GENERAL ORDER G-109-22: BIAS-FREE POLICING
Find below complete policy content or download the official directive.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to emphasize the Division’s commitment to fair and bias-free treatment of all people and to clarify the circumstances in which our personnel may consider specified characteristics when carrying out duties. Fair and bias-free policing enhances legitimate law enforcement efforts and promotes trust within the community.
DEFINITIONS
Biased Policing – Discrimination in the performance of law enforcement duties or delivery of police services, based on personal prejudices or partiality of agency personnel toward classes of people based on specified characteristics.
Fair and Bias-free Treatment – Conduct of Division personnel wherein all people are treated in the same manner under the same or similar circumstances irrespective of specified characteristics.
Police Services – Actions including enforcement of the law and ensuring the well-being of the public. These include but are not limited to: mental and physical welfare checks, death notifications, public assistance, medical and lifesaving emergencies, crime prevention, public information, and community engagement.
Specified Characteristics – Real or perceived personal characteristics, to include but not limited to race, ethnic background, national origin, immigration status, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, age, disability, or political affiliation.
PROCEDURES
I. BIASED POLICING CONSIDERATIONS
A. Biased policing is prohibited.
B. Division personnel shall take equitable enforcement actions and provide bias-free services to all people in the same or similar circumstances. This does not mean that all people in
the same or similar circumstances must be treated identically. Reasonable concessions and accommodations may be made when dealing with people with disabilities, injury, or illness,
etc.
C. Division personnel may only consider specified characteristics when credible, timely intelligence relevant to the locality links a person or people with a specified characteristic(s) to a particular unlawful incident, or to particular unlawful incidents or criminal patterns.
D. This restriction on the use of specified characteristics does not apply to law enforcement activities designed to strengthen the Divisions relationship with its diverse communities.
II. TRAINING
The Commander, Training shall ensure that training in biased policing issues (including legal aspects and the psychology of bias) and cultural diversity issues are provided regularly to each Basic Police Academy and, at a minimum, biennially during in-service training.
III. CORRECTIVE MEASURES
A. Supervisors shall ensure that all personnel under their command are familiar with the content of this policy and are operating in compliance. Supervisors are responsible for being alert to any language or conduct indicating bias.
B. If biased policing occurs, the member found to be in violation shall be subject to the full range of disciplinary options described in 300 Code of Conduct and in RP-25 Corrective/Disciplinary Action and may be subject to remedial training.
IV. ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
A. The Lieutenant Colonel, Administrative Operations may request input from Division staff members to address any new issues or areas of concern in our policies, procedures, and practices as they relate to biased policing.
B. The Lieutenant Colonel, Administrative Operations shall ensure a documented annual administrative review of agency practices, including citizen concerns, concerning biased policing is completed no later than February 15th each year and submitted to the Chief of Police. At a minimum, this review shall include:
1. An analysis of citizen complaints and/or comments received regarding biased policing; and
2. An overview of training conducted; and
3. Recommendations, if any, for changes in Division policies, procedures, and practices.
C. The Lieutenant Colonel, Administrative Operations shall maintain this review according to the Library of Virginia Retention Schedule.
