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Applicable To: All employees |
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Approval Authority: Chief George N. Turner |
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Signature: Signed by GNT |
Date Signed: 3/4/11 |
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| Table of Contents | |||
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4.2 Storage for Homicide Unit or Hit & Run Unit
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4.3 Storage for Financial Investigations 4.4 Storage for Identification Unit investigative purposes:
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To establish policy and procedure for using the vehicle storage cages.
The Department shall maintain the chain of custody on vehicles seized for investigative purposes and will establish procedures for the temporary and final release of property items from the control of property and evidence functions and will promptly release those vehicles from evidence when appropriate and will properly account for them. CALEA 5th ed. standard 84.1.1g
3.1 The Special Operations Section commander shall specify security procedures and designate a person responsible for the control of the vehicle storage cage for the Hit-and-Run Unit.
3.2 The Major Crimes Section commander shall specify security procedures and designate a person responsible for the control of the vehicle storage cage for the Homicide Unit.
3.3 The Information Services Section commander shall specify security procedures and designate a person responsible for the control of the vehicle storage cage for the Identification Unit.
3.4 The Special Enforcement Section commander shall specify security procedures and designate a person responsible for the control of the vehicle storage cage for the Financial Investigations Unit.
3.5 All supervisors shall manage the process of vehicles being held for investigative purposes to ensure a proper chain of custody and the prompt release of vehicles from evidence when they are no longer needed. CALEA 5th ed. standard 84.1.1g
3.6 All employees shall adhere to the requirements of this directive.
4.1.1 Employees shall not place a vehicle in a vehicle storage cage unless specifically directed to do so by a Homicide, Hit & Run, Financial Investigations, or Identification Unit employee.
4.1.2 Employees shall not place a “HOLD” on vehicles for the Hit and Run Unit unless there was serious injury or a death or they obtain permission and authorization from the Hit and Run Unit.
4.1.3 Vehicles shall not be temporarily placed or stored outside of the vehicle storage cage at any time or for any reason.
4.1.4 Vehicles that are being placed in a vehicle storage cage will not be left unattended for any period of time. Officers must remain with the vehicle until it has been secured inside the vehicle storage cage or they are relieved by another officer.
4.1.6 Employees shall document all information concerning vehicles and the use of vehicle storage cages on the Vehicle Impound Report (Form APD005) and in an incident, investigative or supplemental report.
4.2 Storage for Homicide Unit or Hit & Run Unit
4.2.1 The primary investigating officer or his/her designee shall complete the APD Vehicle Record Impound Report (Form APD 005) at the scene of the incident (see APD.SOP.3060 Reports and Report Writing, section 4.5 “Vehicle Impound Report”). CALEA 5th ed. standard 84.1.1c
4.2.2 The officer completing the impound report will ensure that the impound report is completed in its entirety, to specifically include the following information:
1. The primary investigating officer’s name, unit assignment, and radio number;
2. The name of the officer completing the impound report (if different from primary investigating officer), unit assignment, and radio number;
3. The reason the vehicle is being impounded or being placed in a vehicle storage cage (on line 34 “Reason for Impound”);
4. Missing items or parts: This lists all items or a part that is observed missing (on Line 39 “Missing Items”);
5. Damage: The observed damages prior to impound are listed in this section (on Line 40 “Damages”);
6. Ignition key with Vehicle (on Line 43 “Ignition key with Vehicle”);
7. Remaining keys returned to owner (on Line 44 “Remaining keys returned to owner?”);
8. Evidence or property turned in (on Line 45 “Evidence or property turned in?”);
9. If yes, status: Indicate here in one of the boxes provided, the status of the property or evidence that was turned in (on Line 46 “If yes, status:”)
10. Ownership papers left with (on Line 47 “Ownership papers left with:”);
11. The name of the investigator or supervisor granting permission for the hold (on line 49); and
12. The vehicle storage cage that is being used (on Line 52 “Comments”).
13. The Wrecker Company being used (on Line 50 “Wrecker Company”)
14. The Wrecker Driver’s Signature (on Line 51 “Wrecker Driver’s Signature”)
4.2.3 The officer completing the impound report must accompany or follow the City-contract wrecker driver to the appropriate vehicle storage cage and properly secure the vehicle to ensure its value as evidence.
1. The officer shall remain with the vehicle until it is properly secured in the appropriate vehicle storage cage or relieved by another officer as may be authorized by the officer’s supervisor.
2. Commercial vehicles that cannot fit in the vehicle storage cage and need to be secured for evidence or inspection must be secured in one of the two following ways:
a. The vehicle can be placed in the parking area next to the Property Control Unit with prior permission from Property Control Unit supervisor on duty. The officer must remain with the vehicle until it has been processed for evidence or inspected.
b. The vehicle can be towed to the contract wrecker service impound yard. Officers shall not be required to accompany the City-contracted wrecker service to the impound yard.
4.2.4 The officer completing the impound report shall place the vehicle on the IMPX APD impound system via radio transmission to ACIC 3 when the vehicle is secured in the appropriate vehicle storage cage.
4.2.5 The primary investigating officer is responsible for making arrangements with the Identification Unit to have the vehicle processed for evidence as soon as practicable, if necessary.
4.2.6 The primary investigating officer is responsible for removing any hold that was placed on the vehicle when applicable.
