11-001 Standardized Procedures for Detective Unit Operations

STANDARDIZED PROCEDURES FOR DETECTIVE UNIT OPERATIONS

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Field Operations Directive is to establish standards and procedures regarding training, case management, documentation, and annual inspections for detective unit functions. Only the chief of Detective Division may allow for certain clearly justifiable exceptions to this directive. An example may be for case file organization in homicide or real estate fraud cases that may have a voluminous level of documentation.

POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Detective Unit Documentation and File Management

All files shall be assembled in a neat, uniform manner. Forms shall be neatly and legibly printed or typewritten. Paperwork shall be secured within the case folder, preferably using two-pronged fasteners.

The journal (SH-R-405, or electronic equivalent) shall be affixed to the left side of the case folder. The journal shall concisely indicate each investigative step taken by the investigator and shall capably provide another investigator or supervisor with enough information to ascertain the status of an investigation. Details of the investigation shall be documented in supplemental reports. Investigators’ case notes may be attached behind the case journal.

Case journal and case closure forms do not supplant the need for supplemental report(s) to adequately document interviews and other significant investigative activities. Each form serves its own unique purpose and shall not be combined.

Case Management/Closures

The case closure form (Case File/Search Package Archival Report Form) shall be attached securely to the right side of the folder, on top of the incident report, supplemental report(s) and other supporting materials. The handling detective shall notify the evidence technician how each item of evidence shall be handled at the conclusion of a case, either by memorandum or electronically (via email). A copy of the notification shall be included in the investigator's case file. A notation indicating the final disposition of evidence shall be included on the case closure supplemental report form.

Investigators shall retain copies of all Department letterhead correspondence in the case file. Detective supervisors shall review the contents of their subordinates’ case files and personally approve each case closure. Supervisors shall personally initial the case closure report form(s), next to their printed name, indicating approval of the Los Angeles Regional Crime Information System (LARCIS) case clearance codes, suspect codes, evidence disposition, proper notifications being made, and case closure procedures being followed. The approving supervisor shall also sign the case journal, indicating concurrence with the case outcome and the reasonableness of time, effort, and diligence devoted to the case by the investigator.

Cases that result in a District Attorney rejection shall be reviewed by the Detective supervisor to determine whether further investigation is warranted.

The detective supervisor shall ensure that all cases which result in a District Attorney rejection pursuant to DA Special Directive(s) 20-07 and/or 20-09, are closed in LARCIS utilizing the 70A clearance code.

All cases which have resulted in a DA rejection under the same circumstance shall be reconciled from the date of December 7, 2020, and after, and updated with the 70A LARCIS clearance code.

Feedback and Communication with Station Personnel

Investigators shall provide feedback to the handling deputy and/or supervisor utilizing the case screening disposition form (SH-R-403), memorandum, or Department email, as approved by the supervisor. A copy shall be retained in the case file. Feedback shall be provided when the preliminary investigation was clearly deficient and/or exceptionally well done. Timely, constructive feedback directed to patrol personnel is essential for use in facilitating corrective action as well as recognizing and encouraging excellence.

Managing “Active,” “Pending,” and “Inactive/Closed” Files/File Storage and Retention

Completed investigations shall be centrally stored in detective bureau by Uniform Report Number (URN) to facilitate later retrieval. Only “active” and recently closed cases shall remain in the possession of investigators.

Case folders shall be retained at the unit for two years (FOD 10-03); however, cases with an active “want” or warrant(s) in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) or the Countywide Warrant System (CWS) shall continue to be stored locally.

Supervisors shall ensure proper diligence and justification to keep each case open beyond 30 days. Cases may remain “active” upon concurrence of the supervisor. Each supervisor’s review shall be noted on the investigator’s corresponding case journal. When a case is to remain “active” in excess of 60 days from the date of assignment, the investigator shall provide the team supervisor with justification to keep the case open. Supervisors shall review cases that are open in excess of 60 days, at least once every 30 days. At the discretion of the supervisor, investigators may also be required to provide a supplemental report or memorandum detailing the status of the investigation and the justification to keep the case open. If a case remains “active” in excess of 90 days, the investigator shall submit a supplemental report or memorandum to the detective supervisor documenting the latest status of the investigation and justification to keep the case open.

