Metropolitan Police Department Washington D.C.

Subject:

Vehicular Driving Safety Program

Series      Number

301         08

Effective Date

October 23, 1981

Revision Date

*

 

 

 

 

 

 

The purpose of this order is to establish the policies and procedures neces­sary to ensure the safe operation of department vehicles an foster the department’s vehicular Driving Safety Boards Program for the recognition of safe driving practices. This order consists of the following parts:

 

Part I    Responsibilities and Procedures for embers of the Department

          A.   Vehicular Safety.

          B.   Infractions.

          C.   Disciplinary Action.

          D.   Safe Driving Awards.

          E.   Quarterly Reporting Requirements.

 

Part II   Responsibilities and Procedures for supervisory and Command

Personnel

          A.   Commanding Officers.

          B.   Director, Planning and Development Division.

PART I

 

A.   Vehicular Safety.

 

1.   It shall be the policy of this department that all members of the force shall drive defensively and exercise the utmost regard for the safety of the public and themselves, and the protection of property while operating department vehicles.

 

2.   Members who operate department vehicles shall give their full time and attention to the operation of the vehicle and shall comply with pertinent traffic regulations and department procedures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Publication

 

Effective Date

Page Number

General Order 301.08

 

October 23, 1981

2 of 4

 

 

 

B.   Infractions.

 

1.   Whenever an official of this department observes any infraction of this policy by a subordinate, the official shall, depending upon the nature of the infraction and the explanation provided by the subordinate member:

 

a)   Counsel the member regarding the infraction, or

b)   Cite the member by executing PD Form 750 (Dereliction Report).

 

2.   If practical, the official shall stop and counsel the offending member at the time of the infraction.

 

3.   If it is impractical for the official to stop the member at the time of the infraction, he/she shall obtain whatever information is necessary to identify the operator for subsequent counseling.

 

4.   Officials citing members for infractions shall prepare an original and one copy of PD Form 750 and forward both copies to the member’s commanding officer. (NOTE: In those cases where the citing official is assigned to an organizational element Other than the one to which the offending member is as­signed, dispositions shall not be entered on PD Form 750. (This information shall be entered by the member’s commanding officer.)

 

5.   Multiple infractions shall be recorded on the same P3 Form 750.

 

6.   Officials citing members for parking infractions may issue the operator a Form 750 in addition to a Notice of infraction.

 

C.   Disciplinary Action:

Discipline administered for violations of the departments vehicular safety policy shall be tailored to fit the offence; however, commanding

officers shall adhere to     the following guidelines whenever a PD Form 750 is issued for driving infractions:

 

1.  Upon receipt of the first PD Form 750, the member shall be counseled and warned and the form filed without prejudice.

 

2.  Upon receipt of a Form 750 within a 12-month period the member shall be counseled and the form filed prejudice.

 

3.  Upon issuance of a third PD Form 750 within a 12 - month  recommendation for adverse action shall be Submit­ted to the Administrative Services Officer through the member’s commanding officer.

 

 

Publication

 

Effective Date

Page Number

General Order 301.08

 

October 23, 1981

3 of 4

 

 

 

(NOTE: These guidelines for disciplinary action do not preclude a ­commanding officer from recommending adverse action by the Administrative Services Officer or any single incident when the nature of the infraction warrants such action.)

 

4.   Accidents involving department vehicles shall be handled in ac­cordance General Order 301.1 (Vehicle Operation and Maintenance).

 

D.   Safe Driving Awards

Vehicular Driving Safety Award shall be awarded to the organi­zational element achieving the lowest preventable accident rate based upon the number of miles traveled during each quarterly period. 

 

1.              For this award, an organizational element must accumulate a minimum of 200,000 total driving miles during the quarterly period.

 

2.              The Chief of Police shall present the winning organizational element with a Safe Driving Pennant to be flown on the element’s flag staff for the following quarterly period.

 

3.              If the element does not repeat as the award winner for the next quarterly period, the Safe Pennant shall be transferred to the next award winner.

 

4.   The organizational element achieving the lowest preventable acci­dent rate during the calendar year shall be presented, for permanent retention and display, a plaque signifying the element’s driving safety record.

 

E.   Quarterly Reporting Requirements.

 

1.   As of 0001 hours on the first day of January, April, July and October, all organizational elements (including the Motor Pool) having regularly assigned vehicles (including motorcycles and motor scooters) shall execute PD Form 187 (Quarterly Mileage Report).

 

2.   The Vehicle Maintenance Branch shall execute a PD 187 for all vehicles on hand for repairs as of 0001 hours on the first day of each quarterly period.

 

3.   The beginning and ending odometer readings and the total miles driven during the quarter shall be recorded on PD Form 187 for all vehicles as­signed to the element.

 

 

 

Publication

 

Effective Date

Page Number

General Order 301.08

 

October 23, 1981

4 of 4

 

 

 

4.   By the third day of each reporting period, an original copy of PD Form 187 shall be forwarded to the Director, Planning and Development Division.

 

 

PART II

 

A.   Commanding Officers shall be responsible for:

 

1.   Counseling subordinate members who are cited for Infractions of the departments vehicular safety program and recording dispositions on PD Form 750.

 

2.   Serving the original PD Form 750 upon each offending member and filing the second copy on the left-hand side of the member’s unit personnel folder.

 

3.   Notifying the citing official of the disposition whenever the of­ficial is assigned to another organizational element.

 

B.   Director, Planning and Development Division shall be responsible for:

 

1.   Establishing the criteria by which the quarterly and annual Driving Safety Award winners are to be determined. This criteria shall be based on the mileage data and the accident data retrieved from the records of the Motor Vehicle Accident Review Board.

 

2.   Determining the organizational element to be awarded the Safe Driving Award end making appropriate arrangements for the award presentation by the Chief Of Police.