All Incident Reports shall be assigned regardless of whether the case is active or pending. Pending cases, although assigned to an investigator, will have no follow-up investigation.
The assignment may be to a single Unit or concurrently assigned to two or more Units whenever warranted by the facts alleged in the first report; however, one Unit shall be assigned as the primary Unit of assignment.
The primary Unit of assignment shall be responsible for coordinating the investigation and ensuring all administrative details are completed. The ultimate responsibility for the case lies with this Unit and it shall:
- Maintain liaison among concurrently assigned Units;
- Ensure that all property and evidence is handled and disposed of properly;
- Review all reports, broadcasts and computer entries for accuracy, completeness, timely entry and cancellation and compliance with Department regulations;
- Approve all filings with the courts; and
- Provide progress reports (written or oral) to the concerned Station while the case is active.
Other concurrently assigned Units shall be responsible for:
- Advising the primary Unit of all matters relevant to the investigation;
- Providing required assistance within their area of expertise;
- Providing complete, accurate and timely reports to the primary Unit; and
- Advising the primary Unit prior to making any arrest or seeking any search or arrest warrant, except in exigent circumstances, wherein delay would jeopardize the investigation.