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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: 2/24/12 |
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| Table of Contents | |||
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4.1 Street Level Prostitution Detail |
4.4 Illegal Gaming Investigations 4.5 Commercial Business Investigations |
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The intent of this directive is to establish procedures for the execution of Vice related operations as defined in APD.SOP.5030 “Special Enforcement Section and enforcement of criminal activities such as prostitution, illegal sale, manufacture and consumption of alcohol and illegal gaming operations.
The Atlanta Police Department (APD) is committed to the suppression of Vice related crimes. APD shall proactively engage in activities, which shall assist in the detection, prosecution, and prevention of prostitution, the illegal sale, manufacture and consumption of alcohol and illegal gaming operations. The Vice Unit shall also gather and analyze information related to these illegal activities and shall strictly conform to the requirements and limitations imposed by law and the provisions of this procedure.
3.1 Division and section commanders shall ensure that all employees under his/her command adhere to and comply with this policy.
3.2 The Vice Unit commander is responsible for the efficient and effective operation of his or her unit and shall develop and coordinate investigative strategies with Vice personnel. The Vice Unit Commander shall also hold periodic unit meetings and coordinate with other unit commanders to insure the appropriate flow of information along with notifying the Section Commander of any significant events or high priority cases.
3.3 The Vice Unit is responsible for the detection, investigation, prosecution and prevention of prostitution, the illegal sale, manufacture and consumption of alcohol and illegal gaming operations within the City of Atlanta.
3.4 All requests for Vice investigations shall be forwarded to the unit commander to determine if the request is a responsibility of the Vice Unit. When a case has been approved it shall be forwarded to the unit sergeant for assignment. No investigation shall be initiated without prior approval of the Vice Unit commander. (CALEA 5th ed. Standard 43.1.1a)
3.5 The Vice Unit sergeant shall be responsible for case assignment and ensuring each case is thoroughly investigated and closed at the completion of the investigation. Proper notification of the case disposition to the appropriate party is the responsibility of the Vice Unit Commander. (CALEA 5th ed. Standard 43.1.1a)
3.6 The inventory, authorization of use and maintenance of Vice equipment, including vehicles shall be the responsibility of the Vice Unit commander. (CALEA 5th ed. Standard 43.1.4)
3.7 The Vice Unit commander shall be responsible for ensuring all borrowed personnel are F.I.T. certified and qualified to work in the SES section prior to being assigned to the Vice Unit.
3.8 The Vice Unit commander shall be responsible for the integrity of records and reports relating to active vice, drugs and organized crime investigations and that they are securely filed and maintained separately from the central records systems. (CALEA 5th ed. Standard 43.1.2)
Note: Any Unit intending to run a Vice detail MUST notify the Vice Unit Commander, in advance of the detail, advising the place, date and time of the detail.
The Vice Unit shall be made up of assigned investigators and borrowed personnel from each zone. One officer from each prospective zone shall be assigned for a 90 day assignment and must be F.I.T. certified or have P.O.S.T. training equivalent to that training. Zone personnel should also have no open Use of Force complaints or a pattern of sustained disciplinary action. These temporary assignments are guided by APD.SOP.2101 “Specialized and Temporary Assignment,” under Section 4.5.
Prostitution and illicit sex acts enforcement is the primary function of the Vice Unit and is subdivided into several sections.
4.1 Street Level Prostitution Detail
1. To enforce street level prostitution the Vice Unit shall utilize a minimum of one undercover vehicle, occupied by an undercover officer, to make criminal cases. This vehicle shall have wired audio and video equipment or the undercover officer shall have portable audio and video equipment on his or her person. All Vice operations shall be recorded unless a supervisor is notified before the detail that such equipment is not available. This shall be documented in the Tactical Plan APD Form 683 prior to the start of the detail.
2 Each undercover vehicle shall be followed by another undercover vehicle known as the “Monitor Vehicle.” This vehicle shall be occupied by a minimum of two undercover officers and is responsible for following the undercover officer that is making the criminal cases, giving out constant location updates to the take-down teams and supervisor, and monitoring audio transmissions of the undercover officer making the criminal cases. Once the code word is given that a criminal case is made, the “Monitor Vehicle” shall notify the take-down team(s) to make the traffic stop and arrest the suspect.
3 The take-down vehicle shall consist of a minimum of two officers in a marked patrol vehicle wearing, either a tactical uniform or Class B or C uniform. They shall make the appropriate traffic stop, arresting the suspect that the undercover officer has a criminal case against, and transport that suspect to the processing station.
4. The processing station shall be manned by additional personnel from the Vice Unit to complete the arrest citation, document any property or evidence that shall be turned in by the arresting undercover officer and complete the arrest report.
5. Each arresting officer shall be responsible for reviewing the criminal history of each arrestee and contacting the appropriate community prosecutor to determine if their assistance is needed to ensure repeat offenders are prosecuted vigorously.
