ONALASKA POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICY

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1 ONALASKA POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICY TITLE: Major Case Investigations ISSUE DATE: 10/16/96 LAST UPDATE: SECTION: Operational TEXT NAME: MAJORCASE POLICY SOURCE: Chief of Police TOTAL PAGES: 5 AUTHOR: Captain Mark Moan SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: I. PURPOSE The purpose of this directive is to establish uniform guidelines for handling major crime scenes and to ensure accountability for the actions of department personnel responsible for handling such incidents. II. POLICY It is the policy of the Onalaska Police Department to ensure that criminal offenses are thoroughly investigated and crime scenes are protected and processed to facilitate the arrest and prosecution of the offender. III. DISCUSSION IV. DEFINITIONS A. Major Crime Scene: A crime scene that requires urgent and thorough investigation due to the seriousness and/or complexity of the offense. Examples of major crimes include, but are not limited to, homicide and unnatural or unexplained deaths, bank robbery and aggravated assaults where death may occur. The following guidelines may also be used for other crime incidents as needed. V. PROCEDURE A. Officer Response 1. While en route to the scene, assigned officers should be aware of persons and vehicles leaving the area, noting details and descriptions in as complete a manner as possible. 2. Upon arrival the foremost concern is for the safety of all persons in the vicinity of the crime scene. Issued: 10/16/96 MAJORCASE Page 1

2 Responding officers should not enter the crime scene area until such time as they can do so safely and then should proceed with caution. 3. Should an injured victim be present, medical aid should be delivered as soon as the scene can be rendered safe for responding personnel. The number of medical personnel permitted on scene should be kept to a minimum, and every effort must be made to protect the integrity of evidence which may be present. 4. Responding officers should be aware of all conditions, events, evidence, people and remarks made at the scene. B. Supervisor Response 1. A field supervisor will be dispatched to every major crime situation. 2. It is the responsibility of the assigned supervisor to deploy personnel in such a way as to maximize the probability of apprehension of the perpetrator and the protection of the crime scene. a. As appropriate, at least one officer will be designated to check the streets and lots in the immediate area in order to record vehicle descriptions and license plate numbers. b. It is the responsibility of the supervisor in charge to initiate a preliminary canvass of the area, in close proximity to the scene, for the purpose of location and identifying potential witnesses and information which could later prove valuable in solving the case. 3. The supervisor at the scene is in charge of its management until such time as he/she is relieved by the investigator or other designated individual responsible for investigative follow up. C. Scene Control 1. The assigned officer will be responsible for recording the names of all persons who have been present on the scene prior to the arrival of the primary investigator, including police, fire and EMS personnel. 2. It is critical that evidence be preserved to the greatest extent possible. To preserve evidence, a Issued: 10/16/96 MAJORCASE Page 2

3 perimeter that secures the crime scene will be established at the earliest possible time, using whatever means are necessary. 3. Once the perimeter is established, loitering, eating, drinking and smoking within its confines will be prohibited. Access to the scene will be denied to all but the most essential personnel. Those allowed access to the crime scene will be logged in on a "Crime Scene Log." 4. The district attorney's office shall be notified as soon as possible if it appears that a search warrant will be required to process the scene. D. Witness/Complainant Identification and Interview. 1. Anyone present at the time the officers assume control of the crime scene will be identified and, if necessary, detained if they are believed to be knowledgeable about the crime. 2. Persons will be moved out of the crime scene in order to avoid its contamination. 3. The assigned investigator will ensure that all identified witnesses and complainants are thoroughly interviewed. E. Physical Evidence Collection 1. The supervisor will cause the appropriate investigative follow-up personnel to be notified. After the primary investigator arrives, control of the scene will be relinquished to him/her. The Crime Lab will have absolute authority of the scene and access to it. 2. In cases of homicide, suicide or suspicious death, the responding investigator will be responsible for notifying the coroner. F. Identification/Detention/Arrest of Suspects 1. Responding officers shall detain and identify all suspects at or near the scene. 2. Arrangements should be made to transport suspects to the police department for the purpose of conducting a proper interview or interrogation. Officers shall ensure Issued: 10/16/96 MAJORCASE Page 3

4 compliance with all rules pertaining to the conduct of interviews and interrogations. 3. After the investigating officer has found that the appropriate elements of a crime are met, an arrest will be made if appropriate. G. Reporting Responsibilities 1. Assigned officers shall initiate the report and describe the scene and circumstances as found upon arrival. Other officers shall also submit reports describing their involvement, observations and investigative results. 2. The supervisor having initial responsibility for scene security and area canvassing shall ensure that the results of these activities are documented in a supplement to the offense report. H. Case Review 1. After the submission of final reports regarding the incident, the Chief/Captain and/or supervisor will review all reports. They will be responsible for critiquing the quality of the investigation and reporting of the incident. 2. The critique process may include a formal group evaluation involving all participants in the investigation, informal review of documents or other methods deemed necessary by the Chief. I. Major Case Response Checklist The procedures described shall serve as a guide to assist the officer/supervisor in performing their functions at a major crime scene. Assigned Officers Supervisors 1. Note persons/vehicles Assign officer(s) to check nearby in the area while streets and open areas responding to crime 2. Render assistance to Deploy personnel to protect crime injured and make note scene including entry, exits and of all conditions, all evidence events and remarks Issued: 10/16/96 MAJORCASE Page 4

5 3. Detain/identify Establish command post other than suspicious persons on crime scene (if needed) 4. Locate/detain/interview Request assistance from witnesses/complainants investigator 5. Request assistance of an Request assistance from the evidence technician Crime Lab 6. Record names of all Initiate preliminary canvass of personnel at scene in area to locate witnesses/ chronological order of information their appearance 7. Transport suspect(s) to Limit access to scene to police department for essentional personnel only interview/interrogation 8. Initiate report as to the Initiate report regarding scene circumstances of the scene security, canvassing and other as it was found and any assigned responsibilities investigative results 9. Assist with case review Assist with case review and aid and aid in coordination in coordination of future of future investigation investigation Randy A. Williams Chief of Police Date RAW:rdm Issued: 10/16/96 MAJORCASE Page 5

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. EFFECTIVE DATE: 1 January 1999 PAGE 1 OF 12

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY POLICY AND PROCEDURE # 77 SUBJECT: Investigative Division EFFECTIVE DATE: 1 January 1999 PAGE 1 OF 12 REVIEW DATE: 30 November 2017 APPROVED: