervising rank is available for close supervision of the 
operation. 
j. Ensuring for the acquisition of the appropriate arrest and/or search warrant(s). 
k. Discussing with participating officers the level of expected suspect resistance, departmental policies 
relating to the Response to Resistance/Aggression, and the corresponding force continuum. 
l. Discussing procedures for contacting and maintaining control of suspects. 
m. Familiarize involved officers with the areas to be searched, item(s) sought, and procedures for the 
seizure of evidence. 
n. Coordinating with and obtaining assistance from other officers and/or agencies not participating in 
the operation. 
o. Ensuring that an “Operations Plan”, which documents the intended purpose and method of the 
operation, is filed within the office of the Chief of Police and the division commander (to be filed after 
the participating officers are appropriately informed of the operation, their assigned duties, and any 
necessary modifications have been made and before initiation of the operation). 
2. As soon as possible after the organized operation, the officer in charge shall assemble as many 
involved officers as possible to critique the operation. This post-event briefing is intended to discuss the 
success of the operation, as well as discuss and identify problems that may have occurred in an effort 
to improve such suture operations. The SIU Supervisor shall ensure for the documentation of this 
critique. 
I. Quarterly Alcohol Inspections 
The Special Investigations Unit Supervisor shall ensure that alcohol inspections of all local businesses 
that are licensed to distribute alcoholic beverages occur at least annually. Businesses that have 
violated the City Ordinance of ‘Selling Alcohol to Persons Under 21’ years old, will be inspected 
quarterly. The SIU Supervisor will ensure that an updated list of businesses with Class A and Class B 
Spirituous Liquor license to include the owner’s name and address is maintained for SIU investigators 
conducting the alcohol inspections. The list should also document any prior City Ordinance Violations. 
The procedures for the investigations are as follows: 
1. Confidential Informants approved by the SIU Supervisor who are under twenty-one years old shall be 
used by SIU Investigators to make purchase attempts/purchases of alcohol beverages from each 
business with a Class A and Class B license. 
2. Investigations that do not result in a violation of a City Ordinance will be documented in a 
miscellaneous report. The report will contain the name of businesses checked, the addresses, and 
dates/times of the inspections. A letter informing the business owner that their business was checked 
and that there was no violation will be sent at the conclusion of each “sting” operation. 
3. Investigations that result in a City Ordinance Violation will be documented by the assigned 
Investigator in detective report format. The investigative file will also include a copy of the citation, 
property and evidence form, and the buyer’s report completed by the confidential informant. 
4. Upon a business’s first violation (note: a business under new ownership is considered to be a new 
business), the SIU Investigator conducting the investigation shall issue the individual in violation of the 
City Ordinance a written warning. A letter informing the business owner that their business was 
checked and was in violation of the City Ordinance will be sent at the conclusion of each “sting” 
operation. The letter will contain the case number referencing the investigation, the date of the violation 
and the individual’s name who received the written warning. The assigned SIU Investigator will issue a 
citation(s) to individuals who violate the City Ordinance in subsequent inspections. 
5. Upon conviction of the offense of sale of alcoholic beverages to a minor, the SIU Supervisor will 
ensure that a report is sent to the City clerk, detailing the investigation and history of prior convictions of 
that business. The report is to include a copy of the investigative case file, a certified copy of conviction, 
and case files of any prior violation. 
V. Criminal Intelligence 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to only collect, maintain and share intelligence files 
containing information limited to individuals or members of and/or organizations involved in criminal 
conduct and as it relates to activities that present a threat to the community. In addition, all employees 
of this department share in the responsibility for collection, processing and sharing of suspicious 
incidents and criminal intelligence relating to criminal and homeland security activities. The collection, 

submission, access, storage, and dissemination of criminal intelligence information must respect the 
privacy and constitutional rights of individuals, groups, and organizations. 
The Special Investigations Unit will be responsible for the collection, storage and dissemination of 
criminal intelligence. All departmental members are responsible for collecting and transmitting criminal 
intelligence information to SIU in written memorandum, incident report, or email. The Chief of Police, 
and the Criminal Investigations Division Commander, will have direct access to such gathered 
intelligence. 

A. Purpose 
The purpose of intelligence collection is to maintain files and information from background 
investigations on persons, major criminals, and criminal activity in this jurisdiction. Such files will contain 
names, addresses, businesses, and locations of criminal activity and the types of criminal activity 
present. 
B. Definitions 
Intelligence Information: Information relating to specific crimes and criminal activities. Typical examples 
of areas of concern are organized crime, vice, illegal drug trafficking, terrorism, gangs, and civil 
disorders. It is not information collected for political or other purposes unrelated to crime. 
Homeland Security: The department’s local contribution to a concerted national effort to prevent 
terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the 
damage and recover from attacks that do occur. It also refers to the department’s role in responding to 
other hazards to the community resulting from adverse weather conditions, health emergencies or 
other unusual incidents. 
Right to Know: Legality of disclosure/failure to disclose intelligence data. Right to know exists only 
when (1) state or federal statutes mandate release to the person requesting such data, or (2) mandated 
by judicial action, specifically by subpoena. 
C. Types of Criminal Activity 
Employees shall research, monitor and maintain information on major criminal activities to include, drug 
offense information, conspiracy, corruption, subversion, cults, homeland security issues, and other 
related activities. The CID division commander, in conjunction with his designee, will analyze crime 
systems, target operations and develop strategies and recommendations for law enforcement action. 
Intelligence information collected by department employees shall be channeled through the Criminal 
Investigations Division Commander or his designee before processing or disseminating to ensure 
information collected is limited to criminal conduct or relates to activities that present a potential threat 
to the community. 
1. Submitted intelligence information will include the source of the information, details with 
thoroughness concerning the alleged activities, thorough descriptions of all involved parties, involved 
locations, and any other applicable information. 
2. Submitted intelligence will be in written form designating the submitting officer’s identity and 
date/time of collection of the information. 
3. Submitted intelligence will be written on a departmental memorandum form designated as 
intelligence, on a standard “Crime Stoppers” report, documented in an internal email to the SIU 
supervisor, or within a completed incident report for appropriate follow-up. 
D. Integrity and Legality 
Employees must recognize the delicate balance between individual rights and the legitimate need for 
law enforcement. The following are intended to provide proper internal safeguards against violations of 
rights or the subversion of the democratic process: 
1. Personnel 
Employees shall not collect information on individuals or groups based solely on race, sex, religion, 
political affiliation, personal habits, economic status or support of unpopular causes. 
Employees shall not engage in illegal activities in order to collect intelligence or information or use 
collected information for personal gain or individual enhancement. 
2. Techniques 
Electronic surveillance operations shall be conducted under the provisions of Georgia Annoted Code 
16-11-62. 

Photographic surveillance shall be conducted to identify suspects and associates involved in illegal 
activities and gather evidence to support such cases. 
Undercover agents shall be knowledgeable of entrapment laws. All operations and intelligence 
technicians shall be under the authority and supervision of the Criminal Investigations commander, 
through the SIU Supervisor. 

3. Information 
Intelligence information shall be stored on a secured computer and hard files within SIU. Information 
gathered shall be prudent, pertinent, and accurate with respect to the case or complaint being 
investigated. Information shall be evaluated by the SIU Supervisor according to source, timeliness, and 
reliability. 
a. The Special Investigations Unit will maintain a secured centralized location for the input and storage 
of all submitted information. 
b. All records conveyed to or received from other agencies will be maintained in this file. 
c. Sufficient cross-referencing of involved parties/locations vehicles will be completed to allow for 
thorough retrieval and analysis of collected intelligence information. 
d. The SIU Supervisor or his designee(s) may destroy initially submitted intelligence reports once the 
information has been appropriately documented, with the exception of those articles which are part of 
the official incident reports. 
e. The SIU Supervisor will consistently monitor the intelligence gathering process to ensure the legality 
and efficiency of the designated officer(s) practices and techniques. On an annual basis, a review of the 
procedures and processes associated with criminal intelligence will be conducted by the CID 
Commander or his designee. 
E. Intelligence Collection 
Intelligence of illegal activities may be generated and/or secured by any member of the Auburn Police 
Department. Under such conditions whereby a non-SIU officer receives such information, the receiving 
officer will forward the information to the SIU in proper written form. 
1. The Criminal Investigations Division Commander, or his designee(s), will routinely review incident 
reports, field interview cards, and other documentation generated by the Auburn Police Department. 
That review will allow for the identification of information that is limited to criminal conduct; relates to 
activities that present a threat to the community; and are relevant to the intelligence gathering process. 
Upon identification, reception, or personal collection of criminal intelligence information, the 
Commander or his designee(s) will evaluate the veracity and quality of the submitted intelligence, 
considering the source of the information and previously gathered intelligence that tends to corroborate 
the current information. Resulting action will be to conduct the appropriate follow-up investigation 
and/or submit the information into the appropriate intelligence records. Information retained by the 
Auburn Police Department will specify the type and individual identity of the source when appropriate, 
which will aid in the determination of the quality of the information. Such information may be secured 
from the following: 
a. Other law enforcement officers 
b. Other law enforcement agencies 
c. Confidential informants 
d. Concerned citizens 
e. Anonymous tipsters 
f. Personal observation or investigation 
2. Nothing in this order shall prohibit immediate action by any member of the Auburn Police Department 
in pursuit of criminal violators should such immediate action be deemed appropriate. 
3. Information on specific criminal activity that has previously been assigned for investigation will be 
forwarded to the case officer. 
4. Intelligence concerning on-going criminal activity will be entered into the intelligence files. 
F. Records 
Intelligence records shall be kept separate from Police Department files under control of the SIU 
Supervisor. Information may be maintained utilizing a computer database. 
1. Continuity 

Information shall be categorized by geographical area, type of criminal activity, and related organized 
crime grouping. 
Officers shall submit data including full identity of suspects, (name, alias, description, etc.) current 
addresses, date of birth, social security numbers and history of involvement in criminal activity past and 
present. 

2. Security 
All files, especially those of an extremely sensitive nature, shall not be disseminated without the 
approval of the SIU Supervisor. 
Access to such data shall be limited to the Chief of Police, the division commander, the SIU Supervisor, 
and SIU investigative / support staff. 
Extremely sensitive information shall be of the nature that if released the wellbeing of an informant or 
his/her family could be jeopardized. To be included as extremely sensitive information are any 
electronic surveillance or restricted/confidential data from outside agencies. 
G. Intelligence Dissemination 
No information contained within the intelligence files shall be disseminated to Law Enforcement 
Agencies without the expressed permission of the Chief of Police or his designee(s). When 
disseminating any information based on legality and safety of participants involved must be weighed. 
Release of information shall result only when right and need-to-know is established. Telephonic or 
written requests must be verified prior to dissemination and a record of the dissemination shall be 
maintained. It shall be understood and stressed that information disseminated to requesters will not be 
duplicated or further disseminated without permission of the Chief of Police, his designee(s), and/or 
Superior Court (authorizing electronic interception of communications). 
1. Intelligence information maintained by the Auburn Police Department shall be disseminated by the 
Chief of Police, and the Division Commander or his designee(s). 
2. Such information will be made available on a “need-to-know” basis, where such supplied intelligence 
will have a beneficial effect upon an active criminal investigation within the respective jurisdiction. 
3. Intelligence that is more than thirty-six months old should be verified prior to its utilization. 
H. Updating and Purging 
The Criminal Investigations Division Commander and the SIU Corporal will routinely and consistently, 
purge any intelligence files within the centralized location, which are deemed to be inappropriate. 
Periodic reviews, not to exceed six months, of the centralized intelligence location will be conducted for 
that purpose. 
1. Inappropriate intelligence files will include records which have for a consistent period of thirty-six (36) 
months remained inactive or information which has been identified as being incorrect. 
2. All photographs and other recordings will be maintained with the report or destroyed in the event the 
report is purged from the system. 
3. Sensitive information files shall be audited on an annual basis by the Division Commander to 
determine if such information should be re-evaluated, declassified, or purged from the system. 
4. Purging information shall be based on: 
a. Frequency data is retrieved for investigation 
b. Validity of data 
c. Role of data in goals of the unit 
d. Period data has been in file 
e. Future expectation of data importance 
I. Equipment 
Control and status of equipment shall be the responsibility of the SIU Supervisor and handled by 
routine unit equipment inspections. 
J. Liaison 
The Auburn Police Department shall maintain a policy of cooperation with other criminal justice 
agencies, public safety agencies, and governmental agencies. 
The Criminal Investigations Division Commander shall be designated as the liaison to link the Auburn 
Police Department with other agencies, as well as, with inter-departmental Units, to investigate 
complaints involving criminal activity against and employee of this Department. 

