HOOVER POLICE DEPARTMENT
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
EFFECTIVE DATE:

03/01/2005

SUBJECT: ADMINISTRATION Biased Policing

REVISION DATE:

SECTION:

100.03

APPROVED BY:
Nicholas C. Derzis, Chief of Police

Purpose:
The purpose of this policy is to reaffirm the Hoover Police Department’s commitment to
unbiased policing and to reinforce procedures that serve to maintain public confidence by
providing service and enforcing laws in a fair and equitable manner.
Procedures:
A.

Officers should keep in mind the “probable cause” and “reasonable suspicion” criteria for
their stops and searches. Traffic enforcement and pedestrian contacts are routinely
performed by officers but for the motorist or pedestrian who are stopped it is frequently
an emotionally upsetting experience. Officers should be aware of these conditions and
should strive to make each contact educational and leave the motorist or pedestrian with
an understanding that the officer has performed a necessary task in a fair, professional
and friendly manner.

B.

It is the poliey of the Hoover Police Department that all police-initiated actions, which
include all investigative detentions, traffic stops, arrests, searches of persons and/or
property by officers, will be based on a standard of reasonable suspicion or probable
cause as required by the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and statutory
authority. Officers must be able to articulate specific facts, circumstances and
conclusions that support probable cause or reasonable suspicion for the arrest,
investigative detention or traffic stop. Officers shall not consider race, ethnicity, national
origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation in establishing either
reasonable suspicion, probable cause, or as a basis for requesting consent to search.

C.

Officers should take into account the reported race, ethnicity or national origin of a
specific suspect or suspects in the same way they would use specific information
regarding age, height, weight, etc. about specific suspects.

100.03