Police Department
www.santa-ana.gov/pd
Item # 17
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
October 6, 2026
TOPIC: Policy Manual Maintenance and Support
AGENDA TITLE
Agreement with Lexipol, LLC to Provide Policy Manual Maintenance and Support to the Police Department (Specification No. 27-022) (General Fund and Non-General Fund)
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Lexipol, LLC to provide policy manual maintenance, support, and training services to the Police Department for a term beginning October 1, 2026 and expiring September 30, 2029, in a total amount not to exceed $175,908 (Agreement No. A-2026-XXX).
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: Yes
DISCUSSION
Lexipol, LLC (“Lexipol”) proposes to provide the Santa Ana Police Department (“SAPD”) with web-based law enforcement policy manual maintenance, support, and training services. The agreement includes the Annual Law Enforcement Policy & Daily Training Bulletin (DTB) Subscription, Annual Custody Policy & DTB Subscription, Annual Corrections Supplemental Manual, and CorrectionsOne Academy. CorrectionsOne Academy is an online training platform that provides courses certified through the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) for annual continuing education requirements. The Lexipol Law Enforcement & Custody Policy Manual has over 150 policies based on federal and state laws, regulations, and law enforcement best practices. CorrectionsOne Academy also has over 550 courses, training videos, and management features to meet annual training mandates.
Lexipol provides a cost-effective model that protects and maximizes taxpayer resources.
Lexipol provides law enforcement employees the knowledge, skills, and abilities to protect their communities by crafting legally sound policies and procedures. Lexipol does not act as a policy maker; SAPD has the responsibility to make policy decisions and customize policies to align with the community’s needs and the Department’s values. Lexipol’s policies are developed to align with state and federal laws and court decisions and provide Policy Manual Maintenance and Support
October 6, 2026
officers with guidance to improve policing outcomes and minimize risk. Compliance with sound policies, coupled with proper supervision and disciplinary action, leads to risk reduction.
Lexipol’s policy management is accessible online and via mobile devices, and includes:
• Comprehensive guidance that complies with federal and state laws and regulations and provides the ability to customize policy to fit Department and community needs;
• Policy updates as laws and regulations change;
• Policy implementation assistance from qualified professionals; and • Scenario-based Daily Training Bulletins with tests to reinforce and demonstrate policy comprehension.
Lexipol’s model does not prevent community input in enacting policies. In fact, SAPD has modified approximately 50% of the Lexipol policy content, incorporating the community’s input, needs, and values in many key policies, including Body Worn Cameras, Cite and Release, Vehicle Tow and Release, Criminal Organizations, and Immigration Violations.
These are examples of policies customized with community input. Pursuant to state law, all of SAPD’s policies and procedures are available online for members of the community to review and provide comment, if so desired.
Additionally, the Police Oversight Commission may conduct public meetings that provide a forum for discussion of police policies, practices, and procedures (SAMC 2-665(j)).
Commission recommendations have resulted in changes to the Department’s U-Visa certification procedures and Military Equipment Policy. The Department is also reviewing its Unmanned Aerial Systems (drone) Policy and Search and Seizure Policy in response to Commission recommendations. These examples demonstrate how the Commission’s input and recommendations are considered in the Department’s policy review process.
Lexipol’s policies are developed by legal teams who access numerous sources when developing best practice policy guidance and who monitor major court decisions, legislation, and emerging trends affecting law enforcement operations. Lexipol provides periodic updates in response to legislative mandates, case law, and evolving law enforcement best practices. Lexipol archives departmental policies and tracks changes, facilitating improved documentation of policy revisions. Lexipol also has a mechanism that documents officers who have reviewed policies to ensure their training records are up to date. The Department has subscribed to Lexipol for over ten years, which has been an asset to the Department’s training program, has increased efficiency in delivering policy updates to personnel, and ensuring routine policy training.
Policy Manual Maintenance and Support
October 6, 2026
Since 2023, Lexipol has provided SAPD with:
• 151 new policies (141 of which are Jail Policies);
• 1,361 Daily Training Bulletins; and
• 214 policy updates, including six updates to the use of force policy, four to the handcuffing policy, five to the vehicle pursuit policy, and four to the bias-based policing policy.
Lexipol develops new policies, policy updates, and Daily Training Bulletins using multiple sources. These include legislation, executive orders, regulations, court decisions, public safety expertise, evolving best practices, customer inquiries, and research from industry and advocacy groups. Lexipol’s Daily Training Bulletins use scenarios to help employees understand and apply Department policy. Together, the policies, updates, and training are intended to support compliance and mitigate risk. Lexipol reports that it has reviewed more than 30,000 legislative bills and/or executive orders since 2023 as part of its broader policy development and maintenance process.