The Division Commander, or his designee(s), shall be the liaison between all other units or outside 
agencies in the dissemination of information. Dissemination shall be conducted according to 
Departmental policies, as stated, and under the Chief of Police. 

K. Training 
All employees will receive periodic training on criminal intelligence and homeland security to include 
collection, dissemination and/or use of gathered intelligence. 
VI. Selection and O.J.T. Program for SIU 
The Auburn Police Department staffs the Special Investigations Unit with investigators from the 
agency’s sworn personnel, when available. 
When a vacancy becomes available for an investigator within SIU, the following selection criteria is 
utilized for that selection: 
1. A review of previous police reports and monthly statistics of work performance to assess the writing 
skills of the candidate will be completed by the SIU supervisor. 
2. A review of the interested officer’s work performance and disciplinary record is conducted by the SIU 
supervisor in conjunction with the officer’s current supervisor. 
The Chief of Police shall announce each opening for investigator at a bi-weekly staff meeting, with the 
announcement then being entered into the minutes. Upon such opening, interested officers shall make 
their interest known to their direct supervisor, who forwards that information to the Criminal 
Investigations Section Commander. The above criteria review is initiated, with a recommendation for 
assignment being made to the Chief of Police. 
When an officer is hired or transferred into the Special Investigations Unit, the following criteria will be 
followed to ensure proper training is provided. The Division Commander will designate a current 
member of SIU, this person will be the SIU Supervisor, unless otherwise specified by the Commander, 
to assume primary responsibility for the new member’s training. The length of time spent in training will 
be based on a performance evaluation of each new member by the Division Commander, in 
conjunction with the trainer. The O.J.T program for new members of the unit shall consist of four 
different phases. 
A. Phase One 
The Recruit Investigator (R/I) will be thoroughly oriented in the SIU process. All general and special 
orders, along with each aspect of this policy, will be introduced. Special emphasis will be placed on all 
applicable time requirements and on the process of investigative documentation. 
B. Phase Two 
The R/I will be exposed to the various resources available to SIU for investigative purposes (i.e. 35mm 
and digital cameras, video monitoring/recording systems, computer operations.) The R/I will be 
assigned various investigations as deemed appropriate. These investigations shall be worked in 
conjunction with the trainer. Initial investigations should concentrate on intelligence collection and 
storage, search and seizure procedures and search warrant affidavit preparation as directed by the 
trainer. 
C. Phase Three 
The R/I will be given more latitude in working assigned investigations outside the immediate 
supervision of the trainer. Daily investigative reviews - to ensure investigative thoroughness and 
documentation - shall continue with the trainer. The R/I shall be allowed to work with other 
investigators. Primary case responsibility may be placed with the R/I as deemed appropriate by the 
trainer. 
D. Phase Four 
The training of the R/I will continue, though more latitude is given as his understanding of the 
investigative process is confirmed by the trainer. Routine status reviews continue to ensure 
investigative processes are being followed. 
At the end of phase four, the R/I will be critiqued by the Criminal Investigations Division Commander 
and the trainer. A decision will be made to continue close monitored training or to release the R/I from 
the training process. Successful completion of O.J.T. by a new member of SIU will ensure all members 
of the Unit are consistent in completing the various investigative processes. The trainer should maintain 
records of the four-phase training process to sufficiently document the progression of the R/I. 
VII. Civil Condemnation Actions 

The Special Investigations Unit will be responsible for the initiation of all civil condemnation procedures, 
pursuant to federal and state law regarding illegal and controlled substances and Habitual Violator 
statutes, on behalf of the Auburn Police Department. Nothing in this order shall prohibit actions by any 
member of the Auburn Police Department in pursuit of criminal violators when such action may also 
result in a separate civil condemnation action. Upon the initiation of a criminal action, which results in a 
separate civil condemnation action, the initiating officer shall be responsible for appropriate 
notifications. 

1. Immediate notification of potential condemnation action may be made to the legal owner of the 
subject property if possible, and a sworn officer designated by the SIU Supervisor shall serve civil 
process. 
2. Appropriate documentation as required by Departmental policy and the Barrow County District 
Attorney shall be delivered to the SIU Supervisor within twenty (20) days of property seizure. If subject 
property was not seized, yet is subject to civil condemnation, the same notification requirements shall 
apply. This same paperwork will also be provided to the Barrow County District Attorney within the 
established twenty-day time period. 
3. The chief of police and/or his designee(s), shall maintain a record system exclusive to civil 
condemnation actions. The system will include the following: 
a. Date and time of incident/seizure 
b. Defendants/owners of real and/or personal property 
c. Description of real and/or personal property 
d. The Auburn Police Department case number to cross-reference the civil action with the 
applicable criminal investigation 
e. Date & time of any actions taken pursuant to the civil action 
f. Disposition of the condemned property 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 17-03 Arson Protocol 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 17-03 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 11/01/2018 
Subject: Arson Protocol 

I. Purpose 
The responsibility for fighting fire and ensuring the safety of surrounding buildings and personnel rests 
with the fire department. The primary determination of whether a fire is of a suspicious nature and/or 
arson should be made by the fire scene commander. If the fire scene commander determines that the 
origin of the fire is suspicious, is arson, or there is a fatality involved he will call for a patrol officer to 
complete an incident report and a detective to conduct a criminal investigation. 
II. Procedure 
The CID Commander or his designee will assign a case detective to investigate all arsons, suspicious 
fires, and fatality involved fires. A case detective may respond from an on-call status. 
A. Responsibility of Detectives 
Upon the arrival of the Criminal Investigations Division's representative, they should be briefed by the 
fire scene commander or his representative. The case detective should complete interviews with any 
witness and person(s) responsible for the property. Written consent from a person with lawful custody 
of the property or a search warrant shall be obtained by the case detective before a search for evidence 
is conducted. Photographs of the visible fire should be taken, but only as is possible without 
endangering the investigator. General photographs of any bystanders should also be taken. The 
detective should attempt to identify as many bystanders as possible for later investigative follow-up. 
Once the scene is declared safe, the case detective and a fire department official, as designated by the 
Fire Chief, should do a general walk-through of the scene. 
The case detective may have the on-call Arson Investigator respond and complete the scene 
investigation in cases where there is significant property damage (homes and or businesses). The 
Arson Investigator will be contacted by the case detective on any fire that results in serious injury or 
death. Smaller fire scenes deemed suspicious or arsons will be processed by the case detective 
(vehicle fires, dumpster fires, grass fires, etc.) 
B. Scene Investigation 
The scene should be processed in much the same manner as any other crime scene. Although the 
criminal investigation and processing of any evidence will be conducted by members of the Police 
Department's Criminal Investigations Division, assistance in determining points of origin, length of burn, 
types of accelerant and similar indicators of arson can best be determined and pointed out by a 
designated fire officer/arson investigator. In addition, fire department personnel should have at least 
rudimentary knowledge of crime scene preservation. The processing, collection, transportation of 
evidence shall be done by the case detective or Arson Investigator, with assistance by fire department 
personnel when necessary, in a manner that ensures its admissibility as evidence. Release of the fire 
scene should only occur when the case detective or Arson Investigator, in conjunction with the 
assigned fire official have determined that all processing is complete. If an Arson Investigator is 
required to conduct the scene investigation he will complete a written investigative supplemental that 
will include a list of evidence taken from the scene, all photographs taken, and a scene sketch. The 
report will be submitted to the CID Commander or his designee, usually within 14 days of the incident. 
C. Responsibility for Investigation 
Responsibility for the investigation and the prosecution of any act deemed to be of a criminal nature 
rests with the Police Department. Fire Department personnel should release to the Police Department 
any and all information they may have on all fires involving the same location and/or occupants. Fire 
Department personnel should be prepared to lend assistance to the Police Department in prosecution 

of the case, to include technical assistance, testimony, and any information concerning the nature of 
the fire. The designated fire official should with the knowledge and permission of the fire chief, make 
himself available to assist the assigned detective in any area concerning the fire that may be outside 
the detective’s area of expertise. 

D. Joint Responsibilities 
The case detective, his supervisor, or the Chief of Police shall conduct periodic briefings with the Fire 
Chief and/or Fire Marshall to ensure he is kept apprised of the investigation. In general, for continuity, 
for the development of a prosecutable case, and because of the varied rules of evidence, the case 
should primarily be investigated by the Police Department with required technical assistance provided 
by the fire department's liaison. The investigation should be conducted in the fashion of any criminal 
investigation as provided for in Chapter 17 of Auburn Police Department Operations Manual. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 17-04 Crime Scene Processing 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 17-04 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 11/01/2018 
Subject: Crime Scene Processing 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to establish procedures for processing major crime scenes. Other crime 
scenes may be processed with modification of these procedures. 
II. Policy 
The Auburn Police Department shall maintain a CID-based Crime Scene Technician, and/or 
Detectives, Patrol Crime Scene Technicians, and Patrol Officers who are trained to preserve, gather, 
collect, and evaluate evidence, in the pursuit of resolving criminal cases. These personnel will have 
continual access to the equipment and supplies necessary for the recovery of latent prints, 
photography, sketching the scene; and collection and preservation of physical evidence. 
The Crime Scene Technician will have the primary responsibility to locate, recover, and preserve latent 
fingerprints; collect evidentiary material; make sketches; and photograph and video record major crime 
scenes. In those incidents in which a Crime Scene Technician is unavailable, the Primary Detective will 
assign evidence gathering and processing responsibilities. Designated and properly trained Patrol 
Crime Scene Technicians can assist the first responding patrol officer in processing crime scenes not 
classified as major crime scenes. The following are considered to be major crime scenes: 
a. Murder 
b. Rape; 
c. Aggravated Assault involving serious injury, including any stab wound requiring hospital treatment, or 
any gunshot wound; 
d. Any death (including suicides, homicides, traffic fatalities, and natural causes); 
e. Any Robbery; 
f. Burglary, involving night entry into an occupied residential dwelling, and/or incidents involving the 
apprehension of a burglar; and 
g. Arson. 
At the discretion of the Chief of Police or CID Commander, a detective or Crime Scene Technician can 
be assigned to investigate crimes other than the above major crime scenes. The primary responding 
officer will investigate all other crime scenes not listed above. 
III. Procedures 
The officer assuming responsibility for processing the related scene/evidence shall, conduct a 
preliminary overview of the scene to determine the proper sequence of procedures most applicable, 
given the circumstances of the crime. This is to ensure the integrity of the crime scene, and to ensure 
that the investigative coverage is performed in a systematic manner. Any item of evidentiary value will 
be isolated and protected from contamination and excessive movement, until the proper process of 
examination may be completed. Prior to the collection of any evidence, the items will be properly 
photographed in its original state and condition. Evidence with a short lifespan shall receive immediate 
attention, so that deterioration is curtailed. 
A. Evaluation of Evidence at the Crime Scene 
1. Whenever possible, evidence shall be processed at the crime scene to avoid contamination from 
handling and/or transporting. 
2. Initial Responding officers who secure evidence for public safety or to prevent its destruction may 
transfer the evidence in the field to the lead investigating officer or detective. That officer must complete 
a property form for the property and sign it over to the receiving party. The officer must also complete a 
supplemental report documenting the location of evidence, why they secured it, its condition, and who 

the evidence was transferred to. 

