Policy Text
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW
3 01/24/2011 02/01/2018
TUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS
_____________________
360 - Death Investigation 1
POLICY 360 DEATH INVESTIGATION
360.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The investigations of cases involving death include those ranging from natural cause to homicide.
Some causes of death may not be readily apparent and some causes differ substantially from
what th ey appeared to be initially . The thoroughness of death investigations cannot be
emphasized enough.
360.1.1 ACCREDITATION STANDARDS
This section pertains to the following CALEA Standards: 41.2.4 , 55.2.6 , 82.2.1
360.2 INVESTIGATION CONSIDERATIONS
Death investigation cases require certain actions be taken. Paramedics shall be called in all
suspected death cases unless the death is obvious (decapitated, decomposed, etc.). A
supervisor shall be notified in all death investigations.
360.2.1 CORONER REQUES T
Government Code § 27491 and Health & Safety Code § 102850 direct the Coroner to inquire into
and determine the circumstances, manner and cause of certain deaths. The Coroner shall be
called in any of the following cases:
a) Unattended deaths (No physician in attendance or during the continued absence of
the attending physician. Also, includes all deaths outside hospitals and nursing care
facilities.) ;
b) Deaths where the deceased has not been attended by either a physician or a
registered nurse, who is a membe r of a hospice care interdisciplinary team, as defined
by subdivision (e) of Section 1746 of the Health and Safety Code in the 20 days
before death ;
c) Wherein the deceased has not been attended by a physician in the 20 days prior to
death ;
d) Physician unable t o state the cause of death. Unwillingness does not apply. Includes
all sudden, unexpected and unusual deaths and fetal deaths when the underlying
cause is unknown ;
e) Known or suspected homicide ;
f) Known or suspected suicide ;
g) Involving any criminal action or su spicion of a criminal act. Includes child and
dependent adult negligence and abuse ;
h) Related to or following known or suspected self -induced or criminal abortion ;
i) Associated with a known or alleged rape or crime against nature ;
j) Following an accident or inju ry (primary or contributory) , deaths known or suspected
as resulting (in whole or in part) from or related to accident or injury, either old or
recent ;
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW
3 01/24/2011 02/01/2018
TUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS
_____________________
360 - Death Investigation 2
k) Drowning, fire, hanging, gunshot, stabbing, cutting, starvation, exposure, alcoholism,
drug addiction, s trangulation or aspiration ;
l) Accidental poisoning (food, chemical, drug, therapeutic agents) ;
m) Occupational diseases or occupational hazards ;
n) Known or suspected contagious disease and constituting a public hazard ;
o) All deaths in operating rooms and all deaths where a patient has not fully recovered
from an anesthetic, whether in surgery, recovery room or elsewhere ;
p) In prison or while under sentence , includes all in -custody and police involved deaths ;
q) All deaths of unidentified persons ;
r) All deaths of state hosp ital patients ;
s) Suspected Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) deaths ;
t) All deaths where the patient is comatose throughout the period of the physician’s
attendance. Includes patients admitted to hospitals unresponsive and expire without
regaining consciousne ss.
The body shall not be disturbed or moved from the position or place of death without permission
of the Coroner.
360.2.2 SEARCHING DEAD BODIES
The Coroner or Deputy Coroner is generally the only person permitted to search a body known to
be dead from any of the circumstances set forth in Government Code § 27491. The only
exception is that an o fficer is permitted to search the body of a person killed in a traffic collision
for the limited purpose of locating an anatomical donor card ( Government Code § 27491.3). If
such a donor card is located, the Coroner or a designee shall be promptly notified. Should exigent
circumstances indicate to an officer that any search of a known dead body is warranted prior to
the arrival of the Coroner or a designee ; the in vestigating officer shall first obtain verbal consent
from the Coroner or a designee ( Government Code § 27491.2).
Whenever possible, a witness, preferably a relative to the deceased or a member of the
household, should be requested to remain at the scene with the officer pending the arrival of the
Coroner or a designee . The name and address of this person shall be included in the narrative of
the death report. Whenever personal effects are removed from the body of the deceased by the
Coroner or a designee , a receipt shall be obtained. This receipt shall be attached to the death
report.
360.2.3 DEATH NOTIFICATION
When practical, and if not handled by the Coroner’s Office, notification to the next -of-kin of the
deceased person shall be made, in person, by the officer assigned to the incident. If the next -of-
kin lives in another jurisdiction, a