Applicable To: Watch Commanders, Supervisors, and Officers

Approval Authority:  Major G.N. Turner

Signature:  Signed by GNT

Date Signed:  10/24/2004

1.               PURPOSE

To ensure that incident and accident reports are written using the Mobile Data Terminal  (MDT)   assigned to the patrol cars and to establish protocol for supervisory responsibility i.e., review, correction, and clearing reports from the server. 

2.               POLICY 

It is the policy of Zone One to use the Mobile Data Computer to create incident and      accident reports, and to control the backlog of rejected reports on the server.   

3.               RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1              Watch Commanders will monitor the network server to ensure compliance with this   directive.

3.2              Sergeants will check the server daily to prevent a backlog of report on the server.  The   supervisor will post all rejected reports on the board in the roll-call room.

3.3             Officers assigned to patrol vehicles will use the MDT to create incident and accident   reports and other COPSMORE related documents.  The officer will check the board in the roll call room daily for rejected reports on the server.  Moreover the officer is required to clear his/her mailbox daily.

4.               ACTION  

4.1              Watch Commanders 

4.1.2           The Watch Commander will ensure that the supervisor assigned to his/her command are properly trained to use the COPSMORE computer to review and approve incident and accident reports.                       

4.1.3           The watch Commander must monitor the server daily to ensure that reports are not delinquent and a backlog does not occur.

4.2              Whenever there is a backlog of reports on the server for more than five (5) working days, the watch must submit written justification to the Zone One Commander by day six.           

4.3              When an officer assigned to your command transfers, retires or is separated, the Watch Commander will contact “TRW” to have the employee removed from Zone One’s account. The telephone number is (404) 853-7842.

4.4              Watch Commanders will maintain a roster of all passwords of officers assigned to Zone One.  Moreover a copy of all corrected reports corrected for another watch will be maintained for at least six (6) months.

4.5              Sergeants

4.5.1           Supervisors will check the server prior to the start of each watch to determine if rejected reports are on the  server or reports that need to be reviewed and approved.  All reports must be cleared within five working (5) days. 

4.5.2           If a rejected report is on the server, and the officer is working, the supervisor will call the officer to the precinct and allow him/her to use computer four “4” to correct the report. If the officer is not at work, the supervisor will list the officer’s name and the incident report number on the board in the roll call room.

4.5.3           If a supervisor checks a report that was authored by an officer assigned to another watch and minor corrections are needed to approve it, the supervisor should correct the report.  A copy of the rejected report will be forwarded to the officer‘s watch commander who will take appropriate action.  Minor changes involve but are limited to the following: the quadrant; the complaint number, the employee ID number, etc.   At no time will a supervisor make changes to the officer’s narrative.

4.5.4           Computer one “1” located in the Sergeant’s Office will be used to review and approve reports written by MDT, unless it is necessary to view them from another computer at the precinct.  The supervisor will allow the officer to download the report to computer four “4” located at the precinct when correction are necessary.  At no time should an officer be allowed to download a report to the MDT after it is sent to the supervisor's mailbox.

4.5.5           Supervisor will check handwritten and computer generated reports.  Submit them to Central Records within 4 hours of the incident. See Chapter 9 of the Atlanta Police Department’s Field Manual (Report Writing).

4.5.7           The “No Beat Number Report” is forwarded to the zone form Central Records.  When these reports are received, the supervisor will notify the officer about the missing information, provide him/her with a change of status form, review the document after it’s completed, log it on a separate report log, hand deliver it to Central records where and obtain a signature of the employee receiving the information. 

4.5.8           Supervisor are responsible for making sure that each patrol unit has an assigned MDT and only it is used for report writing purposes. A loaner unit may be temporarily assigned to the patrol car.  The number of the loaner “MDT” must be listed on the daily activity sheet.

4.5.9           Supervisor will visually and physically inspect MDT’s and printers mounted in each patrol car. 

4.5.10         When a patrol vehicle is shopped for repair, supervisors will ensure that the MDT is removed.  The MDT may be transferred to a loaner vehicle, and the watch activity sheet should reflect the status along with the Zone One Inventory Log, the MDT Log, and either returned to the Radio/Equipment room or transferred to another vehicle. 

4.5.11         If a MDT or printer is lost, stolen or damaged, the supervisor will ensure that an incident report is completed immediately describing the circumstances.  The incident report must be forwarded through the chain of command.  Moreover a copy must be forwarded to the Communications Section for N.C.I.C. broadcast.  The incident report should include a description of the item, make, model, serial number, etc.

4.6              Officer

4.6.1           Officers will use the MDT to complete accident an incident reports, unless there is not a unit available.  The officer should request a loaner computer if the one assigned to the patrol unit is not functional.

4.6.2           The officer will only use the MDT assigned to the patrol unit and comply with APD.SOP.3062 "In-Vehicle Computers"

4.6.3           A report shall not be downloaded to the MDT after it is sent to the supervisor’s mailbox for review.  When corrections are necessary, the officer must go to the Zone One precinct. Computer “4” is reserved for this purpose.

4.3.5           The officer will complete a change of status report when the beat number or street address is omitted from the police report and central records forwards a list to the zone requesting an address or beat number correction. The change of status report must be completed without delay and submitted to his or her supervisor for review. 

5.               Definitions

5.1              Mobile Data Terminal (MDT): The laptop computer assigned to a patrol unit

5.2              No Beat Report: A CJIS report that lists incomplete or inaccurate information on the incident report related to the beat number, address, or quadrant.

6.               CANCELLATIONS

N/A

7.               References

APD.SOP.3062 “In-Vehicle Computers”