3. Evidence requiring examination techniques unavailable at the crime scene shall be transported to 
the Auburn Police Department or the Regional GBI Crime Laboratory. 
4. It shall be the responsibility of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) Commander to determine 
which articles are to be transported from the crime scene to the Police Department or Regional Crime 
Laboratory. 
5. When collecting the evidence at the crime scene for laboratory analysis, the amount needed will 
depend upon the type of evidence and the test to be conducted. 
6. Evidence collected for DNA evaluation, i.e. blood, saliva, semen, etc., will be sent to the GBI crime 
lab for analysis, and CODIS entry for all felony Part I crimes under the following circumstances: 
a. The perpetrator is unknown, or 
b. The perpetrator is known and comparison samples, i.e. blood or buccal swabs, have been obtained. 
** If perpetrator cannot be located, the unknown samples will immediately be sent to the GBI Crime Lab 
for examination and analysis. 
7. DNA evidence obtained in Part II crimes will be evaluated by the CID Commander, or his designee, 
on a case by case basis, to determine if submission to the GBI Crime Lab for processing is necessary 
and/or cost effective. If DNA evidence is submitted in a Part II crime, the case will be assigned to a 
detective or investigator for follow-up. 
8. Evidence collected and not sent immediately to the Crime Lab, for example, when waiting for 
comparison items, shall be placed in the Evidence Room until it can be transported to the Crime Lab. 
No evidence will be placed in personal lockers or otherwise maintained outside the Departmental 
evidence process. 
9. Evidence requiring scientific comparison shall be accompanied by control samples for proper 
evaluation. Such samples may include stains, soil, hair, fibers, blood, paint, tool marks, etc. 
10. Evidence involving criminal death, Murder, Manslaughter, Vehicular Homicide, etc., with no 
identifiable suspects, shall be collected and transported from the crime scene to the Auburn Police 
Department by the Primary Detective or the Crime Scene Technician. Items needed to be processed at 
the Regional Crime Lab will be delivered in a timely manner by the evidence custodian. 
11. Evidence not involving criminal death may be collected and transported by any member of the 
investigation team in coordination with the Primary Detective. 
B. Marking Evidence 
The officer or detective who discovers, recovers, or receives physical evidence at the crime scene, 
must be able to positively identify the specific evidence at a later date, if it is to be introduced as 
evidence in a court of law or any form of judicial proceedings. 
1. Identifying Mark 
a. Initials of individual originally discovering the item; 
b. Date of discovery; 
c. Time of discovery; 
d. Items should be marked in an area not easily removed (on removable parts) 
e. Items should be marked so as not to deface or devalue the item; and 
f. Items which are unable to be marked directly on the surface due to size or composition, shall be 
placed in a container bearing the identifying mark. Any such containers shall become part of the 
evidence and proceed with the evidence through the chain of custody. 
2. Written Report 
a. Description of item (make, model, color, serial number, etc.); 
b. Location and description of identifying mark. 
Property and Evidence reports shall be completed and attached to the collected evidence as outlined in 
Chapter 13, Section III (C) 11 and 13 of this policy manual. 
C. Reporting 
1. Any evidence examination or processing conducted by Auburn Police Department personnel at a 
crime scene or traffic collision will be documented in a written report. The report will describe who 
collected the evidence, where it was collected from, the date and time of collection, the article collected, 
the offense, how the article was marked for identification, the examination conducted, the results of the 
examination, the location at which the examinations were completed, and the case number. 

NOTE: For items of physical evidence collected in relation to any Part I crime that is not cleared 
through the arrest of the offender at the time of evidence collection, the above described details of the 
collection process shall be documented within a secured supplemental narrative; not within the 
preliminary narrative. 

2. When examinations are requested from the Crime Laboratory, the officer transporting the evidence 
to the Crime Laboratory, will supply all documentary information necessary for the in-take of evidence, 
to include the date and county of occurrence; the submitting officer and agency name; the name of the 
victim and any suspects, the location of occurrence and the name of the Primary Detective. Sufficient 
offense information shall also be provided to the Crime Laboratory as to the nature of the offense and 
all circumstances associated with the commission of the offense as applicable to evidence 
examination. 
3. The Crime Laboratory will submit their findings to the Primary Detective in a written report to become 
part of the original offense report. 
4. It shall be the responsibility of the Primary Detective to indicate the time and date that Crime 
Laboratory findings are received and attach the Crime Lab report to the original offense report. 
5. The Primary Detective will attach the original report submitted by the Crime Laboratory to the original 
offense report which will be maintained in the Records Section of the Police Department. 
D. Report Checklist 
Any detective called to the scene of a crime, fire, disaster, or traffic accident, will complete an 
investigative report or supplemental report which will include the following: 
Offense type; 
Scene location; 
Case number; 
Victim's name; 
Victims Date of birth, race, sex; 
Day of week; 
Date; 
Time requested; 
Time arrived; 
The specific time completed on each event; 
Weather conditions; 
Light conditions; 
Officer(s) at the scene; 
Any others at the scene; 
Latent prints lifted (even if no prints were lifted); Photographs taken; (include number of photographs 
taken); Vehicle year, make, model, body style, color, and VIN, state/license number and vehicle point of 
entry; 
Burglary type; 
Point of entry, type, method; 
Safe burglary, type, method; 
Evidence disposition; 
Measurements taken; 
Suspect's name (if known) 
Comments to include what evidence was recovered, where, and its disposition, Evidence Chain of 
Custody, date and time of submission on receipt of evidence to Crime Lab, method of evidence 
transportation from scene to destination, name and signature of person receiving evidence at Crime 
Lab, sketches that were made, or photographs taken. 
If evidence is not recovered or photographs are not taken at a serious crime scene, a short explanation 
shall be included outlining the reasons why physical evidence was not recovered or photographs were 
not taken; 
Any delays in the transportation of evidence to the Crime Lab for any reason should be noted in a 
supplemental report to be added to the original report; and any subsequent action taken during the 
investigation by the Primary Detective shall be written on a supplemental report to be attached to the 
original Crime Scene Investigation Report. Additional information shall include Crime Lab Reports, 

suspect's name and description (if known), and any followup investigations by the Primary Detective. 

E. Latent Prints 
1. Fingerprints may be recovered from a variety of surfaces including smooth surfaces, glass, paper, 
metal, plastic, desk and counter tops. 
2. Where the possibility of latent prints exists, the officer, detective, or crime scene technician will 
properly dust for the prints. 
3. When a print becomes visible after dusting, the officer, detective, or crime scene technician will lift 
the print by using latent print lifting tape or by employing "super" glue techniques. 
4. The lifted print will be put on an index card and the officer, detective, or crime scene technician will 
note on the back of the card the date, time, location of incident and print location, incident/case number 
and the employee’s name. 
All latent prints which are recovered from a crime scene are to be considered as significant as any item 
of evidentiary value and therefore must be properly documented. The procedures for processing, 
developing, lifting, and labeling all fingerprints must be completed in accordance to training provided to 
each individual officer. As with all evidence, there must be a documented chain of custody from the 
moment of its acquisition to the time of final disposition. 
1. After the print has been lifted from the crime scene, it is to be attached with any other prints from the 
same crime scene and documented on an official Departmental Property and Evidence report, separate 
from other evidence. The patent prints shall be placed into evidence along with the Property and 
Evidence report for documentation of chain of custody. The evidence custodian shall assume 
responsibility and control of the lifted prints and shall maintain a secured file system within the evidence 
storage room for the regular storage of such patent prints. This secured file system is to be supported 
by a ledger system, arranged numerically by Departmental case number, to document the prints held 
within the system. Chain of custody forms for each set of patent prints submitted shall be signed by the 
custodian to document each time he or she assumes or releases control of the involved prints. 
2. The ledger system, whether handwritten or computerized, shall document the date and time of 
reception by the custodian, the involved Departmental case number, the number of prints submitted 
with each Property and Evidence Report, and the date and time of final release of the involved prints 
from his custody. Responsibility of having submitted prints inspected for identification and comparison 
lies with the respectively assigned detective or officer, not with the custodian. If a submitted patent print 
is deemed to be unidentifiable or is transferred to the Regional Crime Lab for comparison purposes, 
then it shall be removed from the evidence process and logged out of the custodian’s ledger system. 
Prints which are unidentifiable shall be stored within the corresponding investigative case file. 
3. Inked patent prints that are secured from suspects, victims, or others potentially involved in a criminal 
investigation, shall be maintained by the investigating officer or detective within the investigative case 
file, with no chain of custody being required. 
F. Serologic Evidence 
Any evidence which is collected for the purpose of DNA comparison shall be collected and transported 
from the crime scene to the Auburn Police Department by the Primary Detective, CID Crime Scene 
Technician, Patrol Crime Scene Technician, or any officer who has received training in the proper 
procedure for collection and handling of such evidence. This includes, but is not limited to, blood, 
semen, vaginal fluid, and saliva. When collecting such items, personal protective equipment must be 
used. Any item of evidentiary value will be isolated and protected from contamination and excessive 
movement by the first responding officer, until the DNA evidence can be properly collected. 
DNA evidence shall be transported to the GBI Crime Lab, which is an accredited laboratory, as soon as 
possible. The evidence shall be transported by the Evidence Custodian, or in the absence of the 
Evidence Custodian, the CID Commander will appoint a person to be responsible for the transport. If a 
delay is absolutely necessary, blood samples shall be placed in the refrigerator in Property and 
Evidence. Clothing that is wet or bloody shall be allowed to air dry and packaged in paper bags. All 
DNA evidence will be packaged in accordance with the GBI guidelines as outlined on the GBI website 
which may be accessed at . The GBI requirements maybe viewed on this website by accessing the 
Download option and then viewing the Service Manual. A copy of the manual will be maintained in the 
CID Supervisor’s Office and the Patrol Assembly Room. 

All other body fluids, including saliva, urine, perspiration, pus, human milk, nasal mucous, and tears, 
will be handled using the same precaution as blood and semen. Evidence will be collected from a 
known source, when a source is available, so that it may be submitted to the crime laboratory for 
comparison with physical evidence already collected. 

1. Blood Samples 
Bloodstained articles should not be packed for submission to the Regional Crime Laboratory until it has 
been thoroughly dried at normal room temperature. Clean paper should be placed under the drying 
object to catch any falling evidence, specifically trace evidence. 
When the object is dried and ready for packaging, the paper should be carefully folded to secure the 
dried object and all traces of evidence. Then place in the wrapping with the article in a paper bag. 
a. In order to obtain maximum value from bloodstain evidence, the Crime Laboratory must have a 
sample of known blood from the victim and the suspect. This is absolutely necessary in cases where 
there is only a very small stain, because the types and subtypes of both bloods must be determined in 
order to select the system to be run on case material, which will provide the greatest population 
differentiation and distribution. 
b. All items of blood typing must be submitted to the Crime Laboratory, as quickly as possible. Heat, 
humidity, and sunlight have destructive effects on blood, and will not only affect ABO groups, but will 
completely destroy the weaker antigen systems and enzyme groups. If blood has become hardened 
and difficult to retrieve, it is best to use a gauze pad which has been treated with sterile water and apply 
the gauze to the hardened stain. The gauze would be permitted to air dry and then be placed into a 
paper container for transportation. 
c. For bloodstains appearing on fixed objects or on objects too bulky to transport to the laboratory, the 
crime scene collection officer shall cut off that portion of the object bearing the stain, if possible. 
Bloodstains on objects which cannot be cut, for example, concrete floors or metal safes, may be 
scraped and the scrapings placed into a pill box or onto a clean piece of paper. The papers shall then 
be folded carefully and placed into a container. 
d. For bloodstains appearing on porous objects, such as wood or earth, the bloodstain, as well as the 
portion of the material upon which the stain appears, should be placed in a clean container, labeled on 
the outside, and sealed to prevent loss through leakage. 
e. Buccal swabs should be used to collect DNA samples from living victims and suspects. Two swabs 
should be taken from each cheek. Once the samples are collected, they should be placed in the 
cardboard collection boxes and allowed to air dry. Once dried, they should be packaged in a paper bag. 
Blood samples from living victims and suspects may also be taken and contained in a 5 mi Vacutainer 
tube which, has the additive ACD to serve as an anticoagulant. (See letter h below for packaging 
instructions) 
f. Blood samples collected in a tube will be properly sealed and labeled indicating the suspect’s or 
victim's name, date of collection, the name of the person who collected the blood, and identifying case 
number. 
g. All blood samples are to be kept refrigerated. DO NOT FREEZE. Blood samples are to be delivered 
to the crime laboratory as soon as possible. 
h. The GBI Crime Lab requires that all serology/DNA evidence that is submitted for DNA comparison be 
packaged in paper containers. Known DNA samples must be submitted in purple topped tubes or 
buccal swabs. All evidence should be air-dried. The outside of the paper packaging should have the 
following information listed: 
1. Name (suspect and/or victim); 
2. Brief description of contents; 
3. Location where collected; 
4. Investigators name; and 
5. Agency Name and case number. 
The submitting officer must complete a GBI Evidence Submission Form. The completed form, along 
with a copy of the original incident report, must be attached to submitted evidence. The evidence will be 
transported to the GBI Crime Lab by the evidence custodian or her designee. The detective assigned to 
the case is responsible for ensuring that the evidence has been submitted. If it has not, the assigned 
detective will complete the proper forms and have the evidence transported. 

