Applicable To: All Sworn Employees

Approval Authority:  Major G. N. Turner

Signature:  Signed by GNT

Date Signed:  11/1/2004

1.               PURPOSE

To establish a procedure for Zone One officers to follow when processing crime scenes for latent fingerprints and documenting their investigative findings.

2.               POLICY

It is the policy of Zone One to process all crime scenes for evidence related to the crime i.e., latent fingerprints, etc and to document the incident.

3.               RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1              Watch Commanders and supervisors will monitor their subordinates’ compliance with this directive.

3.2              Officers are required to properly process crime scenes for evidence, to maintain the chain of evidence, and to document their investigative findings in the narrative of the incident report.

4.               ACTION

4.1              Watch Commanders will possess a master Fingerprint Kit for crime scene processing.  When supplies for the subordinates’ Fingerprint Kits run low, it is the responsibility of the Watch Commanders to make certain that they are replenished in a timely manner.  Each Watch Commander will assign an officer to work the Burglary Car.

4.2              Supervisors are required to inspect their subordinates’ fingerprint kit “daily” at roll call.  When an officer submits an incident report documenting a lost, stolen or damaged fingerprint kit, the supervisors will review the incident report, submit a copy through the chain of command and forward the original to Central Records.

4.3              Supervisors are required to ensure that officers dust for fingerprints on all calls involving burglary, auto theft, etc.  The supervisor is required to listen to Zone One Radio and acknowledge all burglary calls and stolen auto attempts and recoveries.  The supervisor will reject all burglary and auto theft recovery reports that do not specify the officer’s actions as it relates to processing the crime scene for latent fingerprints.

4.4              The Supervisor will transport or designate a unit to transport a fingerprint kit or supplies to replenish a fingerprint kit when an officer makes a request.

4.5              The officer assigned to the Burglary Detail will be responsible for all burglary investigations occurring on his or her watch.  The Burglary Officer will process the crime scene document his or her investigative findings, share information and follow-up with the burglary investigator assigned to Zone One.  The Burglary Officer is required to describe the items or locations dusted, for latent fingerprints, in the narrative of the incident report and the results.

4.6              Patrol Officers are required to process crime scenes for evidence, maintain the proper chain of evidence and document their action and investigative in the narrative of the incident report.  The patrol officer is required to describe the items or locations dusted, for latent fingerprints in the narrative of the incident report and the results.

4.7              Patrol Officers are required to submit an incident report to their immediate supervisor if their fingerprint kit is lost, stolen, or damaged.  The officer must take a signed copy of the incident report to “Supply” and request a replacement fingerprint kit.  The officer can obtain depleted fingerprint cards for the fingerprint section. 

5.               DEFINITIONS

N/A

6.               CANCELLATIONS

N/A
     

7.               REFERENCES

N/A