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Atlanta Police Department

Policy Manual

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Standard Operating

Procedure

 

Effective Date

October 1, 2009

 

APD.SOP.6142

Crime Stoppers and Crime Tips

Applicable To:  All employees

Approval Authority:  Chief Richard J. Pennington

Signature:  Signed by RJP

Date Signed:  9/22/09

 

 

1.               PURPOSE

 

To provide procedures for all Department employees for the handling of crime tips reported to the Department via the Citizen Reporting Form for Crime.

 

2.               POLICY

 

The Atlanta Police Department will use crime tips received from citizens as an active approach to the reduction of crime in the City of Atlanta.

 

3.               RESPONSIBILITIES

 

3.1              Bureau, division, and section commanders will implement this procedure in their commands.

 

3.2              Section and unit commanders will ensure that all personnel under their command are in compliance with this directive.

 

3.3              Supervisors will ensure that all employees under their command are fully aware of proper procedures for taking action on crime tips provided by citizens as provided in this directive. 

 

3.4              All employees will follow this procedure when taking a crime tip from a citizen.
 

4.               ACTION

 

4.1              All employees will encourage citizens to report any criminal activity to the Atlanta Police Department as an active method of locating and suppressing crime.  Employees, who attend NPU and other community meetings, will have Crime Stoppers contact information available for citizens who want it.

 

4.2              Crime Stoppers

 

4.2.1           Crime Stoppers Atlanta is a collaborative program that brings together the Atlanta-area law enforcement agencies, the community and the media to solve crime.  A program of the Atlanta Police Foundation, Crime Stoppers Atlanta is dedicated to the reduction of crime, to the prompt solution of crimes, and to rewarding persons who provide information that leads to the arrest of criminals.

 

4.2.2           Crime Stoppers can be contacted by calling (404) 577-TIPS or (404)-577-8477.  Business cards with Crime Stoppers contact information are available through the Crime Stoppers office, located at the Public Safety Headquarters building.

 

4.2.3           All calls received by Crime Stoppers Atlanta will remain anonymous and confidential.

 

4.2.4           Although Crime Stoppers Atlanta is staffed by employees of the Atlanta Police Department, Crime Stoppers will receive tip information related to criminal activity that is occurring or has occurred in other metro Atlanta jurisdictions, and will forward that information to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

 

4.2.5           Employees assigned to Crime Stoppers will receive tips over the phone or through the Crime Stoppers website, will assign a Crime Stoppers Atlanta code number for all tips related to Part I crimes, and will forward the information to the appropriate investigative unit.

 

4.2.6           Tipsoft Online Software

 

1.    The Tipsoft online software will be used to record and track the information received from a caller.

 

2.    The Tipsoft software will be used to assign Crime Stoppers Atlanta code number (CSA #) when a tip is received.

 

3.    Employees will complete the Tipsoft software information fields as appropriate.

 

4.    Employees will forward the tip information to the appropriate investigative units.

 

5.    The callers contact information will remain confidential and will be available only to the Crime Stoppers staff through the Tipsoft software and only with the permission of the caller.

 

6.    Tipsoft online software will recommend the monetary reward amount.

 

4.2.7           Tip Information Returns

 

1.    Caller and tip records will remain open with Crime Stoppers staff until a disposition sheet is returned to Crime Stoppers. 

 

2.    Each tip forwarded to an investigative unit will contain an expiration date.

 

3.    Failure to return a disposition sheet to Crime Stoppers by the expiration date may affect the reward available to the tip giver and may negatively impact the receipt of criminal information in the future.

 

4.2.6           Rewards

 

1.    Rewards will not be handed out until an arrest / indictment and a review of the case by the civilian Advisory Council.

 

2.    The civilian Advisory Council can approve the reward amount recommended by Tipsoft, or can adjust at their discretion.

 

3.    The Crime Stoppers Law Enforcement Task Force serves in an advisory capacity to make recommendations to the Atlanta Police Foundation and the Advisory Council.

 

4.    Callers that receive a reward will learn of their reward amount when they retrieve their check.

 

4.3              Tips Received by Zone or Investigative Employees

 

1.    When a tip is received by the zone or investigative employee, that unit will provide the Crime Stoppers contact information and encourage the individual to contact Crime Stoppers.

 

2.    The employee will notify the tip giver that no reward will be available unless the tip is received by Crime Stoppers Atlanta.

 

3.    If the tip giver insists on giving the information to the employee, that employee will record in writing all pertinent information, including the tip givers contact information, and will then provide that information to the appropriate investigative unit in writing.

 

5.               DEFINITIONS

 

                  N/A

 

6.               CANCELATIONS

 

                  APD.SOP.6142 “Citizen’s Crime Tips Form”, Effective July 1, 2004

 

7.               REFERENCES

 

                  N/A