PHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENT DIRECTIVE 7.19

Issued Date: 02-13-15 Effective Date: 02-13-15 Updated Date:

SUBJECT: DEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATION AND AUTHORITY PLEAC 1.4.1, 1.4.2 ______

1. PURPOSE

A. The mission of the Philadelphia Police Department is to work in partnership with the community and others to fight crime and the fear of crime, including terrorism; enforce laws while safeguarding the constitutional rights of all people; provide quality service to all of our residents and visitors; and create a work environment in which we recruit, train and develop an exceptional team of employees. (PLEAC 1.4.3 a)

B. In order to comply with the mission of the department, an organizational structure with a paramilitary, hierarchical design is necessary to ensure efficient operations.

C. The Philadelphia Police Department utilizes the chain of command principal in which personnel report to their immediate supervisors and commanders. Each member shall be responsible, or accountable to, their regular immediate supervisor, except when working on a special assignment, incident or temporarily assigned to another unit. In such cases, the member shall be accountable to the first-line supervisor in change of the assignment or incident. Each organizational component shall be under the direct command of only one (1) supervisor or commander.

D. This directive establishes the organizational structure and functions of the department and operational components therein. ______

2. DEFINITIONS

1. Command Level – A position that has the authority and accountability over multiple units or platoons and has managerial level employees reporting to it.

2. Managerial Level – A position that has the authority, responsibility and accountability over a single unit or platoon and has supervisory level personnel reporting to it.

3. Supervisory Level – A position that has direct authority, responsibility and accountability over operational employees.

4. Operation Level – A position that provides direct service to the community, first line employee, or is supervised by another.

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3. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

A. Police Commissioner: The chief executive officer of the department. The Police Commissioner is selected by the Mayor, and appointed by the Managing Director. The Police Commissioner has the responsibility for the departments:

1. Management 2. Direction 3. Planning 4. Policy 5. Staffing 6. Performance 7. Control

B. The following ranking of sworn personnel exists in the Philadelphia Police Department. This ranking shall exist in normal day-to-day operations, exceptional situations (emergencies, special events, etc.), situations involving personnel of different functions engaged in a single pre-planned operation, and the absence or disability of the Police Commissioner. (PLEAC 1.4.1a, b, c, and d)

1. SWORN PERSONNEL

a. COMMAND LEVEL

1) Police Commissioner (Four stars) 2) First Deputy Commissioner (Three stars) 3) Deputy Commissioner (Three stars) 4) Deputy Commissioner (Two stars) 5) Deputy Commissioner (One star) 6) Chief Inspector 7) Inspector 8) Staff Inspector 9) Captain

b. MANAGERIAL LEVEL

1) Lieutenant

c. SUPERVISORY LEVEL

1) Sergeant 2) Corporal

DIRECTIVE 7.19 - 2 d. OPERATIONAL LEVEL

1) Detective 2) Police Officer 3) Police Officer Recruit

2. CIVILIAN PERSONNEL

a. COMMAND LEVEL

1) Deputy Commissioner 2) Director 3) Deputy Director

b. MANAGERIAL LEVEL

1) Manager

c. SUPERVISORY LEVEL

1) Supervisor

c. OPERATIONAL LEVEL

1) Specialist 2) Clerical/Civilian Employee 3) School Crossing Guards

C. The Philadelphia Police Department Organizational Chart describes the structure of the department and shows the relationship of components within the entire organization. The organizational chart shall be periodically reviewed and updated as needed.

D. For the specific organization and structure of districts and units within the department refer to the organizational chart, accessible on the department intranet homepage.

E. Job classifications and delineation of duties and responsibilities for sworn and civilian positions are available to all personnel through the City of Philadelphia, Office of Human Resources (OHR) Department, Philadelphia Police Personnel, and the Philadelphia Civil Service Commission. ______

4. COMMAND PROTOCOL AND PROCEDURES

A. Emergency or Exceptional Situations are those in which only minimal preparation can occur, and those involving personnel of different functions in a pre-planned operation.

