OOI 570.0320 - Investigating Officer Involved Shootings

SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF INVESTIGATIONS OOI 570.03 Page 1 of 7 570.03 INVESTIGATING OFFICER INVOLVED INCIDENTS 5-4-21 PURPOSE The purpose of this order is to establish procedures for the investigation of officer involved shootings and in- custody deaths. POLICY It shall be the policy of the Sacramento Police Department that the Homicide Unit conduct a thorough, fair and impartial investigation on all incidents resulting in the intentional discharge of a firearm at a subject by Department employees or outside agencies or where a citizen dies while in police custody. PROCEDURE A. DEFINITIONS 1. OFFICER -INVOLVED INCIDENTS – An incident in which a peace officer, acting under the color of authority, is directly involved in one of the following: a. Any discharge of a firearm which proximately causes the death of, or an injury to another b. Any intentional discharge of a firearm at a person where the officer missed their intended target and no physical injury occurred c. Any intentional act or use of force which proximately causes the death of, or an injury likely to produce death to another 2. DEATH IN CUSTODY – A subject who dies while in the custody and control of the Sacramento Police Department (e.g., in a holding room, in the back of a patrol car, or during police contact where a physical detention has occurred, etc.). This order also applies to outside agencies conducting police business within the city’s jurisdiction. B. GENERAL 1. The Homicide Unit will respond to the scene of and assume investigative responsibility for all officer -involved incidents to include: shootings, in-custody deaths and or any use of force incident that caused death. 2. The Homicide Unit will respond to any officer -involved shooting where the discharge of their firearm resulted in an injury to a person, whether it was intentional or not. 3. Nothing in this order shall prevent Captains and/or Watch Commanders from requesting a Homicide Team response when their investigative expertise is needed to properly and thoroughly investigate a high liability or high- profile case for the City of Sacramento. 4. The Homicide Unit shall assign the appropriate amount of staffing based on the facts of the individual case. This shall minimally consist of at least one (1) sergeant and two (2) detectives. 5. To maintain the integrity of the investigation in incidents involving more than one officer, the involved officers, or percipient witness officers, will be separated from each other until formal interviews are obtained. 6. The District Attorney’s Office is responsible for the review of a criminal investigation into the circumstances of any officer -involved shooting or in-custody death. The District Attorney’s Office will be notified as soon as practical of any officer -involved shooting or in-custody death. The District Attorney’s Office shall be permitted to monitor the progress of the criminal investigation. 7. If t here is an in-custody death, the intentional discharge of a firearm at a subject or the unintentional discharge of a firearm resulting in an injury by another law enforcement agency, the Homicide Unit shall be notified to handle the investigation. a. The outside agency shall be notified immediately so they may monitor the investigation SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF INVESTIGATIONS OOI 570.03 Page 2 of 7 [GO 560.01 (Arrest and Investigation by Allied Agencies)]. b. When officers from outside agencies are involved, the Homicide Unit should solicit the cooperation of their ranking officer/supervisor to maintain the integrity of the crime scene and investigation. C. HOMICIDE UNIT : LEAD SERGEANT ’S RESPONSIBILITIES The Lead Homicide Sergeant shall: 1. ensure all the proper response notifications have been made via the Communications Center. 2. contact the field supervisor on the scene, and after being sufficiently briefed, accept command of the scene and investigation. 3. immediately assess the scene and to the extent possible, determine the location and condition of officers , suspect(s), all injured persons, and the location of all known witnesses 4. ensure the witnesses and involved officers are separated to protect the integrity of the investigation. 5. ascertain from the Incident Commander the location of the involved officer(s), their weapon(s) and how the officer(s) will be transported to the Hall of Justice (HOJ) or an appropriate location for an interview. 6. request