Cases that have been submitted to the District Attorney’s office for filing, and have been awaiting response beyond 30 days, do not require a supplemental report or memorandum to justify keeping the case open. However, a notation in the handling detective’s case journal, which has been signed by the supervisor is acceptable to eliminate the redundancy of extension memos noting the same status at 30, 60, and 90 days. Extension memos are still required for any “active/open” cases which are still under investigation.

Supervisors shall brief the detective commander every 30 days with latest case status update for any cases that remain open beyond 90 days. A notation shall be made on the corresponding case journal, noting that the lieutenant responsible for the respective station-level detective bureau, special team or investigations unit, was informed of the case status.

Note: Missing person investigations are exempt from the 90-day mandatory written report requirement. These cases shall remain open and “active” until the subject is located. Detective supervisors shall approve any case being changed from “active” status to “pending” status.

Unsolved cases may not be arbitrarily changed to “pending” status in lieu of the proper closure with “1xx” closure code.

With the exception of certain Detective Division units, as approved by the Chief of Detective Division, supervisors are highly discouraged from handling cases. Reassignment of cases with a LARCIS clearance code of “110” through “112” are also approved exceptions. In rare instances, a station-level detective supervisor may assume the handle on a notable case with approval of the lieutenant responsible for the respective station-level detective bureau.

LARCIS

Supervisors shall ensure that all case assignments to detectives are entered into Department records management system (LARCIS) without unnecessary delay. Only cases assigned to and investigated by detective bureau shall be assigned to investigators in the corresponding “DB Team” in LARCIS. The “DB Team” in LARCIS shall not reflect case assignments to “Patrol” (court deputies).

Supervisors shall review the LARCIS “active/assigned” report at a minimum of twice per month, and they shall ensure that only currently assigned detectives have cases “active” to the detective bureau team within LARCIS.

Detective supervisors shall reconcile the “active/unassigned” management report in LARCIS at least once per week. In order to capture cases that may have inadvertently become “active” during processing of supplemental reports, the date range shall be inclusive of the period two years prior to that current date.

Team members who leave detective bureau shall be made “inactive” in LARCIS by the detective supervisor, or their appointed designee, without unnecessary delay. Cases assigned to supervisors (and other “non-detectives”) shall not be included in management reports intended to document the productivity of station detectives.

Case clearance codes shall be consistent with suspect code(s) used to clear each case. Only approved codes found within the LARCIS Case Closure Reference Guide (see link in Reference section) shall be used.

Once approved by the watch sergeant, criminal reports shall not be processed or changed to a “418” or “444” statistical code. If a criminal case is later determined not to have been a crime, then the case shall be closed using the “205” closure code. Clearing a case with a “205" code will offset the crime statistic from the crime statistic report generated by the Department’s URN reporting system.

When a suspicious circumstances report is confirmed to be a criminal offense investigation, the investigator is responsible for authoring a supplemental report, to change the suspicious circumstances statistical code (418 or 444) to the appropriate crime’s statistical code. As a rule, LARCIS will not allow “suspect” or “subject” codes to be entered for suspicious circumstances (non-criminal) reports.

SEARCH OPERATIONS

These requirements are in addition to the requirements outlined within the Search Operations Section of the Manual of Policy and Procedures (starting at section 5-09/465.00).

Each room inside a location shall be filmed from opposing angles, with the camera held in a stable position while panning slowly. Contents of closets or other storage areas shall be documented on videotape. A pre-warrant interior diagram sketch shall be sought through Department resources, in the event another team has previously conducted a search inside a location. A post-warrant sketch (interior diagrams of the location) are mandated for all “location” warrants and shall be retained in the search package. Video tapes and audiotapes retained in search warrant files shall be clearly labeled with the complete Uniform Report Number (URN). Detective commanders shall ensure that search packages at station-level detective bureaus are stored securely in the detective bureau.

SEX REGISTRANT FILES

Field Operations Directive 04-08 details the Sex Offender Registration and Tracking Program, including detective responsibilities, and the specific documents that shall be contained in each registrant’s file. The Sex Registrant File Checklist shall be pre-printed on the file folder cover or affixed to the left inside section of the file. It may be obtained from the Department’s intranet E-Forms library or by clicking the following link:

https://lasd.sharepoint.com/sites/INT-eForms/Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?view=7&q=Sex%20Registrant%20File%20Checklist.

An investigator’s summary, preliminary review or “work-up,” including cover sheet and photo (when available), shall be completed by station detectives prior to a home verification and/or field investigation. Completed home verification forms shall be entered in the Department tracking system in a timely manner. The sex registrant’s personal vehicle description and identifying information shall be acquired at each annual registration. This shall also be entered into the Department tracking system.

DETECTIVE UNIT ORIENTATION

Training

The detective commander shall assign a supervisor in the detective unit to oversee the newly-assigned member’s orientation and training. All sworn personnel entering a detective unit assignment shall be trained in all the areas contained on the attached Detective Mentoring/Training Program worksheets. The Detective Mentoring/Training Program is designed to ensure that all newly assigned personnel have received appropriate training specifically designed for them to become proficient in their duties.

The completed Detective Mentoring/Training Program memorandum shall be retained in the detective’s personnel folder. A detective ribbon may only be awarded upon successful completion of the Detective Mentoring/Training Program, with concurrence of the designated supervisor and approval from the Detective Bureau commander. All stations shall utilize this uniform training/mentoring protocol.

Supervisors shall maintain a training matrix that indicates detective’s training compliance and attendance at specialized training, relevant to investigative work. The latest version of the mentoring package and training program matrix is available on the Department’s intranet E-forms library or by clicking the following link:

https://lasd.sharepoint.com/sites/INT-eForms/Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?view=7&q=detective%20training

Newly-assigned detectives and supervisors shall complete the “Basic Investigator” course during their initial year assigned to detective bureau. Detectives assigned to the detective bureau for over two years, prior to the implementation of this directive, are exempt from this requirement, provided they have completed the Department-approved search warrant training course. Every reasonable (documented) effort shall be made for newly assigned detectives to complete the “Analytical Interviewing” during the initial year assigned to detective bureau and shall attend LARCIS “investigator level” course at the first available opportunity.

Detectives shall attend recurrent “tactical entry” training at least once per year, with training at the Tactics and Survival (TAS) training facility at least biennially. On alternating years, teams may develop comparable scenario-based entry training with guidance from Advanced Officer Training (AOT), Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB), or other qualified instructors. Ideally, teams should attend and train together. Detectives attending training shall be listed on an approved APIS roster for documentation of the training in the Learning Management System (LMS).

Newly-assigned detective supervisors shall attend the LARCIS “supervisory level” course at the first available opportunity.

Detective supervisors shall also provide appropriate weekly briefings on subjects pertinent to investigators’ duties. Supervisors shall keep a record of all topics discussed throughout the year. The list of covered topics shall be reviewed during the annual inspection process.

ANNUAL INSPECTIONS

Annual inspections shall include a random review of investigators’ case files. Supervisors’ case management practices shall be scrutinized regarding all aspects of this directive. A listing of each assigned supervisor and detective’s training compliance (percentage) and the detective bureau training matrix shall be reviewed during the annual inspection process. Where applicable, the quantity of search warrants authored, court orders served, annual registrations, and home address verifications completed during “periodic sweeps” shall be thoroughly audited. Station detective bureau registrant files for each offender shall be checked for compliance with Department regulations. Special attention will focus on enforcement activities for those registrants listed as “in violation” on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Megan’s Law Website.

CITES/REFERENCES

State Law

Penal Code § 1054.1

Department Policy

Manual of Policy and Procedures, section 5-09/465.60, Search Operations Procedures

Manual of Policy and Procedures, volume 5, Chapter 4, Property and Evidence Procedures

Field Operations Directive 98-3

Field Operations Directive 04-08

RESOURCES

Department Forms

Case File/Search Package Archival Report Form

LARCIS Case Management Case Closure Reference Guide