37064843.pdf

\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER TITLE Vice, Drugs, and Organized ACCREDITATION Crime and Covert Investigations and CALEA 43.1.1(a-d) Operations PRIOR REVISIONS 08/12/02; 08/14/03; PROPONENT UNIT 11/27/19 Special Investigations Division ATTACHMENT: NUMBER ISSUE DATE REVISION DATE TOTAL PAGES 43.1 07/01/98 05/21/2020 5 I. PURPOSE: This Order establishes procedures for investigating information / complaints regarding criminal activity involving vice, drugs, and organized crime, and for planning and conducting related covert activities. II. POLICY: The Gainesville Police Department will investigate crimes pertaining to illegal drugs, vice, and organized crime, and may utilize covert means to assist in the investigation(s). III. DEFINITIONS: Vice Offenses: Prostitution, illegal use or sale of alcohol, distribution or sale of pornography, etc. Drug Offenses: Manufacture, possession, sale, distribution, and / or use of controlled substances. Organized Crime: Unlawful activities by members of organized groups or associations engaged in or promoting extortion, theft, fencing, loan sharking, labor racketeering, offense for profit, engaged in procuring / transporting / supplying illegal goods, and similar activities. Covert Operation: A covert operation is a single, planned law enforcement detail for the purpose of gathering evidence and/or detecting and arresting persons engaged in illegal activity, during which detail law enforcement officers disguise themselves to conceal that they are law enforcement officers. Covert Investigation: A covert investigation is the conducting of a systematic examination over time to gather facts and evidence of an alleged offense regarding vice, drugs, and/or organized crime while employing law enforcement officers who disguise themselves to conceal that they are law enforcement officers. Surveillance: Surveillance involves secretly observing persons, without their knowledge, who are engaged in a criminal act or some activity pertaining to or potentially leading to a criminal act. Scope: All Personnel\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT IV. PROCEDURE A. Receiving and Forwarding Complaints / Information: The following governs the receiving of, routing of and responding to complaints and information regarding illegal vice, drug and/or organized crime activities 1. Receipt: [43.1.1.a] i. From Citizens: Telephone complaints from citizens regarding vice, drug, and organized crime activity received by the Combined Communications Center should be handled as follows: a. An officer(s) should be dispatched to in-progress incidents. b. Referrals shall: Be assigned a CAD incident number, Include all obtained information, Be cleared in CAD as an ‘advised incident’, and coded as a “16V”. Be forwarded to IB via an email. c. Complaints/incidents that are significant or that require an extended investigation shall be forwarded to the Investigations Bureau (IB) via an email. ii. By Law Enforcement: Members who receive or develop important information regarding vice, drugs, or organized crime shall forward it to the IB commander/designee in writing using department email. iii. Other: Information received from other sources (mail, other LEA, etc.) that do not come through a listed source shall also be forwarded to IB. [CALEA 43.1.1.c] Crime Stoppers Tips / phone calls are documented and sent to a supervisor via IOC or email for review. The supervisor determines what action will be taken next. (see tracking below) Information conveyed to outside agencies will also be tracked. [CALEA 43.1.1.c] 2. Tracking: The IB commander / designee shall log the receipt and disposition of each complaint, to include, at a minimum: [43.1.1.b and 43.1.1.c] Scope: All Personnel 2\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT i. Source of the information, ii. Activity being reported, iii. Date/time received, iv. Reviewing member, v. Referral disposition. a. Examples include: Forwarded to a sub-unit within the agency (specify SID, CID, Patrol, etc.) Forwarded to another law enforcement agency (ASO, Putnam Co., St. Johns CO SO, etc.); Other: (lacks investigative merit, etc.). Information disseminated/no action being taken at this time 3. Assignment: The IB commander/designee shall review the complaint and, if indicated, assign it to an IB sub-component, or if more appropriate, to another bureau or an outside agency that may be better designed to conduct that type of operation / investigation. [CALEA 43.1.1.a] Before assigning the investigation to another bureau or agency, the IB commander should, when appropriate, consult with the bureau commander or agency head to whom the referral is made. 4. Notifications: The Investigations Division Commander or designee shall keep the Chief informed of vice, drugs, or organized crime. This will be accomplished during the Drug Task Force biennial board meeting and regularly occurring meetings (tactical briefing etc). or as needed. [CALEA 43.1.1.d] B. Records Maintenance: 1. Complaint Receipt / Disposition Logs: Shall be maintained as part of the bureau’s records. 2. Investigative Reports: The records and reports of active investigations shall be maintained in the Department’s central digital record system, but will be electronically locked by a supervisor to limit access to only authorized persons. CALEA 43.1.2] C. Confidential Funds: The Department shall maintain a budget account for supplying confidential funds to support vice, drug, and organized crime operations. (See G.O. 17.1 for general procedures regarding use of confidential funds; the Criminal Investigations SOP and Special Investigations SOP manuals for detailed information.) [CALEA 43.1.3] Scope: All Personnel 3\n\n--- Page 4 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT D. Resources: The Department shall provide, as determined by the respective bureau commander, necessary resources for assigned members to conduct covert operations / investigations (including undercover, decoy, and surveillance activities). 1. Surveillance Equipment: Bureaus assigned surveillance equipment shall: i. Maintain an inventory control log, to include information on equipment description, check-out / in and maintenance, to ensure proper use and prevent loss. [CALEA 43.1.4] 2. Disguises: Disguises and other items to conceal identities will be provided as outlined in specific division SOPs. 3. Other Equipment: Any other equipment needed will be supplied, when possible, and at the discretion / direction of the supervising commander. E. Authorization: 1. Covert Operations: Operations and Investigations Bureaus are authorized to conduct covert operations (such as prostitution stings) and surveillance regarding vice, drug, or organized crime. i. Authorized bureau commanders may permit their respective bureau personnel to conduct surveillance and covert operations. ii. Members who are assigned to specialty covert units) or participate in covert activities shall already be covert trained, or receive covert training prior to being used in a solo status. 2. Covert Investigations: The Investigations and Operations Bureau commanders may authorize their personnel to conduct covert investigations as follows: i. The IB is authorized to conduct major covert investigations regarding vice, drug, or organized crime (such as drug trafficking); ii. Operations Bureau personnel may conduct covert investigations that are within the scope and purview of their assignments, and that do not interfere with those primarily conducted by IB. F. Coordination: To enhance the safety, efficiency, and success of the operations and to minimize duplication of effort, bureau commanders shall consult with one another when a vice, drug, or organized crime operation, investigation, or surveillance: 1. Involves members from more than one bureau, 2. Poses a public safety concern (such as multiple in-progress arrests), Scope: All Personnel 4\n\n--- Page 5 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT 3.