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Administration ] [
Personnel ] [
General Operations ] [
Field
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Criminal Investigations ] |
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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: 11/23/10 |
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To assist Departmental employees in providing social services and criminal justice assistance to the community by establishing a “Referral Directory List” on resources within the City of Atlanta.
The Atlanta Police Department is committed to providing assistance to citizens, both adult and juvenile, through social services and criminal justice diversion programs. Alcoholism, drug abuse or other mental health issues are better resolved through diversion programs than through incarceration.
3.1 Bureau, division, section and unit commanders will be responsible for the implementation of this directive within their command.
3.2 The Community Oriented Policing Section may accept referrals from members of the community, patrol officers, and investigators of youth in need of counseling and guidance through recreational activity (Police Athletic League) and by providing follow-up assistance.
3.3 Zone supervisors will ensure employees under their immediate supervision are aware of and utilize the service of the Victim Witness Assistance Program (VWAP) that provides comprehensive service to victims and witnesses of crime in accordance with the Georgia Crime Victim’s Bill of Rights
3.4 Officers and investigators will make support agency referrals and may advise zone chaplains, crime prevention inspectors, and other appropriate persons of situations that require immediate intervention.
3.5 The Special Victims Unit, in addition to making appropriate referrals for victims, will respond to every case referred to them from the Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS).
3.6 The Department’s Director of Chaplains will be responsible for establishing a network among organized religions, NPU’s (Neighborhood Planning Units), human service agencies, and the Atlanta Police Department to assist zone commanders and citizens in decreasing violent crimes, and to improve the quality of life for the residents within the City.
3.7 The School Detective Unit will provide individual counseling and mentoring through approved programs for students in middle and high school, when necessary, and feasible. If individual counseling and mentoring is not available, the School Detective Unit will refer the matter to the Social Service Counselor assigned to each individual school.
3.8 All employees in the course of performing their duties will promote cooperative working relationships with other criminal justice agencies, public safety agencies and social service agencies.
4.1 In the course of performing his or her duty an employee who encounters a citizen in need of assistance from social service agencies is encouraged to make an appropriate referral.
4.2 To get information on appropriate referrals, the employee may use the United Way’s database on social service agencies 24 hours a day by:
1. Dialing 211 by telephone,
2. Using the http://211online.unitedwayatlanta.org/ website either directly over the internet or through the link on Horizon, or
3. Dialing directly on the employee’s radio (ePortable: XTS 5000 – Type Two &Three and Mobile: XTL 25000 and XTL50000).
4.3 When logging onto the United Way information online screen, to access the United Way thirteen county service area, the employee will complete steps 1 and 2, by entering the zip code area or city, age and sex of the person needing social service assistance. Then select from the following options:
1. List of services by category.
2. Services by word or phrase, for juvenile diversion search on the word “diversion”.
3. Agencies or programs by name.
4.4 The employee should examine all facts available at the time to determine the appropriate agency and service category options.
4.4.1 After selecting the service category, the employee then may access the specific social service or diversion program desired.
4.5 Once the appropriate agency has been identified, the Department’s employee will contact the respective social service agency and determine the agency’s policy on acceptance and referrals. At this time, all available information should be relayed to the agency representative and to the individual in need of assistance.
4.6 If the individual is a juvenile (see APD.SOP.3190 “Juvenile Procedures”), the employee will make every effort to contact the juvenile’s parent or guardian. If the efforts to locate parents or guardian are unsuccessful, the employee will contact DFCS.
4.7 Officers and investigators will identify victims or witnesses of crime who require services of the Victim Witness Assistance Program (VWAP). After contacting respective VWAP advocates, the VWAP advocates will provide the services at crime scenes and during subsequent investigations as outlined in APD.SOP.3100 “Victim Witness Assistance” including but not limited to, the following services:
1. Immediate crisis intervention and counseling;
2. Immediate referrals to appropriate shelter or safe houses;
3. Referrals to appropriate social service agencies;
5.1 Diversion: An alternative to entry into the criminal justice system by citizens or juveniles in need of social or health intervention.
5.2 http://211online.unitedwayatlanta.org/: The United Way web link for identifying social service agencies to assist citizens and juveniles in need of social and health intervention.
5.3 United Way 211: A listing of social service agencies offered by United Way through a web link to assist citizens within a 13 county service area.
APD.SOP.3200 “Criminal Justice and Social Services Diversion Programs” issued July 1, 2004
Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies 5th Edition Standard 1.1.3
APD.SOP.3100 Victim Witness Assistance APD.SOP.3190 Juvenile Procedures APD.SOP.6110 Chaplains APD.SOP.6140 Community Services Section APD.SOP.5180 School Detective Unit |
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