Section 6-A200. PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES

 

200.1It shall be the duty of each member of the force to thoroughly familiarize himself or herself with the Metropolitan Police Manual by the time he or she completes recruit training school.

 

200.2Notwithstanding the assignment of specific duties and responsibilities to members of the Metropolitan Police Force by the provisions of the Metropolitan Police Manual, all members of the force shall perform all other duties as may be required of them by competent authority. Policewomen shall, according to rank be governed by the rules laid down for the guidance of male members of the department.

 

200.3In carrying out the functions of the department, namely, the preservation of peace, the protection of life and property, the prevention of crime, and the arrest of violators of the law, all members of the force and employees of the department and all branches, districts and bureaus thereof shall direct and coordinate their efforts in a manner as will tend to establish and maintain the highest standard of efficiency.

 

200.4Members of the force shall be held to be always on duty, although periodically relieved from the routine performance of it; shall always be subject to orders from the proper authorities and to call from citizens; and the fact that they may be technically off duty shall not be held as relieving them from the responsibility of taking proper police action in any matter coming to their attention requiring that action.

 

200.5Members of the force shall promptly obey any order emanating from any superior officer. If an order emanating from any superior officer conflicts with a previous order from any other superior officer, or with any general, special or memorandum order, or provisions of the manual, the member of the force to whom such order is given shall respectfully call attention to that conflict of orders, and if the officer giving the order does not change the order so as to obviate that conflict, his or her order shall stand and the responsibility shall be his or hers, and the person obeying the order shall not be held in any way responsible for disobedience of any orders theretofore issued.

 

200.6On the occurrence of a disturbance it is the duty of the police to restore order and disperse the crowd by moderate efforts or persuasion, if possible. If those efforts fail, force shall be used and the principals arrested.

 

200.7Members of the force shall display coolness and firmness at all times and shall act in concert and protect each other in times of peril. Any shrinking from responsibility or danger shall be deemed gross neglect of duty, for which penalty is removal from the force.

 

200.8Members of the force shall not be concerned, directly or indirectly, in making any compromise or arrangement, between suspected violators of the law and persons who are alleged to have suffered by their acts.

 

200.9Members of the force shall not communicate, verbally or in writing, directly or indirectly, in any manner or form, any information which may enable persons guilty of criminal or quasi-criminal acts to escape arrest or punishment, or dispose of or secrete any money or other valuables the proceeds of crime, or to destroy any evidence which would establish guilt.

 

200.10Members of the force shall not, except by permission of a superior officer, communicate to anyone but a member of the force any information respecting specific orders he or she has received, or about his or her contemplated movements.

 

200.11Members of the force shall not serve civil process; nor shall they render assistance in civil cases. They shall, however, prevent breaches of the peace and quell disturbances growing out of those matters and protect United States Marshals in the discharge of their duties.

 

200.12Members of the force shall not smoke, nor carry unlighted cigars, pipes, or cigarettes in their mouths while in uniform on any public space except between the hours of 12 midnight and 8:00 A.M. They shall not during these permissible hours or at any other time smoke or carry unlighted cigars, pipes, or cigarettes in their mouths if on detail at any public or private assembly, while directing traffic, or while engaged in conversation with citizens or superior officers. The term "public space" as used in this section shall be held to include streets, sidewalks, tree space, public parking and public parks, but shall not include alleys or courts. Smoking in storerooms and garages shall not be permitted at any time.

 

200.13Members of the force shall familiarize themselves with the statutes, laws, and regulations in force in the District of Columbia, and failure to do so, or to take action respecting violations of those statutes, laws, and regulations coming to their attention or about which they have knowledge shall be deemed neglect of duty.

 

200.14Members of the force and employees of the department shall not intentionally come in contact with persons suffering from diphtheria, scarlet fever, smallpox, or other contagious diseases, or with those in attendance on those persons, except by authorization of a member of the Board of Police and Fire Surgeons.

 

200.15When a member of the force has come in direct contact with a patient having a contagious disease, or has been exposed to contagion, he or she shall at once notify his or her police surgeon and comply with instructions.

 

200.16Members of the force shall be vigilant in the matter of locating persons suffering from malignant, infectious, or epidemical diseases, reporting those cases promptly to the health department through their stations.

 

200.17In all cases of accident or illness requiring an officer's attention, members of the force shall render prompt assistance, taking any action as may be necessary in the premises.

 

200.18Members of the force shall not allow any excavation in public space or the construction of any building, stand, fence, or structure of any kind, without proper permit therefor.

 

200.19Members of the force shall promptly report the existence of leaking water pipes on any premises to the occupant thereof or to the agent or owner. If unable to locate either, or if it is on public space, it shall be reported through the station to the water department.

 

200.20When a member of the force discovers a fire, he or she shall first make every effort to arouse the occupants of the premises and in order to better accomplish this end, he or she shall seek all possible aid from persons available at the scene. He or she shall then sound an alarm of fire by telephone to fire-alarm headquarters, or turn in an alarm from the nearest fire alarm box, whichever means is more readily available. The member shall prevent interference with the firefighters by pedestrians or traffic, and make a report at the station of all facts and circumstances. If the fire is of suspicious origin, he or she shall make a thorough investigation with a view to prosecution.

 

200.21Any member of the force who finds a dead body or learns of a case where death has ensued without a physician having been in attendance shall immediately notify the Communications Division and the station clerk on duty in the district where the body is found and receive instructions relative to further proceedings. The officer on the scene shall do the following:

 

(a)Note all particulars;

 

(b)Not disturb or permit the disturbance of the body or surroundings;

 

(c)Allow no unauthorized person within the premises or near the point where the body is found until such time as a member of the Homicide Section or the Medical Examiner has arrived and taken charge;

 

(d)Not handle or permit the handling of weapons, glassware, furniture, or other smooth surfaced objects; and

 

(e)Maintain, as near as possible, the scene in exactly the same condition as discovered by him or her.

 

200.22Each member of the force shall be held responsible for the proper performance of the duties assigned him or her and for the strict adherence to the rules and regulations adopted from time to time for the government of the police department.

 

200.23It shall not be received as an excuse or justification for anything a member of the force may do contrary to the rules and regulations, or for anything he or she may omit to do, that he or she followed the advice or suggestion of any other person, whether connected with the police force or not, except when an officer of higher rank may take upon himself or herself the responsibility of issuing direct and positive orders.

 

200.24For any serious neglect of duty or violation of the rules of the department an officer may suspend from duty any subordinate, and for similar causes the Chief of Police may be suspended by the Mayor. When a member of the force is suspended, a report shall be made, through proper channels, to the Chief of Police who, if he or she approves of the report, shall make recommendations to the Mayor.

 

authority

Unless otherwise indicated, the authority for provisions in this chapter is An Act approved February 28, 1901, as amended by An Act approved June 8, 1906, 34 Stat. 222, and para. 95 of § 402 of Reorganization Plan No.3 of 1967, D.C. Official Code, Title 1 Appendix, at 154 (1973).

source

Regulation No. 72-2, approved January 14, 1972. 18 DCR 417 (February 7, 1972).