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Newport News Police Department
ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL
ADM-140 – WRITTEN DIRECTIVE SYSTEM
Amends/Supersedes: ADM-140 (12/04/2023) Date of Issue: 05/19/2025
I. GENERAL
A. The Newport News Police Department maintains a written directives system to establish agency policies,
procedures and guidelines. All directives are for departmental use only and do not apply to any criminal
or civil proceedings. Departmental written directives should not be construed as a creation of higher
legal standards of safety or care in an evidentiary sense, with respect to third party claims. Violations of
these directives only form the basis for departmental administrative action.
B. The Chief of Police is the final authority for issuing all written directives unless another issuing authority
is specified in this policy. No directive may be issued, modified, published or implemented with the Chief
of Police’s approval. [12.2.1(b)]
C. When creating new or revising existing directives, language that places the department and its
employees in conflict with any existing law, city policy or accreditation standard are prohibited. [12.2.1(i)]
II. WRITTEN DIRECTIVES FORMAT
The department’s written directives consist of different manuals, memoranda and bulletins.
A. Policy and Procedures Manual - The Administrative (ADM) and Operational (OPS) policy and procedures
manuals are designed to address specific topics applicable to employees throughout the department.
B. Standard Operating Procedures – Policies and procedures specific to units or functions are organized into
manuals (SOPs). The Communications Division (COM) and Police Training Academy (ACDMY) also
maintain their own policy and procedures manuals. Standard operating procedures manuals are
applicable to employees in the affected assignments or performing the specified function.
C. Directives from the Office of the Chief of Police – New or modified procedures (OCP) serving as interim
policies until the existing policy is revised, new policy is created or conditions requiring new or
modification to existing policy and procedure no longer apply. These directives, unless otherwise stated,
are temporary and expire once year after issuance.
D. Training Program Manuals – Directives (TPM) establishing structured training plans for specific
positions. They include guidelines for documenting performance criteria and training topics.
E. Training Bulletins – Formal training document (TB) used to convey information, address concerns and
support department functions. While some bulletins may be informational in nature, those that provide
direction for conducting agency activities are as binding as those in the policies and procedures manual.
Training bulletins are issued under the authority of the Assistant Chief of Administrative Services, or
their designee. [12.2.1(c)]
F. Internal Memoranda – Supervisors have the authority to issue written memoranda to personnel under
their chain of command, establishing procedures specific to their areas not already addressed in policy
and procedure. Such directions may be issued as memoranda or as an email. Anytime a supervisor issues
an internal memorandum, they must copy their chain of command and are responsible for ensuring that
all affected employees receive it. [12.2.1(c)]
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