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Case Management
Volume: ___Chapter: __
______TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT
POLICY AND PROCEDURE
POLICY:
The need for a department to gauge the quality of its enforcement activities is vital to maintaining credibility in the view of the court and the public.
This policy is also designed to provide the department with an organized method of reviewing, organizing and tracking the progress of cases that are assigned the Investigative Section personnel. There is no doubt that the timely follow-up of all cases that are reported to the police department is an integral part of how the public views the agency. Therefore, this policy will also maintain accountability for follow-up investigations.
PROCEDURE:
I.CASE MANAGEMENT
A.Records Secretary Responsibility
- The records secretary will prepare the case folder by placing copies of the case information received from the initial reporting officer into a file folder. All original
documents will be maintained in central records.
2.The folder will be labeled with the case number, date of report and the type of investigation.
3.The prepared case file will be forwarded to the Detective Sergeant.
4.The records secretary shall enter each case assigned in the computer (Case Assignment).
5.Cleared patrol investigations will be forwarded to the Operations Division Commander.
B.Detective Sergeant’s responsibilities
1.The Detective Sergeant shall screen and assign all active cases to Investigative Section personnel and or return any active cases for initial officer follow-up.
2.The Detective Sergeant is responsible for the swift and proper management of all cases forwarded to the Investigative Section.
a.All cases shall be recorded on the Case Assignment Report.
(1).The information contained in this report will provide valuable information to the Detective Sergeant:
(a).Clearance Rate
(b).Detective/Investigator Case Load
b.Cases that have been recorded will be screened and forwarded to the Investigative Section personnel based upon:
(1).Detective Investigative Experience
(a).Experience with type of case
(b).Crime scene technical experience
(2).The case load of the Detective/Investigator dictates the number of cases assigned to each Detective/ Investigator.
(a).The Detective/Investigator with a greater number of cases pending will be assigned a lower number of new cases.
(b).The Detective Sergeant will keep abreast of the case load of all Investigative Section personnel.
(3).Solvability factors relate to the likelihood that a case will be solved. Example:
(a).A crime which recently occurred with witnesses and evidence found at the scene would be a "hot case".
(b).The same case where ten (10) days has lapsed and the witness' memory is unclear or the witness becomes no longer valuable would make this a "warm case".
(c).The same case where the lab report for the evidence indicates that the evidence is no longer valuable (i.e. latent fingerprints belonging to the owner), this would be a "cool case".
(d).Thirty (30) days and all leads have been exhausted, would classify this as a "cold case".
(e).Factors relating to solvability are witnesses, suspect identification, evidence, criminal patterns, resources, availability and/or the absence of leads after 30 days.
(4).The seriousness of a crime dictates the number of Detectives or Investigators assigned to one case and dictates which Detective or Investigator is assigned the case.
c.Case Management Reports and Case Files shall be retained by the Detective Sergeant for three (3) years.
d.Disposition of cases.
(1).Cleared Arrest/Court - The investigation is cleared by arrest and court proceedings have been initiated.
(2).Cleared Summons/Court - The investigation is cleared but the summons was served and no arrest occurred.
(3).Active/Investigation - The case is still actively investigated.
(4).Exceptionally Cleared/Closed - The investigation is ex-cleared. The accused is identified, and there is enough information to support an arrest, his location is known, but you are unable to gain custody.
(a).Complainant refused to prosecute
(b).Death of Accused
(c).Extradition Denied
(5).Unfounded/Closed - Investigation shows a crime did not occur.
(a).A vehicle is reported stolen. Investigation reveals the vehicle was repossessed.
(6).Active/Administratively Closed - The crime is active but all investigative leads have been exhausted.
(a).Investigation may be administratively closed 30 days after the initial investigation by the Investigative Section only.
(b).Cases may remain "ADMIN.CLOSED" unless the status changes.
(c).Cases may be reopened immediately upon the development of new information and a Supplementary Report must be completed indicating new leads and new disposition.
3.The Detective Sergeant is to print on the Case Folder the detective that the case was assigned, date of assignment, case number, offense, and the date of the offense.
a.If the case is reassigned, the Detective Sergeant shall print the reassignment detective's name and date. The computer entry must be modified also.
b.The Detective Sergeant shall initial each file after the entry.
4.The Detective Sergeant shall assign Investigative Section personnel to review patrol cleared investigations for later filing.
5.The Detective Sergeant shall review all assigned cases on a monthly basis and prepare the following monthly report:
a.The reports are to be submitted to the Support Services Division Commander by the 10th day of the following month.
6.The Detective Sergeant shall conduct an initial three day and thirty day review of all assigned cases to ascertain if the initial supplemental report has been completed as well as review the progress of the assigned cases. The following notations shall be made in the case file:
a.Review Date
b.Suggestions or comments about the progress of the investigation.
c.Initials
7.When a case is closed, the Detective Sergeant shall review the case file and make the following notations:
a.Review Date
b.Print "Case Approved for Filing" or "Case not Approved".
(1).The Detective Sergeant shall provide an explanation if a case has been approved.
(2).Clear directions should be provided so that the investigating detective can complete the case.
c.Detective Sergeant’s initials
d.When the case is resubmitted for approval, the Detective Sergeant shall approve or not approve the file as outlined in this section.
8.The total time spent on the case as indicated by the activity reports shall be entered into the computer by the Detective Sergeant.
9.The Detective Sergeant will provide case management assistance to all Investigative Section personnel under his/her supervision.
II.DETECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY
A.Detectives shall be responsible for the management of all the cases assigned to him/her.
1.The detective shall record his/her daily activity and the amount of time spent on that specific case on the Detective Weekly Activity Report. (See Appendix #1)
2.The detective shall submit an initial supplemental report within three (3) days of assignment.
a.This does not mean that the case has to be completed in three days.
b.Additional supplemental report(s) will be submitted to indicate progress and the final disposition of the case.
III.PATROL RESPONSIBILITY
A.Patrol officers that investigate minor offenses where the status is "Active-Investigation", will be assigned the case to conduct a follow-up investigation.
B.Cases that are deemed minor will be classified by the Detective Sergeant.
C.The cases will be jacketed and filed in the Sergeants' office file cabinet.
D.Upon completion of the investigation, a Supplementary Report will be filed with the case, indicating action and disposition.
1.The completed case will be reviewed and forwarded to the Investigative Section for filing.
E.All areas of case assignment applicable to the Investigative Section are applicable to Patrol personnel.
IV.CASE FILE SYSTEM
A.Active Case File
1.Individual case files will be placed into one Pendeflex File Folder that is labeled for the assigned detective or patrol officer.
2.At no time are active case files to be stored in anyone's desk. When an officer has temporarily completed working on a case, the folder is to be returned to the appropriate case file folder.
B.Closed Case Files
1.Individual closed case files will be placed into one Pendeflex File Folder that is labeled by the offense, i.e. Burglary, M.V. Theft, Fraud, and returned to the records secretary for storage.
C.No cases shall be filed in the "Closed" section unless clearly marked as approved by the Detective sergeant.
D.Reports to be maintained in the case file.
1.Investigation Reports
2.Supplemental Reports
3.Evidence Submission Request
4.Analysis Reports
5.Photograph Requests
6.Any telephone messages relating to the case.
- Only Investigation Section personnel, the Chief of Police and his/her designee will have access to cases assigned to the Investigative Section.
V.PROCEDURE FOR PURGING OF FILES
A. Procedures for the purging of agency records shall be governed by the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Archives and Records Management, Records Retention and Disposition Schedule for Local Police Departments.