25-003 Call Prioritization for Auto-Burglary Incidents

The purpose of this Department Notice is to outline new SFPD and Department of Emergency Management (DEM) procedures regarding prioritization of Auto-Burglary (852) calls for service which took effect in November of 2024. 

852 In Progress: Calls in which the suspects are actively engaged in an auto-burglary or are still in view of the reporting party, will be coded as an A-priority and will be dispatched accordingly. This will also apply if the suspects have left the scene but are being watched or followed by a witness. Dispatchers will not break any officers from any A or B priority runs and will not go out of district for a unit to respond to an 852 in progress.

The primary mission of officers responding to an 852 in progress is to search for and apprehend the suspect(s). The officer’s response and the 852 report are separate matters. Officers are not expected to meet with the reportee unless a suspect is arrested. Dispatch will follow the rules of a cold 852 report and advise the reportee accordingly.

852 Just Occurred: Calls in which the suspects have already committed the auto-burglary, have left the scene and are no longer being observed by the reporting party, will be coded as “Information Only”.

Dispatchers will advise reporting parties, depending on the type of loss, to file a report online, by calling 311, or by responding to the district station for a counter report. However, it should be noted that in the following circumstances, a call for service will be dispatched for an officer’s response and report:

• Evidence is left behind at the scene (blood, fingerprints, suspect’s property, evidence of another crime such as narcotics, stolen property, etc)
• Value of loss is $50,000 or more
• A firearm is stolen in the incident
• The reporting party insists on a police response
• Other circumstances which the dispatcher believes warrants a police response (i.e. such as an elderly or vulnerable reporting party, suspect is known by the victim such as a DV case, etc.)

/s/
WILLIAM SCOTT 
Chief of Police

Per DN 23-152, all sworn & non-sworn members shall electronically acknowledge this Department document in PowerDMS within (30) thirty calendar days of issuance. Members whose duties are relevant to this document shall be held responsible for compliance. Any questions regarding this policy should be sent to [email protected], who will provide additional information.