In addition, Lexipol provides Daily Training Bulletin (“DTB”) services designed to help law enforcement employees learn the content of the policy manual and apply its policies in practice. To ensure understanding and proficiency, Lexipol furnishes 365 customizable, scenario-based training bulletins that link directly to the policy manual each year. The DTBs address uses of force, vehicle operations, discrimination and harassment, and various other law enforcement risk management topics. The Police Department may customize DTBs to address agency-specific topics and scenarios.
Without Lexipol, SAPD will not be permitted to utilize Lexipol’s copyrighted materials and will immediately be required to assemble an entire team of professionals, including attorneys, to research, revise, draft, oversee, and maintain oversight of over 150 policies and 90 procedures, excluding Jail policies and procedures. Moreover, no governmental entity or agency develops and provides policies to law enforcement agencies. As such, agencies are left to do this on their own, with very limited resources.
Importantly, the City is a member of Independent Cities Risk Management Authority (ICRMA), a risk pooling and risk management entity that strives to lessen liability exposure and insurance costs for its member cities. Therefore, due to the increasing costs of insuring and litigating police liability claims and lawsuits, ICRMA has implemented this plan to assist member cities in developing and implementing their police practices. Lexipol provides police policies, best practices, and training consistent with California statutes and policing issues in today’s environment, while helping police departments prepare for the future. This consistency provides insurers with a higher level of confidence that the potential for police liability claims and lawsuits will remain manageable instead of skyrocketing. If costs continue to rise exponentially, insurance companies, excess Policy Manual Maintenance and Support
October 6, 2026
insurers, and reinsurers may pull out of insuring California municipalities altogether, which would cause municipalities to pay all claims costs from dollar one to infinity.
The first-year subscription fee is $55,931. The Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) will pay for the costs associated with the Lexipol CorrectionsOne subscription for the agreement. The City receives subvention from BSCC for the training of eligible corrections officers. BSCC will pay $6,489 in Year One of the agreement. The subscription renewal fees for Year Two will be $58,590, of which BSCC will pay $6,683.
Year Three of the agreement will be $61,387, with BSCC paying $6,885. At the conclusion of the three-year term, the total amount paid to Lexipol will be $175,908. Upon City Council’s approval of the recommended action, the agreement will be retroactive to include services provided from October 1 through October 6.
Santa Ana Municipal Code Section 2-807(a) authorizes the City to make non-bid purchases of services, supplies, materials, and equipment whenever it appears that there is only one reasonably available source. Staff researched available procurement options and product offerings in the market and determined that the policy manual maintenance support offered by Lexipol meets the Police Department’s specifications. Staff recommends awarding an agreement with Lexipol (Exhibit 1).
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
There is no environmental impact associated with this action.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding is available in the FY 26-27 budget and funding for subsequent fiscal years will be included in the proposed budgets for City Council consideration as follows:
Fiscal
Year
Accounting Unit
– Account No.
Fund
Description
Accounting Unit,
Account
Description
Amount
FY 26-27 01114475-62140 General Fund
PD Jail Operations,
Implementation,
Subscriptions
$ 16,199
FY 26-27 01114410-62140 General Fund
PD Training
Services,
Subscriptions
$ 33,243
FY 26-27 02414401-62140
Police Activities
& Programs
Fund
Police Special RevSTC Program,
Subscriptions
$ 6,489
FY 27-28 01114475-62140 General Fund PD Jail Operations, Subscriptions $ 17,009
FY 27-28 01114410-62140 General Fund
PD Training
Services,
Subscriptions
$ 34,898
Policy Manual Maintenance and Support
October 6, 2026
FY 27-28 02414401-62140
Police Activities
& Programs
Fund
Police Special RevSTC Program,
Subscriptions
$ 6,683
FY 28-29 01114475-62140 General Fund PD Jail Operations, Subscriptions $ 17,859
FY 28-29 01114410-62140 General Fund
PD Training
Services,
Subscriptions
$ 36,643
FY 28-29 02414401-62140
Police Activities
& Programs
Fund
Police Special RevSTC Program,
Subscriptions
$ 6,885
Total $175,908
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Agreement with Lexipol, LLC
Submitted By: Robert Rodriguez, Police Chief
Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager