go-31.pdf

\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS SUBJECT Harassment Investigations CHIEF OF POLICE Signature on File Proudly Policing Since 1841 Nationally Accredited 1986 NUMBER ORIGINAL ISSUE CURRENT REVISION TOTAL PAGES 31 01/01/1991 03/11/2025 3 AUTHORITY/RELATED REFERENCES CID SOP 10, Case Management CID SOP 12, Follow-up Investigations ACCREDITATION REFERENCES CALEA Chapter 42 KEY WORD INDEX Documentation Procedure I Follow-Up Procedures Procedure II *57 Call Trace Method Procedure III POLICY Members shall follow accepted guidelines when documenting and investigating harassing, obscene and threatening phone calls. DEFINITIONS Obscene Phone Call: Any call at a location where a person has reasonable expectation of privacy wherein the caller makes any comment, request, suggestion, or proposal which is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, vulgar or indecent, and by such call or such language intends to offend, annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any person at the number called. Harassing Phone Call: Any call wherein the caller, whether or not conversation ensues, without disclosing his/her identity and with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person at the called number; or makes or causes the telephone of another to repeatedly or continuously ring with intent to harass any person at the called number; or makes repeated phone calls during which conversation ensues, solely to harass any person at the called number.\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT Threatening Phone Call: Any call wherein the caller makes any comment, request, suggestion or proposal which is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, vulgar or indecent, and by such call or such language intends to threaten any person at the called number; or makes a call whether or not conversation ensues, without disclosing his/her identity and with intent to threaten any person at the called number. *57 Phone Call Trace: A service provided by the Embarq phone company for subscribers to identify harassing, obscene or threatening callers. This service works for both landline and cell phones. PROCEDURES I. DOCUMENTATION All obscene, harassing and threatening phone calls or messages will be documented on an offense report form. The following information should be included: A. What is said, sent, relayed or done during the contact(s)). B. The frequency of the contacts. C. How long the victim has been receiving the calls or messages. D. Any information that might help identify the harasser, (e.g., a description of the harasser’s voice, former relationships, co-workers, employer/employees, or acquaintances who may be considered the harasser. E. Whether or not a *57 method of tracing was initiated and a successful trace received. F. Document all social media and email accounts (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.) that are used for the harassment. II. *57 CALL TRACE METHOD A. Inform the victim of the *57 method of tracing calls, if they do not already know of the service. B. Explain to the victim the last call received can be traced by dialing *57 on a touch-tone or cellular phone.. C. The caller will hear a recording saying to “press 1” if he/she wishes to continue the trace. GENERAL ORDER 31 PAGE 2 of 3 HARASSMENT INVESTIGATIONS MARCH 11, 2025\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT III. FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURES A. Inform the victim to keep a continuous list of dates and times calls or messages are received and what the caller says. B. Advise the victim to file a supplemental report documenting any continued harassment. History: Issued 01/01/1991, Revised 07/21/2009, Title change 03/11/2025. GENERAL ORDER 31 PAGE 3 of 3 HARASSMENT INVESTIGATIONS MARCH 11, 2025