Chief's Preface
The Riverside Police Department Policy Manual is the result of countless hours of research, consultation and review of modern police procedures, evolving law and emerging best practices. It is a living document; additions, changes and deletions will inevitably be required, almost from the date of its publication. Nonetheless, issuing this manual is necessary to provide guidelines for our personnel and to give insight to the communities we serve into how we do our jobs and what they can expect from us.
Each of us has an obligation to become familiar with the manual, to abide by its policies and to ensure that our comportment reflects the Department’s Core Values and Mission Statement and the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics, all of which are incorporated into the Policy Manual. The manual is not, however, a substitute for critical thinking and good judgment. No written guidance document can anticipate the entire range of human behaviors that police employees might encounter, nor can every contingency be predicted. We are all expected to follow policy.
Occasionally, given the complex and nuanced nature of police work, we may need clarification from a supervisor as to how to interpret the manual in a specific situation. Always, we are expected to use our best professional judgment and our basic human decency to guide our actions. When we act thusly, we will have honored the many RPD heroes who have preceded us.
Be safe and do good.
Larry V. Gonzalez
Police Chief