Policy Text
Policy Delano Police Department
428 Delano PD Policy Manual
Suspicious Activity Reporting
428.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This policy provides guidelines for reporting and investigating suspicious and criminal activity.
428.1.1 DEFINITIONS
Definitions related to this policy include:
Involved party - An individual who has been observed engaging in suspicious activity, as defined
in this policy, when no definitive criminal activity can be identified, thus precluding the person’s
identification as a suspect.
Suspicious activity - Any reported or observed activity that a member reasonably believes may
have a nexus to any criminal act or attempted criminal act, or to foreign or domestic terrorism.
Race, ethnicity, national origin or religious affiliation should not be considered as factors that create
suspicion (although these factors may be used as specific suspect descriptions). Examples of
suspicious activity may include, but are not limited to:
• Suspected pre-operational surveillance or intelligence gathering (e.g., photographing
security features, asking questions about sensitive security-related subjects).
• Tests of security measures and response to incidents (e.g., “dry run,” creating false
alarms, attempts to enter secure areas without authorization).
• Suspicious purchases (e.g., purchasing large quantities of otherwise legal items, such
as fertilizer, that could be used to create an explosive or other dangerous device).
• An individual in possession of such things as a hoax explosive or dispersal
device, sensitive materials (e.g., passwords, access codes, classified government
information), or coded or ciphered literature or correspondence.
Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) - An incident report used to document suspicious activity.
428.2 POLICY
The Delano Police Department recognizes the need to protect the public from criminal conduct
and acts of terrorism and shall lawfully collect, maintain and disseminate information regarding
suspicious activities, while safeguarding civil liberties and privacy protections.
428.3 RESPONSIBILITIES
The Investigation Division Commander and authorized designees will manage SAR activities.
Authorized designees should include supervisors who are responsible for department participation
in criminal intelligence systems as outlined in the Criminal Organizations Policy.
The responsibilities of the Investigation Division Commander include, but are not limited to:
(a) Remaining familiar with those databases available to the Department that would
facilitate the purpose of this policy.
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/06, All Rights Reserved. Suspicious Activity Reporting - 1
Published with permission by Delano Police Department