2. Seminal Samples 
Articles bearing seminal stains will be air dried and then packaged in a paper bag. 
a. Seminal fluid which is deposited outside the body on sheets, garments, furniture, etc., is excellent 
scientific evidence, because of the lack of contamination with vaginal secretions. If seminal stains are 
present on bed clothing, these should be collected for examination. 
b. If seminal stains are still wet, these stains should be circled just outside the boundary of the stain and 
noted for the Crime Lab serologist who receives the case. 
c. Dried semen on an immovable object should be scraped carefully, using a razor blade, onto a sheet 
of clean white paper, which is then folded into a secure packet to prevent loss of scrapings. 
d. If the dried stain is too small or too thin a smear for scraping, it can be absorbed onto a small piece of 
gauze, which is dampened with saline. 
e. The gauze should be thoroughly air dried before packing into a paper bag or envelope. Liquid semen 
should be wiped onto a clean gauze pad and allowed to dry. 
3. Saliva Samples 
Saliva samples taken from live victims or suspects will be collected on a Q-tip, air dried, then packaged 
in a paper bag. At least 5 ml must be collected after the person has rinsed his/her mouth with clean 
water and spit out (discarded) fluid. The saliva must be free of phlegm and mucus. If the subject is 
unable to donate at least 5 ml, allow the person to chew on a clean rubber band to stimulate production. 
Foaming or bubbles in the sample is not considered part of the 5-ml volume necessary. Close the 
container so that leakage cannot occur. Properly seal and label the tube with the suspect's or victim's 
name, date, name or initial of Crime Scene Investigator and doctor or medical technician. Samples 
should be placed in an ice bath and transported IMMEDIATELY to the Crime Lab. 
Because of the potential for rapid deterioration of saliva samples, they may not be stored for later 
transportation. 
G. Hair Samples 
Hair samples will be placed in a ziplock bag or other sealable plastic bag. A minimum of twentyfive (25) 
randomly pulled hairs are necessary. Pubic hair should be treated in the same manner. A brush or a 
comb can be used to obtain some of the hairs for a standard, provided the brush or comb is clean. If 
combed/brushed hairs are collected, they can be submitted in separate plastic bags from the pulled 
hair. 
H. Crime Scene Sketches 
Crime scene sketches are prepared to supplement notes and photographs, and to provide accurate 
measurements of sizes of objects and their distance relationship to other objects present at a crime 
scene. A rough sketch will be completed at the crime scene, which will accurately show the location 
and relationship of pertinent evidence. The sketch should include any bodies, weapons, tools, or 
objects used in the commission of the crime. A specific detective will be assigned to complete the 
sketch by the Primary Detective. He will coordinate his sketch with the assistance of the Crime Scene 
Photographer, and indicate in his sketch, the location at which the crime scene photographs were 
taken. The triangulation from fixed objects shall be the method utilized to document the positions of 
these various items of evidence. The basic elements that will be included in the crime scene sketch are: 
1. Dimension and relevant measurements, to include triangulation for placement of relevant articles 
within the scene. 
2. Indication as to the direction of north to be placed in the upper right corner of the diagram. 
3. A legend located in the lower left corner of the diagram to include: 
a. Offense type; 
b. Location of incident; 
c. Date/time of diagram; 
d. Department case number; 
e. Detective completing the file; and 
f. A notation indicating if the sketch is, or is not, drawn to scale. 
After a rough sketch has been completed, this information will then be recorded on a final sketch. The 
completed detailed sketch will then be attached to the original crime scene report. 
Collection of Known Samples 

The State Crime Lab or Federal Crime Lab can only compare known items showing similar 
characteristics. 
Sufficient specimens or controls must be submitted for comparisons of such items as hairs, fibers, 
paint, glass, soil, tool marks, etc. Therefore, the investigating officer should also retrieve samples of 
known items in the same area for comparisons. 

J. Crime Scene Photography and Video Recording 
The objective of photographic documentation is to illustrate the condition of the crime scene as it exists 
in its original state, as found by the Detective. This will also be a method to preserve and record the 
scene in such a way that objects of evidentiary value may be viewed in their proper perspective, so as 
to correlate their relationship and significance to the crime scene. The collection of photographic or 
video evidence will be supplemented via detailed explanation or description within the required report. 
CID shall have properly trained and equipped personnel who have been specifically trained for crime 
scene photography. CID shall maintain available personnel to process crime scenes on a 24hour basis, 
seven days a week. 
1. Proper Equipment 
In addition to point-and-shoot digital cameras 8MP or higher in resolution capability, A properly 
equipped photographic kit should be maintained in the detective storage area within CID, which should 
include the following: 
A digital AF (auto focus) SLR (single lens reflex) camera with a standard 50mm lens or an equivalent 
digital camera. 
A 35mm single reflex (film)camera with a standard 50mm lens or an equivalent 35 mm camera will also 
be maintained in the detective storage room for use if required; 
A telephoto lens which is capable of distance variance of at least 75 to 250 ft; 
Closeup lenses to permit closeup photography of variance form +1, +2 and +4 magnification; 
Appropriate filter to include skylight and orange for use with the alternate light source; 
A detachable flash cord to permit removal of flash unit from the camera for side lighting of certain 
photographs; 
A flash unit to provide artificial lighting when necessary; and 
A photographically compatible ruler used for scale photography. 
Tripods 
Compass 
2. Scenes to be Photographed 
The following type incidents will be photographed (and videotaped) at the discretion of the CID 
Commander. Also, these incidents require a crime scene diagram: 
a. Homicides 
b. Suicides 
c. Accidental and natural deaths 
d. Suspicious deaths 
e. All felony assault cases, including child abuse, in which a detective is needed to take photographs 
and/or collect physical evidence from the scene. 
f. Rape cases as required by Primary Detective. 
g. Robbery and Armed Robbery cases in which the officer, after taking into account the physical scene 
and the victim and witness statements, determines that a reasonable probability exists that physical 
evidence (latentprints, foot prints, or items left by the perpetrator) may be obtained. 
h. The scene of a burglary when the circumstances meet any one of the following criteria and the officer 
has consulted with his supervisor: 
1. Incidents in which there is a known suspect; 
2. All incidents involving a dollar loss of $10,000 or more; 
3. Circumstances in which the M.O. indicates that the burglary was committed by an unknown suspect 
who has initiated a rash of burglaries within a recent period, or within certain defined geographical area. 
These instances will usually have been preceded by an identified pattern by a superior officer of the 
Patrol Division. 
4. Multiple incidents of burglary within the same apartment or business complex occurring in the same 
day or night; 

5. Occupied dwelling burglaries; 
6. All incidents of burglary in which the officer, after taking into consideration the physical scene, 
statements of victims or witnesses, and the overall circumstances, determines that a reasonable 
probability exist that valuable physical evidence can be obtained. 
i. Vehicular accidents involving the following criteria: 
1. All vehicular accidents in which the loss of life has occurred or is likely to occur; 
2. All accidents in which City vehicles are involved; 
3. At any accident in which photographic documentation is necessary, if it is evident that a civil suit may 
arise as a result of the accident, (e.g., the vehicle involved may represent a large transportation firm in 
such areas as trucking, bus or rail. Historical data suggests that accidents of this nature are more prone 
to be heard in a civil suit); 
4. An accident in which a pedestrian has been injured; and 
5. Any situation in which it is considered to be judged appropriate that photographs be taken, either by 
a Supervisor or the Patrol Commander. 
j. Photographs will be taken of all physical lineups in which a suspect has been identified. The 
photographer will record the name, sex, race and other identifying factors which would identify all 
suspects in the lineup and case number. 
NOTE: If a decision is made to conduct a physical lineup and use of a juvenile or juveniles is needed, 
prior permission must be granted from the Juvenile Court Judge before any photographs of a juvenile is 
made. If permission has been granted, the juvenile(s) parent or guardian must be present. Permission 
must also be obtained from the Juvenile Court Judge for expressed permission to photograph the 
juvenile in a lineup. A juvenile will have the same rights of counsel at a physical lineup, and all waivers 
obtained will be witnessed by a detective and the juvenile's parent or guardian. 
k. Photographs may be taken for the purpose of evidence release for judicial purposes, or for release to 
an owner. These photographs may be taken either at the scene, or at the location of recovery. The 
photograph will then become the responsibility of the case detective to ensure it is placed in the case 
file. The photographer will indicate in the supplement report, the name of the investigative officer and 
the manner in which the photograph was initialed for identification. 
l. Property which has been shoplifted and recovered at the scene will be photographed by the 
investigating officer. The photograph will be placed into the case file by the officer. 
m. All recovered vehicles will be photographed prior to their release back to the owner. If the owner is 
not located or if the vehicle is unable to be driven, the vehicle will be photographed at either the location 
of recovery or the impound lot. The photograph will then be released to the investigating officer who will 
be responsible for the proper entry of the photograph into the case file pending its need in court. 
n. Due to the wide variety of situations which can accompany incidents of theft, (including Entering 
Auto), it is impractical to attempt to draw specific guidelines. However, the same discretionary 
guidelines which apply to incidents of burglary can also be applied to most theft cases. Again, 
discretion should be used in determining the need for the detective on Criminal Damage and Criminal 
Trespass cases. However, the need for photographs on cases involving extensive loss or damage can 
be considered separately from the probability of obtaining other physical evidence. 
3. Video recording of crime scenes can be an invaluable way of preservation and/or reconstruction. 
Videotaping can also be invaluable for presentation in court because it tends to “put the jury at the 
scene.” Videotaping will generally be reserved for major crime scenes when, in the opinion of the 
primary detective and CID Commander, videotaping will be beneficial. In order for videotaping to have 
the most impact and value, the following should be adhered to if possible: 
a. Decide what needs to be videotaped. Like photography, video recording should begin by looking at 
the big picture, and then the minute details. 
b. One person should video tape and one person should narrate and guide the focus of the taping. If no 
one is available to narrate, or narration is not practical, the audio should be turned off to avoid outside 
noises distracting from the video. 
c. When video recording, all persons that are not absolutely necessary in the crime scene area shall be 
removed. 
d. Care should be taken not to disturb physical evidence prior to videotaping or during videotaping. 

e. When videotaping is used, the detective shall document this in the detective report and submit the 
original tape into evidence. Once a videotape has been made, it will then become an item of evidentiary 
value and be treated as any other evidence associated with the commission of a criminal offense. It will 
be properly identified as to the victim, location of occurrence, date and time, the case number, and the 
photographer. However, unlike still photographs, the videotape will be submitted to the Property and 
Evidence Room and retained in the secured area. 
K. Photographing Procedures at the Crime Scene 
Proper photographic documentation is essential for case preparation, analysis, and presentation, for 
both criminal or civil judicial review. Proper photographic techniques enhance the written report. The 
crime scene will be photographed in a systematic method to guarantee a visual image of the entire 
crime scene as well as minute or circumstantial trace evidence. 
1. The photographing of an interior crime scene shall begin with the establishing shot. Once inside the 
crime scene area, a 360-degree method of systematical documentation of the overall area will be used. 
2. On exterior crime scenes, a wide-angle establishment shot will be taken to identify the general area. 
The photographer will then begin to take photographs of entering shots to focus onto the specific area 
of concern. 
3. Overall crime scene photographs encompassing the geographical area and adjacent tract of land or 
street ways should be taken. These photographs should be taken from a distance that will include the 
entire area involved in the crime scene. Such photographs shall include street intersections, building 
configurations, and areas of entry or exit which may have been a part of the criminal event. 
4. Within the crime scene, photographs should be taken from a distance of ten (10) to twenty (20) feet 
from the object. The scene should reflect the location of the evidence, weapon, body, or other pertinent 
details of the crime scene. Clockwise photographs should be taken to ensure that sufficient detail is 
obtained and to tie the crime scene together, in order to tell a story to the court of the total 
circumstances surrounding the particular crime. 
5. Closeup photographs will be used to identify and to record individual items or small sections of larger 
items. 
These photographs will be taken at a distance of one (1) to five (5) feet, depending on the size of the 
item. The item should also appear in the full view photograph to show the relationship to other objects. 
When it is necessary to photograph items and demonstrate size, a measuring scale may be introduced 
into the photograph after a photograph of the item or scene has been taken without the scale. The 
introduction of a scale into a photograph would constitute an alteration of the scene and would thus 
negate the integrity of the photograph. 
This concept also applies to the introduction of any article which may appear in a crime scene 
photograph which was not an original element of the crime scene. This would include such notation 
devices as cones, pointers, markers, or any other articles which may be used to focus attention onto a 
specific item or location. Scale measured photographs may be necessary to show either length or width 
of such items as projectiles, blood spatters, weapons, wounds, fingerprints or any other articles present 
at the crime scene which may be of evidentiary value. Scale photographs may also be necessary to 
demonstrate the relative placement and distance of articles of evidence based on the location of a fixed 
point. 
6. Extreme closeups will be taken of latent prints, blood stains, tool marks, hair and fiber evidence, and 
other minute trace evidence which would not normally appear in other photographs. 
7. No crime scene photographs will be taken of deceased persons for the specific intent of creating 
undue sensationalism, or to elicit an exaggerated or disproportionate emotional response which is not 
consistent with the nature of the crime. 
8. All crime scenes in which personal harm has resulted as a consequence of an offensive action, shall 
be photographed in color. Black and white film may be used to document items of evidentiary value, 
and in those incidents in which it is not necessary to illustrate color differentiation. 
9. Artificial light, in the form of floodlights or electronic flashes, may be necessary in dark or poorly lit 
areas. Cameras issued to the Crime Scene Photographer will be compatible with the flash unit. 
The Photographer will be properly trained in flash photographs and knowledgeable of flash application. 
10. When appropriate, videotaping may supplement, but not replace, still photographs taken of a crime 
scene, in order to properly record particular elements that are not easily depicted in a photograph. 

