DGO3.02 "Terms and Definitions"

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 

This order clarifies and standardizes the meanings of certain terms commonly used throughout the Department. The following terms will be interpreted in all Department communication according to these definitions, except when another definition is specifically stated. 

I. POLICY 

TERM AND DEFINITION

City and County: The City and County of San Francisco. 

Charter: The Charter of the City and County of San Francisco.

Commission: The Police Commission.

Chief: The Chief of Police.

Department: The San Francisco Police Department.

Bureau: A primary subdivision of the Department. 

Division: A primary subdivision of a bureau.

District: An administrative area composed of patrol sections, sectors and beats commanded by a captain. 

Section: A geographic subdivision of a district or an organizational sub-unit of a division. 

Unit: A subdivision of a section or a synonym for any organizational subdivision. 

Squad: A group of officers supervised by a sergeant.

Sector: An area of motorized patrol.

Beat: An area of foot patrol.

Post: A fixed location to which a member is assigned.

Member: Any sworn officer or non-sworn employee of the San Francisco Police Department.

Officer: Persons appointed to the Department as full-time, regularly salaried police officers under Section 830.1 of the California Penal Code.

Supervisory Officer: An officer, usually a sergeant, assigned to directly supervise subordinates. 

Commanding Officer: An officer, usually holding a rank of captain, in charge of any unit of the Department. 

Officer-in-Charge: In the absence of a commanding officer, the senior-ranking officer present for duty in a unit.

Commissioned Officer: An officer holding the rank of lieutenant or higher.

Non-Commissioned Officer: An officer holding the rank of sergeant.

Patrol Special Officer: A private patrol person appointed by the Police Commission under Section 3.536 of the Charter as the owner of a Patrol Special Beat. 

Assistant Patrol Special Officer: A private patrol person appointed by the Chief of Police to assist a Patrol Special Officer.

Week: Seven (7) successive twenty-four (24) hour periods commencing at 0001 hours Sunday.

Day: The twenty-four (24) hour period commencing at 0001 hours and ending at 2400 hours the same date.

Watch: A tour of consecutive hours within a day or overlapping into another day.

Shall/ Will/ Must: Mandatory. 

May: Permissive.

Should: Permissive, but recommended. 

Policy: Overall plan, general goal, philosophy. 

Procedure: A uniform process by which tasks are accomplished.

Chain of Command: Hierarchy of authority.

Superior Officer: A commissioned or non-commissioned officer in charge of subordinates. 

Reserve Officer: Part-time police officer appointed by the Chief of Police pursuant to 830.6 P.C.