UNIT ORDER #16 - REQUESTING STATEMENTS OR EVIDENCE FROM OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES



PURPOSE OF THIS ORDER:

To establish Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB) protocol for officially requesting statements, documentation, photographs, audio and video recordings, or any other necessary items that may serve as essential evidence in an administrative investigation.

Procedure

During the course of an administrative investigation, witness statements, reports, or other evidence may come from various government sources, such as law enforcement agencies, fire departments, etc.  Generally, most agencies cooperate with the investigation.  However, there may be instances where an agency is reluctant to provide documents or other evidence.  There may also be times when involved personnel from these agencies decline to furnish statements relevant to the administrative investigation.

In these cases, IAB investigators shall draft a letter from the IAB Captain to the department head of the affected agency.  The letter shall detail what is requested and explain the nature of the request.  The letter shall also request written response to the IAB Captain and provide a return address.

All correspondence of this nature shall be included in the administrative investigation case book.