Videotaping may be used at all scenes in which still photographs may be taken. 

11. Whenever it is not necessary to take photographs or process the crime scene, it will be the 
responsibility of the Primary Detective to so indicate in his written report. It will also be noted as to why 
no photographs or crime scene processing was not necessary. 
L. Court Admissibility of Crime Scene Photographs 
Legal precedents require that the use of photographs which are to be entered into judicial proceedings, 
must meet certain guidelines: 
1. The object photographed must be material, competent and relevant to the crime. 
2. The photograph should not be planned to excite emotional reaction from the viewer so as to attempt 
to prejudice the jury. 
3. The photograph must show the natural configuration of the crime scene without distortion. 
4. The photographer must be able to testify to the accuracy of the crime scene as depicted in the crime 
scene photograph. 
5. There must be a traceable chain of custody from the location of the development of the film to the 
time the film is requested in court. The detective assigned the case shall date and sign each 
photograph when he receives it from development. 
6. The photographer must be knowledgeable of the operational function of the camera used and the 
processes involved in the creating of the photograph. When a video camera is used, the photographer 
must be equally capable of explaining the operational function and limitations of the camera. 
M. Filing 
1. The caseassigned photographer will document his participation in the investigation of all criminal 
offenses, by submitting a written report detailing his actions, and the evidentiary value and disposition 
of all photographs taken of the crime scene. The report shall state the date and time of arrival at the 
crime scene and the location of the crime. The report will also indicate the number of photographs 
taken. 
2. This report will be submitted along with the investigator’s report, which will contain such detail as the 
listing of physical evidence collected, measurements taken of specific items, and location to 
supplement the crime scene sketch. 
3. The negatives and the actual photographs will be stored together. 
4. The development of all crime scene film will be the responsibility of CID. 
5. All crime scene photographs taken by the Crime Scene Detective will be properly documented as 
being as significant as any other item of evidentiary value. However, unlike other physical evidence 
which is placed into the custody of the Property and Evidence Unit, all evidentiary photographs will be 
placed in the case file by the Primary Detective assigned the case. 
N. Dissemination 
Only officers with a legitimate need, such as court or investigation, will be permitted to remove 
photographs from the case file. Under no circumstances are negatives to be released except with the 
expressed permission of the CID Commander. 
O. Patrol Division Photography Procedures 
Photographs are to be taken with an assigned point-and-shoot Digital camera. They will be downloaded 
from the camera onto the computer and submitted along with the incident report into the images tab 
(MDS) 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 17-07 Marijuana Identification and Testing 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 17-07 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 11/01/2018 
Subject: Marijuana Identification and Testing 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to outline the procedures to be utilized in the testing and identification of 
suspected marijuana. This testing will be the responsibility of the CID of the Auburn Police Department 
under the direction of the CID Commander and completed by certified marijuana examiners only. 
Certified marijuana examiners are those officers who have satisfactorily completed the Georgia 
P.O.S.T. 16-hour Advanced Marijuana Identification course and have received their certificates for 
Advanced Marijuana Identification from the Georgia Public Safety Training Center and the State of 
Georgia Division of Forensic Sciences. 
II. Materials Tested 
Leafy material suspected of being marijuana will be examined / tested, and only in cases where there is 
a suspect or an arrest. Marijuana seeds, defoliated stalks, and/or fibers from such stalks are 
non-testable items. Also, marijuana residue cannot be tested at our agency. Found marijuana as a rule 
will not be tested. Marijuana purchased during “Probable Cause” buys will only be tested at the 
direction of the CID and or Patrol Commander. 
III. Packaging of Marijuana 
1. Suspected marijuana to be tested will be packaged according to guidelines set forth in chapter 13 of 
this manual and 
Note: If the case involves a juvenile suspect, “juvenile” should be clearly written beside the suspect’s 
name. 
2. Suspected marijuana that is wet is to be secured in a sealed paper bag or paper envelope that will be 
clearly marked in the same manner as the plastic evidence bags. 
3. Abandoned marijuana will be sealed in a plastic evidence bag and placed in the property / evidence 
lockers at the Auburn Police Department with the exterior of the package being clearly marked with the 
following information: 
-Case number 
-Date 
-Officer’s name 
-Abandoned / Destroy 
IV. Documentation Required for Marijuana Evidence 
A completed property / evidence report and request for processing form will be attached to the 
evidence bag containing the suspected marijuana. If the case involves a juvenile suspect, “juvenile” 
should be written clearly on the property / evidence report and the request for processing form. 
V. Responsibility for Marijuana Evidence lock box 
The property / evidence lockers at the Auburn Police Department shall be the responsibility of the 
Evidence Custodian of the Auburn Police Department and maintained in accordance with established 
policy. Marijuana evidence to be tested will be relinquished to the marijuana examiner and documented 
on the property / evidence report. If testing is required after normal working hours or on a weekend the 
examiner will coordinate with the evidence custodian and will be issued a key to the marijuana 
designated lock box, which is a separate key and will only unlock the designated marijuana locker. The 
evidence custodian will maintain a sign out log book for this key. Prior to the end of normal working 
hours, the evidence custodian will place the marijuana evidence in that lock box. After the marijuana 
evidence has been tested and the property / evidence report completed it along with the lock box key 
will be locked in the designated property / evidence box. 

VI. Marijuana Testing (General) 
Testing will take place at the Auburn Police Department (or other designated facility as determined by 
the property and evidence custodian). Items used will include, but not limited to a top loading analytical 
balance weighing to at least .1 grams, a 30-50x magnification microscope with a reflective light source, 
Duquenois Levine test kits, Fast Blue B test kits, and a NIST (National Institute of Standards and 
Technology) traceable weight set. 
The balance and weights will be inspected annually by a certified inspector to ensure their accuracy 
and a record of such inspections shall be maintained by the CID Commander or his designated 
representative. 
VII. Definitions 
1. Gross Weight – combined weight of suspected marijuana and its packaging 
2. Net Weight – weight of suspected marijuana without its packaging 
3. Marijuana – cannabis plants or products of these plants having a high THC content 
4. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) – active ingredient in marijuana 
5. Positive Microscopy – suspected marijuana leaf fragments containing Cystolithic Hairs on the top 
and Covering Hairs on the bottom of the same leaf fragment 
6. Negative Microscopy – suspected marijuana leaf fragments that lacks either Cystolithic or Covering 
Hairs, or both 
7. Calibration – method of ensuring equipment’s accuracy 
8. Truncating – method for consistent reporting of results. Truncate to one decimal place and never 
round. Ex. .05749 oz. would be reported as .5 oz. An exception is 1.01 oz., which would be reported as 
1.01 oz. 
9. Sampling – obtaining suspected marijuana from as many bags as required to prove the highest 
penalty. The net weight of the entire sample in grams and ounces must be determined. If the total 
weight is less than or equal to one ounce*, then only one bag needs to be tested. If the total weight of 
the suspected marijuana is more than one ounce, then each bag must be tested. 
Note: One ounce of marijuana equals 28.75 grams 
VIII. Procedural Requirements 
Prior to and after testing the calibration of the top loading analytical balance will be checked using a 
NIST traceable Class 4 weight set. The results will be recorded in a calibration check logbook to ensure 
the accuracy of the balance. 
2. The suspected marijuana will be removed from the sealed evidence bag by the examiner. The gross 
weight and net weight of the suspected marijuana in grams will be obtained using the balance. This will 
be recorded on the testing data sheet. (Note: Net weight of suspected marijuana cigarettes, cigars, or 
other smoke-able forms will include their paper packaging). 
3. After sampling requirements have been determined, a portion of the suspected marijuana is 
examined using the microscope. This is the second step of examination in the testing process and is 
called Microscopy. A leaf fragment is located and the Cystolithic and Covering Hairs are observed on 
opposite sides of the same leaf resulting in positive Microscopy. If Microscopy is negative, testing is 
stopped, and the sample is deemed negative as marijuana. 
4. The third step or examination performed is chemical testing using both the Duquenois Levine Test 
and Fast Blue B test kits. Both test for THC. 
5. The Duquenois Levine test kit consists of three chemicals; 
a. The Duquenois Reagent which prepares the sample 
b. Hydrochloric Acid which develops purple or blue color within the kit 
c. Chloroform which causes two layers to form within liquid in the kit. A positive reaction is indicated by 
the purple or blue color from the top layer transferring into the bottom layer of liquid. 
The Fast-Blue B test kit consists of the following; 
a. Fast B Blue Reagent which prepares the sample 
b. Sodium Hydroxide which causes an orange color to develop. A positive reaction is indicated by the 
orange to reddish color change within the test kit. 
6. Positive Microscopy and positive reactions in both the Duquenois Levine test and Fast Blue B test 
must be observed in order for the suspected marijuana to have successfully tested positive. 

7. After examination, the material tested will be resealed in its original evidence bag and the examiner’s 
initials will be written across the seal. The evidence will then be maintained in the manner according to 
the evidentiary policies of the Auburn Police Department. 
8. The examiner will then initiate a written report indicating the following: 
a. Case number; 
b. Officer’s Name; 
c. Suspect’s Name; 
d. Date of examination; 
e. Net weight of the suspected marijuana; 
f. Examination results from microscopy and chemical tests; and 
g. Any other pertinent information. 
9. This report will then be attached to the original police report as a supplemental report on the MDS 
System. The examiner will then notify the CID Commander or his designated representative by email of 
the marijuana cases he has examined and the results. The report will be checked for completeness and 
then approved. The CID Commander will notify the Patrol Commander, who in return will notify the 
individual officers who made these cases. 
10. If a hard copy of the test results is needed for court it will be printed from the system and presented 
to the marijuana examiner for his signature. 
11. Refer to the attachments for sample copies of the marijuana test result format and the request for 
processing form. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 
AUBURN POLICE DEPARTMENT 
OFFICIAL REPORT 
MARIJUANA TEST EVALUATION 
CASE NUMBER: TEST DATE: 
ARRESTING OFFICER: SUSPECT: 
TOTAL NET WEIGHT: 
Weight Conversion: 28.35 grams = one ounce 
THE SUBSTANCE WAS TESTED MICROSCOPICALLY, AND THE RESULTS OF THAT TEST 
SHOWED FOR THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS 
(POSITIVE/NEGATIVE) 
OF MARIJUANA. 
THE SUBSTANCE WAS TESTED WITH THE DUQUENOIS-LEVINE REAGENT CHEMICAL TEST. 
THE RESULTS OF THAT TEST SHOWED THE SUBSTANCE TO BE 
FOR THE PRESENCE OF MARIJUANA. 
(POSITIVE/NEGATIVE) 
THE SUBSTANCE WAS TESTED WITH THE KN REAGENT (FAST BLUE B SALT) CHEMICAL TEST. 
THE RESULTS OF THAT TEST SHOWED FOR THE PRESENCE OF MARIJUANA. 
(POSTIVE/NEGATIVE) 
THE _POSITIVE RESULTS OF ALL THREE (3) TESTS LISTED ABOVE ARE CONCLUSIVE AND 
RECOGNIZED BY THE GEORGIA BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, DIVISION OF FORENSIC 
SCIENCES, AS SHOWING POSITIVE PRESENCE OF MARIJUANA. 
I HEARBY CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE THREE (3) TESTS WERE CONDUCTED BY THIS 
EXAMINER. THE RESULTS OF THOSE TESTS ARE INDICATED ABOVE. I FURTHER CERTIFY 
THAT I HAVE BEEN LICENSED BY THE GEORGIA BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, DIVISION OF 
FORENSIC SCIENCES, IN THE CONDUCTING OF THESE TESTS. 
EXAMINING OFFICER SIGNATURE: DATE: ___________ 
(printed name) ________________________________________ 
MARIJUANA IDENTIFICATION TECHNICIAN 
FINAL APPROVAL: 
Auburn Police Department 
Request for Evidence Processing 