6. Each detail shall be documented on Tactical Plan Form APD 683 and signed by a lieutenant or his or her designee.
4.2 Street Level “John” details
1. To enforce street level prostitution initiated by suspects identified as “Johns” or customers looking to purchase sexual favors for anything of value, the Vice Unit shall utilize undercover female or male officers posing as prostitutes to make criminal cases. These officers shall stand in target areas of the city that show a need and shall be supported by the Vice Unit as follows:
a. Monitor – One or more officers in an undercover vehicle utilized to pick up and drop off the undercover officer posing as the prostitute or hustler. They shall have communications with the undercover officer at all times and relay any activity the undercover officer is engaged in with the entire detail team.
b. Ground Cover – There shall be a minimum of two undercover officers in close proximity of the undercover officer posing as the prostitute or hustler on foot to communicate with the take-down team and other members of the detail.
c. Take-Down Teams – There shall be a minimum of one marked unit with two uniformed officers in the area of the detail. When the undercover officer gives the signal to the monitor that he or she has made the case, the monitor shall provide a vehicle description and direction of travel of the suspect. The take-down team shall initiate a traffic stop and make the arrest. One officer shall transport the suspect to the processing area, while the other officer drives the suspect’s vehicle to the processing area after picking up the arrest citation(s) from the undercover officer.
2. This is a standard “John” detail plan and may be deviated from with the approval of a unit supervisor and notification of the unit commander.
4.3 Illegal Liquor Investigations
1. All illegal liquor investigations shall be initiated under the guidelines of section 3.4 of this policy. Once approved by the Vice Unit commander, the complaint shall be assigned as described in section 3.5 of this policy.
2. The investigation of illegal liquor locations shall be guided by APD.SOP.3020 “Search and Seizure”, APD.SOP.5100 “Undercover Operations” and APD.SOP.5160 Confidential Sources.”
3. All illegal liquor recovered from an investigation shall be turned into police property.
4. Each arresting officer shall be responsible for reviewing the criminal history of each arrestee and contacting the appropriate community prosecutor to determine if their assistance is needed to ensure repeat offenders are prosecuted vigorously.
4.3 Illegal Gaming Investigations
1. All illegal gaming investigations shall be initiated under the guidelines of section 3.4 of this SOP. Once approved by the unit commander, the complaint shall be assigned as described in section 3.5 of this SOP.
2. The investigation of illegal gaming locations shall be guided by APD.SOP.3020 “Search and Seizure”, APD.SOP.5100 “Undercover Operations” and APD.SOP.5160 “Confidential Sources.”
3. Any and all illegal gaming machines, proceeds from gaming, or other articles associated with illegal gaming recovered from an investigation shall be turned into police property.
4. Each arresting officer shall be responsible for reviewing the criminal history of each arrestee and contacting the appropriate community prosecutor to determine if their assistance is needed to ensure repeat offenders are prosecuted vigorously.
4.4 Commercial Business Investigations
1. All commercial business investigations shall be initiated under the guidelines of section 3.4 of this SOP. Once approved by the unit commander, the complaint shall be assigned as described in section 3.5 of this SOP.
2. The investigation of commercial businesses shall be guided by APD.SOP.3020 “Search and Seizure”, APD.SOP.5100 “Undercover Operations”, APD.SOP.5160 “Confidential Sources” and APD.SOP.3065 “Field Interviews.”
3. Any and all illegal contraband or evidence recovered from an investigation shall be turned into police property and documented on a Search Warrant Return if utilized or property sheet.
4. All suspects and arrestees detained or arrested within a commercial business shall have the demographics module completed in ICIS by the lead investigator and confirmed by a unit supervisor.
5. Each arresting officer shall be responsible for reviewing the criminal history of each arrestee and contacting the appropriate community prosecutor to determine if their assistance is needed to ensure repeat offenders are prosecuted vigorously.
Note: All checks done on all arrested or detained persons, shall be guided by APD.SOP.3020 “Search and Seizures,” and APD.SOP.3065 “Field Interviews.”
4.5 Undercover Vice Personnel Actions
1. At no time shall a member of the Vice Unit conduct any details or investigations that allow the undercover officer or any other member of the unit to undress completely, resulting in complete nudity, unless it becomes an officer safety issue and the undercover officer is in immediate danger prior to help arriving. This does not preclude undercover officers working street level prostitution to show their genitals inside an undercover vehicle, out of public view, to dispel to the target that they are not law enforcement in order to affect the arrest. These operations are completely voluntary by the vice member and at no time shall a member of the unit or a supervisor require such action from any employee.
5.1 Confidential Source: An individual who, on a recurring basis, secretly furnishes information or evidence concerning crimes or criminal activity generally, who may or may not be compensated for his or her service. The provisions of this procedure do not apply to concerned citizens who merely provide information anonymously.
5.2 Detail: A carefully planned action plan by a unit /units using a combination of marked and unmarked vehicles as well as uniformed or undercover officers to bring a suspect into custody.
5.3 F.I.T Certified: A Field Investigation Team are a selected team of officers who are trained or have completed the 80 hours of POST certified Basic Investigator’s Course at the Atlanta Police Training Academy or any other approved law enforcement agencies.
5.4 Monitor Vehicle: This is an undercover vehicle occupied by a minimum of two undercover officers and is responsible for following the undercover officer that is making the criminal cases, giving out constant location updates to the take-down teams and supervisor, and monitoring audio transmissions of the undercover officer making the criminal cases.
5.5 Street Level Prostitution: A person commits the offense of prostitution when he or she performs or offers or consents to perform a sexual act, including but not limited to sexual intercourse or sodomy, for money or other items of value. OCGA 16-6-9
N/A
Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies 5th Edition Standard 43.1.1a, 43.1.4 and 43.1.2
APD.SOP.2101 “Specialized and Temporary Assignment”
APD.SOP.3020 “Search and Seizure”
APD.SOP.5100 “Undercover Operations”
APD.SOP.5030 “Special Enforcement Section”
APD.SOP.5100 “Undercover Operations”
APD.SOP.5160 “Confidential Sources” OCGA 16-6-9 |
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