go-18.pdf

\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS SUBJECT Criminal Investigations CHIEF OF POLICE Signature on File Proudly Policing Since 1841 Nationally Accredited 1986 NUMBER ORIGINAL ISSUE CURRENT REVISION TOTAL PAGES 18 07/15/1985 01/08/2025 32 AUTHORITY/RELATED REFERENCES FS Chapter 934.31, General prohibition on pen register and trap and trace device use FS Chapter 784.071, Assault or Battery on a LEO; Missing … line of duty General Order 16, Digital Audio and Video Recording System General Order 32, Juvenile Procedures and Programs General Order 42, Impounding and Controlling of Property and Evidence General Order 81, Lineups and Show-ups PTL-18, Hearing Impaired/Limited English Proficiency Communications Protocols ACCREDITATION REFERENCES CALEA Chapters 1, 41, 42, 82, 83 CFA Chapter 15 KEY WORD INDEX Blue Alert Activation Protocols Procedure XVI Call-out Procedures – Criminal Investigations Bureau Procedure V Call-out Procedures – Special Investigations Section Procedure VI CIB Interview Room Protocols Procedure XIII Crime Scene Protocols Procedure I Evidence Protocols Procedure XIV Exculpatory Evidence Protocol Procedure XVII Exigent/Emergency Requests … Communications Provider Procedure IV Follow-up Investigations Procedure VIII Interviews and Interrogations – General Procedure IX Interviews and Interrogations – Juveniles Procedure XI Interviews and Interrogations – Special Needs Procedure X Preliminary Investigations – Detectives Procedure VII Preliminary Investigations – Officers Procedure II Preliminary Investigations – Sergeants Procedure III\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT Telephone Interview Protocols Procedure XII Written Statement Protocols Procedure XV POLICY Department members are responsible for the investigation of criminal acts and certain non-criminal incidents and shall adhere to established protocols in the course of such investigations. DEFINITIONS Blue Alert System: A State of Florida program which broadcasts information to the public in a timely manner regarding the disappearance, assault, or death of a law enforcement officer in the line of duty and the suspect is still at large; or there is an imminent and credible threat the suspect intends to cause a serious injury or death of a law enforcement officer. Call-out: The summoning of select members to the incident scene or other location to provide assistance in an incident under investigation by the Department. Crime Scene: The place where an offense has been committed, and other locations where evidence is present, or may be present, which may assist in explaining the events of a crime or certain non-criminal incidents (e.g., missing persons, suicides). DNA Evidence: For the purposes of this policy, an item of evidence where: 1) a suspect interacted with the item by touching, wearing, or leaving bodily fluids on it, and 2) the incident is a felony crime of violence, residential or commercial burglary, or arson. Evidence: Any tangible object, electronic or digitally stored record, written document, or exhibit necessary to persuade, establish, prove or disprove an issue or fact before any civil, administrative, or criminal tribunal. For the purposes of this policy, the term evidentiary item is synonymous with evidence. Exculpatory Evidence: Evidence which may justify or excuse an accused defendant’s actions, and which will tend to show the defendant is not guilty or has no criminal intent. Incident Command: The process of designating which officer, field supervisor or commander is in charge of the activities at a crime or incident scene. Interrogation: The process of questioning a particular suspect or arrested person in order to obtain information about a criminal event and/or a confession or admission concerning their involvement. GENERAL ORDER 18 PAGE 2 of 32 CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS JANUARY 8, 2025\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT Interview: A sworn member’s information-seeking dialogue with a person having knowledge of events or circumstances of an incident. Serious Injury: For the purpose of this written directive, an injury to a person which creates a substantial risk of death, causes serious permanent disfigurement, or results in permanent loss or impairment of the function of any body appendage or organ. Witness: A person who personally sees, perceives, or knows something relative to a criminal act or non-criminal incident. PROCEDURES I. CRIME SCENE PROTOCOLS A. Officers who respond to crime scenes – whether an in-progress crime or delayed report of a crime – are responsible for assessing the medical needs of the victim and requesting emergency medical services if warranted. B. It is the responsibility of the first officer(s) arriving on the scene of a recently occurred or in-progress criminal incident deemed critical or serious by its nature (e.g., bank robbery, sexual battery, shooting) to: 1. Establish incident command, 2. Communicate the establishment of incident command on the appropriate radio channel (talk group), and 3. Maintain incident command until either: a. Properly relieved by a supervisor or other competent authority, or b. The incident has deescalated to the point incident command is no longer needed. C. When warranted, it is the responsibility of responding officers to coordinate with one another in establishing and maintaining a secure crime scene, and at a minimum: 1. Establish both an inner and outer perimeter, staffed by officers strategically posted to prevent unauthorized entry into the perimeter, 2. Establish a central point of entry and exit into the inner perimeter, staffed by an officer, GENERAL ORDER 18 PAGE 3 of 32 CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS JANUARY 8, 2025\n\n--- Page 4 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT 3. Only allow authorized members with an immediate crime scene function to enter the crime scene’s inner perimeter, and 4. Only allow non-members who are authorized by the incident commander, or designee, to enter the crime scene’s inner perimeter (e.g., personnel from the State Attorney’s Office, the Medical Examiner’s Office, or a funeral home). D. Officers appointed to an entry/exit security post of a crime scene shall: 1. Denote all persons who enter the crime scene’s inner perimeter, and include those names in a supplemental offense report for the incident, and 2. Maintain the post until relieved by competent authority. E. Members who enter the inner perimeter of a crime scene shall complete a supplemental offense report detailing their activities within the inner perimeter, except: 1. The primary officer is not required to submit a supplemental report in addition to the original offense report, and 2. Supervisory members with a direct leadership role in the inner perimeter (e.g., incident commander, investigative supervisory staff) are not required to submit a supplemental report unless they possess information critical to the investigation. F. On all crime scenes, officers are responsible for assessing the need for additional Department resources to manage the scene or facilitate the investigation and as warranted, requesting those resources via the appropriate supervisor. Examples include: 1. Officers, 2. Detectives, 3. Forensic specialists, 4. Victim advocates, 5. Tactical Apprehension and Control Team, and 6. Special Response Team. GENERAL ORDER 18 PAGE 4 of 32 CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS JANUARY 8, 2025\n\n--- Page 5 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT B. On crime scenes deemed critical or serious in nature (e.g., homicide, robbery, sexual battery), officers shall make proper and timely notification to the appropriate supervisor, providing an update on the following: 1. Overall incident, 2. Participant injuries, 3. Property damaged, 4. Crimes committed, and 5. Suspect status. II. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS – OFFICERS In conducting the preliminary investigation, officers are responsible for observing all conditions, events, and remarks relative to the incident and collecti