Detroit Police Department Policy Manual

The Detroit Police Department (DPD) publishes its policy manual and directives on the city website, organized into chapters and individual directives that cover administration, operations, support services, and personnel. The manual describes how DPD expects officers and supervisors to conduct patrol, use force, handle complaints, manage evidence, and lead personnel in a large Midwestern city with a mix of dense urban, neighborhood, and industrial environments.

For DPD promotion prep, start by reviewing how the manual is structured into chapters and directives. Build an index in your notes with each chapter (e.g., Administration, Operations, Support Services, Personnel) and the directives that are most likely to impact supervisory decision-making. Focus first on operations and personnel directives that address use of force, pursuits, arrests, detainee handling, complaints, discipline, and evaluations. For each directive you study, write a brief explanation of what you must do as a supervisor when the directive is triggered.

Key Detroit Police policy topics to emphasize include:

- Use of force and weapons directives: definitions, reporting, reviews, and expectations for de-escalation.
- Patrol and operations directives: patrol deployment, calls for service, traffic enforcement, and special operations.
- Vehicle pursuits and emergency driving: criteria for pursuits, risk assessment, and supervisory control.
- Complaints and internal investigations: processes for intake, investigation, findings, and corrective actions.
- Personnel and discipline directives: performance expectations, evaluations, corrective actions, and formal discipline.
- Community engagement and neighborhood problem-solving: policies that guide long-term partnerships and problem-oriented policing.

Promotion candidates should connect these topics to realistic Detroit-area calls and incidents.

When preparing for DPD promotional exams:

1. Build quick-reference sheets for high-liability directives, especially those involving force, pursuits, and detainees.
2. Practice scenario questions where you must make decisions as a supervisor and then identify which directive supports your actions.
3. Pay attention to directives that involve Board of Police Commissioners oversight, policy directives, or special orders, as these can shape how discipline and policy review are handled.
4. Track any newly posted or revised directives in the online policy library and prioritize them in your final review before testing.