Policy Text
A. POLICY
It is the policy of the El Portal Police Department to investigate all reports of cases
where a child is alleged to have been harmed or to be in danger of harm, child
abuse, neglect and abandonment. Further, members of the El Portal Police
Department shall ensure that victims of child abuse, neglect and/or abandonment
are removed from any environment where continued abuse is a possibility.
RESPONSIBILITY.
1. Child abuse and neglect is like no other crime to the extent that the El Portal
Police Department shares the investigative responsibility with a Department of
Children and Families protective investigator.
2. While dual jurisdiction is statutorily mandated, both D.C.F. and the Police
Department are responsible for different investigative elements of the same crime.
3. Specific Responsibility:
a. D.C.F. is primarily responsible for the safety and placement of the child
and intervention services for the family;
b. The Police Department is responsible for the investigation of the crime
and, when appropriate, to assist with the prosecution of the offender
c. Criminal investigation of a child abuse complaint is the responsibility of
the responding police officer
d. Handling of evidence, pictorial, physical, testimonial and all other types of
evidence is the responsibility of the Police Department and shall be done
with care in all cases