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1. In emergency or exceptional situations, those in which only minimal preparation can occur, and those involving personnel of different functions in a pre-planned operation, personnel will be guided by the Incident Command System (ICS/NIMS). (PLEAC 1.4.1b, 1.4.1c)

2. The Philadelphia Police Department will use ICS/NIMS. Members will work within the ICS position descriptions and follow the designated reporting relationships, regardless of their non-emergency positions/ranks or everyday administrative chain of command.

3. The first officer on the scene will direct responding units until relieved by a supervisor. The first supervisor/commander from a Regional Operations Command (ROC) arriving on the scene of any emergency shall be the Incident Commander (IC). The Incident Commander may be relieved by a higher ranking official from the ROC or Command Inspections Bureau (CIB). Transfer of the Incident Command should depend on the nature of the incident and the abilities of the person handling the incident. The highest ranking supervisor/commander on scene will assume command of the situation and be responsible for ICS functions, until relieved on-scene. (PLEAC 1.4.1b, 1.4.1c) The Incident Commander is responsible for:

a. Having clear authority over the incident. b. Ensuring incident safety. c. Establishing an Incident Command Post. d. Setting priorities and determining incident objective and strategies. e. Establishing the ICS organization needed to manage the incident.

B. Routine, Day-to-Day Operations

1. Personnel shall adhere to, and utilize, the chain of command except when prevented by exigent circumstances, or when exempted by existing regulations. Personnel shall not bypass the established chain of command without first consulting with the appropriate supervisor. (PLEAC 1.4.1d)

2. Personnel will report to one immediate supervisor. (PLEAC 1.4.1d)

C. During anticipated absences of the Police Commissioner, the Police Commissioner will designate the “acting” Police Commissioner, which would be in the following order:

1. First Deputy Commissioner (Three Star) 2. Deputy Commissioner (Three Star); 3. Deputy Commissioner, Patrol Operations; 4. Deputy Commissioner, Specialized Investigations and Homeland Security; 5. Deputy Commissioner, Organizational Services; 6. Deputy Commissioner, Office of Professional Responsibility;

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7. Chief Inspector, ROC North/ROC South (order based on time in rank)

a. Remaining Chief Inspectors based on time in rank.

D. In situations in which the Police Commissioner is unexpectedly absent from office or becomes disabled, and/or mentally or physically unfit for office, an “acting” Police Commissioner will be selected by the Mayor, and appointed by the Managing Director. However, in an emergency, the Police Commissioner’s succession will follow the chain delineated in Section 3-C of this directive. ______

5. ORDERS FROM A SUPERIOR – PROCEDURES

A. Lawful Orders.

1. A lawful order is any order pertaining to the performance of any duty, issued either verbally or written with the signature of the Police Commissioner, any Deputy Police Commissioner, Chief Inspector, Director, Inspector, Staff Inspector, Captain, Manager, Lieutenant, Sergeant, Supervisor, or Corporal, and necessary for the preservation of good order, efficiency, and proper discipline of the Department and its members.

2. Personnel shall promptly obey and execute any and all lawful orders of a supervisor. This shall include orders relayed from a supervisor by a member of the same or lesser rank. (PLEAC 1.4.2)

B. Conflicting Orders

1. Personnel who are given an order that is in conflict with a previous order or regulation shall respectfully call attention to such conflict. If the supervisor giving the order does not alter or retract the conflicting order then the order shall stand and, under those circumstances, the responsibility shall be the supervisor's. In such situations personnel obeying the conflicting order shall not be held responsible for disobedience of any order issued.

2. When an order contrary to the provisions of any previous order, rule, regulation, or directive is given to a member, the member shall comply with the order unless it is a violation of the law, and shall thereafter submit a memorandum through the chain of command to the issuing officer/supervisor’s Commanding Officer stating the facts and circumstances. (PLEAC 1.4.2)

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C. Disobedience to Unlawful Orders

1. No member shall obey an order known to be contrary to federal or state law, or City Ordinance. Members shall respectfully inform the issuing officer/supervisor of an order’s illegality. If necessary, a supervisor of a rank superior to both members will be consulted to resolve the matter. (PLEAC 1.4.2) ______

BY COMMAND OF THE POLICE COMMISSIONER ______PLEAC – Conforms to the standards according to the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission

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