Denver Police Department Policy Manual

The Denver Police Department (DPD) publishes a Policies & Procedures library available on the city website, covering patrol functions, investigations, use of force, vehicle operations, internal investigations, and community interaction. The manual reflects a modern city — with growing population, mountainous terrain, multiple jurisdictions, and an emphasis on supervisor accountability and training integration.

For DPD promotion study, begin by downloading the policies index and identifying sections that frequently trigger liability or supervisory focus: use of force, pursuits, searches, detainees, complaints, internal investigations, and training responsibilities. Build a layered study plan: operational topics first, supervisory topics next, then administrative/documentation topics. For each policy, develop a supervisory summary: what you must do, document, and review when something goes wrong or when you take over a unit.

Key DPD policy topics to emphasize:

- Use of Force & Critical Incident Response – multi-unit coordination in challenging terrain and jurisdictional overlays.
- Vehicle Pursuits & High-Risk Driving – mountainous terrain, highway intersections, multi-county pursuit protocols.
- Arrest, Search & Detention – legal thresholds, transport, juvenile custody, and multi-agency interactions.
- Complaints, Internal Investigations & Supervisor Review – high emphasis on supervisor accountability, documentation, and corrective action.
- Training & Supervisor Responsibilities – continuing education, field training, evaluation of subordinates, and post-incident review.

Promotion candidates should connect each topic to realistic Denver-area situations such as mountain rescue coordinates, interstate pursuits, or complex protest responses.

In DPD promotional exams:

1. **Expect scenario questions that combine terrain or jurisdictional challenges with policy decisions.** For example, a pursuit crossing city-county lines or an incident near high-altitude terrain.
2. **Highlight “must review” lines.** Many policies require the supervisor to “review the report” or “notify the commander”; mark those during study.
3. **Use timeline drills.** Build short time-line exercises: what happens within the first 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 2 hours of a critical incident and what paperwork or notifications are required at each step.
4. **Update tracking is key.** DPD policies evolve; record changes and review updated sections before promotion boards.