Case Number ____________________________ Date _________________________ 
Officer Requesting Processing _______________ Squad ________________________ 
(please print) 
Offense _________________________________ Date of Offense ________________ 
Location of Offense _______________________________________________________ 
Description of Evidence ____________________________________________________ 

Type of Processing Requested: (check all that apply) 
Latent Prints 
Photographs 
Marijuana Identification 
Blood Evidence 
Trace Evidence 
Other __________________________ 
Officer's Signature ____________________________ Date ___________________ 
Processed by: Date ___________________ 
Signature: __________________________________ 
08/21/01 


Chapter 17-08 ICAC 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 17-08 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 11/01/2018 
Subject: ICAC Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force 

I. Purpose 
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines and procedures for Auburn Police Detectives 
participating in the ICAC Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force. 
II. Policy 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department to thoroughly investigate and prosecute all crimes 
against children. Only detectives who receive the required training related to internet crimes against 
children will be assigned to lead internet child-crime investigations. Only detectives who are properly 
trained shall seize and process computers, recording devices, or recording media for evidentiary 
purposes. Computer crimes against children include pornography and enticement for indecent 
purposes. 
III. Definitions 
A. ICAC 
“ICAC” or Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force - is a federally funded task force that extends 
throughout the Unites States and focuses exclusively on child predators who use the internet and 
electronic equipment to abuse and/or exploit children. The State of Georgia’s task force is headed by 
the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, High Technology Investigation Unit. 
B. Computer Forensic Examiner 
A Computer Forensic Examiner is a sworn member of the agency who is specially trained in the 
techniques of computer data recovery and seizure. The training consists of successful completion at 
the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in the Automated Environment Training Program, the 
International Association of Law Enforcement Computer Investigative Specialists computer forensic 
investigation classes, or the fellowship program offered by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. 
Investigators will also continue to train in forensic computer crime investigations after they begin 
serving in this capacity. 
C. Computer Equipment 
A computer monitor, CPU, hard drive, 1/0 device, modem, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or any device that is, 
or could, connect to a programmable machine that performs high-speed processing of numbers, as well 
as of text, graphics, symbols, and sound. Such equipment could connect with a wire or wirelessly and 
could be placed internally or externally in a main device. 
D. Recording Device 
CD ROM, floppy drive, tape drive, zip drive, jazz drive, magneto-optical drive, digital drive, or hard drive 
used to store data. 
E. Recording Media 
Floppy disk, jazz, zip, magneto-optical disk, digital drive or any tape or other type of media used to 
store data. 
IV. Procedures 
A. Participation and Memorandum of Understanding 
1. The Auburn Police Department has entered into a written agreement that will remain in effect for a 
minimum two-year period beginning on the last date of signing. Renewal of the agreement will be 
automatic unless the agreement is terminated by either party. Within this agreement, the authority and 
responsibilities of all agencies are outlined. Termination of the agreement can be made by the Georgia 
Bureau or Investigation or the Auburn Police Department, as established in the agreement. 

2. The written agreement provides for accountability of all agencies within the task force. This includes 
ethical responsibilities, investigatory accountability, prosecutorial accountability and operational 
management. 
3. The Auburn Police Department’s participation in the task force will be evaluated annually by the 
Criminal Investigations Division commander. The evaluation and a recommendation based on the 
needs of the department, the community, and the effectiveness of the investigations conducted will be 
forwarded to the Chief of Police who will provide a final decision of whether continued participation is 
necessary. 
4. The GBI ICAC may, at any time, inspect the Auburn Police Department ICAC work area and 
equipment. They reserve the right to remove or replace any equipment and cease participation with the 
task force. This is in accordance with federal guidelines set forth for all lead ICAC state agencies. 
B. Selection 
The Auburn Police Department will maintain at least one detective, unless manpower dictates 
otherwise, with the ICAC task force. As vacancies occur, the Criminal Investigation Division 
Commander will determine when the need exists to initiate a selection process. The following criteria 
will be considered before an appointment is made to the task force: 
1. Detective must have successfully completed probation and assigned to the Criminal Investigation 
Section. 
2. Detective must not have a history of disciplinary problems and must have maintained a meets 
standards evaluation for the prior year. 
3. Detective must have a good working knowledge of computer operating systems and the Internet. 
4. Detective must have a work history that demonstrates a history of self-initiation and good 
investigative case maintenance. 
5. The Criminal Investigations Division Commander will make a recommendation from a pool of 
qualified candidates to the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police will make the final decision on 
appointments to the task force. 
6. A Detective assigned to this position will be required to complete the following training classes within 
the first year of their assignment and may not lead an investigation until the required training is 
complete 
a. Introduction to Cyber Crime Investigative Techniques 
b. Undercover Chat Investigations 
c. Cyber Safety Presenter’s Course 
C. General Duties and Work Procedures 
1. Detectives assigned to this task force shall operate a computer containing various programs used for 
investigating child pornography and enticement crimes. These programs enable all communications 
between the officer and the suspect to be traced, recorded and stored on the computer system. 
2. Detectives shall fully document all activities, while online, by obtaining a case number through 
Barrow County 911 and completing a report. The type of report, whether miscellaneous or incident, will 
be determined by the detective. 
3. Evidence collected during these investigations will be stored in accordance with evidentiary 
procedures (Chapter 13 – Property and Evidence). 
4. Detectives assigned to the task force may receive cases to investigate from the GBI. Any information 
received from the GBI or any other agency is considered evidence and will be logged as such (i.e. 
CDs/DVDs). Task Force Detectives will notify their immediate supervisor who will in turn notify the Chief 
of Police. The assigned detective will obtain a case number and complete an initial report before 
beginning the investigation. All documentation will be recorded as required in Chapter 17 (Criminal 
Investigation Division) 
5. On a monthly basis, detectives assigned to the program shall submit a status report to the Georgia 
Bureau of Investigation’s High Technology Investigation Unit and the Criminal Investigations Division 
Commander detailing the activities for that time period. A copy will be forwarded to the Chief of Police. 
6. Detectives assigned to this program are trained to participate in the education and prevention of 
internet crimes against children in collaboration with local schools. This is designed to educate the 
parents, teachers and children on how to prevent this type of crime from entering their homes. 

7. Undercover operations conducted online are for the sole purpose of collecting evidence regarding a 
suspect’s predisposition to sexually exploit children. This will include persons manufacturing and/or 
distributing child pornography and their design, used to lure a minor into an illicit sexual relationship. 
a. Only on-duty, sworn, investigative personnel shall conduct online investigations in an undercover 
capacity. Private citizens shall not be used or act as police agents during any undercover activity. 
b. Online detectives will not, under any circumstances, upload, transmit or forward pornographic or 
sexually explicit images. 
c. No human images shall be uploaded, transmitted, or forwarded to any subject via the computer or in 
person. The only exception given is to employees of a law enforcement agency who have provided 
photographs of themselves in their youth and only when written consent accompanies the pictures. 
d. Images that are uploaded for investigative purposes shall be non-human. Image uploading will only 
be approved when the suspect initiates the action. 
e. Detectives involved in undercover/online investigations will require the suspect to set the tone, pace 
and subject matter of the online conversation during the actual dialogue phase. 
8. Identification and prioritization of subjects for investigative purposes will be based on the following 
conditions. All known factors are considered when prioritizing the targeted suspects to include: 
a. Whether the subject appears actively engaged in activity designed to lure a minor into an illicit sexual 
relationship. 
b. Whether the subject has a history of molestation or is in the position to allow for frequent contact with 
children. 
c. The proximity of the offender to City of Auburn and the Barrow County area. 
d. Whether the images received by the detective appear to be real. 
e. The number of independent transmissions of child pornography. 
f. The age of the person(s) depicted in the images. 
D. Computer Security and Work Area 
1. The ICAC computers will be located out of public view within the Criminal Investigation Division. The 
computers will be utilized exclusively for ICAC task force associated work or any work deemed 
admissible by the ICAC detectives. 
2. Task Force members will have a work area utilized to conduct the online investigation of crimes 
against children and the computer shall remain secured when not in use. 
3. Due to the nature of the materials transmitted and recorded, only those directly involved in the 
operation shall have access to the work area. 
4. The materials transmitted and recorded are digital evidence. Passwords are required for computer 
logon and these passwords will not be disseminated to anyone not assigned to work ICAC 
investigations. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 18 Courtroom Security and Procedures 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operation Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 18 
Effective Date: March 1, 2018 Revised: 03/01/2018 
Review: 11/01/2018 
Subject: Courtroom Security and Procedures 
Purpose: To establish procedures for Municipal Court and to outline the duties and responsibilities of 
those officers assigned to courtroom security. 

1. Personnel Responsibilities 
1.1. Court Coordinator 
1.1.1. The Chief of Police has the overall responsibility for security of the Police Department. The CID 
Commander or their designee shall be responsible for maintaining the physical security of the 
courtroom. The CID Commander and the Patrol Commander shall be responsible for designating a 
sworn, uniformed officer(s) to perform the duties of Court Coordinator and to assign additional staff as 
needed to maintain security of the courtroom as needed. 
1.1.2. The duties of the Court Coordinator or his designee include: 
1.1.2.1. physical security of the Judge, Solicitor and the court, including participants and spectators; 
1.1.2.2. escort and security of prisoners; 
1.1.2.3. conducting a search of the courtroom immediately prior to court for weapons, contraband, and 
appropriate equipment and completion of the Department’s Courtroom Security Checklist 
1.1.2.4. maintaining order; 
1.1.2.5. ensuring that the courtroom security plan is followed; and 
1.1.2.6. ensure during court sessions a minimum of one armed police officer remains in the courtroom 
at all times. 
1.1.2.7. other duties as included herein or assigned by the Chief of Police. 
1.3. Officers present as observers or awaiting their cases to be called shall be expected to enforce the 
procedures and regulations included in this policy. 
1.4. A survey will be conducted by the CID Commander and/or his designee prior to the review of this 
policy to ensure that there are no new situations that require a revision of current practices. A review of 
this policy will be done at least once every three years. 
2. Physical Security Plan 
2.1. The Police Department shall be responsible for maintaining the physical security of the courtroom 
during court proceedings. 
2.2. The Court Coordinator will arrive at least one hour prior to the beginning of court. 
2.3. Law enforcement personnel, on or off duty will be permitted to wear their weapon into the 
courtroom. 
3. Security 
3.1. Courtroom Operations 
3.1.1. Everyone entering the Public Safety Building during the hours before and during court will be 
checked with a metal detector. All weapons, including pocket knives, will be removed from individuals 
entering the building. When a firearm is removed from anyone entering the building officers will verify 
that the individual is lawfully carrying the firearm and prior to its return shall verify that it is not stolen. 
3.1.2. All lawful weapons may be returned when the owner exits the Public Safety Building. All unlawful 
weapons will be confiscated, police action if required and the property turned over to the 
property/evidence officer. 
3.1.3. Observers and participants will enter the courtroom from the lobby of the Public Safety Building 
through the lobby door of the court room. The main entrance from the outside of the building shall 
remain locked during court and no one will be allowed to enter directly from the outside of the building. 
3.1.4. All observers and participants will remain seated until their case is called. 

