GO - 57002 - - Crimes - Involving - Officers - and - Their - Families

SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS GO 570.02 Page 1 of 1 570.02 CRIMES INVOLVING EMPLOYEES OR THEIR FAMILIES 09-28-16 PURPOSE The purpose of this general order is to pr ovide guidelines when employees, members of their families , or persons with whom employees are engaged in a personal relationship, are involved as a witness, victim or suspect in a law enforcement matter. POLICY It shall be the policy of the Sacramento Police Department to ensure that employees involved in crimes outside the City of Sacramento report those crimes to the appropriate agency. It shall also be the policy to impartially investigate all crimes within its jurisdiction when a member of the Depar tment, a member of an employee’s family , or a person with whom a department employee is involved in a personal relationship, is involved in a criminal matter . PROCEDURE A. ON - DUTY INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME 1. Employees shall not take a report, conduct an investigation, participate in an investigation, or influence an investigation , if: a. The employee is a vi ctim of a crime [ other than situations such as those li sted in Section A (3)] . b. A family member, friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, cohabitant, or any other person whose involvement may create a conflict of interest, is a victim of a crime, is a named suspect in a crime, or is involved in a vehicle accident. 2. If an employee responds to a call involving any of the above circumstances , the empl oyee shall request another unit to take the report and conduct the initial investigation. 3. Officers shall take their own report while on-duty when he or she is a victim of a crime during the course and scope of their normal duties (e.g. 148(a) PC, 241 PC, 243 PC, theft of property taken from a vehicle). a. The report shall be reviewed and approved by the Employee’ s supervisor. b. The Employee’s supervisor shall advise the Office of Inves tigations (OOI) Felony Assaults Unit Sergeant if a suspect is arrested. T he Felony Assault Unit Sergeant shall ensure that the case is monitored as it moves through the prosecution process. This process shall begin at the initial evaluation made by the i ntake DA and continue through adjudication. c. If the Felony Assault Sergeant is made aware that the Deputy DA is considering the options of reducing or dismissing charges against the suspect, the Sergeant shall : (1) Act as a liaison between the DA's office and the affected employee(s). (2) Notify the employee(s) in a timely manner to allow for further review should the employee(s) wish to personally express to the DA their objection to a reduction or dismissal. B. OFF-DUTY EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT 1. Employees involved in a criminal offense as a victim or witness while off -duty shall r eport all such crimes and pertinent information to the appropriate law enfor cement agency. 2. Employees shall notify their immediate supervisor or a higher authority as soon as possible when they have been arrested or become aware that they are the subject of a criminal investigation by any law enforcement agency, including the Sacramento Police Department. C. CRIMES IN PROGRESS WHILE OFF DUTY 1. Absent exigent circumstances (e.g. a threat of serious bodi ly injury or death) officers should not take enforcement action while off-duty. 2. Officers taking enforcement action while off-duty shall notify the on-duty watch commander as soon as possible. 3. Officer s witnessing a crime in progress while off -duty should: a. Consider that they are acting alone and cannot call for assistance. b. Observe the incident and call 9 -1-1 or the appropriate law enforcement agency. c. Wait for the responding agency to arrive and provide a witness statement and suspect description/identificati on. d. Not attempt to contact suspects unless necessary to prevent an escape or injury to others. 4. Off-duty officers shall not stop infraction violators .