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ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE GENERAL ORDER Effective Date: January 8, 2019  Amends - GO 16.1.9 ( April 20, 2012 ) Number: 16.1.9 Distribution: All Personnel Review Month: August Reviewing Authority: CID / General Assignment Subject: Organi zed Crime And Vice Control This order consists of the following: 1. Purpose 2. Policy 3. Definitions 4. Procedures 1. Purpose The purpose of this policy is to establish the Sheriff's Office commitment to and administration of agency efforts to combat organ ized crime, vice, and narcotics activities. Effective investigations are facilitated and public confidence engendered through established procedures to confirm that vice, narcotics, and organized crime complaints are effectively recorded, maintained, and a ssigned for investigative follow -up. 2. Policy A. It is the duty and responsibility of all deputies to be constantly alert for, seek out and identify organized crime, vice, and narcotics activity. Note : Whenever possible, all deputies shall take appropriate en forcement action against organized crime, vice and narcotics violators. These types of offenses may require investigation by specialized personnel or units. Deputies shall record related observations and/or complaints and forward them to the Criminal Inv estigations Division. B. All complaints will be recorded and maintained and victims/complainants will be kept appropriately advised as to the status of investigations regarding their complaints. Complaints will be investigated to the fullest extent possible. 3. Definitions Ongoing Investigations - are those in which the release of records or other information would jeopardize deputy safety and/or otherwise hinder development of a successful investigation. 4. Procedures A. Organized Crime The Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation (MBI) shall be responsible for coordinating and overseeing organized crime investigations. The MBI Director shall report to the Sheriff or designee. The organized crime control responsibilities of the Orange County Sheriff are represented th rough the Sheriff's participation in the MBI. 16.1.9 , Page 2 of 3 1. The Sheriff shall serve as a member of the MBI Board of Directors. 2. The Sheriff shall assign deputies to the MBI in accordance with the MBI Memorandum of Understanding. 3. The Sheriff shall contribute funding to the MBI in accordance with the MBI Memorandum of Understanding. The MBI Director and Board of Directors shall establish how MBI funding can be optimally used in the provision of personnel, equipment, supplies, and investigative expenses to fulfill organiz ed crime control obligations. B. Narcotics Section The Narcotics Section Commander shall be responsible for coordinating and overseeing vice and narcotics investigations. The Narcotics Section Commander shall report to the Division Commander and shall submi t monthly written statistical reports which will be provided to the Sheriff via the Division Commander . 1. The Vice and Narcotics Squads shall be responsible for assessing vice and narcotics investigations for relationships to traditional organized crime. Cases assessed as highly complex or related to organized crime will be referred to the MBI. 2. The Narcotics Section Commander shall be responsible for assessing personnel and equipment needs as follows: a. Personnel shall be assigned to investigate and enforce narcotics and vice violations. b. Non-sworn personnel shall be assigned to Narcotics to provide analytical, secretarial, and clerical support to vice and narcotics operations. c. Any specialized equipment and/or funding necessary to vice and narcotics operation s will be routinely evaluated for its sufficiency by the section managers and supervisors. The Narcotics Section Commander shall make appropriate equipment funding requests during the agency's fiscal planning processes. C. Receiving and Recording Complaints and Information 1. Personnel in receipt of vice, narcotics, or organized crime complaints and/or information shall prepare a written record of the complaint/information and forward the information to the appropriate agency component. 2. Accepted methods of rec ording vice, narcotics, or organized crime complaints information include: a. Incident Report(s) - These reports detail the complaint, incident, or other information. Incident Reports would typically be used by Patrol personnel who encounter vice, narcotics , or organized crime offenses during the course of normal duties. b. Field Activity Report(s) - These reports are used to forward information received from informants, concerned citizens, etc., and which would not detail specific offenses which would otherwis e require an Incident Report. 16.1.9 , Page 3 of 3 D. Dissemination of Vice, Narcotics, and Organized Crime Complaints 1. Vice and Narcotics complaints/information will be forwarded to Narcotics. a. Vice-related complaints/information, such as street prostitution problems will be eval uated and assigned to the appropriate agency personnel by the Narcotics Section Commander . b. Narcotics -related complaints/information, such as illegal drug smuggling/trafficking/sales/use; illicit drug manufacturing/ cultivation; or prescription drug fraud, will be assigned to the Narcotics Squads. 2. Organized Crime and adult entertainment complaints/information will be forwarded to MBI. E. Maintenance of Vice and Narcotics Complaint Records 1. Narcotics shall maintain a record of complaints and information receive d from all sources including: citizens, informants, agency members, and other law enforcement personnel. In addition, Narcotics shall maintain a record of any dissemination of this information to other law enforcement agencies. a. The maintenance,