4.2.7 After the vehicle is processed for evidence and can be released, the contract wrecker service that originally towed the vehicle shall be notified to meet the officer at the vehicle storage cage and transport the vehicle to the City-contracted wrecker service impound yard.
4.3 Storage for Financial Investigations
4.3.1 The responding officer shall determine if an FIS hold should be placed on the vehicle as outlined in APD.SOP.5080 “Financial Investigations Unit”, section 4.3.
4.3.2 If the appropriate criteria are met, the officer will complete the impound report at the scene of the crime (see APD.SOP.3060 Reports and Report Writing, section 4.5 “Vehicle Impound Report”). The officer completing the impound report shall ensure that the impound report is completed in its entirety, to specifically include the following information:
1. The primary investigating officer’s name, unit assignment, and radio number;
2. The name of the officer completing the impound report (if different from primary investigating officer), unit assignment, and radio number;
3. The reason a hold is being placed on the vehicle (on line 34);
4. The signature of the supervisor granting permission for the hold (on line 49); and
5. The vehicle storage cage that is being used (on Line 52).
4.3.3 The supervisor of the responding officer shall forward, via facsimile, a copy of the incident report and the impound report to Financial Investigations by the end of the watch.
4.3.4 Financial Investigations shall determine if the vehicle meets the required criteria. If so, Financial Investigations will prepare a vehicle move request and forward it to the Fleet Management Unit. The Fleet Management Unit shall execute the move request and contact the contract wrecker lot to arrange an inspection of the vehicle prior to moving it to the Financial Investigations vehicle storage cage.
4.4 Storage for Identification Unit investigative purposes:
4.4.1 The Property Control Unit shall maintain custody of the key for the Identification Unit vehicle storage cage and maintain documentation of all persons who utilized the key and/or gain access to the vehicle storage cage. The key shall only be released to Identification Unit employees or Property Control Unit supervisors.
4.4.2 Vehicles shall not be placed in the Identification Unit’s vehicle storage cage without permission and authorization of an Identification Unit employee.
4.4.3 Vehicles shall only be placed in the Identification Unit vehicle storage cage when it is necessary for evidence processing or other investigative purposes. The on-scene supervisor shall contact the Identification Unit to determine if the vehicle can be processed at the scene or needs to be placed in the vehicle storage cage.
4.4.4 If a vehicle needs to be placed in the vehicle storage cage, the primary investigating officer shall complete the Vehicle Impound Report (Form APD 005) at the scene of the incident (see APD.SOP.3060 Reports and Report Writing, section 4.5 “Vehicle Impound Report”). The officer completing the impound report shall ensure that the impound report is completed in its entirety, to specifically include the following information:
1. The primary investigating officer’s name, unit assignment, and radio number;
2. The name of the officer completing the impound report (if different from primary investigating officer), unit assignment, and radio number;
3. The reason the vehicle is being placed in a vehicle storage cage (on line 34);
4. The name of the Identification Unit or Property Control Unit employee granting access to the cage (on line 49); and
5. The vehicle storage cage that is being used (on Line 52).
4.4.5 The officer completing the impound report must accompany or follow the City-contract wrecker driver to the appropriate vehicle storage cage and properly secure the vehicle to insure its value as evidence.
1. The officer shall remain with the vehicle until it is properly secured in the appropriate vehicle storage cage or relieved by another officer.
2. Commercial vehicles that cannot fit into the cage and need to be secured for evidence or inspection will be towed from the scene to the contract wrecker service impound yard for safe keeping until such a time that the proper inspections or collection of evidence can be completed. Officers shall not be required to accompany the City-contracted wrecker service to the impound yard.
4.4.6 An Identification Unit employee shall meet the officer at the vehicle storage cage to secure the vehicle. If an Identification Unit employee is unable to meet the officer within a reasonable period of time, the officer shall notify a Property Control Unit supervisor who will meet the officer at the vehicle storage cage to secure the vehicle. The Property Control Unit acts as custodian of the key for the Identification Unit’s vehicle storage cage; entry into the Identification Unit’s vehicle storage cage will only be allowed with permission of an Identification Unit employee.
4.4.7 The officer completing the impound report shall place the vehicle on the IMPX APD Impound System via radio transmission to ACIC 3 when the vehicle is secured in the vehicle storage cage.
4.4.8 The Identification Unit shall make arrangements with the primary investigating officer to have the vehicle processed for evidence as soon as practicable. After the vehicle has been processed for evidence and can be removed from the vehicle storage cage, the Identification Unit will contact the respective FOD Zone Investigations unit to have the vehicle removed.
4.4.9 A representative of the respective FOD Zone Investigations unit shall go to the Identification Unit’s vehicle storage cage to facilitate removal of the vehicle.
4.4.10 The respective FOD Zone investigations unit shall contact the contract wrecker service that originally towed the vehicle to move the vehicle to the contract wrecker lot and remove any hold that was placed on the vehicle.
5.1 Hold: The physical securing of a vehicle until it has been processed for evidence or the investigation surrounding the vehicle has been adjudicated.
APD.SOP.3068, “Vehicle for Investigation Purposes,” Issued February 22, 2007
APD.SOP.3060 Reports and Report Writing, Section 4.5 “Vehicle Impound Reports” Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, 5th ed. Standard 84.1.1c; 84.1.1g
Figure1: Form APD 005 “Impound Sheet’ (Front)
Figure1: Form APD 005 “Impound Sheet’ (Back)
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