Policy Text
Policy Number: IV23
Issued: 12/04
Revised: 09/08
Revised: 08/13
OFFICER-INVOLVED CRITICAL INCIDENT PROTOCOL
The Officer-Involved Critical Incident Protocol (Protocol) is a guideline for the investigation of
law enforcement officer-involved critical incidents in El Dorado County. The goal is to help
ensure that critical incidents involving officers are thoroughly and fairly investigated. The
Protocol includes definitions of critical incidents, agency responsibilities, notification processes,
etc., for the multi-agency investigations when required. A copy of the Protocol is located in the
office of the Division Manager.
Protocol investigating member agencies include:
• El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office
• El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office
• Placerville Police Department
• South Lake Tahoe Police Department
• California Highway Patrol
Although not an investigating member, the Probation Department can activate the Protocol when
an investigation is determined to be necessary. Therefore, managers and supervisors are required
to be familiar with the Protocol in case a staff member/facility is determined to be involved in a
defined critical incident requiring the activation of the Protocol by our department. For such an
incident, the manager in charge shall activate the Officer-Involved Critical Incident Protocol and
initiate the required department and multi-agency notifications.
If a manager determines a qualifying critical incident has occurred involving a Probation
Department staff member or Probation Department resources, causing the necessity of a multi-
agency response/investigation pursuant to the Protocol, the manager in charge shall make the
following notifications:
• The Chief Probation Officer shall be notified via the Chain of Command.
• El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Central Dispatch shall be notified and a
request shall be made for dispatch to notify all Protocol member agencies of
the probation incident and the location of the incident so that other agency
participants can respond to assist in the investigation. Dispatch shall be
provided with a description of the incident (for example: death in a juvenile
detention facility or officer-involved shooting) and the exact location of the
incident.
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