GGPDE_611_-_Cold_Case_Investigations_2733640

Policy 611Garden Grove Police Department Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2022/05/18, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Garden Grove Police DepartmentCold Case Investigations - 1Cold Case Investigations 611.1 POLICY The Cold Case Unit is a function of Investigations and is to be performed by sworn and civilian personnel. Their primary function is to review and continue the investigation of unsolved homicides, suspected homicides, missing persons, rapes and other unsolved violent crimes or Part I violent crimes. 611.1.1 DEFINITION Cold case - The Garden Grove Police Department defines a Cold Case as a case in which the lead detective initially assigned to the case has exhausted all leads. A cold case may be opened or closed for various reasons such as previously available technology was not able to adequately analyze the evidence, significant time has passed in a case where witnesses were hostile and uncooperative; various time constraints hindered the investigation; and a lack of worthwhile leads stalled the case. A cold case is any criminal investigation that has not been solved and is not actively being investigated. 611.2 EVALUATION CRITERIA For a cold case to be assigned to a cold case investigator it must first be approved by the Crimes Against Persons Sergeant. The following selection criteria should be considered prior to opening a case: •New leads or new information has been received on the case. •A capital murder case will remain assigned to a specific investigator and will periodically be reviewed for possible follow up investigation. •Leads in the case have not been fully investigated. •The passage of time warrants recontacting victims, witnesses, or other involved parties. •New technological advances in scientific analysis of biological evidence have been made. 611.3 PROCEDURE Once a case has been assigned, basic necessary cold case follow up should be completed: (a)Meeting with all participants to determine an investigative strategy. The meeting should consist of the following personnel; Supervisor, Case Investigator's, Forensic representative, District Attorney representative, Subject Matter Experts, any other deemed necessary personnel. (b)RMS Synopsis – If a synopsis has not been completed and entered into the RMS, one will be completed or updated. (c)TRACKRS, one will be completed or updated. (d)Collect and review the investigation notes Garden Grove Police Department Policy Manual Cold Case Investigations Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2022/05/18, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Garden Grove Police DepartmentCold Case Investigations - 2(e)Review the crime reports (f)Review the autopsy reports (g)Review the forensic reports (h)Review the property and evidence reports (i)Review the case for physical evidence; determine its status, if previously collected. (j)Obtain any reports, which may exist that have been associated with the case. (k)Locate evidence from these other reports (l)Submit evidence for analysis (m)Document interviews and other follow-up steps performed by completing a supplemental report.