Chicago Police Department Policy Manual

The Chicago Police Department publishes directives that cover operations, supervision, use of force, investigations, community interactions, and administrative responsibilities. The public directives portal organizes policies by series and topic, giving officers and supervisors a way to locate current expectations for a wide range of situations.

For promotion-focused study at agencies that use a directive system like Chicago, a good starting point is to map the directive series to major exam topics: use of force, vehicle operations, supervision and discipline, complaints and investigations, domestic incidents, juveniles, and crisis response. Candidates can then build a reading plan that moves series by series, prioritizing sections that define supervisor duties, reporting requirements, and review processes. It is helpful to track which directives have been recently revised, since exams and boards often emphasize current standards.

Key CPD directive areas that promotion candidates commonly prioritize include:
- Use of force, reporting, and review
- Encountering armed or potentially armed subjects
- Vehicle pursuits and emergency driving
- Supervision, discipline, and corrective action
- Complaint intake and internal investigation procedures
- Domestic violence, juveniles, and vulnerable populations
- Crisis intervention and mental health-related calls
- Documentation, notifications, and incident review boards
Studying by topic rather than directive number makes it easier to connect the material to realistic scenarios and decisions.

When preparing for promotion, CPD officers often:
- Build a list of “priority directives” linked to each major exam topic
- Summarize, in their own words, what each directive expects from a supervisor
- Identify key decision points: when a supervisor must respond, notify someone, or initiate a report
- Practice written or oral responses to scenario questions that involve multiple directives at once.
It is also important to pay attention to any department training bulletins or supplemental guidance that may clarify how particular directives are applied in practice.