3.1.5. Once before the judge, participants will be separated from the judge and the court clerk by the 
judge's bench. Participants will not lean on the judge’s bench. 
3.1.6. After the case decision, the defendant may leave the courtroom through the lobby door only. The 
main doors shall only be utilized as an exit during an emergency situation 
3.1.7. At the end of the court session, the judge will leave the courtroom through the court clerks office, 
escorted by a court officer. 
3.2. Hand Carried Articles 
3.2.1. All hand carried object shall be searched prior to being carried into the court room. 
3.2.2. A subject may elect to remove the item or object in question rather than submit to the search. 
3.2.3. No object larger than a briefcase may be carried into the courtroom. 
3.2.4. The security officers may request to examine any object, its contents, or search the subject in 
possession of said object, upon the order of the judge, or as long as probable cause exists to believe 
the object presents a threat to the security of those in the courtroom or contains contraband. 
3.3. Restraint of Prisoners 
3.3.1. Some defendants that are in custody may be violent or pose a threat of violence. These inmates 
will be secured with waist chain, ankle chains and handcuffs, as the situation demands. 
3.3.2. Unless the threat of violence exists, inmates will not normally be physically restrained. 
3.3.3. The use of the restraints will be in compliance with the guidelines established in SOP "Search 
and Transport of Prisoners." 
3.4. Movement of Prisoners 
3.4.1. Prisoners held in the Gwinnett County Jail will be escorted to the courtroom by an on-duty officer 
just prior to their case being heard. The on-duty officer will escort the prisoner(s) in through the rear 
doors. 
3.4.2. Defendants sentenced to serve time in the jail will be moved to the authorized Detention Center 
in the same manner as in paragraph "3.4.1", above. 
4. Equipment 
4.1. The following equipment is available for use by court personnel. 
4.1.1. Handguns, handcuffs, and radios for bailiffs, 
4.1.2. Waist chains and Ankle Chains – Communications Room, 
4.1.3. Fire extinguisher Communications Room, 
4.1.4. FirstAid Kit 
4.1.5. Metal detector(s) 
4.2. The above list will be posted, and the bailiff will verify the presence of each item before each court 
session. The waist chains and metal detector will be placed under the bench prior to the beginning of 
each court session. 
4.3. The court security personnel will ensure that he/she has a working police radio, to allow for 
external communications. 
5. ACCESS 
5.1. The Winder Police Department’s Municipal Court recognizes the Americans with Disabilities Act 
(ADA) and as such will insure every effort in its compliance. 
Persons who suffer physical handicaps as outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may be 
allowed to enter/exit the courtroom through the main door directly into the courtroom where a hand-held 
magnetometer will be used by courtroom security. 
5.2. Persons who are required to appear in Municipal Court shall enter through the public entrance at 
the lobby of the police department as indicated by appropriate signage. 
5.3. Prisoners from the Gwinnett County Detention Center who are required to appear in court shall be 
escorted into the courtroom through the rear door. 
5.3.1. Prisoners will be escorted by a police officer from the Gwinnett County Detention Center to the 
courtroom. All prisoners will be dressed in Detention Center jumpsuits or attire for court appearance. 
No prisoner will be transported from the Detention Center to court in civilian dress. At no time will any 
type of temporary holding facilities be utilized for holding Municipal Court prisoners. 
5.3.2. A police officer will remain with the prisoners during the court proceedings. 
5.3.3. Prisoners will be seated in chairs located on the right side of the courtroom. 
5.3.4. Prisoners shall be separated from the rest of the defendants and spectators attending court. 

5.3.5. Prisoners shall remain handcuffed during court proceedings. 
5.4. Hand carried articles, such as purses, wallets, umbrellas, coats, etc., may be allowed in the 
courtroom. 
5.5. All persons entering the courtroom via the public entrance shall be required to pass through the 
free-standing magnetometer after delivery of metallic objects to court personnel manning the 
magnetometer. Any person who “alerts” through such field will be scanned by a hand-held 
magnetometer before being allowed into the courtroom. Any item perceived as a potential threat such 
as a knife, blunt object, screwdriver, etc., shall not be allowed into the courtroom. Persons in 
possession of such items shall be advised to return the items to their vehicle and upon reentry to the 
courtroom shall be checked again by the magnetometer. 
5.6. Articles such as briefcases, handbags, bags, or any item of a suspicious nature will be searched. 
6. POLICE WEAPONS IN THE COURTROOM 
6.1. All persons assigned to courtroom security duties are required to be in uniform, carry duty 
weapons, radios, and handcuffs in the courtroom. CID personnel will be in the uniform of the day with 
weapons. 
6.2. All sworn law enforcement personnel shall be permitted to wear their weapons into the courtroom. 
7. ESCORTING DEFENDANTS (Post trial) 
7.1. Once a case has been decided, a court clerk will inquire as to the capability of the person in 
satisfying the fine assessed by the court. If the person is prepared to pay the fine, the court clerk will 
direct them to the cashier in the front of the Public Safety building. 
7.2. If the person wants to pay the fine on probation, the court clerk will advise the person to sit down 
and a probation officer will interview the person at the conclusion of court. 
7.3. If the person is to be incarcerated, a police officer shall take charge of the person, and following 
court, shall escort him/her out the rear door to the Gwinnett County Detention Center. 
8. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES 
8.1. Alarms 
The courtroom shall be equipped with duress alarms which are easily accessible to the judge in the 
courtroom and to Municipal Court clerk. 
8.1.1. The alarms alert the Police Department’s Communications Center of a potential problem when 
activated. 
8.1.2. The CID Commander or his designee will assume responsibility should a problem arise in the 
courtroom. 
8.1.3. It will be the responsibility of the CID Commander or their designee to determine the nature of the 
courtroom incident and to determine the appropriate action to take. 
8.2. Fire/Bomb Threats 
8.2.1. In the event of fire, all courtroom officers will assist in evacuation. Persons appearing before the 
court and not in custody will exit out the main door of the courtroom and into the parking lot at the rear 
of the Public Safety Building. 
8.2.2. Prisoners will be escorted out the rear door of the courtroom. A police officer will stay with those 
persons in custody at all times. 
8.2.3. The judge will be escorted outside the building by a police officer through the side entrance to the 
courtroom. 
8.2.4. In the event of a fire, suspicious package(s) or a bomb threat, the Barrow County 
Communications Center and the CID Commander will be notified by an officer assigned to the 
courtroom. 
8.2.5. The Municipal Courtroom shall be equipped with a smoke detector type fire alarm and a fire 
extinguisher (for use in the event of a minor fire). A fire extinguisher is to be maintained in the lobby of 
the Public Safety building outside the main entrance of the courtroom. 
9. Emergency Medical Plan 
9.1. In the event of a medical emergency involving a person in custody, the Court Security Officer will 
maintain custody, contact the dispatcher, and request medical assistance. 
9.2. If the medical emergency involves a court participant or spectator, the Court Security Officer will 
maintain security of any prisoners that are present and request medical services from the dispatcher. 

9.3. If other police officers are present, the ranking officer will assume control and direct the actions of 
the Court Security Officer and responding units. 
10. Fire Response 
10.1. In the event of a fire in the Police Department or the courtroom, all court security personnel will 
assist in the evacuation. All persons will be directed through either the front main door or the rear door, 
depending upon the location of the fire. 
10.2. The Court Security Officer will notify the dispatcher of the fire and its location, and request any 
needed assistance. 
10.3. Fire extinguishers are available in the Lobby of the Public Safety Building if necessary. 
10.4. Any officers present will be expected to aid in evacuations and security of any prisoners. 
11. Unusual Occurrences and Special Operations Plans 
11.1. In the event of an unusual occurrence, the Court Security Officer or ranking officer present will 
assume control and request additional police, fire or medical assistance as needed. Some plans to deal 
with unusual occurrences include: 
11.1.1. Bomb Threats, SOP. 
11.1.2. Hostage Situations, SOP. 
11.1.3. Natural Disasters, City of Auburn Emergency Management Plan. 
11.2. Unusual occurrences not dealt with in this policy must be handled using the experience and good 
judgment of the responding officers. 
12. EXTERNAL COURTROOMS 
12.1. If Municipal Court is held at a location other than the designated courtroom located at 1361 4th 
Avenue, the procedures outlined in this SOP will be followed as they relate to security. 
12.2. The CID Commander or designee may include additional security measures as needed to ensure 
the security of the court proceedings, additional security measures may include, but not be limited to; 
assigning additional officers, establishing secure entries and exits for prisoners, and other logistical 
needs as determined by the location. 
12.3. In the event that fines are collected at the external location, steps will be taken to ensure the 
security of this process. A location external from the courtroom shall be utilized for the collection of 
fines. The selection of the location shall take into account pedestrian flow patterns into and out of the 
courtroom. A secure cash box and Departmental cash register will be utilized and shall be monitored by 
a uniformed officer. 
12.4. Officers assigned to courtroom security at an external location will have a Departmental issued 
portable radio. In the event that a duress alarm is not available at the location, a cellular telephone will 
be located on the judge’s bench and will be utilized as an alternate means of communication in the 
event of an emergency. 
13. MANPOWER ALLOCATION 
Staffing for Municipal Court incorporates the deployment of employees of the City of Auburn Police 
Department. The CID Commander and Patrol Commander shall have component responsibility for the 
subsequent staffing of all identified positions needed for adequate courtroom security as needs arise. 
STAFFING RESPONSIBILITIES 
13.1. A police officer shall be stationed at the front of the courtroom and shall be responsible for the 
coordination of prisoner transports to and from the detention center, providing general courtroom 
security and security for the municipal court judge. 
13.2. A uniformed police officer shall be stationed at the public entrance to the courtroom and shall be 
responsible for operation and monitoring of the free-standing metal detector and hand-held wand as 
subjects enter the courtroom and shall provide general courtroom security. Additional personnel may 
be added to this position as staffing avails itself. 
13.3. A uniformed police officer shall be stationed at the front of the courtroom after assisting with 
prisoner transports and shall be responsible for monitoring prisoners from the detention center while 
they are in the courtroom. 
Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Chapter 19 Cellular Telephones 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 19 
Effective Date: May 1, 2018 Revised: 05/01/2018 
Review: 11/01/2018 
Subject: Cellular Telephones 

PURPOSE 
The purpose of this policy is to insure the safety of officers by providing complete information through 
the most effective means available and providing for the efficient operation of the department. 
POLICY 
This policy sets forth the department rules and regulations regarding the use of department issued 
cellular phones as well as the use of personal cellular phones while on duty as a member of this 
department. 
PROCEDURE (For use of a DEPARTMENT ISSUED (“DI”) CELLULAR PHONE) 
General Use. Cellular phones are provided to certain officers in order to enhance the efficiency of the 
department. Officers who are assigned these phones should make every effort to utilize other means of 
communication where possible and appropriate. 
Cellular phones shall be used primarily for department business except: 
When a personal emergency exists and use of a land-line is not possible or practical. 
When an officer is required to work beyond their normal shift and family notification is necessary. 
When it allows citizens involved in a police event, either as victims or witnesses, to contact family 
members, employers, child care providers, etc. to inform of their possible delay. 
When it is used to contact reporting parties, informants, and other citizens where such calls relate to 
department business. 
When it is utilized to return calls, which result from unidentifiable calls or pages. 

C. On Call Policy 
1. The City’s Police Department exists to provide 24-hour protection to the citizens of the City of 
Auburn. For this reason, it may be necessary from time to time for Police Department personnel to be 
“on-call” while they are off duty. The purpose of this policy is to outline the department’s expectations 
and the employees’ agreement to use their DI cellular phone to be available and on-call in certain 
circumstances when they are off duty. Employees will be notified by command personnel when they are 
required to be on-call. 
2. When an employee is “on-call”, he or she is free to be anywhere they choose and to attend to any 
personal or other activities while on-call. 29 CFR § 785.17. On-call supervisory employees (Lieutenants 
and Sergeants) will be able to reach the City within one hour, if necessary. On-call employees should 
have access to their cellular phones at all times while they are on-call. If an employee is called to return 
to work, the employee will be compensated for returning to work. If the employee is not actually called 
into work, on-call time, including time spent on the telephone, is not considered to be time worked, and 
therefore, is not compensable. 29 CFR § 553.221(d). 
D. Miscellaneous issues relating to cellular phone use 
City Facilities - Officers should refrain from using a “DI” cellular phone when they are in any City-owned 
facility where there is access to a city (hardline) phone. 
Car to car communications - Officers should refrain from using cellular phones in order to relay 
information about a police incident where such information would provide for the safety of all officers 
responding to said incident. The information should be communicated to all officers either through the 
dispatcher or through lap-top electronic messaging. 
Operating a police vehicle - Except in an emergency where other official means of communication have 
been severed, officers should not operate a police vehicle while using a cellular phone. Unless faced 
with such an emergency, all calls and texting should be made from a stationary position, unless hands 

free and voice activated device is used 
Public Use of Cellular Phone - Officers should refrain from using cellular phone while in public. Unless 
faced with an emergency, officers shall be discreet in their use of a personal cellular phone. 
Officers will be required to reimburse the City for personal usage of “DI” cellular phone. Reimbursement 
fees will be set at a rate determined by the rate at which the City is billed for cellular service. No DI 
issued cellular phone shall be used for transmitting personal photographs. 
The use of DI issued cellular phones shall comply with Section 10.10 of the City’s Personnel Manual 
regarding Cell Phone Use. 
PROCEDURE FOR USE OF PRIVATELY-OWNED CELLULAR PHONES WHILE ON 
DUTY. 
Operating A Police Vehicle - Except in an emergency where other means of communication have been 
severed officers shall not operate a police vehicle while using a cellular phone. Unless faced with such 
an emergency, all calls and texting shall be made from a stationary position, unless the device is hands 
free and voice activated. 
Public Use of Cellular Phone - Officers should refrain from using a cellular phone while in public. Unless 
faced with an emergency, officers shall be discreet in their use of a personal cellular phone. 
Use of Cellular Phones while on a Paid Detail - Officers shall not use cellular phones while working paid 
details unless some emergency exists, or it becomes necessary for an officer to briefly call home. 
Usage - Officers shall limit their use of personal cellular phones such that their duties to the department 
are not compromised. 
Police Communication - Except in an emergency, or where necessary as a matter of a strategic plan to 
overcome the possibility that communications will be overheard, (i.e. Scanner) and where other official 
department communication methods are unavailable, officers shall not utilize a personal cellular phone 
to by-pass official means of communication. Officers should refrain from using cellular phones in order 
to relay information about a police incident where such information might compromise the safety of all 
officers responding to said incident. The information should be communicated to all officers through the 
dispatcher or through lap-top electronic messaging. 
Car to car communications and Supervisory Assistance shall be done primarily via the police radio in 
order to enhance officer safety and to establish and maintain a taped record of the event. 

Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police 


Social Media Policy 

Auburn Police Department Standard Operating Procedures 
Authorized By: Christopher Hodge 
Chief of Police 
SOP: Chapter 20 
Effective Date: February 1, 2020 Revised: 00/00/0000 
Review: 02/01/2020 
Subject: Introduction 

I. PURPOSE 
To establish the Auburn Police Department’s position on the utility and management of social media 
and provide guidance on its management, administration, and oversight by Department personnel both 
on-duty in the course of their official duties and off-duty when identified as members of the organization, 
or otherwise pursuant to their official duties in the public arena. 
II. POLICY 
It is the policy of the Auburn Police Department that all personnel use computers, computer 
applications, computer programs, Internet resources and network/Internet communications in a 
responsible, professional, ethical and lawful manner. Department employees are prohibited from 
posting, transmitting, and/or disseminating any photographs, video or audio recordings, likenesses or 
images of department logos, emblems, uniforms, badges, patches, marked or unmarked vehicles, 
equipment, or other material that specifically identifies the Department, on a personal or social 
networking website or web page, without express written permission of the Chief of Police. 
III. DEFINITIONS 
Blog: A self-published diary or commentary on a particular topic that may allow visitors to 
post responses, reactions, or comments. 
Blogosphere: Denotes the world of blogs and refers to all the blogs and blog interactions on the 
internet. 
Chat: An interaction on a website, with a number of people adding text items one after another into the 
same space at nearly the same time – differs from a forum because the conversations happen in “real 
time.” 
Comments: Responses to a blog post, news article, social media entry, or other social networking post. 
Feed: A list of user’s recent tweets which can be posted on other sites such as Facebook or an 
agency’s website. 
Forums: Discussion areas on websites where people can post messages or comment on existing 
messages at any time. 
Page: The specific portion of a social media website where content is displayed and managed by an 
individual or individuals with administrator rights. 
Post (noun): Content that an individual shares on social media or similar site or the act of publishing 
content on such a site. 
Post (verb): The act of creating, uploading, editing, or adding to any social media outlet. This includes 
text, photographs, audio, video, or any other multimedia file. 
Profile: Information that a user provides about himself or herself on a social networking or similar site. 
Social Media: A category of Internet-based resources that integrate user-generated content and user 
participation. This includes, but is not limited to, social networking sites, blogs and microblogging sites, 
photo and video sharing sites, wikis, and news sites that permit user contributed content. 
Social Networks: Online platforms where users can create profiles, share information, and socialize 
with others using a range of technologies, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Usenet Group 
message or on-line bulletin boards, blogs, wikis, news sites or other similarly developed formats. 
Speech: Expression or communication of thoughts or opinions in spoken words, in writing, by 
expressive conduct, symbolism, photographs, videotape, or related forms of communication. 
Tweet: A post or status update on Twitter of 280 characters or less. 

Wall: The users own profile page and the updates it contains. People can write updates on your wall 
that are viewable by all your friends. 
Web 2.0: The second generation of the World Wide Web focused on shareable, user-generated 
content, rather than static web pages. Some use this term interchangeably with social media. 
Wiki: Web page (s) that can edited collaboratively. 
YouTube: An online video community that allows users to upload video content, share that content, and 
view the videos uploaded by others. Viewers are able to rate videos and leave comments. 

IV. PROCEDURE 
Where the Auburn Police Department uses social media to advance the purposes and goals of the 
organization, the following procedures shall apply to these officially-sanctioned uses: 
A. General Operating Procedures for Department-Sanctioned Use of Social Media 
1. Where possible, each social media page shall include an introductory statement that 
clearly specifies the purpose and scope of the agency’s presence on the website. 
2. When appropriate, the page (s) should link to the Department’s official website. 
3. Social Media page (s) should be designed for the target audience (s) such as youth or 
potential police recruits. 
4. All Department social media sites or pages shall be approved by the Chief of Police or 
his/her designee and shall be administered by the Departmental Information Technology Section or 
otherwise determined. 
5. Where possible, social media pages shall clearly indicate they are maintained by the 
Department and shall have Department contact information prominently displayed. 
6. Social media content shall adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and policies, 
including all information technology and records management policies. 
7. Content may be subject to public records laws. Relevant records retention schedules 
can apply to social media content. 
8. Content must be managed, stored, and retrieved to comply with public records laws. 
9. Where possible, social media pages should state that the opinions expressed by 
Visitors to the page (s) do not reflect the opinions of the Department. 
10. Pages shall clearly indicate that posted comments will be monitored and that the 
Department reserves the right to remove obscenities, off-topic comments, and 
personal attacks. 
11. Pages shall clearly indicate that any content posted or submitted, or posting is subject 
to public disclosure. 
B. Conduct During Department Sanctioned Use of Social Media 
When representing the Department via social media outlets: 
1. Employees shall always conduct themselves as representatives of the Department 
and, accordingly, shall adhere to all Department standards of conduct and observe 
conventionally accepted protocols and proper decorum. 
2. Employees shall identify themselves as a member of the Department unless law-
enforcement purposes dictate otherwise. 
3. Employees shall not make statements about the guilt or innocence of any suspect or 
arrestee, or comments concerning pending prosecutions, nor post, transmit, or 
otherwise disseminate confidential information, including photographs or videos, 
related to Department training, activities, or work-related assignments without 
express written permission. 
4. Employees shall not conduct political activities or private business. 
5. The use of Department computers by Department personnel to access social media 
is prohibited without authorization. 
6. Department personnel use of personally owned devices to manage the Department’s 
social media activities or in the course of official duties is prohibited without express 
written permission from the Office of the Chief of Police. 
7. Employees shall observe and abide by all copyright, trademark, and service mark 
Restrictions in posting materials to electronic media. 
C. Recognized Uses for Department-Sanctioned Social Media Presence 

1. Social media is a valuable investigative tool when seeking evidence or information 
about: 
Missing Persons 
Wanted Persons 
Gang Participation 
Crimes perpetrated online (i.e. cyberbullying, cyberstalking) 
Photos or videos of a crime posted by a participant or observer 
D. Use During Employment Screening 
1. Persons seeking employment and volunteer positions use the Internet to search for 
opportunities, and social media can be a valuable recruitment mechanism. This 
Department has an obligation to include Internet-based content when conducting 
Background investigations of job candidates. 
2. Searches should be conducted by a non-decision maker. Information pertaining to 
protected classes shall be filtered out prior to sharing any information found online 
with the decision makers. 
3. Search methods shall not involve techniques that are a violation of existing law. 
4. Vetting techniques shall be applied uniformly to all candidates. 
5. Every effort must be made to validate Internet-based information considered during 
the hiring process. 
E. Personal Use of Social Media 
Barring state law or binding employment contracts to the contrary, Department personnel shall 
Abide by the following when using social media. 
1. Department personnel are free to express themselves as private citizens speaking on 
matters of public concern on social media sites to the degree that their interests in 
engaging such speech is not outweighed by the Department’s interests against 
impairing the maintenance of discipline by supervisors, impairing working 
relationships of this Department for which loyalty and confidentiality are important, 
impeding the performance of duties, impairing discipline and harmony among 
co-workers, interfering with the operation of the Department, undermining the mission 
of the Department, conflicting with the responsibilities of the personnel, or abusing 
one’s authority or public accountability. The instances must be judged on a case-bycase 
basis. 
2. As public employees, Department personnel are cautioned that speech on-or-off-duty 
made pursuant to their official duties is not protected speech under the First 
Amendment and may form the basis for discipline if deemed detrimental to the 
Department. 
3. For safety and security reasons, Department personnel should be cautious where they 
Disclose their employment with this Department. As such, Department personnel are 
Prohibited from the following: 
Displaying Department logos, uniforms, or similar identifying items on personal web pages. 
Posting personal photographs, or providing similar means of personal 
recognition, that may cause them, or another officer, to be identified as a 
police officer of this Department. Officers who are, or who may reasonably 
be expected to work in undercover operations, shall not post any form of 
visual or personal identification. 
4. When using social media, Department personnel should be mindful that their speech 
becomes part of the worldwide electronic domain. Therefore, adherence to the 
Department’s Code of Conduct is required in the personal use of social media. 
5. Department personnel may not make any statements, speeches, appearances, 
endorsements, or publish materials that could reasonably be considered to represent 
the views or positions of this Department without express authorization from the Chief of Police. 
6. Department personnel should be aware that they may be subject to civil litigation for: 
Publishing or posting false information that harms the reputation of another 
person, group, or organization (defamation). 

Publishing or posting private facts and personal information about someone 
without permission that has not been previously revealed to the public, is not of legitimate public 
concern, and would be offensive to a reasonable person. 
Using someone else’s name, likeness, or other personal attributes without that 
person’s permission for an exploitative purpose. 
Publishing the creative work of another, trademark, or certain confidential business information without 
the permission of the owner. 

7. Employees should be aware that there is no reasonable expectation of privacy when 
engaging in social networking online. As such, the content of social networking 
websites may be obtained for use in criminal trials, civil proceedings, and 
departmental investigations. Such content may have a detrimental impact on 
criminal investigations or judicial proceedings. 
8. Department personnel should be aware that privacy settings and social media sites are 
constantly in flux, and they should never assume that personal information posted on 
such sites is protected. 
9. Department personnel should expect that any information created, transmitted, 
downloaded, exchanged, or discussed in a public online forum may be accessed by 
the Department at any time without prior notice. 
10. Reporting violations – Any employee becoming aware of/or having knowledge of a 
posting or of any website or web page in violation of the provision of this policy shall 
notify his or her supervisor immediately for follow-up action. 
11. Except in the performance of an authorized duty, employees may not utilize 
Department computers to access social networking sites, blogs, bulletin boards, or 
similar media in a manner contrary to the City of Auburn Employees’ Manual 
Chapter 10; entitled, “Internet, Computer Use and Cell Phone Use.” 
12. Except in the performance of an authorized duty, employees may not utilize personal 
computers, cell phones, or other devices to access social networking sites, blogs, 
bulletin boards, or similar media while on duty if such access is contrary to the City 
of Auburn Employees’ Manual Chapter 10; entitled, “Internet, Computer Use and 
Cell Phone Use.” 
13. Employees having personal web pages or other types of Internet postings which can 
be accessed by the public, shall not place, or allow to be placed, photographs or 
depictions of themselves dressed in uniform and/or displaying official identification, 
patches or badges, or in any way, either directly or indirectly, identify themselves as 
an employee of the department for any reason, without the approval as indicated in 
this policy. 
14. Employees having personal web pages shall not use their rank, title, or position in a 
manner that would suggest that they are representing the interests or official position 
of the police department. 
15. Photographs of the inside of any police building or vehicle, as well as any crime or 
accident scene shall not be posted without consent of the Chief of Police. 
16. When engaging in the personal use of social media, employees shall not post any 
photograph, audio, video, illustration, or any other multimedia file related to or 
depicting any of the following: 
Brandishing any Department-owned weaponry, actual or simulated, or 
any contraband whether actual or simulated. 
Brandishing any Department-owned tactical instrument, including but not 
limited to: firearms, ASP, baton, OC spray, electrical control weapon and/or 
mechanical restraints. 
F. Approval Process 
1. An employee seeking approval to use references to the Auburn Police Department on 
a personal website, web page, or other public forum shall submit a request for 
approval to the Chief of Police via the chain of command. 
2. Employees who post photos, comments or other material pertaining to other 

Department employees must inform and seek approval from the employee (s) 
before posting same. 
** The Auburn Police Department reserves the right to access, audit and disclose, for whatever reason, 
all content, messages, photographs, videos, and any other information created, transmitted or received 
via the use of any equipment issued or maintained by the Department. This includes, but is not limited 
to, records of all key strokes or web-browsing history made at any department computer or over any 
department network ** 

Christopher Hodge Date 
Chief of Police