Policy Text
INVESTIGATIVE PRIORITI ES/CASE MANAGEMENT
Purpose of the
Order The purpose of this order is to establish guidelines to assist in setting
investigative priorities for m ore efficient case management.
Note: All officers of the Narcotics I nvestigation Division are enco uraged to
attack narcotics traffickin g at the hi ghest level possible.
Categories of
narcotics offenders The following list(s) describe cat egories of narcotics offender s and are
established to assist in a mor e effective case management.
A. Narcotics offenders shall be categorized.
B. The ranking shall be based on all available information.
C. Investigative priority will be g iven to the higher-class violat or whenever
practical.
D. Offenders shall be classified as follows:
Class 1 Violator :
Trafficker who deals in quantitie s of cocaine and methamphetami ne in
excess of one (1) pound.
Multiple half ounce quantities of heroin, or the equivalent dis tribution
level for other drug
Class 2 Violator :
Trafficker who deals in multi-ounce to one pound quantities of cocaine
or methamphetamine, ounce plus q uantities of heroin or the equi valent
distribution level for other drug.
Class 3 Violator :
Trafficker who deals in quanti ties less than would qualify for
Class 1 or 2.
Violator status When considering a violator status, it should be thought of in terms of what
an officer would expect to find if they were to search a violat or’s primary
storage or “stash” location on a particular day (i.e., the off icer could expect
the search to result in a seizure of one (1) pound plus or one (1) ounce plus,
etc. of contraband).
Continued on next page
1 of 2
4/01 (REV 10/01)
INVESTIGATIVE PRIORITIES/CASE MANAGEMENT, Continued
Procedures and
controls for Class 1 violators The following list describes the procedures and controls that s hall be used
with any extended investigati on involving a Class 1 violator.
1. The case number and officer assigned shall be documented and tr acked
within the Division. A copy of the card shall be forwarded to the
division’s Intel center.
2. W h e n t h e o f f i c e r i n i t i a t e s a n i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o a C l a s s 1 V i o l ator,
he/she shall discuss the matter with his immediate supervisor p rior to
establishing it as a C lass 1 investigation.
3. Any investigation of a Class 1 Vi olator initiated or assigned t o an
investigator shall require that a case summary for extended nar cotics
investigations are completed. The form and content of this rep ort will
be at the discretion of the Operations Lieutenant.
4. A monthly status report shall include, but not limited to such items as;
change in suspect residence
surveillance conducted
co-conspirators identified, etc.
5. A complete copy of the case shall be maintained in a labeled 3- ring
binder. The binder shall be tabbed with a minimum of the follo wing
sections:
a. case initiation/summary report
b. monthly status reports
c. suspect identification includi ng available suspect photos
d. supplemental reports
e. photos (surveillance, etc.)
f. search warrant information
g. computer printout information
Additional
sections The following list describes addi tional sections the officer ma y add as his
investigative needs dictate.
1. All identified Class 1 and 2 Viol ator shall have Western States
Information Network or LA Cl earinghouse cards filled out and
submitted to WSIN.
2. Such a system of classification will help maintain an accurate record of
long-term investigations and help promote an understanding amon gst
the officers and their inves tigative respons ibilities.
3. This system will also allow a case to be transferred from one
investigator to another upon the transfer and/or promotion of t he
initiating officer.
2 of 2
4/01 (REV 10/01)