26-116 Absentia Bookings

Department Notice

San Francisco Police Department

This document is not an official representation of the published policy. To access the official signed policy, please submit a request through our Public Records Request Portal.

26-116
Published: 
Expire: 
(Update to DN 18-033)

This notice services as guidance for absentia booking procedures as DGO 5.09 was rescinded on September 2, 2026, per Police Commission Resolution 26-45 (see DN 26-098). This notice also explains when a hospitalized arrestee may be booked in absentia, the procedures for completing the absentia bookings, and how to release the arrestee from custody if the District Attorney declines to file charges.

An arrestee booked in absentia remains in SFPD custody at the hospital until physically booked at County Jail, the Sheriff’s Department assumes custody at the hospital, or the District Attorney declines to file charges and the release procedures are completed (see below).

Absentia Booking

An arrestee may be booked in absentia when all of the following apply:

  1. The person is under arrest.
  2. The physician in charge has admitted the person to the hospital.
  3. Discharge from the hospital is imminent.

Approval and Processing

  1. The arresting officer's OIC or Platoon Commander approves the absentia booking by completing and signing the Absentia Letter (Form 594).
  2. The Absentia Letter and the booking card is brought to the Sheriff’s Department (County Jail CJ#1) for processing.
  3. The arresting officer’s OIC or Platoon Commander should send an email to [Redacted] notifying them of the absentia booking.

Releasing Suspects from Custody Once They Have Been Booked in Absentia

If the District Attorney’s Office declines to file charges after the arrestee has been booked in absentia, members shall complete the following steps:

  1. The investigator assigned to the case shall notify Field Operations Bureau (who organize the hospital watch schedule) and the officers on the hospital watch that the District Attorney’s Office has declined to file charges.
  2. The hospital watch officers shall contact the Sheriff’s Department Watch Commander and request that the Sheriff’s Department initiate the out-take process. The Sheriff’s Department will need:
    • The arrestee’s name, including aliases.
    • The name used to admit the arrestee to the hospital, if different.
    • The arrestee’s room and/or ward location.
  3. Officers shall remain with the arrestee at the hospital until a Sheriff’s Department representative completes the out-take process. Officers are not to release the arrestee via 849B.

/s/
DERRICK J. LEW
Chief of Police