4-15/010.00 - Letters

4-15/010.00
LETTERS

If information contained in a letter indicates the possibility of imminent danger to life or property, necessary preventive action shall be taken and this action indicated in the report.  Also, see "Threats" and "Correspondence" for additional information.

Anonymous or Coded

Station/Unit
Patrol

A

Procedures for reporting anonymous or coded letters shall be dictated by the nature of their contents.  They shall be reported as crank letters, threatening letters, extortion, etc.

For the purpose of identifying the writer of an anonymous letter, it shall be handled as follows:  the handling of the letter by direct contact with the fingers should be avoided.  The original letter together with its envelope and contents shall be placed in a large manila envelope.  The following information shall be written on the outside of the manila envelope:

• The title of the report and the URN;
• The date, time, and method of receipt of the letter;
• Name and assignment of persons handling the letter prior to its protection from handling; and
• Name of receiving person and Unit of assignment.

Crank

SH-R-49
URN
44

Station/Unit
Detective

A

Route to Station/Unit detectives for review and filing in crank letter file.

Crank letters are those letters that are not in the nature of a threat or extortion or are not in the realm of normal business communications.  The contents of a crank letter will indicate that the writer has some whim, fancy or opinion which would indicate he is more than normally concerned with some idea or belief but does not pose a danger to himself or others.

Code 440 - Other - Noncriminal.

Extortion

See "Extortion."

Threatening,
general

See "Threats."

-- Threats to
government
officials or employees

See "Threats."